Defeating Bugs in the Raspberries?

How I achieved an epic raspberry harvest, and why the neighbors are asking what my secret to successful raspberry growing is. 

Early Ripening. .

I happened to get a cold hardy red raspberry bush that also ripens a little earlier than other red raspberries, which is good because at least half the crop will be ripe before the fruit flies come looking for them. I don't remember what specific variety these raspberries are, but I got them at Menards about 4 or 5 years ago. 

Beat the Fruit Flies!

The best way I've found to beat the bugs to the berries is to pick them before they are completely ripe. The only way to do this and have them still ripen is to leave the stems in. 

Be sure to also remove any overripe or fallen fruit so the fruit flies don't have anywhere to lay their eggs. 

Pick your raspberries early:

1. Look for berries that are mostly pink, you want to get them just before they start to get soft. If they are picked too early they won't get big but they will still get ripe.
2. Snip the raspberries off at the stem, do not pull the stem out!
3. Wash with cool water.
4. Lay them out on a towel to dry and discard any mushy or damaged berries.

After a day or two the raspberries will be ripe and the stem will pull out easily. Put them in the fridge or right in the freezer. Maybe next year I'll remember to photograph my raspberry process. .

Another benefit of picking raspberries early is they are still firm and easier to wash. Ripe berries can get mushy after being washed 😝. 

Control Raspberry Beetles!

These guys will lay eggs inside your flower buds and you won't even know it until the larvae eats your raspberries from the inside out. Controlling them without using chemical pesticides is possible, and preferrable. 

Expose the beetles hiding under your plants:

1. Remove all the fruiting canes after the harvest has ended, just cut them down to the soil.
2. Cultivate the soil around your raspberry plants in the fall, right before the first frost.
3. Leave the soil uncovered for a day or two so the pests can freeze.
4. Add some compost and generous layer of mulch around the raspberry plants. 

I use a mixture of straw and wood mulch on my plants. We have lots of fast growing trees and a small electric mulcher, it works good as long as the leaves on the branches have been allowed to dry out. Straw bales can be found in the animal bedding section at Tractor Supply, or you can get the chopped seeding straw at Menards. The chopped straw won't cover as much space, but it's easier to work with.

If any beetles do lay eggs, getting the raspberries into the fridge or freezer will kill the eggs and prevent them from hatching. The best way to do this is to pick the raspberries early and let them ripen with the stems still attached.  

Removing the fruiting canes also makes room for new canes, which will grow raspberries next summer. Some varieties can be completely mowed down, but not the red variety that I have. 

That's the end of my notes for now.