Transplanting soft fruits

Hello all

Last autumn I ordered lots of bare-rooted soft fruit, intending to prepare the ground before they arrived. I should have known better! From then on, I hardly had any time over the winter, just enough to quickly plant some in an unsuitable area (shady, dry) and the rest in large pots. They are still there and I am wondering what to do for the best (and when).

The main problems are raspberries and rhubarb.

Raspberries
The autumn-fruiting variety I'm OK with, but how should I treat the summer-fruiting ones? Those planted in the shady/dry area haven't done very well and I assume that there's nothing much to lose by cutting them right down. However, those planted in the pots have put on loads of growth, actually rooting into the soil on which the pots are standing and in some cases sending up new canes in the open ground.
The spreading roots are white and very brittle.

Rhubarb
6 large pots containing rhubarb. They have all put on lots of growth and again have rooted into the garden soil.

My questions are:

When would be the best time (or maybe the least bad time) to move the rasberries and rhubarb? Results of an Internet search seem split between late autumn and early spring (or any time between)

Should I even try to save any roots that have gone into the garden soil?

Am I right in thinking that this years growth on summer-fruiting raspberries should be cut down before the move? I assume that the (probably much-reduced) roots won't be able to support a large amount of top-growth.

What should I do with the new raspberry suckers?

Thanks in anticipation

Chas

 

Raspberries. Cut down to the ground any canes that have fruited (i.e. have the little cores from the fruit on them). Do this between Late Autumn and Early Spring. Works fine for either type (but in effect you will be cutting off every cane of Autumn fruiting varieties and only "last year's canes" on Summer fruiting varieties, leaving this-year's-canes to fruit next year).

having said that, in general Raspberries should be cut right down when transplanted - so Summer ones will do nothing until year-after-next, and Autumn ones will fruit next Autumn -but crop may be anything - including pathetic! - in the first year. You need play the long term game - to establish the plant in the first year ... not sacrifice that for fruit.

I agree with plant any time from late autumn and early spring. Avoid times when the ground is cold / frosted. So "Now" or Early Spring would be best.

If you can salvage the roots in the soil the more the better - but I expect breaking the pots to leave the roots (undamaged) is probably going to be a lot of trouble. Bits of Raspberry root, with a shoot / cane on them, will probably establish into their own plant - may take a couple of years before they are big and strong though - but free plants if you have the space.

Similarly with Rhubarb really. They take a couple of years to build up a big crown. The more root you can salvage the quicker that will happen. They are tough as old boots though, so if you were to just chop it all off I would expect them to recover - just take a bit longer to get established.

I reckon it all comes down to how easily you can break the pot off to keep all the roots that have gone through into the soil.

 

Thanks, Kristen for your comprehensive and helpful response.
Thanks also to JWK for pointing out my mistake in posting to the wrong forum - obviously my posting accuracy is about as good as my soft fruit planning! Must do better! Smacks wrist and slinks off, stage left......