I have 6 raspberry plants that are 2 years old. Two of the plants have wilted leaves. I dug down around the roots and the ground has plenty of moisture. They are just starting to really grow --I cut them back last fall. Until today they looked great. I can't find any pest on them. Any ideas what's causing this? thank you. Debbie

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), May 25, 2001

Answers

It sounds like your raspberries have picked up a virus and if that is the case you are going to have to cut out and burn all infected canes.

-- TomK (tjk@cac.net), May 26, 2001.

Has anyone sprayed herbicide in nearby fields in the last couple of days? Wind drift can cause wilting and death of raspberries.

-- Eleanor Shulman (ekshulman@webtv.net), May 26, 2001.

The orchard is surrounded by our own 80 acres and have 100's of acres timber land on three sides and an old homestead (that is not in use) one the other side so I don't think any herbicide or other chemicals are the cause! thank you for your response.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), May 26, 2001.

Debbie, I live in a wooded area with many "wild raspberry" bushes and have never been able to raise cultivated raspberries. The wild raspberries carry a virus that just wipes out the cultivated ones. Wish I could give you better news.........but I really pick the heck out of the wild ones and enjoy them a lot. Just don't get the red ones.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), May 26, 2001.

Hi Debbie, IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ON RASPBERRY WILT, WE TOO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OUR CULTIVATED RASPBERRIES. tHE PROBLEM IS RINGWORM WHICH BURROWS ITS WAY DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THE PLANT. yOU JUST HAVE TO CHECK THE STEM OF YOUR AFFECTED PLANTS UNTIL YOU SEE A RING AROUND THE CANE. You must then either crack it off just below the ring or cut it off below the ring, sometimes their are more than one rings so look for the lowest down one. If left unchecked they will kill the plants, so keep an eye on them. We have a large raspberry patch so we have to check it every day. Hope this helps you & all the best of luck with your respberries. Enjoy them!! P.S. They spread like crazy! The raspberries I mean.

-- Jan Sears (jcsears@magma.ca), May 26, 2001.