Q: I'm ready to put in a raspberry bed. What raspberry varieties would you recommend for our area?

A: Well, I think if we're talking about the summer bearers, the old standby that's grown years and years and is plenty hardy here is 'Boyne'. That's a Canadian variety, a good, solid bearer. At least one addition I think you should consider to that one is the newer one from the University of Minnesota, and that's 'Nordic'. It's similar to 'Boyne' but is a little more disease resistant, and it's a little better quality and easier to grow. In the fall bearers, the old standby there has always been 'Heritage', and that's a good, productive bearer, especially if the fall doesn't come too early; if the frost doesn't kill them too quickly, they are very productive. We have, however, developed one at the University here that starts a little sooner, produces a little more in the short season, and that's 'Redwing', and that's probably the one I'd recommend at the top of the fall bearers. Another one that's looked pretty interesting for us in the last few years is 'Autumn Bliss'. That's an English variety, and although it's not always hardy enough to leave the tops on through the winter, if you treat it as a fall bearer only and mow the tops off, that's been completely good for it. So, that's probably the five that I'd recommend that are available.


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