How long does it take for a raspberry plant to produce fruit

Don't trust anyone who tells you you'll have fruit in the first year, because that rarely happens. A raspberry plant normally takes two years to produce a decent harvest, especially if you planted a small seedling now. In the southern zone with plenty of sun you've got everything in your favor, but be prepared to wait until 2028 to pick an amount that's actually worth it, though you might get a few raspberries next summer already.

Do you know which variety you planted? Because there are differences, but in most cases you should expect a decent harvest by the second year. I have raspberry plants at home and the first one gave me a few fruits in the first summer, but it was more of a curiosity than anything else - most of the flowers dropped. By the second year it had quite a bit more, and now I harvest regularly. With the sun like you say you have, that's a good thing, but you also need regular watering and maybe a bit of patience.

The southern zone is really ideal for raspberries, so you're lucky with the sun exposure. What nobody really talks about much is that bare-root plants (which is what they usually sell) need a year or two to establish themselves properly before they produce heavily, but if you took care to plant it correctly and it's in good health, you should already see a decent harvest in the second year. Patience is annoying, but it's totally worth it.

Raspberry plants usually start producing their first fruits even in the second year, but there's a detail nobody mentions: in the first year you're gonna get a really tiny harvest, like just a few fruits really just to taste them. The bulk of the production comes from the second year onwards, and then you're actually harvesting for real. Since you planted a seedling and it gets sun all day in the south zone, your chances are good of getting a decent amount when you get there in the second year.

The difference between varieties does exist, but really what matters most is the management now that the seedling's established. Raspberry plants like well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter, so if you really go for it with fertilizing using compost or well-aged manure during this first year, the plant gets stronger and produces better later. Don't step on the seedling, just let it grow in peace, and when the next season comes around you're already harvesting with way less stress.