Just purchased first raspberry plant. Advice needed!

[Ebejer5]

Hello, I am in Southeast Michigan (6a). I just purchased a Caroline Red Raspberry plant. It will arrive in a dormant state. I am going to plant it in a extra large container (20in wide with a 14.5 depth). My potting mix will be peat moss and or cocoa core, garden soil, compost/manure, a little organic fertilizer. Should lime be added (I have it for the tomato and pepper containers). Is there anything else I shpuld add or shouldn't add? Few other questions. Do raspberry bushes need full sun? I know they need a lot of water. How can you know how much water they need? Any other tips for the novice gardener appreciated

 

[Esther Knapicius]

why a container??? I would dig a hole, add peat, and some manure. get a trellis to help it climb, the height is says it will. As far as Lime, Lime is not mixed in to the soil. Lime is placed on top of soil and it gently soaks down through the winter. That is how the Amish do it here, we see huge fields covered with Lime powder in December. Raspberry plant is a hardy creature that truly does not need fussing with.

 

[Ebejer5]

Mainly bc our yard soil here is awful. My father in law used so much fertilizer on it. We have lived here for two years now and just cut the grass. I would barely call it grass. It is mainly clover and weeds. We are doing an all container garden, bc the weeds are so bad. Is a container a bad idea? Of the plant is hardy, maybe the ground will work....

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I think it would be happier in the ground. As far as your grass etc. you can do weed and feed on the lawn.

 

[mags]

If you put it in the ground, make sure you put in a barrier! Raspberries can spread like crazy and take over. This post can show you just what happens if you leave it unchecked https://www.gardening-forums.com/th...raspberries-overwatering-or-dehydration.7740/

 

[Autumn_Hearthwitch]

Agreed, raspberry plants are very hardy and don't need much fussing. I would definitely forgo the containers and plant it straight in the ground, it would be much happier there. Add the lime on top of the soil to let it soak but I doubt you'll need much, if any. And I also agree to plant it in the ground, it should do very well there. A trellis is definitely a must as raspberry plants can grow fairly tall, so it's to ensure it doesn't fall.

 

[MaryMary]

Mainly bc our yard soil here is awful. My father in law used so much fertilizer on it. We have lived here for two years now and just cut the grass. I would barely call it grass. It is mainly clover and weeds. We are doing an all container garden, bc the weeds are so bad. Is a container a bad idea? Of the plant is hardy, maybe the ground will work....

I bought a thornless red raspberry this year, too! You can probably get a small bag of compost or even potting soil to amend the dirt, and put it straight in the ground. I'd be afraid of the roots freezing in winter, and killing it in a pot. Also, container gardens take a lot of water in the summer.

If you are planning to stay where you are, I would suggest digging up your soil and beginning to amend a garden plot now. That is if you actually want a good size garden... the clover fixes nitrogen in the soil, and if you turn it into the dirt, the plants will decompose and enrich your soil. Then you can throw your grass clippings on it over the summer, and the leaves in the fall. You should have nice dirt by next year!

 

[headfullofbees]

One of the reasons that raspberries thrive in poor soil is the concomitant lack of competition.