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
he Season for Madrona 
madrone tree sports a different wondrous shape from multi-stem octopus trees that have re-sprouted after a fire to grand “girthy” older beauties. The leaves are sclerophyllous – thick and sturdy broadleaf leaves that conserve water during hot summers. Second year leaves drop off during the summer, adding yellows to the bark chip forest floor, while younger leaves provide a canopy of green light all year-round. The leaves also provide a holiday-style contrast to the red pitted berries that droop from branches in the fall.
