Pruning raspberry bushes is not for the faint of heart. If you prune off this year’s fruiting stems, there may be no raspberries until the following year.
Ever bearers produce berries at the tips of the first year canes in the fall. Then the next year there is berry production lower down on the same canes, below the dead tips.
If you don't prune your raspberries, the raspberry hedge will be thicker, with less light reaching the developing leaves, resulting in smaller berry size.
Pruning the raspberries removes dead growth, makes way for light to reach the canes, and reduces the number of canes, resulting in larger berries and healthier plants.
Springtime is the best time to prune your raspberry plants. You will be able to visualize the canes of each plant, and remove any dead or damaged growth.