If you’ve already got a raspberry bush thriving in your backyard, why not make more? Propagating your own plants from cuttings is a total game-changer. It’s way easier and much more reliable than trying to grow them from seeds or messing around with random runners. In this post, I’ll walk you through why root cuttings are the way to go and how to make sure your new berry babies actually take root.
Root Cuttings: Your Best Bet for Success
If you’re looking to expand your raspberry patch, I’ve got some great news: root cuttings are hands-down the most reliable method. While raspberries do send out plenty of runners on their own, those can be a bit of a gamble—you can’t always be 100% sure the runner is coming from the specific variety you want to clone. By taking a cutting directly from the root, you’re guaranteed to get an exact match of your favorite tasty variety.
Step-by-Step Guide to Propagating Raspberries
- Carefully dig down to expose the raspberry root system.
- Snip off a healthy, larger section of the root.
- Cut that section into smaller pieces, about four inches (10 cm) long. Make sure each piece has at least five “eyes” (growth buds).
- Plant your root cuttings in a nursery bed or pots.
- Give them some extra love and protection from the winter frost.
- Move them to their permanent sunny spot in the garden come springtime.
The best time to take these cuttings is in the fall. As the plant winds down for the season, it’s less stressed, which gives the mother plant plenty of time to recover before winter sets in.
Don’t Forget the Winter Protection
Since these little cuttings haven’t established their own root systems yet, they’re pretty vulnerable to freezing temperatures. You’ll want to give them a cozy winter “blanket.” Cover the soil with a thick layer of leaves, straw, or bark mulch, and weigh it down with some evergreen branches to keep everything in place. Pro tip: Mark the spot with a stake or garden label so you don’t accidentally dig them up or lose track of them when spring rolls around!
