Willamette Red Raspberry Bush

Willamette is a vigorous, summer-bearing red raspberry with medium, soft, dark-red berries and very good flavor. Oregon State University lists this cultivar for processing and notes its susceptibility to root rot and immunity to raspberry bushy dwarf virus. ## Growing The crop is carried on second-year floricanes, with summer-bearing red raspberries producing an early-summer harvest. Plant in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil; raspberry roots are sensitive to waterlogging, so raised beds can help where drainage is poor. Maintain steady soil moisture while fruit develops and pick berries when fully colored. A vigorous cane planting benefits from spacing that keeps the row accessible for harvest. Sources: [OSU raspberry cultivar guide](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pnw-655-raspberry-cultivars-pacific-northwest) and [OSU home-growing guide](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ec-1306-growing-raspberries-your-home-garden). ## Maintenance After harvest, remove the floricanes that have borne fruit and retain healthy primocanes for the next season. Thin crowded growth, control canes outside the row, and keep water moving through the soil without leaving roots saturated.