I don't have much experience other than gardening near berry jungles all my life. The half-dozen raspberry crowns that I dug up and planted in my yard a couple years ago have done well, invaded my neighbor's yard. She's happy so I've got no complaints ... yet.
This is good raspberry country. There are a few commercial operations. The lovely thornless blackberry struggles thru our too cold winters, however.
In one garden, a neighbor had a nice row of raspberries and planted a blackberry at the end. Over the last 15 years, I have watched the blackberries move down the row, killing the raspberries as they went. His only raspberry is now only one plant, in my garden!
So, the blackberry may die in subzero weather but during the summers, it puts so much pressure on its neighboring raspberry plants that they die out! The 1 raspberry is on its way out. I'm not allowing any more shoots to come up. Next year, the Blackberry may try to take its place but that ain't happening either ... I can reach enuf of those berries for snacking as it is
.
@baymule , make sure you have local advice. Your idea of cutting all canes to the ground would only work for fall-bearers. Your climate may not allow for fall-bearing plants to do well through your hot summers. You get to the end of summer and they may not have enough
oomph to produce a crop.
Steve
