Building a raspberry trellis – How to guarantee a bountiful harvest
- Difficultyeasy
- Cost<50 £
- Duration< 1 h
Introduction
Juicy raspberries are not only an eye-catcher in the garden, with their bright and vibrant colours, they are also a remarkably versatile food in the kitchen. From cake to jam or chutneys, raspberries are a favourite fruit for a lot of people, and many know that in order to grow the best raspberry bushes, proper plant support is a must.
With the right support, you can stop the heavy branches from snapping off or trailing along the ground, ensuring that the fruits are exposed to as much sunlight as possible. In fact, with raspberry supports in place, growing these beautiful and tasty snacks is remarkably easy, even for those individuals who might not have the greenest of fingers.
In this article, we will show you how to build your own trellis for supporting raspberries with minimal effort required.
- Wooden stakes
- Post anchors
- Crossbars
- Screw
- Wire, string, or clamps (for attaching the raspberry vines)
Let's get started – step-by-step: How to make a raspberry trellis
In this quick and straightforward guide, we will explain how to build a trellis for raspberries in a simple ladder shape. In the chapter "Planning & Background Knowledge" you will also find other types of trellis and which species of raspberry each one is suited to.
Before we start, do you know about our 18-volt Power For All system? This includes all the power tools you are likely to need to build your raspberry trellis. All devices are compatible with the same single battery, meaning switching between them could not be more straightforward!
At all steps be sure to pay attention to occupational safety in order to protect yourself and prevent injury. Read our DIY safety precautions overview for more guidance.
Back to our raspberry support, here is how to build the frame:
- Prepare a bed of approx. 3 x 0.5 m.
- Insert 3 post anchors at a distance of 1.5 m.
- Cut 1.8 m long square timbers with a jigsaw (or shorter, depending on the type of raspberry)
- place the square timbers in the post anchors and use a cordless drill to secure.
- Attach crossbars at the desired height.
- Plant raspberries under the trellis.
Not sure how to properly use the required power tools? Check out our comprehensive drill guide, as well as our video tutorials for drills and screwdrivers and sawing tools (detailed guides on how to perform tasks such as cutting a straight line with a jigsaw).
Planning & background knowledge: Raspberry trellis supports
Not all types of raspberries are the same. What do they need and what do you need to pay attention to? Read on to find out.
How much space does a raspberry plant need?
If you want to plant raspberries, you can do so in the garden, on the terrace or even on a balcony. You can choose between small and large variants. Depending on the variety, a raspberry plant needs an area of at least 0.5 x 0.5m to grow well.
Is it better to put raspberries in the ground or in a pot?
Whether you grow your raspberries in the ground or in a pot makes little difference. A planter for a raspberry plant should be at least 20L with good drainage. Read more about planting in plant pots here.
Using a pot allows you to grow raspberries in more restrictive spaces such as a balcony. We have a number of articles dedicated to transforming a balcony or terrace into a rich and vibrant garden to be proud of. See also:
Why do raspberry canes need support?
Many raspberry plants can grow up to 2m tall. Despite this, the individual canes are comparatively weak and struggle with the additional weight of the fruits, come harvest time. To prevent the tendrils from falling to the ground or breaking off, it's best to build a trellis or other structure to provide the raspberries with support. This will also ensure that the raspberry plant distributes itself evenly, optimising space and access to light.
A trellis, knotted grid, or metal mesh – which is the best raspberry support?
Which type of frame is best for you depends on the available space, as well as your chosen raspberry variety. Here, you have the choice between summer raspberries and autumn raspberries. Both species differ not only in their height but also in their care requirements.
In the table below, we show you what differentiates the most common raspberry supports:
| Type of climbing aid | Details |
| Knot Grid |
|
| Standard trellis |
|
| V-shaped trellis |
|
| Bamboo or mesh Trellis | a trellis made of bamboo poles or a metal mesh which can be mounted either free-standing, in a bed or on a wall |
What height and dimensions should a raspberry trellis have?
Height and other dimensions depend largely on the type of raspberry chosen, so be sure to find out in advance how tall your plants are likely to grow. If you want to make a decorative raspberry trellis supporting multiple varieties, might we suggest making your own beautiful plant signs?
What distance should climbing aids be from each other?
The recommended planting distance is between 0.5 and 2m, depending on the raspberry variety. Raspberries don’t necessarily need as much space as many other fruits, but it is still important not to crowd multiple plants too closely together.
How to properly tie raspberries without hurting them?
Raspberries are espaliers but not climbing plants. This means that they need your help, and you need to carefully attach them to your raspberry trellis. Once the canes reach the height of the horizontal crossbars, you'll need to tie your raspberries. To do this, you can use plant wire, weatherproof and tear-resistant cord or raspberry clamps (which can be found at gardening centres).
What general tips do I need to consider when growing raspberries?
Whether in pots, in a bed or along the wall of the house, raspberries love being in the sun and to be sheltered from the wind. In addition, raspberries grow particularly well in soils that have a pH value of between 5 and 6.5. Note: raspberries do not tolerate drought or extreme wetness.
As a rule of thumb, you should water raspberry plants whenever the soil begins to dry out on the surface. Make sure that there is no waterlogging to avoid mould growth. A cordless rainwater pump can ensure your plants are neither under- nor over-watered.
It is also a good idea to protect your raspberry bushes from birds and insects with nets. Raspberries are ready to harvest when they have taken on a strong colour and are easy to detach from the bush. The more sun and care your raspberries have enjoyed, the more abundant the harvest will be.
See more of our articles on the topic of garden maintenance: Pruning for trees and shrubs, How to prune climbing roses correctly or Garden irrigation made easy.
How to protect raspberries from frost in winter
Is a raspberry trellis different from those for other fruits?
The construction principles for a climbing aid do not drastically differ for different types of fruit such as raspberries, blackberries or even climbing plants. However, you should keep in mind that every plant grows differently. Blackberries, for example, grow wider than raspberries and require greater planting spacing. In this case, a climbing aid about 4m wide is suitable for each plant. Meanwhile, there would be room for 6 to 8 raspberry plants in that same area.
Are climbing aids from the hardware store suitable or is it better to build them yourself?
Garden centres offer various suitable raspberry trellises and supports, which you can buy ready-made at a reasonable price. Look out for ecologically sustainable materials. However, if you enjoy DIY, you can build your own supports incredibly easily. The advantage: You can make your frame exactly according to your ideas and the available space.
Is a raspberry trellis also suitable as a natural privacy screen?
Raspberries can grow up to 2.5 m tall, depending on the variety. So you could also use the plants as a decorative privacy screen. However, keep in mind that depending on the variety, the raspberry plants lose their leaves in autumn at the latest, so you would no longer be shielded. Better solutions could be a privacy screen made of pallets or a modular DIY privacy screen.
More planting ideas
You don't just want to harvest raspberries? Then take a look at our guides on how to grow avocados, plant pineapples and other exotic fruits or even planting an olive tree. With all this planting and gardening, you might want to invest some time into building your own planting table.
Cost: Raspberry trellis
The cost of a raspberry trellis could vary from £2/m2 for simple planting sticks to £50/m2 for ready-made trellises.
| Type of raspberry supports | Pre-built / DIY build per m2 |
| Knotted grid or trellis | from £15 / £10 |
| V-scaffold | from £5 |
| Trellises or metal mesh | from £50 / £15 |
| Planting stick | from £2 |