How would you like to grow magical jewels in your garden? You can, when you grow raspberries!

Glowing like rubies, amethysts, and citrine, raspberries have almost supernatural properties when it comes to nutrition and health benefits.

Raspberry bushes are perennials that can yield hundreds of berries in a season for many years. They are easy to grow, and the fruit freezes beautifully, maintaining its flavor. That’s why we’ve prepared this all-in-one guide for you about growing, harvesting, and eating—with some easy-to-prepare and tasty recipes—your own home-grown raspberries.

In this collection’s Introduction, you’ll first learn some history and basics about raspberries—to get you ready for growing your own. Then, in the Feature Articles, you’ll get specifics about raspberry gardening—from types of plants and soil preparation to watering, weeding, and controlling and preventing disease.

If you’re already an advanced raspberry and food gardener, some of this may be refresher content for you. But, stick with it, because you’re certain to learn something new, especially when it comes to the history of raspberries and the recipes!

In Plant Profiles, you’ll learn about six popular varieties of raspberries, so you’ll have specific details about the characteristics and best uses for particular varieties of raspberries.

While there are about 200 varieties of raspberries, we’ve chosen these six raspberry plants to profile because they are some of the most commonly grown. If you’d like us to include another raspberry variety that appeals to you, please let me know by commenting below.

We are, after all, a network of food gardeners—for and by fellow food gardeners—who want to enjoy all the benefits of growing our own delicious food at home!

One of the things that makes Food Gardening Network unique is the assortment of super easy and delicious Recipes, so that you can enjoy the fruits of your gardening labor. Raspberries are no exception!

These raspberry recipes include uses for salads, desserts, beverages, and sauces. You will be sure to delight everyone at your table when you prepare raspberries any of these ways, and these dishes will become staples in your household. Enjoy your raspberry harvest with these tasty recipes, and your family and friends will appreciate all your raspberry gardening efforts!

Next, you’ll learn Nutrition Facts about Raspberries to find out exactly which nutrients are found in raspberries—and to what degree—and the most common compounds. Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Raspberries will help you learn about how key nutrients in raspberries can help prevent some diseases, such as heart disease and some forms of cancer. You’ll also learn all about other benefits and uses for raspberries, besides just enjoying their garden-fresh deliciousness.

To help you explore the sweet world of raspberries even further, we’ve included a Resources section that is complementary to this collection. We aim to give you everything you need to grow, harvest, and eat delicious raspberries, but feel free to take a deeper dive into these additional resources by visiting the links provided.

Finally, you’ll find a brief Glossary at the end of this collection in case you need a fuller explanation of any key terms and concepts.

Now, let’s learn how to grow the best raspberries ever!