Growing raspberry canes in containers is very simple. You just stick a 12in length of cane in your container of compost or soil. Late autumn is the perfect time for doing this in order to get fruit next year.
If you already have raspberries growing then use some of your own cuttings, otherwise ask friends or even buy raspberry canes.
Raspberries fruit either in summer or autumn. The autumn fruiting raspberry varieties are very simple to grow in containers. You cut them down to the ground in winter, so gales are not a problem and they look tidier. You could plant spring bulbs in the container along with your raspberry plants.
Autumn raspberries grow four or five feet in a year, so you may need a cage-type trellis to support them in a pot.
When you are looking for a container, choose the largest one you can find. This will enable the roots to spread and will increase your raspberry crop. It needs to be at least 15in in diameter and 18in is better again. Fill it with soil or a 2:1 soil & compost mixture. Soil is slower to dry out than compost and your raspberries need a steady supply of water all summer and autumn.
If you mulch the container with seasoned wood chips it will further help to conserve moisture and will suppress most weeds at the same time.
Do not use fertiliser in the first year, but every year thereafter mix a trowel full of fish, blood and bone into the container. This will provide the phosphorus that the roots need and enough nitrogen.
Your raspberries will ripen, a few at a time over about eight weeks. You can freeze them until you have enough to use, but they will lose their shape when thawed out. Leave them for a minute in salt water to get rid of any tiny insects, then just rinse and eat them.
