Everything you need to grow sweet, productive raspberries in Santa Cruz County's coastal climate, from choosing the right varieties to harvesting your first crop.

Raspberries follow a multi-year ramp-up and predictable seasonal rhythm that can confuse new growers. A small crop in year one isn't failure. Canes dying after fruiting isn't disease. This guide explains what your raspberry plants should look like at each stage, when to expect real harvests, and how to recognize when normal development differs from actual problems.

Yellow leaves? No fruit? Mushy berries with tiny worms? This troubleshooting guide helps you diagnose and fix the most common raspberry problems in Santa Cruz County.

Not every raspberry that thrives in Oregon or the Midwest will be happy in Santa Cruz County. Our mild winters, cool summers, and pockets of inland heat favor certain primocane and low-chill varieties, while others struggle without enough winter cold or burn out in summer heat. This guide profiles 10+ raspberry varieties that perform well in coastal California, with notes on chill needs, flavor, best uses, and which microclimates suit each variety.

One of the most confusing aspects of growing raspberries is understanding primocane versus floricane types. This guide breaks down the cane lifecycle in plain English, explains why primocane (everbearing) raspberries are often the better choice for Santa Cruz County and coastal California, and helps you identify which type you're growing so you can prune correctly.

If you garden on a deck, balcony, or tiny backyard, raspberries in containers can still deliver bowls of fresh fruit without letting canes run wild through your beds. Container growing also gives you more control over soil, water, and sun exposure, which is especially useful in Santa Cruz County's mix of foggy coasts and warm inland spots. This guide covers container selection, best varieties for pots, soil and planting, watering and feeding, pruning, and long-term care.

Pruning is the single most confusing part of growing raspberries, but it doesn't have to be. Once you understand how primocane and floricane raspberries grow, you can prune with confidence and dramatically improve your harvests. This visual guide covers the simple one-crop method for primocane varieties (easiest), the two-crop system for extended harvest, and selective pruning for summer-bearing floricane types, with timing specific to Santa Cruz County's climate.