Field Scene of Foundation Raspberry Stock 



SOME SUGGESTED BRAMBLE CULTURAL PRACTICES 



RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES can be grown with limited success in almost any 

 type of soil, however, for best results, a good, well-drained loam, clay loam or sandy loam 

 soil, high in organic matter, is desirable. Any good garden soil will give good bramble 

 growth and yields provided you observe the climatic limitations listed under the individual 

 variety descriptions and do not plant in the same soils on which tomatoes, Irish potatoes or 

 peppers or egg plants have been grown for several successive years. Do not plant virus-free 

 brambles near or in the same garden with virus infected plants. A safe suggestion is to assume 

 that bramble plants not recently received from a known virus-free source are infected with 

 virus and. therefore, new plantings should not be established nearby. If your current 

 bramble planting is weak and not producing well, remove it and replant with healthy, 

 virus-free plants. 



Be certain to order your plants from a good, reliable nursery whose plants are known 

 to be virus-free, (especially free of the mosaic virus). 



LAND PREPARATIONS: Incorporating a 

 heavy application of stable manure — 

 2 bushels per 100 sq. ft. or a good green 

 manure crop prior to planting the brambles 

 is very beneficial. The soil should have a 

 pH of 5.5 to 6.0. Do not raise the pH above 

 6.0 as it will stimulate crown gall growth on 

 brambles. Use dolomite (high magnesium 

 limestone) if it is available or if you know- 

 that the magnesium level in the soil is low. 

 Spade the soil to a depth of 8 inches and 

 rake to provide good tilth for proper plant- 

 inc conditions. 



PLANT SPACING: Red and black rasp- 

 berries should be planted 2 to 3 feet apart 

 in the row. whereas, the Thomfree black- 

 berry should be spaced 8 feet apart in the 

 row. The spacing between the rows will 

 depend on the type of cultivating equipment 

 that is available. Four feet is normally the 

 best spacing for gardens, with 10 feet being 

 used in commercial plantings where tractors 

 are used for cultivation. 



SETTING: A hole should be dug sufficiently 

 deep for each plant so that 3 to 4 inches of 



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