How to Grow Small Fruit

Growing Small Fruits

Strawberries.
Strawberries like a fertile soil which has had plenty of organic matter added, moisture and good drainage are essential as their root system is quite small.
Sensitive to frost they are easily protected by a layer of straw during winter.

Weeds can be a problem so prepare your bed carefully and mulch to prevent weeds and to keep fruit clean. Pine needles are an excellent mulch for strawberries.
Strawberries are prone to viruses which build up over time so it is best to replace your plants every three years with certified virus free plants
Home grown strawberries which are allowed to ripen on the bush are sweet and delicious and packed with Vitamin C.
Birds appreciate strawberries as much as we do so some protection is necessary.
Try strawberries sprinkled with a little balsamic vinegar and caster sugar. Delicious!

Bush Berries

Gooseberries.
Gooseberries grow on small bushes which are frost tolerant and quite happy in areas where they receive only morning sun, not as popular as they once were, they are still an excellent berry for those who enjoy making home preserves and jams.
Unripe berries are best for preserving, however if you wish to eat them fresh wait until they develop colour or they will be quite sour.

Blueberries.
Expensive to buy, these delicious berries are excellent in the home food garden, turn beautiful shades of red and orange in autumn and have delicate white or pink flowers in spring. High in antioxidents and vitamin C, blueberries are now regarded as one of the so-called “super foods” and they are well worth a little effort to supply their needs.

Blueberries enjoy an acid soil which must be well drained, constantly moist and have high levels of organic matter.
Mulch with an acidifying mulch such as semi rotted pine needles or oak leaves.
Blueberries enjoy a sunny spot with shelter from hot winds, they make excellent tub specimens planted into a potting mix suitable for their relatives the rhododendrens.
Pick when the berry is completely blue as they do not continue to ripen once picked.
Do not allow your bushes to fruit for the first two years, once established the stems will fruit for up to four years when they can be cut out at ground level and new stems encouraged.

Cane Berries.

A delicate fruit which needs to be picked at perfect ripeness to be fully appreciated.
These berries bring a premium price on the supermarket shelves however as they are picked firm for transportation they do not have the delicacy and sweetness of home grown berries.

Cane berries grow best in temperate to cool areas, and require well drained acid soil into which plenty of organic matter has been incorporated. Eradicate any perennial weeds as it will be almost impossible to remove them once your berries have been planted.
Mulching is essential to retain moisture in the soil and prevent reinfestation with weeds.
Plant berries about 30cm apart and prune the young canes back to about 20cm high.
All cane berries fruit on 2 year old canes with the exception of autumn fruiting raspberries.
Canes must be trained on a trellis and the best method is two to three wires at about 50-70 cm intervals which are stretched between two sturdy posts.
Birds can be a problem when growing cane fruits and it is best to net the trellis when your berries start to ripen.

Raspberries

Pruning can be done in summer or winter, simply remove the two year old canes which have fruited and bundle the new canes together in groups of three and tie them to the trellis.

For autumn fruiting raspberries prune out the canes which have fruited and tie the new canes as for other raspberries. Fruit will form on the tips of the new canes, cut back just below the fruit after the autumn harvest and you have the basis for next year’s crop.
Blackberries have become such a problem in many rural areas that we would never suggest planting them, however there are various blackberry and raspberry hybrids which it is quite safe to plant and which provide delicious berries.

Boysenberry
A vigorous hybrid with purplish fruit which is sweet and juicy. Fruit is harvested in December-January.

Youngberry
Quite similar to the Boysenberry, however berries are smaller and shinier and are often sweeter.
Harvest is about two weeks earlier than the boysenberry.

Loganberry
Thornless canes, and berries which turn deep purplish red when ripe.
Allow to ripen on the vine to develop the rich flavour and sweetness.
The loganberry makes excellent jam and can be harvested from November-January.

Silvanberry
As the name suggests this is a Victorian berry that fruits over a long period.
A good berry for those who require a longer fruiting period.
The harvest is December-February.

Marionberry
A delicate berry which is not as vigorous as the Boysonberry but is considered to be
superior in flavour.
The harvest is in December-January.

Currants.
Red, White and Black currants are old fashioned fruits which are enjoying a
resurgence in popularity. They have a tart flavour, but sweeten when ripe, making them perfect for sauce or mixing with some of the berry fruits in desserts where they contribute rich colours and flavours. High in pectin they make excellent jellies and jams.
Red and white currants are actually the same plant, the white currant is somewhat sweeter but lacks the levels of antioxidants which are found in red currants.
Black currants have high levels of antioxidants, however their flavour improved if they are cooked with sugar and they make delicious jams and jellies.
Currants enjoy fertile well drained soil rich in organic matter with a side dressing of blood and bone and some extra potash.
They will produce well in areas which have only morning sun and flower and fruit before the heat of summer arrives.
Mulch well to conserve moisture and some irrigation during summer will help to keep them productive.
Red and white currants produce fruit on stems which are two to three years old.
Remove the old four year old stems each year in late winter.
Black currants fruit on young wood of one to two years old so prune out any wood older than two years.

Jostaberries
Pronounced “Yostaberry”, this fruit is a cross between a blackcurrant and a gooseberry, they are resistant to mildew, free of spines and need little pruning.
Bushes grow to around 1.5 to 2m tall and nedd about 2m between them The large juicy fruit are ripe December-January and intermediate in size between a blackcurrant and a gooseberry.
Plant in rich well drained soil in a site protected from strong winds.
They are frost tolerant and can be planted in full sun.
Mulch well and include well rotted compost, fertilize in spring with blood and bone and keep moist during the hottest months.
They can be eaten fresh or added to fruit salad, used in desserts, and make excellent jam.They are high in vitamin C and can be frozen like most berries for out of season use.

Passionfruit
Passionfruit Big Boppa is a new passionfruit which bears very large, sweet, golden fruit on a hardy vigorous vine. A sunny position in moist well drained soil and a good quality fertilizer high in potassium will give great results.
Mulch well to conserve moisture.
Perfect for a fence , trellis or pergola.

Prepare for fruit plantings as soon as possible, dig in plenty of well decomposed organic matter and build up soil if drainage is a problem.