This week, I finally tackled the raspberry bushes in my yard. This is my first time maintaining a fruit bush (or anything other than a basil plant, for that matter), so I made sure to read about the subject before starting. I definitely did not expect it to take me so long, but I also hadn’t realized how long these bushes had been unpruned.
Look at me, in my little Martha Stewart era. Hahaa!
Picking raspberries takes me back to my childhood. I would spend days at my grandparents’ in Pigeon-Hill, and occasionally pick raspberries and blueberries in the field behind the house. Nostalgia, nostalgia.
Fall Maintenance Around The House
Preparation For The Next Summer
I started by snipping out the canes that had already fruited this year. Those won’t produce again, so clearing them makes space for the new growth. It’s pretty easy to see which ones need to be cut: they are brown and woody.
I also thinned out the patch by removing all the weeds and trees. Yes, trees… it had been that long, and there were a few trees that were already as tall as 2 feet. Thinning out the bushes is supposed to help prevent diseases (Yep, your girl did her research).
MANY trees grew, including this cute little maple tree. Instead of destroying them all, I’ll try to replant them in front of the property, where we already replanted a few conifers. I mean, I will never say no to extra privacy and shade, especially at no cost!
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I honestly wasn’t sure what to do next. It felt like, even though the bushes had been there for years already, the fragile canes would not support the harsh winter. Once the leaves fall, I will create a bed of insulation for the soil around them, at least I can rest assured that the soil and roots won’t be damaged. Learning is all about trial and error, right?
It felt a little ruthless cutting them back, they looked so… thin and spaced out. I remind myself it’s like giving the plants a fresh start. Come next summer, when the bushes are heavy with fresh raspberries, I’ll be glad I put in the work.
