In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about planting raspberries, growing raspberries, and harvesting raspberries—your raspberries bushes will be a welcome addition to your garden! Once you’ve tasted fresh raspberries from your own garden, store-bought raspberries just won’t measure up.

We’ve got you covered from planting through harvesting and cooking! We have all the tips for growing raspberries you need to start and maintain a delicious raspberry garden. Learn about the best trellis for raspberries to give them the ideal support they need, and to make harvesting easier for you.

Plus, you get specific advice about growing raspberries—including growing raspberries in containers; growing raspberries in raised beds—the best place to plant raspberry bushes, the ideal raspberry plant spacing, and essential raspberry bush care. Where will you plant your raspberries?

This gardening guide about raspberries is your #1 guide for being the best raspberry grower you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about your raspberry garden—from planning to planting raspberries and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Raspberries—including the history and background of this terrific berry that’s not actually a berry. Raspberries are, botanically speaking, something called an aggregate fruit! Find out about the history of raspberries that reaches back to the Stone Age, and learn about their role in Greek mythology! Follow the progress of raspberries through the middles ages and into the New World.

Then, you get Feature Articles about Raspberries that include:

• Types of Raspberry Plants—learn the difference between summer-bearing and ever-bearing plants. Understand the growing process of floricanes and primocanes, and what that means for your raspberry harvest—and raspberry plant care! You’ll also want to take into consideration what you want to do with your raspberries once you harvest them: Eat them fresh? Make jam? How big a harvest do you need to fulfill your plans?
• A Word About Varieties of Raspberry Plants—get a quick summary of the different varieties of raspberries and what the differences are between black, purple, red, and golden raspberry varieties. Plus, some raspberry harvesting bonus tips!
• Choosing to Grow Raspberries from Bare Root or Tissue Culture Plants—how you start your raspberry garden will depend in part on your budget, what type of plants are available, and if any of your fellow gardeners grow raspberries.
• Growing Raspberries in Open Land, in Raised Beds, or in Containers—learn all you need to know to ensure you give your raspberry plants the best start possible. Find out why you might want to plant your raspberries away from the rest of your garden, and why raised beds and containers can be good planting options.
• Starting with the Right Soil for Your Raspberry Plants—raspberries can be particular about the type of soil they like, so it pays to plan ahead, which can include testing your soil to determine its pH level. Learn how to prepare your soil to welcome your new raspberry plants, and find out which plants grow well near raspberries and which you should avoid.
• Planting and Pruning Raspberries—bare-root or potted plants have similar planting requirements. Some plants spread out more than others; do your research to choose the right plant for your garden and your gardening style. Learn how selective pruning can help you bring in a bigger harvest!
• The Right Sunlight for Your Raspberry Plants—raspberry plants love the sun! Whether you plant your raspberries in open land, in containers, or in raised beds, make sure they get to bask in the sun’s rays long enough to flourish. Find out what to do if you have a lot of shade in your growing area.
• Should You Fertilize Your Raspberry Plants?—well, it depends on the nutrients already in your soil. Find out how and when to fertilize your raspberry plants to keep them healthy and productive.
• How—and When—to Water Your Raspberry Plants—not too little, not too much, and definitely not soggy. Get the details on the best way to keep your raspberry plants perfectly hydrated.
• How to Spot, Treat, and Prevent Raspberry Diseases—a little vigilance and prevention can go a long way toward protecting your raspberry plants from opportunistic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Learn about the three-step approach to keeping your raspberry plants healthy.
• What to Do About Pests that Can Harm Your Raspberry Plants—vigilance is your first defense against pests that can destroy your raspberries! Get guidance on how to deal with the invaders, from picking off the pests by hand to removing overripe fruit that may attract pests.
• The Right Way to Weed Your Raspberry Patch—early and often is the best strategy. Learn how some raspberry plants can spread out and show up in unexpected places—almost weed-like themselves! We’ll explain how early weeding and later mulching can keep the weeds at bay, and the best approach to dealing with those weeds (and unexpected raspberry canes!) that do crop up.
• Root Rot on Raspberry Plants—this fungal infection can fell your plants for good! Learn the telltale signs—and better yet, learn how prevention is your best defense against root rot. We’ll outline a strategy to avoid root rot in the first place.
• Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Raspberries—from trellises in the garden to sieves in the kitchen, get the full list of essential gardening tools and harvesting equipment for growing raspberries … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights six popular raspberry varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

• • Brandywine Raspberries

• • Boyne Raspberries

• • Raspberry Shortcake Raspberries

• • Anne Raspberries

• • Cascade Delight Raspberries

• • Heritage Raspberries

And all your raspberry-gardening efforts are made more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes, to ensure your harvest can provide maximum enjoyment to everyone you serve at your home. Food Gardening Network is all about providing easy recipes for making delicious dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your raspberry harvest:

• • Raspberry Fool

• • Raspberry Ricotta Cake

• • Raspberry Vinaigrette

• • Chicken Thighs with Raspberry-Balsamic Sauce

• • Easy Raspberry Coulis

• • Raspberry Goat Cheese Salad

• • Raspberry Streusel Bars

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of raspberries with Nutrition Facts about Raspberries and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Raspberries. Learn how long humans have understood the valuable nutrition and health benefits of raspberries—and how you can use your own home-grown raspberries to give yourself an antioxidant boost.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own raspberries, we’ve included a Resources about Raspberries section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about raspberries.

Finally, our Raspberry Glossary section gives you the explanation of key raspberry-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re never in the dark or confused about important raspberry-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now— Raspberries Rule! Gardening Guide: All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating Delicious Raspberries—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about raspberries!

Cate Prato, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.