Planting raspberries in pots is just as easy as putting them in the ground. It's a great option for any gardener or beginner who has poor soil, a shady yard, or very little garden space but still wants to enjoy a homegrown raspberry crop. So, if you want to pick raspberries on your own patio in the summer, here's what you should do!
Which raspberry varieties grow well in pots?
In theory, any berry bush that you can plant in the garden can grow in a pot. However, shorter, more compact varieties that stand upright without support are easier to care for. If you want to make things easy for yourself, look for raspberry varieties labeled “great for pots” at your garden store. But in general, you can choose any variety that catches your eye. You can grow both summer-fruiting berry bushes and fall-fruiting varieties in pots. The former ripen from June to August and require support. The latter ripen between August and October and grow upright.
Here you will find one of the best raspberry varieties suitable for growing in pots:
- “Autumn Bliss” is one of the earliest fall varieties. It produces high yields of delicious fruits from August to fall. With a height of up to 150 cm, it is ideal for growing in a large pot.
- “Little Sweet Sister” is a fall variety that bears deep red fruits from mid-July to fall. They reach a maximum height of 100 cm.
Planting raspberries in a pot – follow these steps
Follow these instructions to properly plant your potted raspberries!
- When planting raspberries in pots, you should choose a pot with a diameter of at least 24 inches. If the container is not large enough, the plants are unlikely to thrive. Additionally, hardiness is lower and plants could be killed by cold weather, which would not affect canes planted in larger pots.
- Fill your pot with soil-based compost to stabilize the plant.
- Then position six sticks around the container and press the compost around them.
- Pour them in well. TheMost important thing in careof raspberry pots is regular watering.
- You also need to ensure that the soil/compost mix never becomes bone dry. Caring for raspberry pots also includes feeding your plants.
- Give them a high-potassium fertilizer according to label directions. This will promote the formation of abundant fruit.
Pruning raspberry bushes in pots – how to do it correctly
Pruning raspberries is different for fall and summer fruiting varieties. Fall-fruiting varieties bear raspberries on canes that grow that year. Summer-fruiting raspberries bear fruit on canes that already grew the previous year.
- If youautumn-fruiting raspberry bushese, pruning is very simple: cut the canes back to 3 cm above ground level in mid-February. That sounds drastic, but it will bring them back to life in mid-March and provide another year of delicious raspberries!
- Summer fruiting raspberriesshould be cut back as soon as they no longer bear fruit. Cut down to ground level any canes that have produced fruit this year.
Can you overwinter raspberries in containers?
Raspberries are hardy plants that do not require winter protection if they are grown directly in the ground. However, raspberries in pots are more susceptible to low temperatures and can experience frost. To prevent this, you should apply a layer of mulch and wrap the pots with wool or bubble wrap to protect them. It is also advisable to place the potted plants on a leeward part of the balcony or terrace to protect them from precipitation and wind.
When temperatures rise, water the plants to prevent the soil from drying out, but only sparingly, as raspberries do not like to be in cold, damp soil.
Planting raspberries in a pot – further care tips
Whether in pots or directly in the ground, raspberries must not dry out. During the growing season, potted raspberries need to be watered regularly to keep the soil moist but not wet.
- Tipp: Use rainwater whenever possible as it does not contain chemical compounds that can be found in tap water.
Since raspberries are heavy feeders, the soil in the pot can quickly become nutrient-poor. So feed your plants to promote a good harvest and avoid nutrient deficiencies. In addition to a slow-release fertilizer applied at planting, raspberries can benefit from a regular application of liquid feed during the summer months.
- Tipp: Look out for yellowing raspberry leaves, which can indicate nitrogen, magnesium or iron deficiencies.
Additionally, it is best to repot raspberries into fresh compost every other year to maintain soil health and nutrient levels.
How can you propagate raspberries? Simple methodscan be found here!
