Hey everyone it’s Whit at NatureHills.com. I’m going to make a bold statement. Raspberries are the best kind of fruit to grow. Now I know I know, you’re thinking “Whit why on earth do you say that?” Listen, they can be kept small and compact if you’d like, they don’t need pollinating partners, and you shouldn’t have to fuss much about soil pH.
Don’t have room for a tree? Plant a raspberry. Don’t want to test the soil to make sure it’s perfectly formulated? Plant a raspberry. Don’t want to worry about coming back to plant again and again, year after year? You guessed it, plant a raspberry. The only downside is that you may find yourself in a heated battle with the birds over who gets the berries. But that’s easily managed - and something you’d have to worry about with other fruit anyways.
Now that I’ve convinced you Raspberries are the way to go, you probably want to know which to plant. There are red, yellow, and black berry options (not to be confused with blackberries - an entirely different kind of berry plant). I’ll list off 5 of our favorites here that our head horticulturist helped pick out.
#5 Latham Raspberry
Latham is a tried, true, and trusted berry bush that’s been heavily recommended to Midwest and Northern states for years. (Which makes sense since it was developed in Minnesota). White spring blossoms quickly turn into large, pointed red berries you’ll find yourself eating right from the bush. Latham is a Floricane variety, meaning it produces fruit on old canes grown the previous year. So be careful when pruning. #5 Latham Raspberry - Growing zones 3-8, large red berries, great for northern & midwestern gardens.
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#4 Bushel and Berry Raspberry Shortcake Raspberry
This one is for apartment dwellers and small space owners. Bushel and Berry proudly promotes Raspberry Shortcake as the perfect container berry plant. Fit it perfectly on your patio or snuggly into a spot in the backyard garden. Either way, enjoy the pretty white spring flowers and then the mid-summer harvest of red berries that follows. Make sure to prune this floricane after it fruits to make sure you don’t get rid of berry-producing branches before reaping the benefits. #4 Bushel and Berry Raspberry Shortcake Raspberry - Growing Zones 5-9, thrives in small spaces while producing delicious red berries.
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#3 Fall Gold Raspberry
If red isn't your thing, I suggest trying Fall Gold. Like the name implies, the white blooms turn into stunning and exotic-feeling golden berries. They have roughly the same flavor profile as red raspberries, but unlike their rosy friends, Fall Gold produces two crops each year and is considered a primocane. Primocane raspberries produce fruit on the tips of the first year's canes each fall and then on the lower parts of those same canes the following summer. #3 Fall Gold Raspberry - Growing zones 4-8, unique yellow berries, everbearing primocane variety.
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#2 Bristol Black Raspberry
Not to be confused with a blackberry (though, they do look similar), Bristol is a raspberry bush that produces juicy black-colored berries. They’re known for their high sugar levels and fruity flavor which makes them great for jams, jellies, and freezing whole. Of course, that is if you have the willpower not to eat them straight from the bush. One thing to note, if you’re wanting to mix and match raspberries, red and black raspberry bushes should be planted away from each other as they can host diseases and easily contaminate each other. #2 Bristol Black Raspberry - Growing zones 4-8, everbearing primocane with gorgeous, round black berries.
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#1 Heritage Raspberry
We’ll round out our list of 5 with the classic red-berried Heritage. As a primocane, this fan favorite produces loads of berries throughout the summer and fall. Can up a classic-looking raspberry jam or a syrup to pour over pancakes or sprinkle a few in with your cereal or dessert. This vigorously growing shrub won’t need stakes or support in order to grow large enough to supply you with more than enough berries (and maybe even a few extra to share with the birds). #1 Heritage Raspberry - Growing zones 4-8, strong & sturdy, produces the classic fan favorite red berries.
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Raspberries are a superior fruit to plant in your garden. Do you have a favorite variety here or are you already the proud grower of one? Let me know your favorites down in the comments!
And until next time, happy planting!