Raspberry Confusion

[Aidenbaby]

I ordered these raspberry bushes from Gurneys or Henry Fields (Heritage and Anne). Well, after having been planted for over a month not ONE had started to bud. I called Gurneys and spoke with a really nice gal who helped me to determine that indeed 1 of my heritages had died and all of my anne's. The Anne's are on back order until next year. I got my Heritage's 2 days ago but couldn't plant because day one was delivered after dark and day two rained ALL day. I go out to double check the locations of where to plant them and notice something a bit odd. It seems that while the shaft of one of the Anne's was dead (no green at all during the scratch test), there are what look like 3 new shoots coming up around it?!?! Neither of the other two have this but is this normal for raspberries to do? Have the main shaft die and then they shoot up from elsewhere. CRAP! I didn't plan for THAT to happen.

 

[farmerlor]

Yes, that does happen. The main plant will die but the roots go ahead and send up new suckers that's how they end up taking over the world. Good going! I hope your new baby continues to do well.

 

[Farmfresh]

Hopefully your berries will continue to grow from this point on.

Sometimes when people first plant bushes and they don't look so very good they just yank them and pitch them. Good thing you gave yours that little bit of extra time!

 

[Aidenbaby]

Yeah, my blackberries were the first to start sprouting and I didn't notice that until the phone call. The only "problem" now is that I have replacements coming to replace the ones that are officially dead and some of the ones that I thought were dead aren't. I feel kind of like a thief, albeit, an unknowing one. I guess I'll just have to pay my penance through gifting berries down the road to my neighbors... maybe.

 

[nightshade]

sounds like a plan to me, it was an honest mistake, you being new to the plant did not know it could die and then send up all new plants from the root ball.

 

[Farmfresh]

Well your berries haven't made it through a winter just yet. So maybe those "extra berries" will still be needed.

Also the place you purchased them could have told you that it was possible they were still alive. I am sure if they raise berries they know that was a possibility.