Keep an eye on the moisture content of the planting medium when growing raspberries.
Al's Gritty Mix is a type of potting soil mix, invented by a member of an online gardening forum. Although it contains a few organic ingredients, it is, for the most part, inorganic and contains no soil. The gentleman that created it did so to provide himself and his friends with a fast-draining mix for potted perennial plants. It includes equal parts of Turface, which is a type of soil conditioner made out of calcined clay and used on sports fields, granite grit and finely shredded bark.
Instructions
1. Place the one-fourth inch hardware cloth over the container and pour the fine bark over it. Discard the larger chunks that remain on top of the screen.
2. Replace the hardware cloth on top of the container with 1/16th inch window screen and pour the Turface and granite grit over it. Discard whatever materials won't sift through the screen. Mix the ingredients in the container thoroughly.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of gypsum for each gallon of Al's Gritty Mix and mix it in well.
4. Pour the mix into the raspberry planting container, to within 2 inches of the top. Insert the trellis at the back of the container.
5. Plant the raspberry starters after the danger of frost has passed. Dig holes in the Gritty Mix that places the plants' crown 1 inch below soil level. Pack the growing medium around them and water until water seeps from the bottom of the container.
6. Prune the raspberries to the number of canes you find manageable for the size of the container. Typically, four canes are maximum but you may need to grow just one.
7. Water the raspberry every other day if there is no rain. Al's Gritty Mix is quick-draining and may dry out faster than the planting mixes you are accustomed to.
8. Fertilize the raspberry with a liquid all-purpose fertilizer monthly. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer label and use the amount suggested.
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