Malling Promise Raspberry Canes

• Variety: Malling Promise, an early summer Raspberry
• Latin name: Rubus idaeus 'Malling Promise'
• Type: Summer-fruiting floricane: it crops on last year's canes
• Fruit: Big, firm and red, with a strong, fruity flavour
• Picking: Early July, or late June in a sunny, southern spot
• Height: 1.5 to 2.5m
• Canes: Thorny
• Pollination: Self-fertile
• Spacing: 40 to 50cm apart, in rows 1.5m apart
• Stock: UK grown and certified virus-free
• Sold as: Bareroot canes, in fives
• Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Hardiness: H7, hardy in the severest British winter
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Malling Promise is one of the earliest Raspberries, with big, firm, well-flavoured fruit from early July on vigorous, bushy canes. If you grow only one early variety, make it this one. Our canes are UK grown and certified virus-free, and it is on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list.

Malling Promise Raspberry Plants

'Malling Promise' one of the best, biggest, and earliest croppers in July. Highly recommended as your early variety if you only have one.

Big & firm with strong fruity flavour. Bushy, vigorous plants to 2m. Self fertile. Is thorny.

Certified and grown from virus-tested parent material in the UK.

Please note: In line with general practice, our raspberries are delivered with last year's growth cut back to 45-60cm.
Summer fruiting raspberries (floricanes) may bear a few berries in the summer following planting, but their first full fruiting season will be in the year after, on their first year's growth.
Autumn fruiting raspberries (primocanes) should crop quite well in their first year, and you can help them by thinning off small and malformed fruit.

Browse our raspberry plants.

Growing Malling Promise Raspberries:

Raspberries are easy to grow in a humus rich, moist soil that drains well, lots of sun and some shelter from strong wind. They're convenient to grow in rows with light support wires or ropes on either side to hold the canes up nicely, otherwise they'll tangle outwards, set new root where they lie on the soil, usually receive less light, and your fruit'll be closer to the soil life.

Their roots are shallow, fragile and spreading, so prepare the soil wide rather than deep for them, and consider 6 to 12 inch tall raised beds if your soil is poor or hard clay. Either way, try to add plenty of organic matter, rotted manure is great. Also, don't trample the soil next to your plants, especially in the growing season, and don't let the soil dry out when the fruit are forming; keeping an eye on the weather, delay spring mulching as long as there is wet weather and until the soil has well warmed up, then apply some more mulch in a dry mid-summer spell after a good watering to preserve moisture.

If the crowns of your raspberries rot, it's likely because the site is too damp.

Spacing: 40-50cm apart along the rows, with 1.5m between rows

History & Trivia

The East Malling Research centre was established in 1913 and raspberries are one of their specialities. There are several superb ones in the Malling series, such as Malling Admiral and Malling Jewel.

Standard practice is to deliver raspberry canes with last year's growth cut back to 45-60 cm.

Therefore, summer fruiting raspberries will bear few, if any, berries in the Summer following planting. Their first full fruiting season will be in the year after.

Planting Companions

For fruit after it, Glen Ample and Tulameen follow in the summer, and Autumn Bliss crops in the autumn. Our guide to growing Raspberries covers planting and support. Dust the roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Buy Your Raspberry Canes from Ashridge?

Ashridge has sold plants since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Malling Promise canes are UK grown and certified virus-free, lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months. Plant them between November and April.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Malling Promise a summer or an autumn Raspberry?

Summer. It fruits on the canes that grew the year before, starting in early July.

How do you prune it?

After picking, cut the canes that have fruited down to the ground, and tie in the new ones to fruit next year.

Will it fruit in the first year?

Only a few berries, if any. Its first full crop comes in the year after planting.

Does it need support?

Yes. Grow it along wires, or ropes on either side of the row, or the canes will sprawl.

What soil and site does it need?

Any fertile soil that drains well and is not too chalky, in sun or partial shade, with shelter from strong wind.

When are the canes delivered?

Bareroot only, from November to April, while the canes are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your canes are lifted and sent once the season opens.