The Best Fertilizer for Raspberries
Fertilizing raspberries at the right time of the year helps the plants grow and produce tasty fruit. The best fertilizers start working as soon as your plants get transplanted into the ground. Additional applications help the plants reach their full potential.
New Plants
Organic fertilizer or a 4-20-20 fertilizer works well when added to your planting site. You can also add well-rotted manure or compost to your raspberry planting area to help the new plants get a good start.
Established Plants
Specially formulated berry fertilizer works well on plants that are at least 1 year old. Well-rotted manure also helps fertilize the soil when added around the plant. The plants thrive with applications of nitrogen to help them reach their full growing height. But once the plants begin to set fruit, nitrogen applications should stop since the plant needs to focus on producing fruit rather than foliage.
Timing
The best time to apply a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer is in early spring before the plant starts growing in March. Avoiding late spring or summer fertilization keeps the plants from producing succulent late season growth that’s susceptible to damage in the winter.
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Writer Bio
Nancy Wagner is a marketing strategist and speaker who started writing in 1998. She writes business plans for startups and established companies and teaches marketing and promotional tactics at local workshops. Wagner's business and marketing articles have appeared in "Home Business Journal," "Nation’s Business," "Emerging Business" and "The Mortgage Press," among others. She holds a B.S. from Eastern Illinois University.
