Plant a Home Raspberry Patch (cont) By: Susan Littlefield
Raspberries are generally pretty problem-free. But there are a
couple of insects that you may need to deal with, chief among
them Japanese beetles. These omnivorous pests enjoy a good
raspberry leaf, so you may need to control them with handpicking
or sprays of neem oil. If you notice the tips of your canes
drooping over, the raspberry cane borer is probably at work.
Look for rows of punctures about 6 inches from the tip of the
cane. This is where the female beetle has laid her eggs. When
these hatch, the developing larvae tunnel down through the
shoot, causing it to wither. To control this pest, simply cut
off and destroy the shoots below where the larvae are active. If
you see a whitish-gray powder on the leaves, it is probably a
fungal disease called powdery mildew. This is often more of a
problem in a crowded patch with poor air circulation, so be sure
to thin out your primocanes each spring.