How to Grow Raspberries in Pots and Containers for Delicious Fruit All Season Long

Raspberries are a fast-growing and delicious fruit that is easy to grow in a home garden. The only downside is that they can take over your landscape if not regularly maintained. An easy solution is to grow raspberries in containers, which is a rewarding and practical option for anyone with limited space.

Whether you live in a cozy apartment, have minimal yard space, or need to save room for growing other plants, you can still cultivate these delicious fruits in pots and containers. While growing a raspberry bush in containers requires attention, proper preparation can simplify the cultivation process. Ahead, berry growers share their best tips for growing raspberries in containers, ensuring a fruitful harvesting experience.

When to Plant Raspberries

Bare-root raspberry plants should be planted while dormant in late fall, winter, or early spring before new growth starts, says Lisa Rayburn, area extension agent at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Bare-root raspberries are plants sold with their roots exposed, meaning they come without soil or a container. Alternatively, you can purchase a raspberry bush from your local plant nursery already in a container. 

How to Plant Raspberries in Containers

Potting up raspberries is a fun and easy process. Here, Rayburn offers her planting tips for optimal success.

1. Select a container: Choose a container 20 to 22 inches in diameter that is deeper than it is wide. “Raspberries will send up shoots from the roots and eventually fill in the pot,” says Rayburn.
2. Provide good drainage: Raspberries need excellent drainage, so ensure a large (¾ inch or wider) hole is present at the bottom of the pot. Rayburn encourages leaving the pot on a porous surface or elevating it on risers if placing it on an impervious surface, such as a cement patio.
3. Fill the container: Fill the container with a high-quality potting mix. "For larger pots, you can add 20 percent soil conditioner, such as pine bark fines, to increase drainage within the pot," she says.
4. Plant the raspberry bush: Remove the plant from its current container. Gently place it in the new pot at the same depth it was in the previous container. Backfill with soil.
5. Water after planting: Water the raspberry plant thoroughly to ensure the soil is moist throughout the root zone.

How to Care for Raspberries in Containers 

Raspberries are relatively low-maintenance, but their sunlight, soil, moisture, and temperature needs must be met for a healthy harvest.

Sunlight

Raspberries grow best in full sun. Rayburn advises choosing a location that receives at least six to eight hours of sunlight daily. "In regions with extreme heat, a little afternoon shade can help reduce stress," she says. 

Soil

Raspberries thrive in well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.2. These plants prefer organic-rich soil, so amend with compost before planting.

Water

Water raspberries when the top 2 inches of potting mix is dry to the touch. “Staying too wet or getting excessively dry will stress your plants,” Rayburn says. When plants are small and conditions are cool, they may only need water once or twice a week. However, in the middle of summer, containers will likely need to be watered daily.

Temperature

Raspberries can survive in USDA zones 4 to 8, but grow best in moderate temperatures. Temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and cool nights during fruiting will result in optimal plant growth and fruit quality, yielding larger, firmer berries, says Rayburn. Temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit will stress plants, resulting in smaller, softer fruit.

Fertilizer

Adequate fertilizer is needed to support plant growth. Rayburn recommends using a slow-release fertilizer suitable for vegetable plants. "Most slow-release fertilizers will provide nutrients for two to three months, so one application in the spring, just as new growth starts, followed by another application two to three months later, will provide adequate nutrients for the season," she says. 

Support

Raspberries need support to stay upright and keep the fruit off the ground. Rayburn recommends using a trellis or a large tomato cage to support the raspberry canes. You can train the canes through the support or tie them to it using garden tape or soft twine.

Types of Raspberries

There are two main types of raspberries: primocane-fruiting varieties and floricane-fruiting varieties.

• Primocane-fruiting raspberries: Primocane-fruiting raspberries bear fruit on the current season’s growth. These varieties are typically harvested in late summer through fall, producing fruit up until the first hard frost.
• Floricane-fruiting raspberries: Floricane-fruiting raspberries bear fruit on second-year canes that grew the previous season, meaning they need to be overwintered. These varieties are typically harvested in summer.

Pruning Raspberries in Containers

The type of raspberries you grow will dictate how you prune them.

• Primocane-fruiting raspberries: Prune primocane-fruiting raspberries by cutting the primocanes to the ground every year in late fall or early spring once they are dormant. They will regrow the following year, Pritts says.
• Floricane-fruiting raspberries: Prune floricane-fruiting raspberries by removing all of the spent floricanes in late fall or early spring once they are dormant. Leave the previous year's primocanes, which will become the fruiting floricanes the following year.

How to Harvest Raspberries

Harvesting homegrown raspberries is a treat! When the berries are ready for harvest, they will have reached their full, vibrant color and feel plump. Ripe raspberries should be slightly soft yet firm to the touch and not mushy or overripe. Ripe berries will detach easily from the plant.

To harvest, gently grasp the ripe raspberry from the stem and twist it to pull it off, ensuring your pressure is light so you do not squish the berry. Do not wash the raspberries immediately after picking; this will shorten their shelf life.

Common Problems

Raspberries are relatively easy to care for, but can be vulnerable to pests and diseases indoors and outdoors. According to Pritts, raspberries grown in pots indoors are particularly susceptible to powdery mildew, aphids, and thrips. When potted outdoors, they are commonly affected by the spotted-winged drosophila and gray mold.

Applying neem oil can reduce the risk of pest infestations and diseases. Neem oil, which is extracted from the neem tree, is a natural fungicide and insecticide. To use neem oil, mix with warm water; combine 1 teaspoon castile soap and 1 tablespoon of neem oil per gallon of warm water, and shake well to blend. Spray the mixture on the leaves every one to two weeks for effective results, avoiding the flowers. 

Tips for Growing Raspberries in Containers

Whether you're growing raspberries in containers indoors or outside, experts say to keep these tips in mind.

• Pollination: When growing raspberries indoors, Pritts explains that you must hand-pollinate the flowers with a brush to make fruiting possible. If you keep the containers outdoors, bees will pollinate the flowers for you.
• Humidity check: If the humidity is too low indoors, Pritts explains the pollen grains will not germinate, and the berries will ripen unevenly. However, this usually is not a problem outdoors.
• Winter protection: Dormant raspberries are winter hardy, but plants grown in containers are more vulnerable to winter damage than plants grown in the soil. “Dormant raspberries can be moved into a shed or unheated garage for protection during extreme cold events,” says Rayburn. Alternatively, bundle pots close together and provide insulation with mulch or row covers to reduce the risk of the containers freezing through.