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Growing Berries & CurrantsBlackberries, Black Raspberries, Red Raspberries and Yellow Raspberries are very closely related. Botanists separate the Raspberries from Blackberries by determining if the core stays in the ripe fruit or if the core is lost during picking. Berries with the core intact are Blackberries and berries that lose the core and resemble a thimble are called Raspberries. A few berries are a cross between the two. Boysenberries and Olalieberries are a cross between Blackberries and Raspberries and are called Trailing Blackberries. All bear fruit on two year old wood, except Everbearing Raspberries, which also fruit on first year growth. Everbearing raspberries are not truly everbearing; they bear a late Summer or Fall crop on the first year growth and a second crop the following Spring on two year old wood. Cultural requirements Remember that after flowering and fruiting, any cane that bore fruit dies back to the crown. When establishing a new planting, it is very important to cut the top back on the bare-root transplants if this has not already been done at the Nursery. All the new growth that will arise from the transplant will come from primary buds just below the soil surface. If you examine the crown of the plant, you will see 2-5 small buds or shoots just above the roots at the base of the crown. All the top growth above the primary buds is the cane that grew in the Nursery row the previous summer and is now two years old and programmed to flower and fruit. If you leave this 2 year old top growth intact, it will start blooming and try to fruit at the expense of the new cane growth that you are trying to encourage from the primary buds. Without a properly established root system, the newly transplanted berry may dry out in an attempt to ripen fruit on the excess cane. By cutting the tops back, your transplants will have a much better survival rate and better growth will result. Any transplant will experience some stress. By cutting back your bare root canes, less stress will occur. It takes 4-6 weeks for new growth to show; leave 3-5 inches of the old top above the ground to "mark the plant" in the row. Trailing Blackberries thrive in most soil types but good drainage is desirable. Soils that are naturally fertile, easily worked and retain moisture well, are the most suitable. Black Raspberries prefer a loose textured, well-drained soil. Avoid sites with a high water table where water sits for long periods of time, especially during winter months. Black raspberries will thrive in most soil types and are cold hardy in most areas of the United States. Raspberries prefer a deep, well-drained, fertile soil. Raspberries are deep rooted & need good drainage. Raspberries are very versatile & hardy in the coldest climates where other cane fruits fail. Fertility & Watering needs Fertilizer and irrigation should be avoided until the primary buds force and new canes begin to grow. Trailing Blackberries respond extremely well to balanced organic fertilizers applied at blossom time. Good soil moisture should be maintained by irrigation for the first year after planting and fruit production will increase if irrigation is continued until the fall rains in following years. Black Raspberries prefer a naturally fertile soil with high organic matter. Apply a well balanced organic fertilizer in early Spring. Plants should be watered moderately during the growing season. Raspberries benefit from high organic matter soils. Organic mater provides drainage in heavy soils and increases the moisture-holding capacity of sandy soils. Work compost into the soil prior to planting and supplement with a well balanced organic fertilizer if necessary. Planting instructions Soak the roots of the bare root canes in water for an hour or so prior to planting. Plant the root system intact if possible, but if the planting hole is smaller than the root system, prune the roots to fit rather than "wad" them in the planting hole. Avoid over-watering while the plant is dormant; over-watering can lead to root rot. Berries will die in mud! Normally, Spring soil moisture is adequate for growth if the root system was soaked prior to planting. Planting berries an inch deeper than they grew in the nursery row is mis-information; they should be planted at the same depth that they grew in the nursery row, covering any white sprouts arising from the crown. Trailing Blackberries: Two year old bare root transplants can be planted late Winter to early Spring. Avoid pruning the roots of thornless varieties as this may encourage thorny suckers. Plant 6-8 feet apart and train them on a trellis. Black Raspberries: Two year old bare root transplants can be planted late Winter to early Spring. The older stems or tops of the transplants can be cut back several inches. Space 3-4 feet apart in the row and 6-8 feet between rows. Raspberries: Plant in Spring or late Winter. Space 2-3 feet apart with 10 feet between the rows. Cut back a few inches, as most of the growth will arise from the roots or from the base of the planted cane. Pruning For more information on pruning and training of berries, see Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden, by Lewis Hill, offered in the book section of the current Peaceful Valley Farm Supply catalog. Cultural requirements Blueberries prefer an acidic, well-drained soil. Mulching with acidic materials has proved beneficial for soils that are not ideal for blueberry growing. Fir sawdust or bark dust, applied to a depth of two to four inches, also eliminates most of the need for cultivation and conserves moisture. Blueberries' shallow, compact root system makes regular irrigation a necessity. Fertility For well-balanced mineral soils, a yearly application of an organic fertilizer, such as Cottonseed meal, is ideal. It should be applied in early Spring, on the surface of the mulch in a broad ring around the plant, regardless of plant size. The yearly addition of phosphorus or potassium or both are important for fruit production. Planting instructions Blueberries ultimately reach a height of six feet or more with a spread of four feet or more. Therefore, the rows should be at least eight feet apart with plants spaced no closer than six feet apart, unless a hedge is desired. The top of the root clump should be close to the surface if a mulch is used or about four inches deep without mulch. Fruit production Two different varieties must be planted to insure cross-pollination and fruit set. Any two varieties will cross-pollinate regardless of ripening time. The early varieties begin ripening in June and the late varieties in early August. When planting two or three year old plants, the blossoms can be removed for a year or two to promote vegetative growth. Blueberries tend to over-bear rather than under-bear. Thinning blossoms will promote larger fruit and a healthier bush. A large plant may produce 15 to 20 pounds of fruit. Pruning After the plant is established, you may remove old wood. Some of the thrifty vegetative wood may be removed to prevent the plant from becoming too sprawling or too high. Blueberries become sweeter the longer they remain on the bush. The only reason to pick early (as they turn color), is to prevent the birds from eating them first. Home gardeners often protect their plants from birds with netting or bird scare tape. See Peaceful Valley's Main catalog for bird repellent supplies. For more information on pruning and training of berries, see Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden, by Lewis Hill, offered in the book section of the current Peaceful Valley Farm Supply catalog. Cultural requirements Currants are easy to grow and can tolerate a wide range of soils. Soil must be well-drained and relatively free of salts. Keep soil constantly moist but do not allow it to become too soggy. Currants are long-lived plants and very winter hardy but do not like hot summers. If your summer temperatures are in excess of 90°F, plant on the north side of your house or building. Planting on the north side will also protect your currants from a late Spring frost, by delaying bloom time. Fertility Currants love soil that is high in organic matter. If you have conducted a soil analysis, up to 5% organic matter is ideal. If you have low organic matter, add high-quality compost. Once the currants are planted, mulch the watering zone with several inches of compost each year. Add a well-balanced organic fertilizer in the Spring if your soil lacks nutrients. Do not over apply nitrogen as this will cause excess vegetative growth and make the plant susceptible to mildew and insects. Never apply nitrogen after fruit set. Planting instructions Currants can be planted in rows or trained as a simple espalier. If you choose to grow these as bushes, plant shorter cultivars, at least 3 feet apart in a row or 3 feet apart from neighboring plants. Plant further apart if you have selected larger cultivars. Space multiple rows 7 or more feet apart. Set plants at least an inch deeper than they were grown in the nursery. Shallow plants are prone to drying out so err on the deep side. At planting time, cut young single-stemmed plants down to three or four buds, but no more. If your plant has more than one stem, cut off all but the healthiest looking one. The above ground portion of the plant must be balanced with the root system or the plant will suffer. Drip irrigation works best as it keeps the water off of the leaves and fruit, preventing the spread of fungal diseases. Fruit production Currants are ready to harvest in early to mid-summer, late June to mid July, for many cultivars in most of North America. For fresh consumption, allow berries to fully ripen on the plant. Pruning See Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden, by Lewis Hill, offered in the book section of the Main Peaceful Valley Farm Supply catalog. Back to Reference Library Index
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