Raspberry

Year-round

Raspberries can grow in the Los Angeles area but they need some help to be happy here. This is not a plant that grows wild in the LA basin. It comes from cooler climates and wants a break from our mild winters and hot summers. Pick a low chill variety bred for warm winters, give it morning sun with afternoon shade if you are more than a couple miles from the coast, and keep the roots evenly moist with regular deep watering and a layer of mulch.

• Choose a low chill raspberry variety such as Caroline, Heritage, or Joan J, which only need about 200 to 400 chill hours to fruit well
• Give the plant morning sun and afternoon shade in hotter inland parts of LA, full sun closer to the coast
• Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy, with mulch to keep roots cool
• Each cane lives two years, growing the first year and fruiting the second before it dies back

Fall

Fall can bring a second wave of berries in LA if you planted a low chill, fall bearing type like Caroline, Heritage, or Joan J. Once a cane finishes fruiting for the season, cut it down since each cane only fruits once in its lifetime before dying back.

• Low chill fall bearing varieties can ripen fruit from late summer into October in LA's mild fall weather
• Cut spent canes down to the ground right after they finish fruiting, since raspberry canes die after their second year
• Clear out dead or dying canes to keep the planting looking tidy and to reduce disease
• Ease off watering slightly as fall temperatures cool but do not let the root zone dry out

Cutting spent canes to the ground right after harvest keeps the bed from looking overgrown or scraggly, which matters most in a front yard planting.

Winter

LA winters are mild, which is exactly why a low chill raspberry variety matters here. Without enough cold hours, a standard raspberry may leaf out unevenly or fruit poorly. Use winter for light feeding and keeping an eye on soil moisture, since LA winters can still bring dry stretches. Raspberries are not on the ASPCA's list of plants toxic to dogs or cats, so an occasional nibble from a curious pet is not expected to cause poisoning, though large amounts of fruit can still upset a pet's stomach.

• Apply a balanced fertilizer in late winter to early spring before new growth starts
• Keep watering through dry winter stretches since LA rainfall alone is often not enough
• Skip high chill raspberry varieties here since LA basin winters rarely get cold enough for them
• Raspberry (Rubus) is not on the ASPCA's toxic plant list for dogs or cats, though it is still smart to keep pets from eating large amounts of any fruit

Spring

Spring is planting time for raspberries in LA. Set out bare root canes or container plants once the weather has settled, using a low chill variety since LA winters usually will not deliver enough cold for a standard high chill type. Water in well and start light support now so canes do not flop over as they grow.

• Plant bare root canes or nursery pots in early spring, spacing them 2 to 3 feet apart
• Set plants slightly deeper than they sat in the nursery pot
• Put up a simple trellis or stake line early so new canes grow upright instead of sprawling
• Water deeply after planting and keep soil evenly moist while roots establish

A simple wire trellis along a fence line keeps raspberry canes upright and tidy from the street, which reads as neat to an HOA-conscious neighbor.

Summer

Summer heat is the hardest part of growing raspberries in the LA basin, especially inland where afternoon sun can scorch fruit and stress the plant. Afternoon shade, steady watering, and mulch matter most right now.

• Give plants afternoon shade in hot inland yards so berries do not cook on the cane
• Water deeply and regularly, checking that soil stays moist but never waterlogged
• Keep a few inches of mulch over the roots to hold in moisture and keep roots cool
• Watch for spider mites during hot dry spells and hose off leaves if you spot fine webbing