Raspberry & Blackberry Propogation

The easiest way to propagate Raspberry & Blackberry bushes:

Raspberry bushes tend to spread very quickly anyway, but sometimes you want to move them to a new location in the garden, or try a patch around the garden perimeter. This is the easiest way that I've found to get some roots on them, then you can cut them and move the seedlings. This is generally much easier then trying to dig them up when they popup around the garden because you know exactly how much root they need for the new seedlings to start, it's also much easier to separate them. 

To start you will need the following:

•  A Good set of pliers with a wire cutter on it.
• A wire coat hanger (dry cleaners usually have them for free)
• Small gardening shears
• Long existing raspberry, blackberry, wineberry or something else in this family, canes.

 Not required but useful:

•  A small hammer (only really needed if your ground is a bit tough)
• Leather gardening gloves (NOT required but useful depending if your raspberries have thick thorns)

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer:

These products are actual products that I've used and I like. However, I am an amazon affiliate and I do earn a small commission from the products sold. This does not affect their use in any way. I have personally used all these products and bought them myself. Please note that, of course, you can get products from where ever you choose, but I find it easier to order online for my projects. Thank you for supporting me!

Gather the necessary supplies.

Locate the raspberry cane or canes that you wish to use to propagate. Usually you want to use tall raspberry plants. Remember the ones that you stake may produce berries still, but they will likely not be good since they are on the ground and may succumb to slugs or worms. Any of these canes will do just fine.

Cut the wire coat hanger using your clippers. You want about 6 inch pieces, and I usually discard the hook itself as it's a bit more difficult to bend into shape.

Using your fingers, form the coat hanger into a "U" shape with the bend about the width of your finger. I just shape it around my finger to create the stakes. Depending on the soil type you may want your stakes longer or shorter - a longer one for softer soil. 

Using your Pliers, bend the end of the clips upwards. This is to help prevent them from coming out of the ground, acting like a fishhook in the ground.

For next time, I recommend using uncoated coat hangers so that you don't have to worry about chipping paint, but that's all I had currently.

Carefully bend the cane to the ground being careful not the crack it. It should bend smoothly, but if it cracks it may not work. When it touches the ground, push your hanger around it to pin the cane to the ground. You may have to tap it with the hammer depending on how hard your ground is. You want at least 3 of these to keep the cane flush with the ground. Put them near a set of leaves on the cane, as this is where the roots will form. I put one near the base, one at a leaf junction near the middle, and one at a root junction near the tip.

After a few weeks, they will have developed new root systems and can sustain themselves. This is one of the ones that I rooted last year and placed coffee grounds around, although some of the bottom leaves have fallen off.

Use your shears to cut the original cane and put the new canes in pots. Make sure pots stay moist as these canes don't have full root systems yet and can dry out easily. Then transplant your canes where you want them and enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Questions, comments, other interests? - send me an email - thehalfnakedchef@gmail.com

 If you like this instructable then check out my other sites and help support me and please keep in mind I'm still pretty new to this and things are always in revision:

 My website, which is mainly cooking from a non-professional perspective - http://www.thehalfnakedchef.com

 My blog which covers gardening, cooking, and a other things - www.THNCkitchen.blogspot.com