Many autumn varieties are thorny. Because of the thorny nature of the plant and the ease of cane movement in wind, due to minimal crop support, wind damage can be quite severe without good shelter. Shelter should be established before planting takes place. Aim to have sheltered blocks of about 0.4-1.0 ha. Raspberry harvesting, grading, and packing are labour intensive activities.
Picking begins in mid-late summer, but exact timing is dependent on variety and district.
In Northern areas, picking begins in February and continues through late April or early May, on a daily, or alternate day basis, until cold temperatures reduce the crop and make harvesting uneconomic. Warm sites are preferable. Frosts damage flowers and fruit, and early autumn frosts will shorten the harvest. Avoid low-lying areas prone to frost. Although machine harvesters are not yet well developed for autumn raspberries, flat land is preferable if machine harvesting is contemplated.