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Prelude Red Raspberry

Prelude Red Raspberry

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$22.99
3 Pack

Description

The earliest summer harvest, with a bonus harvest in fall. Enjoy easy-to-pick berries fresh from the patch or in desserts and jams. They also freeze well. This sturdy, erect variety is productive and vigorous. Disease-resistant to phytophthora root rot. Cold-hardy. Fall-bearing (everbearing) primocane with a bigger summer crop. Floricane berries ripen in July. Primocane berries ripen in September through frost. Self-pollinating. A licensed variety of Cornell University.

Note: Do not plant Red, Gold or Purple raspberries within 75-100 feet of Black raspberries. Black raspberries may be more susceptible to viral diseases carried by aphids to and from nearby raspberry plants.

125% Survival Guarantee!

Since 1816, Stark Bro’s has promised to provide customers with the very best fruit trees and plants. It’s just that simple. If your trees or plants do not survive, please let us know within one year of delivery. We will issue a one-time merchandise credit to your account equaling 125% of the original product purchase price. Read more about our warranty policy.

Characteristics

Bloom Color White
Fruit Color Red
Fruit Size Medium - Large
Pollination Self-Pollinating
Ripens/Harvest July And September
Shade/Sun Full Sun
Soil Composition Loamy
Soil Moisture Well Drained
Soil pH Level 6.0 - 6.8
Taste Sweet, Juicy
Texture Firm
Years to Bear 1 - 2
Zone Range 4 - 8

Zone Compatibility

This Variety's Zone Range 4 - 8
My Hardiness Zone ?
The USDA hardiness zones offer a guide to varieties that will grow well in certain climates. Each zone corresponds to the minimum winter temperatures experienced in a given area. Make sure that your hardiness zone lies within the zone compatability range of this variety before ordering.

Size & Spacing

Mature Size

When your plant matures, it will be approximately 4 - 5' tall x 3 - 4' wide.

Recommended Spacing

We recommend spacing these plants 3 - 4' apart to ensure room for growth.

Pollination

This variety is self pollinating.

In many cases, you may still want to plant pollinating partners to increase the size of your crops, but with self-pollinating varieties doing so is optional. You'll get fruit with only one plant!

Tools & Supplies

Having the proper tools and supplies when growing your own can make the difference between a good harvest and a great harvest! Here's a list that our experts recommend for this variety.

Planting & Care

Learn all about how to grow raspberry plants in The Growing Guide. An entire section of our website dedicated to your growing success.

Read about how to grow raspberry plants »

Shipping Information

Arrives when it's time to plant

Your success is our priority. We work hard to make sure that your order arrives at the ideal time for planting in your location based on your local climate conditions.

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Questions & Answers

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Browse 6 questions Browse 6 questions and 17 answers
Why did you choose this?
Stark Bro's Store
Your best selection for size and taste
Don T on Apr 23, 2020
Everbearing and sweet
Joyce S on Apr 6, 2020
Your best selection for size and taste
Don T on Apr 23, 2020
everbearing... we love raspberries
Mary E S on Apr 7, 2020
Everbearing and sweet
Joyce S on Apr 6, 2020
Like as summer berry
Fred F on Apr 3, 2020
rating
Sandra M on Mar 29, 2020
I love raspberries
KINGA H on Jan 17, 2020
early variety to extend season
Laurel G on Mar 8, 2017
I bought some Preludes three years ago. The first year I got some raspberries. The second and third year I got tons! I am not just adding more to the end of the row. Once the fruit starts to ripen I pick the ripe berries every morning before the birds or squirrels eat them. Anything that I don't eat that day goes into the freezer. I also fertilize at the beginning of the season with the Stark Bros. raspberry fertilizer. Absolutely love these berries!
Dave V on Mar 6, 2017
Got one last year in a pot and it produced a few hand fulls of berries the same year.
John F on Feb 26, 2017
These berries do well in Massachusetts. They grow vigorous canes that bear lots of delicious raspberries!
Marion L on Mar 11, 2016
everbearing... we love raspberries
Mary E S on Apr 7, 2020
Like as summer berry
Fred F on Apr 3, 2020
Accidentally snapped the new growth off a bare root raspberry plant! Will it survive? It???s now just a two-inch stick above ground????
Sarah T on Jun 9, 2020
BEST ANSWER: It depends, but probably. Give it 3 weeks, consistent moisture and mulched. If no new growth in 3 weeks, then the roots have likely given up.
Is this variety thornless?
C A on Oct 3, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Almost. :-) The thorns are very sparse.
All my canes are very skinny should I prune to the ground?
Lynda H on Jan 4, 2021
BEST ANSWER: Not everyone will prune the exact same way ??? including the experts. It is preferable to do some pruning rather than no pruning. If a raspberry plant is left unpruned, it may become tangled and overgrown and may even be unfruitful as a result. I am including the pruning instruction for you in our free growing guide. I hope this is helpful. https://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/how-to-grow/berry-plants/raspberry-plants/pruning
how to care for prelude raspberries?
Annette T on Nov 1, 2020
BEST ANSWER: I am including the link for how to care for Raspberries which can be found on our website under growling guide. https://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/how-to-grow/berry-plants/raspberry-plants
Does this variety need to be staked or trellis trained?
Michael M on Aug 18, 2016
BEST ANSWER: It's always a good idea to keep berry plants off the ground, for a number of reasons. Here is a very helpful article about growing primocane raspberries:

https://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/article/planting-primocanes

Customer Reviews

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4.5 / 5.0
8 Reviews
5 Stars
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1 Star
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very pleased with Prelude Red Raspberry
I live in zone 5b and planted the Prelude Red Raspberry last fall. The plants had a small window to get established and managed to do so with a surprising show of leafing out and a handful of fruit before the frost came. They have wintered very well and by the end of April have already sent shoots outward with new starts coming up within 2 feet of the starter plant. I have shared starts with friends and am eager to see how they fruit this year. I'm hoping the maintenance will be minimal as I can see how the plant could become a bit out of control if the grower isn't familiar with how berry plants spread.
May 10, 2016
Purchased
 over 5 years ago
Lots of raspberries
I planted this variety three summers ago. The first year someone got stuck by a thorn and cut them back so I got nothing. The second and third season however I got an early crop in Late June followed by a second harvest that went from late August through October. I prune them back to about a foot tall during the winter and fertilize them with Stark Bro's. Raspberry food. I also thin out the dead canes. I go out to the yard most mornings and harvest the ripe berries before the birds and squirrels get them. When fully ripe they are sweet and delicious!
February 2, 2017
Purchased
 over 5 years ago
Early and tough
I've only had mine for a year, but they were the first to fruit and have held out pretty well with our clay soil and very wet year. Still fruiting in the middle of August. Definitely a keeper.
August 14, 2016
Purchased
 over 6 years ago
We Love Prelude Red Raspberry Plants
We purchased several varieties of raspberries. The Prelude Raspberries grow and best and product the best. Great for fresh eating as well as jam. Highly recommend. Pam Burke
May 12, 2016
Purchased
 over 5 years ago
Prelude Red Raspberry proliferating well
The order was placed on 12/26/16 and the plants were received in mid Feb of 2017. A bit early for the climate in Chino Valley AZ. Two other varieties were also included in the order The raspberries are the real winners of this order. They survived the freezing nights of our climate and are off to a good start for 2018.
May 2, 2018
Purchased
 over 4 years ago
Easy to grow
Plants beared fruit the start of the following season.
July 8, 2019
Purchased
 over 2 years ago
Above expectation
I did not expect the number of berries harvested the second year planted. It is nice to think about how many I may receive this year.
May 8, 2018
Purchased
 over 4 years ago
Heavy crop early, no second crop.
I planted Prelude, Heritage and Encore, thinking I could spread the fresh harvest over a longer period of time, but basically they pretty much all ripen at the same time, generally most heavy in July. Only the Heritage make a fall crop, never the Prelude (not even flower buds, like I don't mean that they don't ripen before frost, there is just NOTHING in fall). Encore make the largest berries, then Prelude, then Heritage the smallest (but they are the ones that actually make 2 crops). Out of the 3, the Prelude plants grow and spread the most vigorously, and I would say they make the most fruit if only considering the summer crop (that may be just that the plants are larger though). Overall, I like them, but I really wish they made a second crop. I am in southeast Michigan, zone 5/6 border, and I've had the plants about 7 years and never a fall crop.
September 8, 2020

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