How to Raise Raspberries Commercially

Purchase stock of the variety best suited to your climate. There are a number of red, black and purple raspberry hybrids to choose from, all of which are particularly suited to certain climates and soil conditions. Your local nurseryman will be able to guide you. Keep the plants in a cool place prior to planting and keep them moist.

Choose a location. Raspberries prefer well-drained soil in full sunlight away from crops susceptible to the same diseases like tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants. A gentle slope is ideal, but do not plant on top of a hill as cold wind can kill them. Although they need a lot of water, raspberry plants die if their roots are continually wet, so do not plant in a bog.

Control the weeds. Place black plastic sheeting over the growing area in early spring and anchor it down with rocks. Leave it in place for six to eight weeks. Alternately spray the soil with a herbicide prior to tilling. Continue to control the weeds throughout the growing season with herbicides or by cultivating lightly between rows.

Prepare the soil. Disc it to 8 inches deep or till with a hand tiller. Have the soil tested and add custom-made fertilizer containing all the necessary nutrients. Add old manure or compost to make the soil loose and help it retain the water just enough. Mix it well into the soil. Create raised rows 18 inches wide with 7 to 9 feet between the rows.

Plant the raspberry plants in the raised rows in spring. They should be placed in holes 5 to 6 inches deep and 30 inches apart. Press the soil down firmly to anchor each plant. Mulch around each plant with sawdust, wood chips or straw to protect the roots and help prevent weed growth. Water well and continue to water once a week during the growing season.

Build a trellis along each row to support the plants. Use sturdy posts at either end of each row with a cross piece to form a "T" at the top. Run a wire from each end of the T, parallel to one another. On hillsides a "V" type of trellis is used with the posts being set into the ground at a 30-degree angle to form a V. Tie the fruiting canes to the wires at either side.

Try to detect pests and diseases early and treat the plants with the necessary chemicals. Raspberries are susceptible to fruit worms, sap beetles, Japanese beetles and cane borers and viruses. They also fall prey to fungi. Examine the plants carefully every day and treat with the appropriate chemicals as soon as a problem is detected. Keep birds from eating the fruit by covering it with netting.

Harvest the fruit by hand when bright red or deep black. The fruit will separate from the receptacle of the plant easily and will no longer look glossy. It is important to harvest it as soon as it is ripe to prevent disease. Place harvested berries in a refrigerated room immediately and keep them cold.

Prune the plants in early spring before the new growth starts. Thin out the growth and trim to 3 feet or lower in height. Remove straggly branches to allow for easy cultivation between the rows. Cut dead canes at ground level. Take them away and burn them to prevent disease.