Raspberry Canes Useful as Homes for Solitary Bees

(Question)

Re: raspberries (Rubus), I see that you recommended removing one-third of the oldest stems each year in order to maintain vigorous newer productive growth. Have you recommended on your site making those stems available as nest sites for native solitary bees & wasps within the garden rather than discarding them? If not, please do.

(Answer)

Thank you for your important comments on the benefits of leaving pruned materials in the garden as home for bees.  In fact Toronto Master Gardeners has published answers to quite a few questions about providing materials for solitary bees.  These are found in questions about fall cleanup of garden and making gardens more welcome to pollinators.  I have included a link to such a question here. Garden Clean Up .