The canes are biennial (they live for only two years). The first year, they emerge as green primocanes and form fruiting buds. If you have a summer-bearing variety, these buds won’t flower until the following year. If you have an everbearing variety, the buds at the tips of your primocanes will give you a small fall crop, and the buds lower on the canes will remain dormant until next season. As winter nears, primocanes drop their leaves and develop a thin brown bark. Resist the urge to cut out any dead looking canes. These canes send nutrition to the roots and crowns which help them survive dormancy. It’s not until the end of winter, or early spring that you cut out the old dead spent canes.
In their second year, the canes are called floricanes. The previous year’s buds grow into fruiting branches and bear a more abundant summer crop. As their berries ripen, the leaves on the floricanes will start to turn red or yellow, and these canes die as winter approaches.
Enjoyed reading about how to care for the raspberries. Looking forward to that jam recipe!
I’m excited to get my cooking blog up and online. I will be creating and sharing lots of great recipes and ideas.