Not sure which variety is best for your region? Please call us! We will be happy to advise you on your raspberry plant purchase. If you prefer, you may e-mail us with your questions.

Plant Information

We begin our raspberry stock processing in November after plants have achieved dormancy. Once dug and processed, our certified planting stock is kept at a constant temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit in our modern cold storage facilities until the grower is ready to plant. We begin shipping plants late December through June depending upon location.

Certified raspberry stock is sold bare root the following ways:

• #1 grade plant (cane is trimmed 8 to 12 inches)

• #2 grade plant (smaller than the #1, we recommend planting two per hill)

• bulk root material (packed loose in boxes of 50 pounds each).

Packaging Information

#1 and #2 certified raspberry plants are loose packed in boxes measuring 24 inches by 24 inches by 17 inches. Approximate weight of boxes range from 65 pounds up to 90 pounds each. Bulk root material is packed in boxes measuring 24 inches by 18 inches by 17 inches with a total weight of 55 pounds. #1 grade Meeker and Willamette varieties are packed 500 plants per box. All other #1 grade plants are packed from 200 to 400 plants per box. #2 grade plants are packed 1000 plants per box.

Raspberry Spacing Per Acre

Hill System
2½ feet    by    7 feet    2,489 plants
2½ feet    by    8 feet    2,178 plants
2½ feet    by    9 feet    1,936 plants (hand harvesting)
2½ feet    by    10 feet    1,742 plants (machine harvesting)

Hedgerow
Plants are spaced 1 to 1½ feet in the row and 7 to 9 feet between rows (3,226 to 4,840 plants per acre). Plants will fill in the bed from root suckers, and are usually confined to a hedgerow about 1½ feet in width.

Plant Care Upon Arrival

Your plants have been in cold storage and proper care is necessary to insure good growth. Ideally they should be planted immediately, but can be held for a few days. Store them in a cool dry place until ready to plant. Care should be taken to avoid allowing the plants to dry out or overheat. 

Site

The most critical factor in site selection is soil type. A deep, well-drained soil of medium to light texture and free of salts is best. Avoid heavy, clay soil and those areas underlain with a clay or hard pan. Raspberry plants need good soil aeration and are very susceptible to root rots.

Many raspberry crops are planted on raised beds for optimum production and drainage. Soils should be prepared before planting and receiving your plants. Thoroughly till the soil and eliminate perennial weed problems. An adequate supply of good quality water for irrigation is essential. Most raspberry plantings have a dripline system installed.

Do not plant raspberries where there have been planted potatoes, tomatoes, peppers or bulbs without prior fumigation of the soil. These crops are hosts for the disease Verticillium Wilt, a fungus that can stay in the soil for many years and can infest the raspberry crop.

Planting #1 Grade Plants

Do not trim roots prior to planting. Plant as early in the spring as possible. Space the plants 30 inches apart in the row and allow 8 to 10 feet between rows for a hill system. For hedgerow planting, space plants 18 inches between plants. Plants may be set:

• in a plowed furrow
• in holes dug with a shovel

Plant the roots in an inverted "T" formation. Cover with soil, placing just 1½ to 2 inches of dirt over the roots. Planting depth is of great importance. Raspberries planted too deeply will not survive. Irrigating the field or watering individual plants after planting is recommended if good moisture is not present at time of planting.

Planting #2 Grade Plants

Follow the instructions for planting #1 grade plants, but use 2 plants in lieu of one #1 grade plant.

Planting Bulk Root Material

Bulk root material is planted in a hill system, using 150 to 200 pounds of material per acre. Use 1½ to 2 ounces per hill. It is critical to use the correct amount. Too much root material per hill will generate excessive canes. Do not cut material; plant them as they come from the box. Cover with 1 to 1-1½ inches of soil only.

Hedgerow planting rate is 250 to 300 pounds of material per acre. The root material is placed continuous in the row and covered with 1 to 1½ inches of soil.

Note: The fine root system should not be allowed to dry during the planting process. This can happen very quickly on a warm, windy spring day.

Fertilization

Raspberries need good soil fertility for optimum growth and production. This should be applied early in the season with additional amounts according to weather and leaching conditions.

Raspberry Plant Spacing Per Acre

Hill System
2½ feet    by    7 feet    2,489 plants
2½ feet    by    8 feet    2,178 plants
2½ feet    by    9 feet    1,936 plants (hand harvesting)
2½ feet    by    10 feet    1,742 plants (machine harvesting)

Hedgerow
Plants are spaced 1 to 1½ feet in the row and 7 to 9 feet between rows (3,226 to 4,840 plants per acre). Plants will fill in the bed from root suckers, and are usually confined to a hedgerow about 1½ feet in width.

Training and Pruning Floricane (Summer Bearing) Varieties

Floricane (summer bearing) varieties carry one crop of fruit on two year-old canes during the summer months. Trellises can be installed during the fall of the first year. The trellis wire support consists of two, three, or four No. 10 or 12 galvanized wires stretched along wooden posts 25 to 30 feet apart in the row. The end posts are anchored or braced since they get the most of the pull. Rather than using wooden posts, you may use steel posts at 20 foot intervals.

After the first season's growth, tie to the first wire those canes that are long enough. In the following seasons, canes that have produced fruit should be cut out any time from the end of harvest through late winter. Canes should be cut as close to the soil as possible.

The number of canes each plant or hill can support is decided by soil fertility, moisture, and planting distance. Keep all good strong canes each plant will produce. This may mean 8, 10, or with exceptionally good growing conditions, as many as 12 canes per hill. Tie the canes to the top trellis wire. Postpone cutting canes back or tipping them until late winter or early spring after the danger of hard freezes has passed. Canes are usually cut back to 4½ to 5½ feet.

Training and Pruning Primocane (Everbearing) Varieties

Primocane fruiting (everbearing) varieties fruit on canes that come up each year. You can establish a trellis, or let the canes be free standing. We recommend that all raspberries be supported by a trellis. This keeps the fruit off the ground and maintains good aeration of the planting for good disease control.

Primocane varieties fruit in the fall and will produce until the first hard frost. When the crop is over and the canes have dropped their leaves, cut or mow all canes to the ground. Cut as close to the soil surface as possible, leaving no stubs.
 

Protected Varieties

All grades of plant stock listed on this Web site are offered for fruit production only. Many of the newer varieties are protected. These varieties have royalty fees and may not be propagated without the permission of the patent holder.

Ordering

Please e-mail, mail, or phone your order to us. Unsure of what variety to plant? Our raspberry experts will be happy to assist you in choosing the correct plant varieties for your location. Please read carefully our Terms of Sale before placing your order.

Telephone: (253) 845-5519, (800) 532-5487
Fax: (253) 845-5717
E-mail: info@spoonerfarms.com

Deposits - Future Orders

We accept orders any time during the year. Our stock is sold on expected estimates and on a first order basis. Sales Contracts will be mailed beginning mid-September. A 25% non-refundable deposit is required along with the signed Sales Contract and Non-Propagation Form within 30 days of receipt to hold and reserve all plant material. No order will be acknowledged that does not include a deposit or signed terms of sale and warranty agreement.

Plant Pick-Up

Office and nursery hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 to 4:30. Please call one day before pick-up so that we may have your order prepared for speedy loading.

Shipping

All prices are F.O.B. Puyallup, Washington. Shipping and handling are extra. Due to weather conditions unknown to us when orders are placed, you will need to notify us a few days before you want delivery. UPS and Auto Freight are used for most orders. We ship UPS Monday through Wednesday. Auto Freight collects Monday through Thursday. All orders east of the Rockies must be shipped on Monday, or UPS 2nd Day Air at our discretion.

Phytosanitary Certificates and Documentation

All orders requiring a Phytosanitary Certificate will be charged a fee of $75.00 for each certificate needed. Documentation fee for shipments outside North America will be charged $250.00.

Payment

Orders of $300.00 or less, please pay in full prior to shipment. If credit is established with us, payment is due upon receipt of invoice. All others are due on pick-up or 10 days prior to shipping. We do accept MasterCard and Visa. Interest will be charged at a rate of 1.5% per month (annual rate of 18%) on all accounts due over 30 days.

Note

All orders are subject to availability of stock. It is our desire and intent to fill all orders as confirmed. Any shortage due to circumstances beyond our control will be prorated among customers.

Raspberry Pricing

#1 Grade Certified Plants

Meeker

Cascade Bounty, Cascade Delight, Chemainus, Malahat, Saanich, Tulameen, Willamette

Anne, Autumn Britten, Caroline, Heritage, all Numbered Varieties

Call for quotes on orders of 100,000 plants or more.

Quantities under 1,000 plants #1 grade plants

Please Note: Orders under 1,000 per variety cannot be combined for a lower price!

Certified Bulk Root Material

Minimum 50 Pound Box - All varieties

#2 Grade Certified Plants

Minimum Order 1,000 Plants

Royalty Fees

Royalty Fee will be assessed on Anne, Autumn Britten, Caroline, Cascade Bounty, Cascade Delight, Chemainus, Malahat, Saanich and all numbered varieties.

Pacific Northwest: 10%
Outside Pacific Northwest: 15%
Autumn Britten: 15%

Washing Cost

International shipments requiring washing of plants or root material:

$90.00 per thousand plants
$3.25 per pound on bulk root material

ADDRESS:
Ken M. Spooner Farms, Inc.
9710 State Route 162 East
Puyallup, Washington 98374-1814

PHONE:
1-800-532-5487 and 1-253-845-5519

FAX:
1-253-845-5717

E-MAIL:
info@spoonerfarms.com

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:

South Bound Directions to Ken M. Spooner Farms

Traveling South on I-5 through Seattle Washington:

• Exit from I-5 at the Kent #149 East exit onto #516 heading East,
• Exit from #516 onto #167 heading South,
• Exit from #167 onto #410 heading East (Sumner, Yakima exit),
• Exit from #410 onto #162 heading South (Valley Ave., Orting exit),
• Travel 2 miles to Ken. M. Spooner Farms. Farm is on the right. Look for our sign!

North Bound Directions to Ken M. Spooner Farms

Traveling North on I-5 through Olympia Washington:

• Exit from I-5 at the Puyallup exit onto #512 heading East,
• Exit from #512 onto E. Pioneer Ave. heading East (Orting exit),
• Drive about 3 miles, turn right onto #162 at stop light,
• Travel about 1 mile to Ken M. Spooner Farms. Farm is on the right. Look for our sign!

Family Owned and Family Operated

Founded by Ken Spooner in 1955 in the Puyallup Valley in the Pacific Northwest, Ken M. Spooner Farms is a family owned and run business. Ken's sons, Tim and Jeff, joined the business in 1978. Our fifty years of experience have firmly established us in the nursery business of growing certified #1 grade raspberry plants. We base our business on the principles of plant quality and customer service.

Wholesaler to the US Market and Beyond

Ken M. Spooner Farms is a wholesale supplier of select raspberry plants to the U.S. market. We also ship worldwide to those places where raspberry plant imports are allowed.

Your Raspberry Experts

Our knowledge comes from years of experience growing plants as well as crops.  We are familiar with the problems that face many growers, from planting and growing concerns to fruit production. We are always here to advise you in cultural practices. Feel free to call us with your questions. Or, if you'd like, you can e-mail us.

LINKS TO OUR FAVORITE BERRY SITES

The Northwest Berry & Grape Information Network
http://berrygrape.oregonstate.edu/

Parc Agassiz Small Fruit Breeding Program:
http://res2.agr.ca/parc-crapac/agassiz/progs/crop_science/kemp/kitsilano_e.htm