raspberries

[ijon]

I want to start raspberries in a plot that I had potatoes in last year. If I dug all the soil out of this four by four plot, down about a foot, and put new soil in. Would it be safe to plant the berry plants in?

 

[Grow 4 Food]

I am not sure I understand why you would have a problem using the potato soil?

 

[vfem]

I'm sure it will be fine.

You probably wouldn't want to plant tomatoes there for at least 3 seasons, but I see no problem with raspberries.

 

[lesa]

No need to dig at all- if you want to add a layer of compost and mix it in, fine- but don't go crazy with all that digging!! Keep us posted on your progress...

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, just plant. No need to do anything fancy or work-intensive. If you want to dig for digging's sake, come up here, I got plenty to keep you occupied LOL

Good lcuk, have fun,

Pat

 

[journey11]

Raspberry plants should not be planted where potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants or bulbs have previously been grown, without prior fumigation of the soil. These crops are hosts for the disease Verticillium Wilt, a fungus that can stay in the soil for many years and can infest the raspberry crop. (from Wikipedia )

Did you observe disease problems with your potatoes last year or have you grown them there for several years? I rotate my crops and have never had a problem with it. I don't think digging out all the soil would be enough. They do say you can fumigate it though--with what--that we'd have to research further (your county ag extension agent is a good place to ask). Otherwise I'd choose another well-worked plot of soil elsewhere. It is better to plant your raspberries on a previously tilled and worked patch--then you'll have less competition with grass/weeds/grubs.

The previous owners of our property had put in a new row of raspberries the summer before we moved here by simply taking out a row of sod. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep the quack grass out of it and they got smothered out, never really produced. If I'd known better then, I would have transplanted them somewhere better.

ETA: and !

ETA again: Another option would be to plant only verticillium resistant varieties...ask your local nursery or ag ext agent. Here's a really good site on raspberry diseases. I learned a lot today too!

 

[ijon]

I thought potatoes was from the same family as tomatoes and would present the same problems. Thanks everyone for your help. And yes I do like to dig. I have a backhoe.

 

[patandchickens]

Potatoes *are* the same family as tomatoes But the recommendations you quote are really meant for commercial type growers, who can sort of assume that they have every disease under the sun.

Since this is just a leetle backyard garden, I do not think you have anything to worry about unless you actually HAD a discernible problem with verticillium wilt (in particular) last year.

Probably you didn't.

In which case it is fine to leave the soil as it is.

And if you *did* have a problem with it last year, honestly digging out some of the soil and replacing it is unlikely to fix the problem anyhow.

Conclusion: you wanna dig, come up here and dig, I got lotsa digging for ya

Good luck, have fun,

Pat