Having raspberry bushes in your backyard is a real bonus -- they produce a healthy and delicious treat that's versatile in the kitchen. But, according to Patrick Murphy, host of GLT's Grow, keeping the plant healthy in the yard takes some work.
- Cliff in Bloomington wrote asking for advice about his raspberry bushes. While they were fine in the first few years, they seems to be fading, with wilting leaves, drooping stems and a vine that seems to want to take over.
- Get that vine out of there, advised Murph. It pulls energy from the shrub and puts it in danger of failing.
- Raspberry bushes need to be cut back in the fall. Trim to 12 inches tall, every couple of years.
- Ever year after the harvest, remove unwanted vegetation and clean the ground around the shrubs.
- After cleaning up in the fall, add 2-3 inches of mulch under the branches. No more, no less.