Keys to Thriving Berries!
Blueberries, Raspberries, and Triple Crown Thornless Berry.
Soils do better if prepared early, it’s easier to supplement your soil in early spring.
BLUEBERRIES (a challenging plant)
- Needs Acidic soil: either naturally occurring, or supplemented with peat moss
- Member Note: Alternatives products for unsustainable peat moss:
- Coconut Coir. A by-product of the coconut industry.
- Pine Sawdust or Bark
- Composted Manure or Leaves
- Member Note: Alternatives products for unsustainable peat moss:
- 2 or more plants of similar bloom time needed for pollination
- Regular moisture
- Don’t allow plants to dry out
- Shallow roots appreciates mulching
- Fertilized with acidic fertilizer start early in the season
- Twice in spring, once again when blooming
- Provide afternoon shade in the Summer
- Prune out any non-budding branches, dead Wood or Crowded branches
- Netting may be a good idea
RASPBERRIES
- Don’t like wet feet, but needs moisture
- Water twice a week, then move to three times a week when above 85F
- Does better with drip watering, fruit can get moldy if too wet
- Fertilizing: Start with a 10-10-10 to grow canes, then switch to 5-10-10 if plants are growing large. Note: Use less nitrogen for more fruit production.
- Needs conscious pruning, fruit grows on 2 year growth, (floricanes) unless developing a first and second year everbearing system.
- Cut out old canes after 2-year fruit
- For young producers, cut every year to allow sun to reach plants.
- Needs 6-8 hours Sun
- Member Note: Intense afternoon sun can wilt plants and burn fruit
TRIPLE CROWN THORNLESS BERRY (Blackberry/Marionberry Cross)
- Will grow in many places, like blackberries
- Non-Invasive, semi-erect vines
- Have a choice of cutting canes when they reach 7-8 feet, or letting them grow and propagating tips into ground or container
- Needs a trellis system to keep vines and berries off the ground
- Fertilize at blossom time,
- Water more when fruiting
- Pick when the large dark berries come off easily, large globules
- Prune out second-year canes after they fruit
- You can do this in the fall
By Joel Heller, Guest Speaker AGC Meeting March 6th, 2017
Plant Name: Brunnera macrophylla
