How often should soft fruit plants be replaced?

Question

We inherited blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries when we moved into our current property ten years ago.

The blackcurrants and gooseberries still seem to be giving a healthy yield and it looks like they'll go on for nearly for ever. The strawberries and raspberries started to fade about 5 years ago and we have removed them.

What's the recommended lifespan for strawberries and raspberries?

I've known people who replace strawberries every other year. — bstpierre, Jun 12 '11 at 19:49

Vervious · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-15T19:09:21.497

12

Raspberries can grow productively longer, to around 10 years, as long as you rejuvenate/prune the fruiting canes properly. Strawberries, like JonH said, get around 3 productive years of fruit-bearing before they succumb to disease and age, giving it a lifespan of 4 years or so.

edited Jan 15 '15 at 19:09

answered Jun 13 '11 at 18:25

Vervious

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What are the main causes of disease in these plants? Aphids (which can transmit diseases to plants), or something else? I wonder how long they would live in a sterile, pest-free greenhouse. – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx Jan 15 '15 at 22:04

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 13 '11 at 17:25

There isn't a set timeframe, but for strawberries and raspberries, you can usually get a good 3 seasons out of these fruits before it is time to replace. So I usually stick with 3-4 years, and you will definately notice it as the yield of fruit decreases as time goes on.

How often should soft fruit plants be replaced?

2 Answers2