Knowledgebase
Raspberry plant #801005
Asked July 13, 2022, 8:59 PM EDT
Isabella County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Kathleen!
So it definitely looks like you have some kind of mold (most likely grey mold) on your raspberry, which isn't uncommon after a bunch of rain since many molds need water to infect the fruit. Picking and eating your fruit quickly is a good way to help combat this fungi. If you were looking for a way to chemically control the fungi, copper is a good organic option you can look into for future years. One of the best ways to ensure your fruit are happy and healthy is to prune regularly! Here's a really awesome article about pruning: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Pruning-Raspberries-PDF
As far as the other fruit dying... Did you notice any oozing on the canes where the fruit died? And did the dying tissue travel down the cane at all? Do you have any more pictures of the canes and fruits themselves?
Thanks!
Hi Kathleen!
So as far as the dying fruit goes, with no ooze or anything and the almost ripe fruit being fine, the plant might have just been stressed due to all the water and stopped giving the less-developed fruit nutrients which led to them dying. If you're able to improve drainage in the area that can help for future years if you get lots of water. I'm glad your fall raspberries are looking good!
With the copper, I would read the label and double-check when it says you can spray. There are pretty strict guidelines for when you can and can't spray which should be explained on the label.
Cheyenne