How to Grow Loganberries UK | Regional Planting Calendar

Loganberry (Rubus loganobaccus)

A loganberry vine trained on a trellis with ripening fruit — “Loganberry fruiting” by Baswanschers is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

2 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Plant
Mid October to late March
Site
6+ hours of sun
Biggest risk
Grey mould

In the UK, loganberries go in the ground mid October to late March.

Loganberries (Rubus loganobaccus) — Deciduous shrub with biennial canes -- each cane grows vegetatively in its first year, fruits in its second, then dies….

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: sowing mid October, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Regional Planting Calendar

Region Sow
Southern England mid October to late March
Midlands mid October to late March
Northern England mid October to late March
Scotland mid October to late March
Southern England - detail & sources

RHS states hybrid berries are planted (not sown) mid-autumn to early spring; applied as one UK-wide planting window across all four sub-regions.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS states hybrid berries are planted (not sown) mid-autumn to early spring; applied as one UK-wide planting window across all four sub-regions.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS states hybrid berries are planted (not sown) mid-autumn to early spring; applied as one UK-wide planting window across all four sub-regions.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS states hybrid berries are planted (not sown) mid-autumn to early spring; applied as one UK-wide planting window across all four sub-regions.

Quick Facts

A loganberry vine trained on a trellis with ripening fruit — “Loganberry fruiting” by Baswanschers is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Loganberry fruiting” by Baswanschers is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Sunlight 6-8 hours direct sun
Minimum survivable temp -18C
Soil texture Fertile soil, tolerant of light, medium or heavy textures (RHS; PFAF)
Drainage Well-drained, avoiding winter waterlogging (RHS)
Lifecycle Deciduous shrub with biennial canes -- each cane grows vegetatively in its first year, fruits in its second, then dies (RHS; PFAF). Self-fertile, and PFAF notes it reproduces apomictically (seed forms without sexual fusion).
Edible parts fruit

At a Glance

Close-up of a dark red loganberry — “Coreus marginatus 06.2025 (1)” by DidierFy is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Coreus marginatus 06.2025 (1)” by DidierFy is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Rubus loganobaccus Loganberry Grey mould Honey fungus Raspberry cane spot Aphids Raspberry beetle Glasshouse red spider m… Birds (fruit) DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A loganberry leaf — “Rubus × loganobaccus leaf” by Blik is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Rubus × loganobaccus leaf” by Blik is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Water: Water well immediately after planting and during dry spells in the first growing season; established plants need little extra water if mulched (RHS)

Growth Stages

A bee pollinating a loganberry flower — “Bombus pratorum 05.2025 (1)” by DidierFy is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Bombus pratorum 05.2025 (1)” by DidierFy is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Stage BBCH Notes
Planting and establishment 0 Plant mid-autumn to early spring, spaced 2.5-4m apart depending on vigour, against horizontal wires 45cm apart with the lowest wire 45cm above the ground (RHS). Cut first-year canes back to healthy buds 20-25cm from the ground immediately after planting.
Vegetative growth (first-year canes) 3 New canes grow vegetatively in their first year and are tied in to the support wires; PFAF notes a fast growth rate to about 2.5m. Dislikes exposed, windy sites (PFAF).
Fruiting (second-year canes) 6 Most growth fruits on second-year canes (RHS). Self-fertile, and PFAF notes it reproduces apomictically.
Harvest and pruning 8 Harvest from July onwards; fruit is dark red and sharper tasting than raspberries (RHS). Prune out the old, fruited canes at the base every year after harvest, in summer or autumn.

Harvest & Storage

Harvested loganberries shown against a ruler for scale — “Loganberries” by Nadiatalent is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Loganberries” by Nadiatalent is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Dark red fruit, sharper tasting than raspberries, ready from July onwards (RHS); PFAF records fruit up to 4cm diameter with a pleasant acidic flavour. Ideal for jams and cooking, though it can also be eaten fresh.

Diseases

Loganberries ripening on the branch among the leaves — “Loganbes” by Toubib at Dutch Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Loganbes” by Toubib at Dutch Wikipedia is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Fuzzy grey-brown Botrytis mould covering a tomato stem — Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0
Grey mould
low

Botrytis cinerea

Soft brown fruit decay; Fuzzy grey-brown mould

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page as "grey mould".

Honey fungus
low

Armillaria spp.

Named directly by PFAF.

Raspberry cane spot
low

Elsinoe veneta

PFAF states loganberry is "liable to attacks of raspberry cane spot," though notes the crop is generally reliable among fruiting Rubus species overall.

Pests

A cluster of loganberries at different stages of ripeness — “Loganberries on the plant” by Nadiatalent is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Loganberries on the plant” by Nadiatalent is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
low

Aphididae (various spp.)

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page.

Raspberry beetle
moderate

Byturus tomentosus

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page.

Two-spotted red spider mite with silk threads, magnified — Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Glasshouse red spider mite (two-spotted spider mite)
low

Tetranychus urticae

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page as "spider mites".

Birds (fruit)
moderate

Aves

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page; netting recommended.

References

  1. Deciduous shrub 2.5m x 2.5m, fast growth. Biennial canes, self-fertile, apomictic. USDA zones 7-10, UK zone 8, hardy to -18C, dislikes exposed/windy sites. Soil: light/medium/heavy, well-drained, tolerates all but most alkaline soils. Sun or semi-shade, prefers moist soil. Propagation: seed (stratified, sown early autumn), half-ripe cuttings July/August, tip layering July, division early spring or pre-leaf-fall autumn. Pests/diseases: susceptible to honey fungus; liable to raspberry cane spot and mildew, though generally reliable among fruiting Rubus. Origin: probably R. ursinus x raspberry 'Red Antwerp' hybrid, not found truly wild. Edible: fruit raw/cooked, pleasant acidic flavour, up to 4cm diameter. Purple-to-dull-blue dye from fruit.

  2. Loganberry: raspberry x blackberry cross, dark red fruit sharper than raspberries, ideal for jams/cooking or fresh, harvest from July. General hybrid-berry guidance: sunny sheltered site (fruits in light shade too), fertile well-drained soil avoiding winter waterlogging. Plant mid-autumn to early spring, spacing 2.5-4m depending on vigour, uppermost roots ~5cm below soil surface for bare-root. Horizontal wires 45cm apart, lowest wire 45cm above ground. Prune old fruited canes to base after summer/autumn harvest; first-year canes cut back to healthy buds 20-25cm from ground after planting. Water well after planting and in dry spells year 1; mulched established plants need little extra water/feed. Pests: grey mould, raspberry viruses, aphids, raspberry beetle, spider mites, birds (netting needed). Propagation: stem-tip layering mid-late spring.

2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I sow loganberries in the UK?

In Southern England, from mid October. In Scotland, wait until mid October. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow loganberries?

Sow mid October to late March.

What problems affect loganberries?

Our data links 3 diseases and 4 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

Get the UK Garden Planner →

Instant PDF download · Written for UK growing conditions

SoilCommander Editorial Team

UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-09-03