Berries!

Strawberries, brambles are best fruits to grow in backyards
Sunday, April 5, 2009 3:48 AM
By JANE C. MARTIN

Plant strawberries in the spring for best results. Of all the fruit crops grown in backyard gardens, strawberries and brambles are considered the easiest to grow.

They require less space than other fruiting crops and produce fruit sooner. Both crops grow best in full sun and in loose, fertile soil that contains abundant organic matter. The soil should also be well-drained and slightly acidic, having a pH of 5.8 to 6.5.

Both crops have specific cultural requirements that take time and effort. Yet, over the long term, the reward of a good harvest makes it all worth it. Both also have some pest issues, but selecting disease-resistant varieties helps avoid some of these.

Strawberries are available as bare-root plants, and installing them in spring is best. June-bearing strawberries are spaced 12 to 24 inches apart, with rows 36 to 40 inches apart. Because drainage must be excellent for strawberries, they can be planted in raised beds or on ridges.

Avoid planting strawberries where potatoes, tomatoes or sod recently grew because insect and disease problems might arise. Mulch the plants with 3 to 4 inches of straw to conserve moisture.
Remove flowers for the first six weeks after planting, and remove all runners the first season.
This allows the plants to establish well and set flower buds for a good crop in the second year, with harvest from late May into early July.

One plant yields about a quart of berries during the first fruiting season. During the second and third seasons, berry production continues but drops off. Plans should be made to replant, overlapping the last bearing season with a new planting (in which flowers and runners are removed) for continuous production.

Some of the other cultural requirements for strawberries include weed control, irrigation, renovation (after each harvest) and winter protection.

Many varieties of berries are available, and it's important to find those that meet the gardener's needs for use (fresh or frozen), yield and disease resistance.

Brambles (raspberries and blackberries) are also suitable for home plantings. June is the month for harvesting red and black raspberries, followed by purple and yellow raspberries in July. July is the peak month for blackberries; fall-bearing red raspberries produce from mid-August up to frost.

These crops also begin producing fruit during the second season. They require more space than strawberries but are perennials that continue for many years as long as they're properly pruned and managed.

Many varieties of brambles can be considered. Among the black raspberries, Bristol, Jewel and Black Hawk are considered to be vigorous and productive.

Cultivated brambles should be in full sun and at least 300 feet from wild brambles to avoid insect and diseases that often plague wild berry thickets. Planting in the spring is preferred over fall. Avoid planting where potatoes, tomatoes or eggplants recently grew.

The Ohio State University Extension has produced the Midwest Home Fruit Production Guide (Bulletin No. 940), a 148-page guide to backyard fruit-growing that includes cultural and pest-management practices for the small fruits, grapes, less-common fruits (such as papaw and quince), currants and tree-fruit crops. This bulletin is available at ohioline.osu.edu/b940/index.html.

Jane C. Martin is a horticulturist. Gardeners may find answers to their questions at plantfacts.osu. edu/faq.