Raspberry Help

Hi all,

I live in zone 6 (Michigan). Last year I planted several types of raspberries in my yard.
Unfortunately, when I planted them one of my hands was out of commission so I didn't dig down nearly as much as I should have.
As a result, my raspberries are planted in 2-3 inches of nice black soil with pretty solid clay beneath (the original 18 plants were in slightly deeper holes to accommodate their root systems.
I realize now (after watching limited growth last year and this spring) that I should have dug much deeper and changed out the clay soil for these plants.

So, my question is what to do?
  Can I add soil on top of the raspberries where they currently are?
     If I can add soil (black dirt), how much can I add?
  I have some rotting straw and some old oak leaves, would either/both of these be a good mulch?
  Should I just re-dig their entire area in the fall and replant them in a trench of good soil a foot or two deep?
Heck, while I'm asking questions, is the clay probably fine and I should simply be watering them more?

Thanks for any advice!

In my experience ribes love love love wood chips. If you can get (really any) mulch they will love you. They are constantly making new roots so its no big deal how you planted them as long as they have some water and tilth to work with.

sorry meant rubes...

Tj Jefferson wrote:In my experience ribes love love love wood chips. If you can get (really any) mulch they will love you. They are constantly making new roots so its no big deal how you planted them as long as they have some water and tilth to work with.

So, pretty much just toss some wood chips around the raspberry plants?

I wonder if they'd like the rotting straw or leaves I have...

Greg Myers wrote:

Tj Jefferson wrote:In my experience ribes love love love wood chips. If you can get (really any) mulch they will love you. They are constantly making new roots so its no big deal how you planted them as long as they have some water and tilth to work with.

So, pretty much just toss some wood chips around the raspberry plants?

I wonder if they'd like the rotting straw or leaves I have...

They will break down organic matter very effectively. I’d limit the chips to a couple inches until they are established. Straw can be thicker.

Greg,

Woodchips are great, but I bet that the rotting straw and leaves will do very nicely too.

My recent experience is that you really want the microbes in the rot, regardless of the source of the rot.  Since straw rots quickly, I expect it to be a great source of microbes in the near term.

So long story short, I say use that straw and leaves.

Good Luck,

Eric

The more rotted the mulch the better. Fresh wood chips help, but not a much as my two year old dark brown crumbly ex-chips that have been gently sitting and rotting. As it breaks down the plants can access it much more effectively, and it gets better and better at holding moisture.

As has been said, raspberries are continually sending out new runners and roots, and new plants keep popping up from the roots of the old. I wouldn’t worry about your planting. Keep adding organic matter to the surface and given enough time the worms will break that clay barrier down.

I suspect you'll see better results in coming years no matter what. I live on very hard clay and raspberries are one of the wild plants that thrive like nobody's business here.

Thanks everyone--I'd had really good results mulching with rotting leaves previously. I got scared off of this tactic when I mulched with leaves from someone's curb and it killed several plants (probably herbicide). Hearing your advice reinforce what I'd had success with in the past really helped!