Here are answers to some of the most common questions we receive about garden plants. You will find concise information on general gardening techniques as well as plant selection and care. For detailed information on specific plant pests and problems refer to our Common Garden Pests and Problems page.

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Horticulture Questions and Answers

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Which raspberry varieties are good for this area?

Raspberries are good choices for St. Louis gardens. They are generally productive and do not require a large growing area. The savings from growing your own can also be substantial as store bought raspberries are expensive.

There are three main types of raspberries: the red raspberry, black raspberries (not to be confused with blackberries) and purple raspberries. Red raspberries are the most familiar. Yellow raspberries are a mutation of red raspberries and differ from them only in their color. Black raspberries, however, have a favor quite different from red raspberries. Purple raspberries are a cross between red and black raspberries and have a flavor closer to black raspberries.

Some varieties of black raspberries to grow in St. Louis are Bristol, Allen, Cumberland and Jewell. Two varieties of purple raspberries are Brandywine and Royalty. Black and purple raspberries ripen in mid-summer.

Red raspberries are a bit more confusing. In addition to varieties of red raspberries that produce red or yellow colored fruit there are also varieties that produce one crop of fruit in mid-summer, and other varieties that produce both a summer and fall crop. These varieties are called everbearers.

Latham and Taylor are two good summer producing red raspberries. Heritage and September are everbearing varieties. Two good varieties of yellow fruited raspberries are Amber and Fall Gold. Amber is a summer bearer and Fall Gold is an everbearer.

One final note. Although everbearing raspberries can produce two crops a year, some growers recommend cutting the everbearers to the ground in the fall. This keeps the plants from producing a summer crop but produces a larger fall crop.