Growing Raspberries in Containers on Your Balcony or Patio

Growing raspberries in containers can be tricky because these plants normally become quite large. But there’s good news: there are several thorn-less dwarf varieties that are perfect for patio and container gardening! Our favorite is the ‘Raspberry Shortcake‘ variety produced by Bushel and Berry.

Growing Raspberries in Containers: Planting

Raspberry plants can take several years to produce fruit, so it is best to purchase a plant from a nursery. You can grow raspberry bushes by planting them at any time during their dormant period, usually between November and March. Planting them outside of this timeline is fine, but you have the best chances of success if the plant is dormant while you are disturbing its root system during the transplant process.

Even if you are planting a dwarf variety, raspberries need large containers. We recommend containers  of a minimum 15″ in diameter, as the raspberry plant will keep growing over the years and eventually fill the pot. Dwarf varieties usually reach a height of 2-3′ tall.

To eliminate the guesswork in selecting the right size containers for your plants, we’ve put together a list of commonly grown herbs, veggies, fruit and flowers along with the minimum pot sizes required by each.

Starting a container garden? Grab my free guide on choosing the best sized pots for each veggie, fruit, and herb in your container garden – Veggie Garden Potting Guide

Watering

Keep soil moderately moist, but do not over water. Make sure your container has good drainage, as raspberries don’t like having ‘wet feet’. To find out if the plant needs watering, insert a finger into the soil; it needs to be watered when top 3″ of soil is dry.

Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer in early spring, repeating again in summer.

Where Can I Grow It?

Growing raspberries in containers is best outdoors in a sunny sheltered location. Though they will tolerate partial shade, they will yield less fruit under these conditions.

Growing Raspberries in Containers: Growing Tips

Fruit is produced on second year canes (branches). After harvesting, prune out only the canes that produced fruit, leaving the new canes that have sprouted during the growing season. These are the canes that will produce next year’s fruit.

Want to grow more fruit in your small space garden? Read my articles on how to grow blueberries in containers, how to grow a dwarf grape vine on your balcony, and how to grow columnar apple trees — perfect for small spaces.