Titanium and aluminum are often used as colorants in tattoos; more worrisome, inks using nonmetal colorants may include traces of antimony, arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cobalt, lead, nickel, and selenium (AESI filed over the latter eight metals).
Apply about two ounces of a 5-10-5 fertilizer around each plant. Starting the second season and annually thereafter, fertilize raspberries in early spring before growth begins. Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10, at a rate of 15 to 20 pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of planting. If using the hill system, apply about one-half cup per plant. Don't fertilize raspberries in late summer or early fall as it may force new growth that does not harden off properly for winter.
| By Richard Jauron, Laura Sternweis. Raspberries are adaptable to a wide range of soil types. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulture specialists share information about raspberry varieties, planting sites and times, as well as growing blackberries in Iowa.