Raising & Picking Black Raspberries

Without a doubt, the best tasting fruit in West Virginia (Subject to opinion, of course.) Here in West Virginia, they are called raspberries, because they grow wild and they're a native plant. Raspberries love our wet, humid conditions. They do best in partial sun with a bed of organic material.

Prepare the ground by making sure their is little competition (roots) with your new plants. I would get your new bed ready during the summer.  Loosen soil to give the roots an easy time growing in the fall. I also put some old boards, logs, firewood... anything that will eventually rot. This does 2 things, adds good nutrients to the soil and it keeps the ground damp.

Where to get plants? - You can purchase them at some nurseries, but they are sometimes hard to buy. The good news is, they grow like weeds along the state roads. It will take a little digging, sweat and some scratches, but they'll grow well.

Plant in late early Spring - Be sure to get as much root as possible in the ground. Ideal situation would to have a mixture of decomposed tree, but raspberries adapt to most places in WV. I keep them watered the 1st couple days, if the ground is dry. ude makes a huge difference.

A new raspberry cane

Growing - As your plant starts growing, you'll notice a "white" cane sprout from the ground. They'll grow anywhere from 2'-4' `tall. These new canes will produce berries the following year and one should be careful to not break or bend them. The older canes that you planted will produce berries this summer.

Weeding - Just like any crop, keeping weeds and other plants cut back will give your raspberries more sunshine and allow them to produce more berries. Watch the ground for new canes coming up - be careful and give them a chance to grow. ie., don't weed 'em!

Picking Raspberries - Berries don't last long after they ripen. You're looking for the darkest colored berries. They should be firm (don't squish) when you pick them. Raspberry thorns aren't as bad as Black Berries. Keep an eye out for bees (hornets and yellow jackets are mean) and snakes.

Preparation - Great for jams, jelly, in ice cream, pies, cobbler and the list could go on and on. If you're not ready to use them in a couple days (and they will go bad) - Try rinsing them off, towel dry and freeze. They freeze well.

Health Benefits - The University of Ohio is currently testing black raspberries on colon cancer with "surprising" results.