A sad story of a raspberry bush

Can I stress the importance of drainage holes in your containers AGAIN??

This is one lesson I've learned in a very painful way, as I bet you can imagine looking at the sorry state of my raspberry bush these days.  Just to remind you - THIS is how it used to look like: 

The saddest bit is the fact, that it had already formed clusters of buds before it died.  I had already imagined my plentiful harvest, and then - boom.  The plant is gone.

It may not be so deadly in smaller containers, I'm not sure, but lack of drainage holes in a bucket proved to be deadly.  After a few big rains, I had a tiny lake under the bush: 

And this is AFTER the excess water has been poured out.

At the beginning, the plant seemed to survive it fine.  I hoped the moisture would simply evaporate and no harm done.  I even brought it indoors to make sure she doesn't get any more wet stuff.

But for some reason the soil didn't want to dry up.  It stayed moist for weeks, becoming sticky and sort of compacted as well.  I guess the roots must have rotten slowly in this period and eventually the bush died. 

I still have a tiny sparkle of hope that it will grow back, but if I'm to be realistic...  Well.  No home grown raspberries for me.

So do make sure your containers have drainage holes, OK?  Promise?

Raspberry update

As promised.

One vigorous lady, isn't she?

Raspberry bush enigma

Once the news of my new-found gardening passion spread around, an unusual gift came my way.  A raspberry bush!!! 

My first feelings were mixed.  It's fine to grow lettuce, ot even tomatoes, on your windowsill, but a raspberry bush??? 

Then I thought - and why the hell not?

I bought cheap builder's bucket and into the soil it went.

I followed my friend's idea to sow some flowers in the bucket as well, just to fill up the space.  So far no joy...  They don't show their green teeth yet.

But the raspberry thrives and is well, growing more leaves with every day.

I start thinking that this experiment is going to work and soon I'm going to enjoy home grown raspberries!  Can't wait.

Oh, if you were wondering what the 'thing' in the bottom right of the picture is...  Here's my special recipe for liquid feed:

1. Get a glass/plastic/metal container onto your balcony.

2.  Put something in it.  I have no idea what was originally in mine.  Looks like some organic matter now...

3.  Let the rain pour inside.

4.  Leave for a year or so.

You end up with murky, greenish substance, that I'm sure is full of nutrients.  I'm pouring it into the raspberry's bucket regularly and it grows like crazy.

Might be the secret ingredient???

P.S. I hate blogger.  I was going to post step-by-step pics of how my raspberry grows (I'm really bad, aren't I?), but they disappear as soon as I click publish.  Maybe at least one will get through...  It's how the plant looks now.

P.S. 2 No, it won't get through.  So no pics in today's post (grrrrrrrrrrrrrr).  Promise I will post the pics as soon as things go back to normal.