The post Controlling raspberry bushes appeared first on The Cheap Vegetable Gardener.
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I have considered adding raspberries in my garden but never really got around to it. This year the sort of were planted for me when my neighbors raspberry plant began sneaking under our fence. This was not exactly the location I would have chosen to plant them if I picked up a plant from the local home improvement store…but figured best to go with it than fight it since I was sure the raspberry plant would be more persistent.
The reason why I would have not chosen this location is that is right next to where I grow my tomatoes/peppers also known as the only southern facing location in my yard. I also had a hydrangea growing in the same area, though fortunately was not too established and I was able to transplant without too much shock.
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To attempt to keep this creeping plant under some control I decided to setup some preventive barriers. By taking some scrap plywood leftover from my grow box expansion I created an eighteen inch deep barrier to keep the raspberries from taking over my tomato/pepper turf as well as taking over my lawn. I am pretty sure that the raspberries can still get under and/or move around it but hoping this will at least slow them down a little and save me from a little extra weeding in my lawn and garden beds.
Depending how effective (or ineffective) this is I probably will dig this out a little more and make something a little more beefy to keep these raspberries in their place…but this was as much digging as I felt comfortable doing without calling the "Call Before You Dig” folks to mark up my backyard.
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Either way, I am definitely look forward to picking some fresh raspberries in my backyard this summer. Though if any of you have some great ideas how to keep your raspberry plants in check I would love to hear about them…
