[TheBirdGarden]

Gardner's World are giving away 3 raspberry canes and would like to know would any bird eat them?

Thanks

[bartolli]

Yes, def blackbirds and probably any other Berry-eating bird. That's why we net the raspberries!

[TheBirdGarden]

Originally Posted by bartolli

Yes, def blackbirds and probably any other Berry-eating bird. That's why we net the raspberries!

:O I will do no such thing, netting the raspberries that is :P how easy are they to look after then? Do I need to spent much time on them? The rapsberries that is.

Thanks

[ColonelBlimp]

Easy peasy. Make sure you prune them back to the canes after they have fruited, and bed them in rich compost. The birds go berserk for mine

[bartolli]

Different ways of pruning depending on summer or autumn fruiting raspberries. Summer fruiters bear fruit on last years canes but autumn fruiters bear fruit on current years growth. Probably doesnt matter if you're growing them for birds, but what a waste! Fresh razzers are delicious!

Summer fruiting bushes: after fruiting cut old canes down to ground level but leave new canes which havent fruited & tie them in to strong support system;

Autumn fruiters: Cut all canes down to ground level in v early spring, (some books say immediately after fruiting). Tie new canes in as they grow.

apart from this they're easy enough!