The Ultimate Guide to Growing Raspberries

Growing raspberries at home lets you savor sweet, flavorful fruits at their peak. Follow farmer Briana Yablonski’s advice to cultivate these perennial berries in your garden.

Adding fruit-bearing plants to your garden makes outdoor time even more enjoyable. Freshly picked carrots or tomatoes are satisfying, but a sun-warmed raspberry straight from the plant? That’s pure bliss.

Homegrown raspberries offer many benefits. These delicate fruits often arrive squashed or pricey at stores, but when you grow them yourself, you can enjoy them moments after picking!

Raspberries are beginner-friendly, and planting them once means years of harvests. Unsure which variety to pick or where to plant? Don’t worry—this guide covers everything about planting and caring for raspberries.

Raspberry Overview

Green canes with serrated dark green leaves produce small, bright red fruits with hollow centers and a delicate, bumpy texture.

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Family: Rosaceae
• Genus: Rubus
• Species: Varies
• Native Area: Europe, Asia, North America
• Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Height: 4–5 feet
• Watering Needs: Moderate
• Pests & Diseases: Raspberry rust, anthracnose, botrytis, powdery mildew, spotted wing drosophila, Japanese beetles
• Maintenance: Low to moderate
• Soil Type: Rich, well-draining
• Hardiness Zone: 3–9 (varies by cultivar)

What Are Raspberries?

Woody, thorny stems with jagged green leaves and small red fruits that grow in clusters.

Raspberries are perennial plants in the Rubus genus, which also includes blackberries, wineberries, and dewberries. Most cultivated varieties come from Rubus idaeus, Rubus strigosus, or hybrids.

These plants form long canes (branches) from perennial roots. While roots live for years, canes often last only one or two. In spring or summer, canes produce white flowers followed by bright fruits.

Despite their name, raspberries aren’t true berries—they’re aggregate fruits. Each “berry” is a cluster of tiny drupelets.

Types of Raspberries

When selecting beginner-friendly raspberries, consider these key differences:

Primocane-Bearing vs. Floricane-Bearing

Primocane varieties are fall-bearing or ever-bearing, while floricane varieties are summer-bearing or June-bearing.

• Primocane (fall-bearing/ever-bearing): Fruits on first-year canes, typically in late summer/fall. Some produce two crops (early and late summer).
• Floricane (summer-bearing/June-bearing): Fruits on second-year canes, usually in June/July. Requires sturdier trellising.

Fruit Color

The fruits can come in purple, gold, and black hues.

While red is most common, varieties also come in purple, gold, and black—each with unique flavors.

Beginner-Friendly Raspberry Varieties

Different cultivars vary in growth, color, hardiness, and disease resistance. Here are top picks for beginners:

‘Heritage’

This variety produces fruits on primocanes, which can be enjoyed from early summer through fall.

This everbearing variety fruits on primocanes, yielding harvests from early summer through fall. Cut canes to the ground in winter—new growth will fruit the same year. Hardy in zones 4–8.

‘Joan J’

The variety produces firm red fruits that have a lower moisture content.

A thornless primocane variety, ‘Joan J’ produces firm, less watery berries in early summer and fall. Stores well. Hardy in zones 3–8.

‘Fall Gold’

Fall gold produces peachy-gold colored fruits that develop well in zones 3 to 8.

For a break from red, try these peachy-gold everbearing berries. Compact (great for small gardens) and hardy in zones 3–8.

When and Where to Plant

Most raspberries thrive in zones 4–8, with some suited for zone 3. If you’re in the contiguous U.S., you can likely grow them—though Deep South and northern Midwest climates may pose challenges.

Choosing a Planting Site

A photo of sunlit red raspberries on green leaves.

• Sunlight: At least 8 hours of direct sun (partial shade reduces yields).
• Soil: Well-draining, pH 5.5–6.5. Avoid compacted or soggy ground.
• Space: Plants need 4+ feet tall and 3+ feet wide—ensure room to spread.

Bare-Root vs. Container-Grown Plants

Bare-root plants are dormant, and container-grown plants are actively growing.

• Bare-root: Dormant; plant in fall/spring (spring recommended for zones ≤7). Cheaper and ships well.
• Container-grown: Actively growing; plant after last frost. More sensitive to cold.

How to Plant

A person planting raspberries in well-lit soil.

1. Prep soil: Loosen compacted ground; mix in compost.
2. Spacing: Plant 2–3 feet apart for airflow.
3. Planting depth: Dig a hole as wide as the root ball. Spread roots out (trim if needed). Crown should sit 1–2 inches above soil.
4. Mulch: Use wood chips or straw to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Plant Care

After your plants are in the ground, you’ll need to provide the same care you offer to many other plants: maintaining adequate soil moisture, keeping weeds under control, and fertilizing as necessary.

Watering

• Keep soil moist for new plants. Established plants need ~1 inch/week.
• Best method: Drip irrigation or soaker hoses to keep leaves dry.

Weed Control

Apply mulch around the plants to keep the weeds at bay.

• Apply 2–3 inches of mulch (wood chips, straw) in spring to block weeds.

Fertilizing

The plants are light feeders; provide them with a small amount of a balanced fertilizer each spring.

• Light feeders: Use a balanced fertilizer or compost in spring.
• Avoid high-nitrogen options (promotes leaves over fruit).

Trellising

Trellises can provide support and transform sprawling canes into tidy upright plants.

Not mandatory but keeps plants tidy, improves airflow, and eases harvest. Options:

• T-posts & wire: Stretch wire between posts to contain canes.
• Cattle panel: Lean against a fence for support.
• Arbor: Train single plants upward.

Pruning

Pruning is done to maintain healthy plants, but consider the correct timing before pruning.

• Primocane-bearing: Cut all canes to ground in late fall/winter.
• Floricane-bearing: In late fall/winter, remove second-year canes (that fruited). Thin primocanes to 1 per 6 inches.

Common Pests and Diseases

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

The insect is a small fruit fly that feeds on the fruits of the plant.

• Small fruit fly that lays eggs in ripe fruit. Larvae cause wrinkling/craters.
• Control: Trap with vinegar cups (apple cider/red wine vinegar + lid with holes).

Japanese Beetles

The beetles feed on the leaves and flowers, causing serious damage.

• Feed on leaves/flowers. Hand-pick into soapy water.
• Prevention: Apply beneficial nematodes/milky spore powder in fall/spring to kill grubs.

Raspberry Yellow Rust

The disease affects the foliage of the plants.

• Causes leaf drop and fruit death. Remove infected leaves/canes; prune for airflow.

Anthracnose

The disease often infects canes and can be prevented by planting the plants in a sunny location with good airflow.

• Prevent with sunny, well-draining sites and drip irrigation. Remove crowded canes.

Botrytis (Gray Mold)

• Thrives in cool/wet conditions. Use drip irrigation and biofungicides if needed.

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew can be easily prevented by using drip irrigation or by exposing the plants to full sun.

• Prevent with full sun and dry leaves. Treat with biofungicides (e.g., Bacillus subtilis).

Harvesting

Harvest the fruit once they are deep in color and easily free from the plant when pulling them.

• Pick when deeply colored and easily detach.
• Use shallow containers to avoid crushing. Refrigerate unwashed berries.