Prelude Red Raspberry Plant

Prelude delivers on its name — the earliest summer raspberry harvest of the season, ahead of all others, followed by a bonus fall crop from September through frost. A Cornell University licensed primocane variety, Prelude is a productive, vigorous, sturdy grower with medium-to-large sweet berries and genuine disease resistance to phytophthora root rot. Cold hardy in Zones 4–8, self-pollinating, and reliably early, it’s the ideal first chapter of a long raspberry season.

First Out of the Gate — Earliest Summer Harvest

Prelude earns its reputation as the first fresh raspberries of the summer. Floricane berries ripen in July — ahead of most other summer varieties — putting homegrown raspberries on your table at the very start of the season. The primary summer crop is the bigger of the two harvests, delivering an abundant wave of medium-to-large, sweet, firm berries that are outstanding for fresh eating, desserts, jams, and freezing.

A Bonus Fall Crop — September Through Frost

As a primocane everbearing variety, Prelude also produces a second crop from September through the first frost on first-year canes. That fall harvest extends the raspberry season well beyond the summer window, giving you fresh berries from July all the way through autumn with a single planting.

Phytophthora Root Rot Resistant — Built to Last

Phytophthora root rot is one of the most serious and common raspberry plant failures, particularly in heavier or periodically wet soils. Prelude’s resistance to this disease gives it a meaningful reliability advantage and makes it a more durable long-term planting than varieties without that protection. Combined with its sturdy, erect, vigorous growth habit, it’s a variety built to perform year after year.

Important Planting Notes

After planting bare-root canes, prune them back to about 2 inches above the ground. This is a critical step that encourages the roots to send up strong new growth — don’t skip it. New growth will emerge from the ground nearby rather than from the original cane, which is normal raspberry behavior as the root system sends up new shoots.

Note: Do not plant red, gold, or purple raspberries within 75–100 feet of black raspberries, as black raspberries can be more susceptible to viral diseases spread by aphids moving between nearby plants.

Why Growers Choose Prelude

• Earliest summer harvest — first fresh raspberries of the season in July
• Bigger primary summer crop — abundant July floricane harvest
• Bonus fall crop — September through frost on first-year primocanes
• Phytophthora root rot resistant — more durable and reliable long-term
• Sturdy, erect, vigorous habit — productive and easy to manage
• Cornell University licensed variety — proven through rigorous institutional breeding
• Self-pollinating — productive with just one planting