How to Make Your Own Raspberry Fertilizer

Prepare homemade raspberry fertilizer to feed raspberry plants.

When you grow raspberries in rich, fertile soil, most of the nutrients the berries need are already present. If your soil isn't perfect for raspberries, the canes can benefit from an all-purpose fertilizer that provides nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, boron and iron. You can make your own fertilizer for raspberry plants to provide for the growing needs of the brambles.

Things You'll Need

• Fish emulsion
• Dolomitic lime
• Bone meal
• Kelp meal
• Large bucket
• Stirring stick

Instructions

1. Measure and pour 4 parts fish emulsion (provides nitrogen and phosphorus), 1 part dolomitic lime (provides calcium and magnesium), 1 part bone meal (provides nitrogen), and 1 part kelp meal (provides boron, iron, manganese, zinc and copper) into a bucket.

2. Mix the ingredients well.

3. Scatter the fertilizer over the soil liberally, applying 1/2 cup around each raspberry plant. Apply the fertilizer at the beginning of the season when the plants leave dormancy and begin growing again.

4. Water the soil thoroughly after you add the fertilizer.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not scratch the fertilizer into the soil after you scatter it. Leave it on the surface for the soil to absorb. If you cultivate the soil even lightly, you may damage the shallow root systems of the raspberry canes.

References

• Organic Gardening: Geoff Hamilton
• Bramble Production: Perry C. Crandall
• Esson Estates Winery Coop: Raspberries