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On a recent trip to a pick-your-own fruit and vegetables farm, I was fascinated how they had columns of fresh raspberries. They tasted lovely and sweet. I was inspired and wanted to figure out how to obtain raspberry seeds. I came across a video which involves food processing the raspberries and then squeezing the puree into a sieve leaving behind the seeds. The video explains that I would need to dry the seeds overnight. And he mentioned something about stratifying them.

What I want to do is ensure stratification either by leaving it in small pots outside and let nature take it's course, or to put the seeds in the freezer. I would prefer either as they both seem easy to do.

Can someone guide me please.

Niall C.
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Pavan
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    Not an answer to your question but simply a comment on your "I can't purchase" statement: Many gardeners with established raspberry plants regularly have to cut off or dig out superfluous plants. (Raspberries happen to be one of the first plants that grow in bare spots in the forest, so they have a natural tendency to spread and multiply like crazy.) Perhaps someone would be happy to give you a few canes?? Craigslist or similar come to mind... – Stephie Jul 28 '15 at 17:05

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Raspberries are best propogated vegetatively. Leave the seed production to experts as they are able to control what plant fertilizes a desired plant. NOT an easy thing to do. Most gardeners purchase bare root stems to start their own raspberry patch. Easy-peasy and you are ensured the correct species. Making seeds to grow is a stretch for even the most experienced gardeners. Need sterile greenhouses to produce seed that you KNOW have been fertilized with pollen from specific plants. The best time to procure raspberry plants is the fall/late summer. You can plant them, all winter they put down roots and in the spring they pretty much go nuts. Least expensive. Purchasing raspberry starts in the spring is great, you have to pay a bit more but you won't have to cross your fingers so much. Use fertilizer with lower nitrogen in percentage to phosphorus and potassium. Prepare your raspberry beds by double digging and add DECOMPOSED organic mulch.

stormy
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  • Hey, thank you for your response. I can't currently make purchases and I was eager to try sprouting my raspberry seeds. What do you mean by `you am ensured the correct species`? If I have driscolls maravilla, surely the seeds I extracted from the berries would produce driscolls too right? :p lol – Pavan Jul 28 '15 at 02:23
  • Again, I already have seeds taken from fresh raspberry fruit, I simply want to sprout them now. Would you be able to guide me in how to achieve such an endeavour? – Pavan Jul 28 '15 at 02:26
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    @Pavan You are not guaranteed the correct species. Here is a simplified explanation (not because I am talking down to you, because I don't know much myself :) Just like in animals, making a baby (seed) requires male and female. The female part is the pistil, and the male "sperm" is the pollen. So your Driscoll flowers could have been fertilized by any compatible pollen and the resulting seeds would be a hybrid of the two. – Philip Jul 28 '15 at 03:39
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    I think Philip explained why unless under very controlled conditions that there is no way you'd know what you'd end up with...all it would take would be a fly with pollen, a gust of wind from your neighbors...or your neighbor's neighbors...go on line to Park Seed for instance and you can order your bareroot raspberry starts for next year. Make sure to chose plants that grow in your ZONE. They explain very well and you can talk with them about your needs. – stormy Jul 28 '15 at 03:54
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What everyone's trying to say, put in simple terms, is this - raspberries will not come true from seed. 'Not coming true' simply means you will get a raspberry plant, but you'll have no clue as to quite how well it will crop or the quality of the fruit, because it won't be the same as the original plant which produced the seed, so your Driscoll's seed won't necessarily produce Driscoll raspberries.

Doesn't mean you shouldn't do it though - the link below gives you clear instructions on how to do it. If you are in the UK, then cold stratification will definitely take place outdoors over winter in a cold frame. Note also that you can't expect fruit for a couple of years - you need the seedlings to grow into plants first.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-raspberries-seeds-26247.html

Bamboo
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