Are lovely used in a fruit compote, fresh with cheese or cream, pureed as a sauce, summer pudding or in filo pastry as a fruit pie or strudel.

Raspberry plants are perennial, with roots living for many years. The cane or stem, however, lives for only 2 years. The cane grows during the first season. Flowers and fruit are produced during the second season then the cane dies.

New canes are produced each year from underground roots or basal cane buds. Canes are upright and may reach a height of 2.5m or more. Stems may have sharp, strong thorns or spines, have scattered, weak prickles, or be essentially thornless.

Select plump, firm, bright red fruit. When in punnets check the underside of the punnet for squashed or aged fruit.

Berry fruits prefer cool summers, a rain free harvest season and a cool winter for uniform bud break. Rain at harvest can cause soft fruit and fruit rot.

Raspberries are an excellent source of dietary fibre and vitamin C. Raspberries also contain useful sources of vitamin A, B, B2, calcium, phosphorus magnesium and iron.