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How to grow raspberries in New Zealand

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Raspberries need very little room and grow easily up any vertical support

Plant raspberries in autumn or winter in rows facing north to south, as this ensures the plants receive even sunlight. (Credit: Photo: Getty Images)

The sweet yet tart flavour of raspberries makes them a delicious and versatile berry, whether you’re baking or eating them fresh. But another great benefit you may not know is that raspberries are also easy to plant and grow. So, with the right approach and conditions in your garden, you could be able to pick an abundance of berries each season.

Everything you need to know to grow raspberries

When to plant raspberries

Raspberry plants do not like hot summer temperatures or the tropics, which makes winter the best time to plant them. This is also when nurseries and online companies sell virus-free single canes. As a starting point, look for bare-rooted raspberry canes that are about 20–30cm tall.

Types of raspberries

Raspberries are grouped into two classes. The summer-fruiting varieties, also known as flora canes, grow to a height of 1.5–2m. They produce high yields of fruit on canes that grew the year before. A couple of the more popular summer-fruiting varieties are ‘Nootka’ and ‘Willamette’, which fruit from late November to early January.

Autumn-fruiting raspberry plants, or primo canes, produce their berries on top of their current season’s canes and are usually shorter in growth. ‘Heritage’, which bears fruit from March to mid-April, and ‘Autumn Bliss’ with its pleasant, mild flavour, are favourites among this group.

Our favourite raspberry recipes: 

How to plant raspberries

Bare-rooted raspberry canes are best planted in rows that run north to south so the entire plant is exposed to the sun during the day. Well-drained soil is essential as plants do not tolerate wet feet. If necessary, build a raised bed and dig in plenty of organic compost.

Plant them 1m apart into a hole that has been dug over two months earlier with manure, compost and a handful of complete fertiliser. You can also add these in late winter if the ground has not yet been prepared.

Each plant will send up numerous new canes in its first year. These reach about 1.5m tall and need the support of a post and wire structure, trellis or fence to tie the canes to. Run two lengths of wire, the lower at 1m and the higher at 1.4m above the ground for perfect support.

Do raspberries grow better in pots or ground?

Raspberries are usually grown at the back of the veggie garden in a sunny spot, but they also look great growing up on a post or as a hedge dividing garden beds.

If you want to grow raspberries in pots, look for smaller varieties that only grow to about 1m high. You could also ask your local nursery or an online nursery what varieties are suited to pots.

When planting raspberries in pots, choose one that gives it plenty of space to spread out – both the canes and roots will appreciate the space. Then, just follow similar care guidelines to those for raspberries planted in the ground.

Raspberries need very little room and grow easily up any vertical support.

How to maintain and take care of raspberry plants

  • Sprinkle lightly with a complete fertiliser of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N:P:K) with a ratio of 12:5:15 in early spring.
  • Water well twice a week in the growing and fruiting period from October to March.
  • Remove weeds regularly to reduce competition for water and nutrients.
  • Use netting to protect the fruit from birds.
  • Replace plants every 8–10 years.
  • Old flora canes die after fruiting, so cut all dead canes out during winter.
  • Prune all primo canes to ground level as soon as the leaves fall in winter.
  • Spray for fungus diseases in winter with a Bordeaux spray or copper oxychloride. Mulch plants well in winter months with compost and manure.

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