| Having berries growing in the garden is a difficult task | | | | soil but they do prefer a slightly acidic soil. |
| that some gardeners feel is too much of a bother to | | | | Boysenberries and loganberries are hybrids of the |
| do. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, | | | | blackberry which gives them the flavor of a |
| loganberries, boysenberries, and grapes have a better | | | | blackberry. They also require the same care. Each |
| taste, are very healthful, more economical and are | | | | year between spring and fall you will need to give |
| very easy to grow. | | | | them plenty of compost. Rake in a general purpose |
| Strawberries can be the most productive because | | | | fertilizer into the soil around the canes every spring |
| they produce a large amount of fruit in a small area. | | | | for best results. Berry patches need to be kept |
| If you have never grown them before this would be | | | | weed free. |
| a good year to start. They can be planted any time | | | | To grow blueberries and receive an ample amount of |
| of the year but only in warmer climates during the | | | | produce it is better to plant blueberry bushes with |
| winter. Planting them in the fall is the best time for | | | | several varieties of the berry. The soil for blueberries |
| those living in areas that get freezing winter climates. | | | | needs to high in acid; if your soil is alkali heavy work |
| By planting strawberries in the fall will help develop a | | | | in some wood chips or pine needles six months or |
| healthy root system so they will become bushy in | | | | more before planting. Planting times in California for |
| spring. If you are planting in spring or summer you will | | | | blueberries is late fall, but in the warmer southern |
| have to remove the buds when the flowers start to | | | | areas they can be planted in late winter. The twig like |
| form and pinch back all the runners in order to | | | | upper branches of each blueberry bush need to be |
| receive a good growth the next season. Planting in | | | | pruned back in order to encourage root growth. This |
| the fall or winter does not require those procedures. | | | | procedure will need to be repeated again after 3 |
| When choosing strawberry plants it is a good idea to | | | | years. |
| stay with June-bearing varieties; the "ever-bearing" | | | | There are several varieties of grapes that can be |
| varieties will not always produce a good yield. | | | | grown but it depends on your taste. Some of the |
| Raspberries are available in black, red, yellow, and | | | | most popular table grapes are Thompson seedless, |
| purple, but red raspberry have the tangiest flavor | | | | Flame seedless, and the Concord grape. The colors |
| and produce more fruit. As with most "bramble fruit", | | | | are white, red, and purple respectively. The early |
| raspberries do better if planted in fall in cold climate | | | | days of spring are the best time to plant grapevines. |
| areas, and early winter in the mild climate areas. Once | | | | Work in plenty of compost; insert poles about |
| you have acquired your stock plant them in fertile soil | | | | twenty feet apart and run galvanized wire between |
| enhanced with garden compost, or leaf mold. You | | | | them. You can now plant the vines about eight feet |
| also want to keep the soil well cultivated during the | | | | apart along your new wire fence. After the first |
| first several months after planting. Raspberries | | | | season prune the branches from the old vines and let |
| produce many "suckers", also called canes, which will | | | | another set grow over the first. For the second |
| grow from the plants base. Many "suckers" or canes | | | | season and beyond you will want to prune all the |
| are necessary for the development of the plant. | | | | way back to only four main branches. This way you |
| After harvesting the last of the crop for that season | | | | should have a healthy supply of grapes the second |
| you will need to prune the plant to only six or eight | | | | season and every season after that. |
| canes for each plant. | | | | You will reap many healthy benefits from growing |
| The "tamed" blackberry plants grow much better and | | | | your own berries. A cup of sliced strawberries gives |
| offer more than wild blackberries. They produce a | | | | you as much vitamin C that is found in a cup of |
| crop of berries that is juicier and larger than wild | | | | orange juice. You will also benefit from calcium, |
| blackberries. The arrival of the thorn-less blackberry | | | | potassium, and magnesium. A cup of blueberries has |
| and the dwarf varieties has made blackberries much | | | | less vitamin C but they also have phytochemicals and |
| easier to care for than the larger berries. Blackberry | | | | minerals. And just one cup of raspberries will also give |
| fruit plants do quite well in many different types of | | | | you vitamin C but also potassium. |