How to Kill Raspberry Bushes

Raspberry bushes are wonderful when they’re where you want them. When they’re not, they’re a nightmare.

The problem is what’s happening underground. While you’re looking at the canes above ground, the roots are spreading horizontally through the soil – sometimes 3-4 metres from the parent plant. New suckers pop up through lawns, paths, flower beds, and frequently into your neighbours’ gardens. Unwanted raspberries are among the most frustrating common UK garden problems.

Cut the canes down and you’ve achieved nothing. The roots are still there, and they’ll send up new shoots within weeks. This is why raspberry removal requires a different approach – you need to kill the root network, not just the visible growth.

Why Raspberries Are So Hard to Kill

Raspberries spread in two ways, and both make them frustrating to remove.

First, there’s the underground spread. Raspberry roots (technically called stolons or runners) travel horizontally through the soil, sending up new shoots called suckers wherever they go. A single plant can produce dozens of suckers across several metres of ground. All these suckers remain connected to the parent plant and to each other through the underground root network.

Second, there are the canes themselves. Raspberry canes are biennial – they grow one year, fruit the next, then die. But the plant is perennial, constantly producing new canes from the root system. Even if you cut every cane to the ground, the roots remain alive and will push up fresh growth.

This combination of extensive underground spread and persistent regrowth from roots is why raspberries are among the most difficult garden plants to remove once they’ve established. They share this stubborn nature with other woody weeds like brambles, climbing plants like ivy, and invasive spreaders like bamboo.

How to Kill Raspberry Bushes

Digging Out

For small patches or isolated suckers, digging out can work – but you need to be thorough.

Cut the canes down first so you can see what you’re doing. Then dig around and under the root ball, following the horizontal roots outwards. Raspberry roots are surprisingly shallow (usually in the top 30cm of soil) but they spread widely. You need to trace and remove as much of the root system as possible.

This is heavy work, especially if the plants have been established for several years. Wear thick gloves – raspberry thorns are vicious. The best time for digging is late autumn or winter when the soil is moist and the plants are dormant.

Even with careful digging, you’ll almost certainly miss some root fragments. Monitor the area for new suckers over the following growing season and dig these out promptly before they can establish.

Repeated Cutting

If you’re patient and persistent, you can exhaust raspberry roots through repeated cutting. The principle is simple: every time the plant produces new growth, it uses energy stored in the roots. Keep removing that growth and eventually the roots will be depleted.

Cut or mow all canes to ground level. When new shoots appear (usually within a few weeks), cut them again. Repeat throughout the growing season. This method typically takes 2-3 years of consistent effort to fully exhaust an established patch.

This approach works best for large areas where digging isn’t practical, or where you want to avoid chemicals. It requires commitment – miss a few cuts and the plants will recover.

Weedkiller

For established raspberry patches, a glyphosate-based systemic weedkiller is usually the most effective solution.

Glyphosate is absorbed through the leaves and transported throughout the plant – including down into the root system. Because all the suckers are connected underground, treating visible canes can kill roots and suckers you can’t even see.

For best results, spray when the plants are actively growing and have plenty of leaf surface (late spring through early autumn). Avoid spraying in very hot weather or when rain is forecast within 6 hours. The plants will show damage within a week or two and die back over 3-4 weeks.

For dense, overgrown patches, it’s often more effective to cut canes back first and wait for fresh regrowth. The new leaves will absorb herbicide more efficiently than old, weathered foliage. For particularly stubborn or established patches, you may need the strongest weedkiller available.

Cut-and-paint method: For raspberries growing close to plants you want to keep, cut canes and immediately paint the fresh stumps with concentrated glyphosate. This delivers the herbicide directly into the plant’s vascular system without risk of spray drift.

Smothering

For areas you can cover completely, blocking light will eventually kill raspberry plants. Lay heavy-duty black plastic, thick cardboard, or multiple layers of mulch over the entire affected area. Leave in place for at least a full growing season, preferably two.

This method is slow but effective for clearing ground before replanting. It won’t help with suckers that have already spread beyond the covered area – you’ll need to deal with these separately.

Preventing Spread

If you’re keeping raspberries but want to stop them spreading, install a root barrier.

Dig a trench 30-40cm deep around your raspberry bed. Line it with heavy-duty plastic barrier material (the same type used for bamboo containment), making sure there are no gaps. The barrier needs to extend from just above soil level down to the full depth of the trench.

Even with a barrier, check the area regularly. Roots can sometimes find their way over the top of barriers if soil or mulch builds up against them. Any suckers that appear outside the barrier should be removed immediately.

Maintaining a clear zone around your raspberry patch also helps. A regularly mown grass strip or paved path makes it easy to spot and deal with escaping suckers before they establish. The same approach works for containing stinging nettles and other spreading perennials.

Disposing of Raspberry Canes

Healthy raspberry canes can go in your compost heap, but cut them into short sections first – whole canes are slow to break down and make the heap difficult to turn.

If your raspberries showed any signs of disease (discoloured canes, powdery growth, stunted shoots), don’t compost them. Bag the material and dispose of it with household waste, or burn it if local regulations allow.

Never leave cut canes lying on soil. Raspberry canes can root where they touch the ground, potentially starting new plants exactly where you don’t want them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do raspberry bushes keep coming back?

Because the roots survive even when you remove the canes. Raspberry plants spread through an extensive underground network of roots that can extend several metres from the visible plant. As long as any of this root system remains alive, it will continue sending up new suckers. Complete removal requires killing or removing the entire root network, not just the canes above ground.

How far do raspberry roots spread?

Raspberry roots typically spread 3-4 metres from the parent plant, though they can travel further in loose, fertile soil. The roots stay relatively shallow (usually in the top 30cm) but spread horizontally in all directions. This is why suckers often appear surprising distances from where you’d expect them.

Will cutting raspberry canes kill them?

No. Cutting canes to ground level will temporarily remove the visible growth, but the underground root system remains alive and will produce new suckers. A single cutting will actually stimulate the plant to produce more shoots. Only repeated cutting over multiple growing seasons (to exhaust the roots) or treatment with systemic weedkiller will achieve permanent control.

When is the best time to spray raspberry bushes?

Late spring through early autumn, when plants are actively growing and have plenty of leaf surface to absorb the herbicide. Avoid very hot weather (above 25°C) and don’t spray if rain is forecast within 6 hours. For maximum effectiveness, cut back overgrown plants and spray the fresh regrowth – new leaves absorb herbicide more efficiently than old, tough foliage.

Can I compost raspberry canes?

Yes, as long as the plants are healthy. Cut canes into short sections (15-20cm) to speed decomposition. Don’t compost diseased material – any canes showing signs of fungal growth, unusual discolouration, or stunted growth should be bagged and disposed of with household waste to prevent spreading disease to other plants.

The Bottom Line

The underground network is what makes raspberries so hard to get rid of. Cut the canes and new shoots appear from roots you didn’t know were there.