RASPBERRY CANES AND RUST DISEASE

Was it only a day or two ago that I thought my Polka raspberries were not swelling, that the short drought had sneaked up on me before I realised and that watering was too late? Anyway, as soon I started to worry about it, I watered them and I fed them with Miracle Gro and I waited. I didn't have to wait long. Today edible size raspberries are appearing, as if by magic, on last year's canes and starting to redden. 

Polka raspberries June 2023

Furthermore, this year, giant and healthy new canes are shooting up in the air and I haven't seen the like for a while! They look as thick as bamboo canes. 

Polka raspberries June 2023

I've been growing Polka raspberries, from the same plants, for many years and I double crop them. That is, I allow last year's cane to bear fruit in early summer (like now) and when done I cut them down to the ground, leaving this year's new canes to bear fruit in autumn, and so on. 

Strong new Polka raspberry canes

Strong new Polka raspberry canes

Many gardeners will know that raspberry canes can be troubled with rust disease. It is controllable. At the very first signs of it - you have to be alert! - you pick off the diseased leaves. Start picking off those at the top of the canes working downwards. If you do it the other way around, you may start dropping rust on previously unaffected leaves below. Right? Don't go mad, if you leave it late and start picking off nearly all the leaves you may do more harm than good. That's why you have to watch out for it. 

The rust problem changes from year to year. Last year was a lot worse than this year. So far. I never pull up the canes and destroy them as some may advocate. In fact, I've never dug up and replanted any new canes for over a decade now. They just keep on going in the same narrow patch of ground against a west-facing fence where they get a lot of sunshine and a good amount of protection. You have to tend to them though, water and feed them and watch out for rust. In fact, I've only ever seen one tiny maggot on a raspberry. Of course, I might have eaten all the others. :D

Macro image - Rust pustule on raspberry leaf 2015

Macro image - Rust pustule on raspberry leaf 2015

On a final note, raspberries can suffer from 'white drupelet disorder'. It's not a disease and not a problem. 

White drupelet disorder on raspberry fruit