We recently received the following question: We had a family vote on what to plant in our backyard garden and raspberries won in a landslide. I have no experience with raspberries and wondered if you could give some advice. We are in Redondo Beach and would plant them by a fence where it's mostly shady. It gets late afternoon sun for about two hours in winter, longer in the summer. Thank you! Jennifer S.

For some answers, we first contacted the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener helpline at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 323-260-3238. Here is the response from Master Gardener Volunteer Lorraine Zecca: 
“Raspberries are a good choice for Redondo Beach. They will do well if
 planted in full sun. The canes should be kept upright with the support of
a trellis. For more detailed information on growing raspberries, check the 
link below: http://groups.ucanr.org/cagardenweb/Berries/Raspberries.htm
"

We also contacted Judy Frankel, an organic gardener in the South Bay who runs the Rancho Palos Verdes Fruit Exchange, for her advice: “Raspberries do best in full sun, so if you plant them where it's mostly shady, you may not get the best production. They are a prolific plant that send a lot of suckers out from the original roots, and you have to thin the suckers. I like Heritage, as they are my most productive variety (I have four varieties.) They like to be planted in a raised bed if possible. This will control the suckering a bit."

Good luck -- and let us know how it goes!

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