Autumn-fruiting raspberries should be pruned to the ground

Raspberries can grow into a tangled mess and produce poorly if not pruned properly. Prune fall-fruiting raspberries (fruit between August and October) back to the ground now to produce one crop of fruit.

Most autumn-fruiting varieties are primocanes that produce fruit in their first year of growth. Cut the old canes as close to the ground as possible so new buds will break from below the surface of the soil. New canes will grow and set fruit later in the year.

If the canes are not cut low enough, fruiting laterals may form on any remaining cane portion. These fruiting laterals will not be as healthy.

Summer fruiting varieties are usually floricanes that fruit in the second year of growth - thus requiring different pruning techniques.

• Fertilize houseplants as they begin new growth. Try low dosages of organic fertilizers or a very dilute, balanced granular fertilizer rather than stronger formulas at this time of year. Increase fertility levels in a couple of months. If there are white salt markings on terra cotta pots, this indicates the overuse of fertilizer or improper watering. Flush out the soil of over fertilized plants with plain water as the buildup of salts from fertilizer can damage the plants.

• Be sure to keep watering any evergreens that are planted in containers outside when temperatures are warm and conditions are dry. Evergreens continue to lose water through their leaves during winter and can be affected more quickly as temperatures begin to warm up, as they have been doing lately and often in late winter.

• With all the recent warm weather, it is best to leave mulch and leaves on beds to help protect plants when more normal, late winter cold returns. The warm days make it tempting to get out in the garden and start cleaning things up. It is fine to cut back perennials if you want to get a jump on spring cleanup.

• It is still a good time to prune your trees and shrubs. Try forcing spring flowering tree and shrub branches now as you are pruning in the garden. Good choices for forcing this month include: serviceberry (Amelanchier), magnolia, flowering quince (Chaenomeles), forsythia, crabapple or apple (Malus), flowering pear (Pyrus), flowering cherry (Prunus) and redbud (Cercis).

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.