Daily gardening tip · Northern hemisphere · Wednesday 2 September 2026 · early autumn
Clearing Old Raspberry Canes
Clearing away the raspberry stems that finished fruiting this summer creates room and light for a healthy harvest next year.
20 minuteseasypruning
Identify the woody, brown raspberry stems that carried fruit this summer.
Locate the fresh, leafy green stems, which must be left alone to grow.
Use sharp pruners to cut the old, brown stems down to the ground.
Remove the cut stems from the patch to prevent pests from nesting over winter.
Why it works
Summer-fruiting raspberries produce berries on stems that grow for two years. Once a stem has finished fruiting, it dies and will never produce berries again. Removing these dead stems allows sunlight and air to reach the young green stems that will carry next summer's fruit.
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