Autumn Raspberry “Autumn Bliss”

If I could only grow one fruit, it might have to be the Autumn Raspberry. I love apples, their blossom in spring and their fruit from late summer and figs, with their reminder of sunny holidays in the Mediterranean, their exotic-looking leaves and the steady supply of sun-ripened fruit in August and early September. But for sheer abundance, taste and value for money it has to be the Autumn Raspberry.

The Raspberry, Rubus idaeus, is sometimes known as the European Raspberry, to distinguish it from the American Red Raspberry, Rubus strigosus.

Growing up in Scotland, my Dad grew Summer Raspberries – varieties that fruit on canes produced the year before. But when we took on our allotment our neighbour kindly gave us some Autumn Raspberry plants, of the best known variety, “Autumn Bliss”. These fruit on canes produced the same year.

Summer Raspberries fruit in mid to late summer, giving a large crop in a short time. Autumn Raspberries fruit in the late summer and autumn and, depending on the weather, it’s possible to have fruit from late July through to early December, though the peak season runs for two to three months, from August to October.

Summer Raspberries are pruned after fruiting – the old, brown canes that have just fruited are cut to the ground and the new, green canes are tied in to wires. These will bear the next year’s fruit. Autumn raspberries are easier – they are all cut down to the ground in winter. I usually prune mine around New Year. I’ve pruned about half of mine so far. The canes don’t need to be supported, unless you live somewhere very windy.

Since Autumn Raspberries fruit later than Summer varieties, they miss the peak of Raspberry Beetle activity and so, except for early in the season, there’s no need to remove the damage tops of the fruit (or spray, if that’s what you prefer). They also miss the main nesting season, so blackbirds are less likely to snaffle the fruit to feed their young.

Autumn Raspberries – watercolour by Vanna Bartlett

Most importantly, both Summer and Autumn Raspberries taste delicious. I love the start of the strawberry season but after a week or so the novelty has worn off. But with raspberries, I can eat them every day – which is just as well, as they fruit prolifically. I also grow the yellow variety “Fall Gold”, which has a milder flavour and crops slightly later than “Autumn Bliss” where I live.

Last but not least, they are good for you: high in fibre and full of vitamins (C, E and A, folate), antioxidants and  minerals.

Right, time to get out and prune the rest of the canes…

Read more on the BBC Gardening and Fine Gardening websites.