Raspberry Bushes

Dear Anne,

I purchase two raspberry bushes from my local home improvement store and both of them have new growth from the stems. My question revolves around the time for planting these outdoors. Should I wait until the weather warms or are raspberries hardy enough to survive hard frosts and still come back? Needless to say, I plan on planting them in a full sun location so there will not be much protection from the nightly frosts.

Thanks,
John
Gastonia, NC

Anne's Response:

I would keep the plants in pots in a protected area with a layer of mulch or chopped leaf mulch around the pots and new growth to keep the roots from freezing and to keep the new growth from freezing. If temperatures are predicted to go below 20 degrees at night I would cover them with burlap or a blanket - not plastic. They should be able to be planted in the ground by the first week of March but you will need to keep the mulch around the new growth.