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Why Are My Raspberries So Small? Top 3 Reasons With Best Possible Solutions!

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Did you wait all year to eat your very own homegrown raspberries? But now, when the season is here, you look disappointed by their small size and are wondering why are my raspberries so small? If like other home gardeners, this happened to you too, then this article is a must-read for you.

Every home gardener who plants fruit-bearing plants starts dreaming of fresh juicy fruits from the day he sows the seeds. However, if these conditions are not met, it is quite natural to worry about them.

If you’re looking for the reasons why are my raspberries so small, this article might help you. Keep on reading to get the answer to your question why are my raspberries so small.

Why Are My Raspberries So Small
via Reddit

Raspberries

Many types of raspberries are grown in homes, including red, black, and purple raspberries. Yellow raspberries are actual red raspberries that do not produce red pigment.

Most plants produce raspberries in summer, so the ideal season for planting raspberries is in early spring. Adequate direct sunlight and well-fertilized soil are necessary for the plant to grow.

Why Are My Raspberries So Small?

The size of the raspberries depends on many different factors, so it can easily vary with different planting conditions. If you think your homegrown raspberries are smaller than the usual size, then find out the cause from the reasons described below.

Many people try many different techniques to produce the best possible raspberries, but it can be quite frustrating when you don’t get the required results. Here are some common problems and their possible solution to produce bigger and better raspberries:

1. Watering

One of the major factors that affect the size of your raspberries is the amount of water being given to the plant. Many home growers do not know that the watering level can have an impact on the size of their fruit.

While the plant can survive with little watering, you should know that the amount of water is affecting your raspberries.

So if you notice any change in the texture of your raspberry plants, start changing the water techniques to prevent the drying out of your plant.

Ideally, the best way to water your raspberry plant is to deeply water your plant after every four days. Don’t worry even if you soak your plant for a few hours because this is exactly what you need to do. Some people don’t even mind flooding their plants.

The drip irrigation system is the best way to water your raspberry plants. It is used commonly by gardeners to save and conserve extra amounts of water.

The more the watering, the more flavorful will be the raspberries.

2. Use Of Compost

The timing of feeding your plant has a major effect on the size of your fruit. When feeding your plant, the best possible thing you can do is use your homemade compost. If homemade compost is not available, you can easily buy compost from the market.

The thing which needs to be focused on here is not the addition of compost but the timing of feeding your plant. If you question the timing of your feeding, you can get the answer to your question why are my raspberries so small.

Raspberries are one of the toughest plants to ever exist. They can even grow in unfavorable conditions. Even if you do not give enough water, they will still produce raspberries. But unlike usual raspberries, these will be smaller in size.

Most gardeners know that every plant is capable of growing on its own. But you can speed up the process and get bigger berries by adding some extra nutrients to the soil.

The plants need fertilizer the most when it is producing fruits. If proper nutrients are not available for the plant, there is a chance that sour berries will be produced.

The best time to fertilizer your raspberry plant is when the first bloom starts to appear. After this, the plant stops the production of fruits and rather starts absorbing the nutrients.

As this event occurs, the energy level of your plant increases, and the quality of your fruit enhances drastically. Not only do they get bigger, but also a lot juicier.

After you have added compost to your plant, make sure that you water your plant enough. Feed the plant at least twice a month until they blossom.

3. Proper Pruning 

Different opinions are present when it comes to the process of pruning a raspberry plant. Some people like to prune it to a height of two meters, while some prune it to chest level. Other people avoid pruning at all.

The best way to prune your raspberry plant is to do it to chest level. When pruning is done too short, it produces bigger berries, but when the size of your plant will be low, the harvest will be lower.

The berries will be of the lowest quality when you do not prune the plant at all. All the nutrients present in the plant will be used for growth rather than for producing the fruits.

If you want the best possible raspberries, then consider pruning the plant to chest level. Also, the ideal season to prune your plant is the fall season. The first ones to be pruned should be the oldest branches.

Factors Which Do Not Affect The Size Of The Raspberries

Factors that are very common among the gardeners but which in actuality do not affect the size of raspberries include

  • spacing
  • timing of pruning
  • use of a trellis

Conclusion

This article discusses in detail a very common topic why are my raspberries small in size. It focuses on the main reasons which include improper watering, pruning levels, and use of compost.

Find out and treat the reason behind the small size of raspberries and enjoy bigger berries in the next season!

In case of any questions, feel free to get in contact.