The Josephine raspberry thread triggered this question. Will summer bearing raspberries eventually cease to fruit in quantity? Poking around, I came across a Penn State article: https://extension.psu.edu/red-raspberry-production
Mentioning fruiting winding down after 6-10 years. Has this been folks’ experience here?
I have a row of Tulameen and Wilamette side by side for the last 7 years. The Tulameen is hands down far better than Willamette here in our cool maritime climate, so I’ve been scheming a way to remove the Willamette and replace with another variety. Last years’s production of Tulameen was down quite a bit and whether that’s last year’s conditions or the end of the road for them, I do not yet know. Regardless, do I need to be thinking about eventually starting new raspberry beds?
If I remember right they last about 20 years. Mine are not that old, but from what I am told they start getting diseased and low production near the end. I would bet on yours still having plenty of life left. Trust me. Raspberries do not go down without a fight.
With red raspberries, it is all about root health. The NWREC experimental station out here raises all their raspberries in loose soil; the row soil is about 2 feet wide and is raised 8 inches from the inter-row pathways. Irrigation is by drip.
mine are growing very vigorously in my heavy clay rocky soil and wild ones are everywhere here. as long as there isnt standing water, they will grow. i till in between the rows to control suckers and mulch late spring with 3in of wood chips so that helps with drainage and breathability. with clay i rarely need to water them here. mine are 6 yrs old and still growing strong with no diseases. as long as they stay healthy and produce well , id think they could go on forever.