Sawdust as Mulch for Raspberries

(Question)

can you use sawdust for mulch around raspberry plants

(Answer)

Thanks you for your question.  A similar question was posed to us a while back and I have included the link to our detailed response.  While the popular gardening press contains many articles about the pros and cons of using sawdust for mulch, we do not recommend it for the reasons stated in the link below.  Specifically, with respect to raspberries, a ‘dusting’ of sawdust from nontoxic wood sources may  help maintain the slightly acidic environment loved by raspberries. But a dense covering of the material would likely risk the health of your plants due to nitrogen depletion caused during sawdust’s rapid deterioration.

https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/using-sawdust-in-vegetable-garden-as-mulch/