Thanks for the great ideas. One thing I would say though is to leave areas in the yard or garden with fallen leaves and twigs etc because Native and Beneficial Insects DO SEEK REFUGE too. Yes maybe some bad bugs but if you give the Good bugs a safe haven, they will help eliminate the bad ones for you come Spring!

Shirley, It depends on whether they are an ever-bearing variety or a regular. Do you know what you have?

How far back do you cut golden raspberries?

Shanti, Great questions! Strawberries – No I never cut back strawberry plants. Those leaves will survive the winter for the most part so just leave them under the straw.
Raspberries – Without knowing what type of Raspberries you have it is a bit hard to tell you. The varieties I have grown are all ever-bearing but the first crop (June) is very small and hardly worth the effort so I just cut all my berries back every fall (or sometimes early spring). But you might have a different type. You could just cut them all back this fall and see what happens, if you have ever-bearing then you will see new growth in the spring and the a crop starting in mid summer until fall. If you have the one crop variety the you will have growth again next spring but no crop next year. Or you could just leave the canes in place this year. Those that will bear next year will green back up in the spring. The other canes that should be removed will be dead and can be removed.

Sorry to be so vague, but without knowing the type it’s hard for me to give you advice. I will be trying to get a raspberry care and pruning post and maybe a video up this winter so look for it!!

Thanks Phyllis and thank you for your kind words!