Soft FruitsWhat a huge range of subjects this encompasses! Most can easily be accommodated into the garden border if you wish and bring alternative interest to that provided by ornamentals; what better than a climber that fruits after it has flowered (such as one of our hybrid berries) or a pretty Spring flowering shrub that fruits later in the year (such as a blueberry)?
Without exception, all are suitable for growing in pots or containers - and of course our Rambling Cascade Stawberries are wonderful in hanging baskets!
Most of our hybrid berries now have a thornless ‘option’ which will please those who don’t enjoy the thought of being shredded whilst picking; and with several varieties of primocane raspberry in our range complicated pruning need not be a worry!
Our soft, bush & hybrid berry guidance may prove of interest to those new to fruit growing; for those considering raspberries our notes on raspberry cultivation will be similarly useful.
General Guidance & Advice For Soft Fruit, Bush Fruit & Hybrid Berries
Unpacking / Pre-Planting Care
Upon receipt of your plants, if not container grown, unpack the roots from their polythene and mulch packing; if they are dry stand in a bucket of water for no more than half an hour. Ideally your plants should be planted out as soon as possible; if this is not possible either ‘heel’ into a shallow trench or alternatively wrap the roots back up in the bark chip and polythene originally packed in and store in a cool frost free place - do not keep in a warm place as premature growth will occur. Check that the roots are kept moist every few days and plant out as soon as practical. Often leaves will be found to be ‘hanging on’ - to later fall and leave naked branches; this need cause no alarm as leaves of all deciduous stock naturally fall in Autumn. For container grown stock this too can be kept in a cool frost free place until planting time and once again ensure the compost is kept damp.
Prior to dispatch all field grown stock is root pruned to encourage fibrous root growth so there should be no need for you to further prune the roots.
Container Growing
All stock can be grown in patio tubs or containers as well as planting outside in the open ground. If planting in a patio tub or container choose one of a good size for the subject you are growing. Small containers with a plant loaded with foliage and fruit could become top heavy in high winds such as we have experienced in the U.K. over the last few years. The ideal container, if for a patio, is either one made of concrete or a half-cut wooden barrel or tub. We have yet to find a plastic container that does not crack or break down after 7 or 8 years.
If planting in a tub good drainage is essential. Holes should be made in the base, and possibly in the sides at the base as well. Avoid standing the container where it will become waterlogged. Ideally the container should be stood on a couple of house bricks or gravel to assist drainage. Ordinary garden soil suits most fruiting stock so there is no need to purchase expensive composts from garden centres (though Blueberries and Mountain Cranberries are acid lovers so will need an ericaceous soil or compost). A little brick mortar rubble in the bottom of the container to cover the drainage holes and to stop the soil falling through is recommended. At planting time do not introduce any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal. This can prove positively injurious and harmful.
Planting Out
As with many things in life, remember that a little extra care and time taken with planting out will pay dividends for many years to come! Dig a hole approximately double the width and double the depth of the size of the plants roots, rootball, or container it was grown in. Now fork over the sides and bottom of the hole to loosen up the surrounding soil before refilling to bring the soil level up to the correct planting depth for your plant; you can either refill with the soil you originally dug out or ideally with a mixture of this soil and 25% organic matter such as well rotted manure (not fresh) or compost to give your plant the best start.
Place the plant in the hole, ensuring its final planting depth is the same or only slightly deeper than it had been previously grown at (indicated by the soil or compost mark on the stem). Now refill, either with the previously removed garden soil or your soil / compost mixture. Firm in well and water if soil is dry.
Under no circumstances should you use any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal at planting time as such products will ‘burn’ any new root growth and actually slow your plant’s development!
Aftercare
In the first growing season after planting it is vital to ensure the plant is adequately watered - and this is even more critical in extended dry periods or drought. When watering any newly planted stock a ‘heavy soaking’ once a week is favourable to a ‘light shower’ every day, and will encourage a good deep root system.
Keep the area around the base of your plant free of weeds and grass which would otherwise compete for both moisture and nutrients.
To further aid moisture retention it is a good idea to mulch around your newly planted plant with chipped bark, well rotted manure or similar; this will also help with suppressing weed growth.
During the active growing season an occasional feed with our ‘Instant Life’ or a light top dress with a base fertiliser will prove beneficial. Under no circumstances be tempted to overfeed though! With a few exceptions fruits prefer a limey soil (not Blueberries or Cranberries) and to this end an annual liming of the surrounding soil at a rate of 4 oz per square yard will prove of benefit.
Pruning & Training
Many many books have been written on fruit pruning and training – a subject we cannot detail on this simple guidance sheet; to this end, for guidance on training and pruning we would recommend the book ‘Success With Organic Fruit’ available from ourselves.
Some additional notes on specific varieties...
Blackberries, Dewberries, Loganberries & Tayberries
These require a deep rich soil with plenty of compost and humus incorporated. Plant approximately 8 feet apart. They need strong supports and a wire system like raspberries or can be grown against a fence or wall of a house - again using strong galvanized horizontal wires for support. Vine eye nails or cut nails driven into the pointing of the brick is a good fixing method. Very little pruning is required and you can regenerate your fruit by layering ‘tip’ cuttings.
Blueberries & Mountain Cranberries
Plant 3 – 4 feet apart. Very little care and attention is required. They require a soil of an acidic nature which can be encouraged by digging in peat, rotted oak leaves or your spent tea bags and coffee grounds waste. Chose an open sunny situation. Simply trim to shape after fruit has been harvested.
Currants & Jostaberries
Plant 5 feet apart. Plants should be allowed to grow away for 2 – 3 years with minimal pruning. After this thin out shoots to prevent overcrowding and allow a good air-flow (to prevent fungal problems).
Gooseberries
Plant about 4 feet apart. Hard pruning annually in Autumn each year will produce strong fruiting ‘wood’. Our variety, whilst not producing the largest of fruit, does not suffer from mildew as others do.
Japanese Wineberries
In our experience these are best planted against a fence or sunny wall. Plant about 5ft apart and provide canes or wires for vertical support. Simply prune or trim to shape as required after all fruit has been picked.
Kiwi Fruits
We now grow and supply the self fertile variety Jenny. Choose an open sunny position. Whilst these can be grown in containers open ground planting will produce a heavy fruit crop. In the second year from planting thinning out some growth in February is advised. Provide a strong frame work for these to climb on similar to a pergola or arbour, so the fruits can hang down from overhead for easy harvesting. See what Grow It magazine had to say about our Kiwis in their article Killer Kiwis
A copy of this guidance can be downloaded here - Soft Fruit, Bush Fruit & Hybrid Berry Guidance
Notes On Raspberry Cultivation
Unpacking / Pre-Planting Care
Upon receipt of your raspberries, if bare root, unpack the roots from their polythene and mulch packing; if potted simply remove packaging. If they are dry stand the plants in a bucket of water for no more than half an hour. Ideally your raspberries should be planted out as soon as possible; if this is not possible either ‘heel’ the plants into a shallow trench or alternatively wrap the roots (if bare root) back up in the bark chip and polythene they arrived in and store the plants in a cool frost free place - do not keep them in a warm place as they will start to come into growth prematurely. Check that the roots/pots are kept moist every few days and plant out as soon as practical.
Planting Out
Raspberries perform best in a full sun position in the garden though they will tolerate some shade; deep shade will reduce cropping drastically. Raspberries prefer a rich, moist but free draining soil that is ideally of neutral pH - though they will grow perfectly well in both moderately acid and moderately alkali soils. If your soil is particularly heavy planting on a ridge system or perhaps raised beds will improve their performance.
Before planting the incorporation of organic matter such as well rotted manure (not fresh) or compost will give your plants the best start. Under no circumstances should you use any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal at planting time as such products will ‘burn’ any new root growth and actually slow your plants’ development!
Set the canes 18" – 2 feet apart; if you are planting multiple rows allow 6 feet between the rows. Plant firmly but shallowly. Do not plant canes too deep as they are largely surface rooting and planting too deep will discourage the formation of new canes.
Stout stakes should be inserted at about 6 - 8 feet apart to provide support up to about 6 feet high. To those posts attach straining wires to either side of the posts at 2ft intervals. The canes will grow up between the two parallel wires.
Aftercare
It is essential to keep your raspberry canes free of weed competition – but exercise caution when hoeing as they are shallow rooting and over zealous hoeing will damage their root system.
At the beginning of each Spring Season your raspberries will benefit from a mulch of well rotted manure, bark chip or similar organic matter. This will help with reducing the need for weeding and aid with moisture retention. At the same time you can also lightly top-dress along the rows with a balanced base fertiliser and if you have access to wood ash (from a log fire or stove) top-dress with this as well.
In extended dry periods ensure your plants are watered thoroughly at least once a week. This is even more critical on lighter soils and when fruit is forming otherwise you may end up with very small fruit size.
The biggest threat to your crop will be birds; they love the berries as much as you do! Unless you want to share the crop, we recommend a bird netting over the plants during the fruiting period or long term it may be worth considering a fruit cage.
Pruning
The pruning of raspberries causes concern to many but is actually not that complicated! Raspberries can be divided down into two groups - Floricane varieties which are more commonly known as Summer fruiting varieties, and Primocane varieties more commonly known as Autumn fruiting varieties and sometimes known as Everbearers.
To prune Floricane varieties cut down all of the canes that have fruited to 6” from the ground after the canes have finished fruiting. Any weak looking new shoots should also be cut down. Tie in the remaining shoots to the support wires as they grow throughout the rest of the year. In early March prune off any ‘die back’ that has occurred over the Winter and if there is excessive growth higher than your wire supports prune back to approximately the top wire.
Primocane varieties fruit on the current season’s growth and much research has been undertaken as to the best method of culture of these. From our own trials we have discovered that if you treat Primocanes in the same way as normal summer fruiting raspberries your plants will come into fruit approximately 2 weeks earlier – however your berry size will be reduced as will your overall yield. Accordingly we would recommend that you prune down all growth to ground level each February.
Picking / Harvesting / Freezing
Raspberries that are going to be eaten fresh are best picked on the day they are going to be eaten as they do not store well (apart from freezing). Care should be taken when picking the fruit as it is easily damaged and can be crushed by its own weight if you fill your picking bowl up too much!
Raspberries freeze extremely well. A handy tip to avoid your fruits all sticking together when you freeze is to spread the fruit out into a single layer on a plate or tray; once frozen transfer them to bags or containers.
A copy of this guidance can be downloaded here - Raspberry Guidance
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