Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, on the patio, or anywhere else, raspberries are a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing raspberries.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Raspberries Belong To?
Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) belong to the Rosaceae family, also known as the rose family.
Some of their relatives include strawberries, salmonberries, and pears.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Raspberries?
The minimum container depth recommended for mature raspberries is 2 feet.
The container should also be at least 2 feet wide.
Young raspberry plants may tolerate a smaller container, but they will need to be repotted into larger containers as they grow.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Raspberries?
Some of raspberries' best companions are as follows:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Blackberry
- Oats
- Yarrow
- Clover
- Lavender
- Chives
- Leek
- Marigold
- Nasturtium
- Thyme
- Peas
- Beans like green beans
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Raspberries?
Raspberries are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with raspberries are as follows:
- Beet
- Tomato, potato, and other nightshades, as they share susceptibility to some diseases with raspberries such as verticillium wilt
- Strawberry, which shares many of the same pests
- Youngberry
What Soil Conditions Do Raspberries Need?
Raspberries prefer well-draining, rich, loamy to sandy soil.
How Long Do Raspberries Take to Germinate?
Raspberries take 2-3 weeks to germinate at a temperature of 60-75°F.
How Much Sun Do Raspberries Need?
Raspberries can grow in full sun to part shade.
In other words, they grow fastest in full sun. They will still grow in dappled shade or part shade, just at a slower rate. Raspberries grown in the shade may also produce less fruit.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and raspberries grown in hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need more shade.
How Much Water Do Raspberries Need?
Raspberries need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Raspberries?
Raspberries grow fastest in temperatures of 55-75°F.
This is their ideal temperature range. Although they will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some raspberry varieties are bred for later harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Do Raspberries Get?
The average height of raspberries is 3-9 feet.
Are Raspberries Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Raspberries are perennial, meaning that they live for longer than a couple years.
Specifically, they often live for 10-15 years.
How Do Raspberries Reproduce?
Raspberries reproduce by seed, underground sucker, or above-ground runner.
How Many Raspberries Are Produced Per Plant?
For raspberries, how many are produced per plant (also called the yield) largely depends on the type and variety.
Most raspberries produce 1-2 quarts per plant per year.
Can Raspberries Be Ingested?
Raspberry fruits (berries) and leaves are edible. The roots are also edible when cooked, although they are quite tough. See our Simple Uses for Raspberries article here for more information.
Raspberry fruits, leaves, and roots have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties and can be used in herbal preparations. Of these parts, the leaf is the most commonly used. The most common preparations are tea and tinctures. An herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:5 at 40% alcohol is suggested for a raspberry leaf tincture.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting raspberry fruits, leaves, or roots.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of raspberries rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for raspberries here!
Raspberries are featured in these Plant to Plate articles: