How to Grow Creeping Raspberry
Rubus pentalobus "creeping raspberry" is an ornamental ground cover that thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 9. The plant only grows to about 6 inches tall, but it can spread outward to a width of 30 feet. In the summer the stems are covered in tiny white blossoms, and the leaves turn bronze in the fall. Creeping raspberry plants don't require much care after the first year.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Water
- Well-balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer
- Hand pruners or pruning shears
- Hand-held fertilizer spreader
- Compost (optional)
- Garden tiller (optional)
-
-
1
Locate an area that has fertile to slightly sandy soil that drains well. Creeping raspberry can survive in full to partial sun locations.
-
2
Dig a hole in the planting area that is only as deep as the roots of the creeping raspberry plant. Place the plant in the hole, making sure that all of the green stems are above the soil. Backfill the hole fully.
-
3
Plant additional creeping raspberry plants no closer than 3 to 5 feet apart. The plants may look sparse at first but they will spread to fill in all the bare areas.
-
4
Water the soil after planting until it is damp to a depth of 4 to 5 inches. Keep the soil moist for the first week. Water after that only when the top of the soil dries out completely.
-
5
Prune the creeping raspberry vines any time of the year to control the length of the stems. Cut the stems back to the desired length using hand pruners or pruning shears. Pruning is not required for the health of the plant.
-
6
Fertilize the creeping raspberry plants in the spring with a well-balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer. Pour the fertilizer into a hand-held spreader, using the the amount recommended in the instructions. Turn the hand crank to dispense the fertilizer evenly onto the soil. Water the soil afterward.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you have clay soil, amend it prior to planting by spreading 2 to 3 inches of compost on top and mixing it into the top 10 inches of soil, using a garden tiller.
