If you planted bare root raspberry canes this spring, you’ve likely seen them send up green shoots, develop leaves, and begin building the root system that will support future harvests. While raspberries are resilient, their first year in the ground is one of establishment. As fall approaches, it’s time to shift focus from encouraging growth to preparing your young plants for the colder months ahead. The care you provide now will determine how well they handle winter and how strong they come back next spring.
Understanding Raspberry Growth Cycles
Raspberries produce two types of canes: primocanes, which grow in their first year, and floricanes, which are second-year canes that bear fruit. In their first season, your plants focused on developing primocanes and roots, not fruit production. By fall, these canes are beginning to harden off while the plant redirects energy underground. Supporting this transition is key to ensuring a successful second year when fruiting begins.
Adjusting Water and Fertility
By late summer, fertilizing should be stopped. Feeding plants at this stage can encourage late flushes of growth that frost will damage. Instead, allow primocanes to toughen up before winter.
Watering remains important through the fall. Keep soil moist during dry spells until the ground freezes. Shallow raspberry roots are vulnerable to drought, and entering dormancy in dry soil increases the risk of winter dieback. Aim for deep soakings that keep the root zone hydrated without waterlogging the soil.
Mulching for Winter Protection
Mulch is especially beneficial for raspberries in their first year. A two- to three-inch layer of straw, wood chips, or shredded leaves helps insulate roots, stabilize soil temperatures, and reduce weed competition. In colder climates, adding a thicker mulch layer around the crown provides extra insulation.
Keep mulch pulled slightly back from the base of the canes to prevent rot and discourage pests from nesting too close.
Cane Management and Clean-Up
Fall is the season to clean and organize your patch. Remove any weak or damaged canes, as well as any diseased growth, once the plants are dormant. If you’re growing summer-bearing raspberries, remember that floricanes (second-year canes) will fruit next season, so do not remove the primocanes you planted this year.
Clear away fallen leaves and plant debris from the base of the canes. This prevents pests and fungal spores from overwintering and reduces disease pressure in spring.
Protecting From Winter Stress
In regions with mild winters, mulching alone may be enough to protect first-year raspberries. In areas with harsher conditions, consider additional steps such as using frost cloth over young plants or mounding soil lightly around the base for added insulation. For container-grown raspberries, move pots to a sheltered location to prevent roots from freezing solid.
A Final Fall Check
Before the first frost, ensure that mulch is refreshed, the soil is moist but not soggy, and the planting bed is clear of debris. Canes should be secured to supports or trellises to prevent wind damage. With these steps in place, your raspberry plants will be ready to rest over winter and reemerge with vigor when spring arrives.
🛒 Where to Buy Bare Root Raspberry Plants
When it’s time to add more canes to your patch, look to Ty Ty Plant Nursery, LLC for unmatched quality and value:
✅ Best prices on premium bare root raspberry plants
✅ Non-GMO, climate-suited varieties for reliable harvests
✅ Fast shipping so plants arrive fresh and planting-ready
✅ Free 1-Year Plantsurance™ Guarantee – store credit if your plants don’t survive 🛡️
At Ty Ty, every planting is designed to be zero stress and all success.
🌟 Closing Thought
Raspberries are naturally hardy, but their first fall in the ground is a defining stage. By reducing fertilizer, keeping soil moist, mulching heavily, and cleaning up the planting bed, you’ll give your canes the best possible chance to thrive for years to come.
Order your bare root raspberry plants from Ty Ty Plant Nursery, LLC today and start building a berry patch that will reward you with abundant harvests.
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