Planting /Transplanting Raspberries

Young raspberry growing in fertile soil

It’s always a little hard to toss out healthy canes after thinning your raspberry patch. Instead of discarding them, you can use those strong, vigorous canes to fill empty spaces in your raspberry bed. Transplanting helps you make the most of your existing plants and boosts your overall harvest.

Before transplanting raspberries, start by choosing a weed-free and disease-free area. Pulling weeds is straightforward, but checking for soil health takes a little more effort. If you removed weak or diseased plants from that area before, it’s best not to reuse the same soil right away. You can contact the University of Idaho Extension office in Ada County for a soil test to ensure your soil isn’t contaminated by diseases or nutrient imbalances.

Sometimes a bare patch in your raspberry stand isn’t from disease but from poor soil fertility—either over- or under-fertilizing. A soil test will help you determine what your soil needs before planting or transplanting. If you’re confident there’s no sign of fungal or viral diseases, you can also use a simple pH test kit from a local Boise garden center (like The Home & Garden Store or Treasure Valley Home & Garden). Raspberries grow best in acidic soil, around pH 5.5 to 6.5.

Although some Idaho gardeners successfully transplant raspberries in the fall, most will get better results by waiting until spring, when the soil has thawed and danger of frost has passed. You can plant raspberries that are in a container most anytime the soil is not frozen. "Bare Root" plants are best planted in the spring to early summer. Boise winters can be unpredictable, so protecting your canes during the cold months is key. Store the dug-up canes in a cool, sheltered place such as an unheated garage, cellar, or basement, keeping their roots covered with moist soil, sand, or wood shavings to prevent drying out or freezing.

In spring—typically around late March to early April in Boise, after the last frost—transplant your canes just as you would new nursery stock. Soak the roots in a bucket of water for about an hour before planting. Dig holes deep and wide, using a mixture of Ferti-lome Ultimate Potting Soil. The Home & Garden Store provides complete planting instructions when you purchase raspberries from us. Set each cane one to two inches deeper than its previous depth, firm the soil to remove air pockets, and water again.

Finally, prune each cane back to about eight inches. With a little patience and Boise sunshine, your transplanted raspberries will establish themselves and reward you with healthy new growth and productive harvests.

Charlie Hartman - Idaho Certified Nurseryman

4291 S. Cloverdale Rd - Boise, Idaho

Ph: 208.917.4820