Cane and Bush Fruits Are the Berries; Often It's Grow Them or Go Without

by John P. Tomkins.

John P. Tomkins is Associate Professor of Pomology at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

Homeowners frequently overlook the possibilities of growing raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, currants, and similar berries. During recent years these fruits in local markets have been scarce and rather expensive. The homeowner might have to grow them or do without.

These cane and bush fruits are easier to grow and much more practical as compared with the tree fruits in home gardens. Cane fruits require less work, occupy a smaller area, need relatively few sprays for pest control, and will produce fruit within a year or two of planting. A small area devoted to berries will give rich dividends in fresh fruit for the home or to be passed along to friends.

Raspberries, currants, and gooseberries are excellent sources of vitamin C. Raspberries and blackberries may be used fresh, canned, frozen, or in pies, jellies, jams or preserves. Gooseberries are used mainly in sauces and pies. Currants may be used alone or mixed with berries to make a very tart and tasty jelly.

These fruits vary greatly in hardiness to low winter temperature. Currants and gooseberries are the hardiest and can withstand 40 F and still be productive. Red raspberry is next in hardiness; some varieties will withstand 35 , although others may be injured at 0 . Black and purple raspberries are next in hardiness and may withstand 25 . Blackberries may be injured around 15 while thornless blackberries, boysenberries, and young berries may be injured when the temperature falls close to zero.

All cane fruits may be injured at somewhat higher temperatures than indicated if they receive poor cultural care during the growing season. However, they may withstand temperatures 5 to 10 F lower than indicated if properly hardened or given some winter protection.

Success of a cane fruit planting depends largely on selection of the proper varieties for your area. Varieties differ greatly in berry quality and size, season of ripening, hardiness to low winter temperature, and disease susceptibility. Growth and yield are influenced by length of growing season, temperature, rainfall and humidity. A good variety in New York may be very poor in Maryland, Maine, California or Washington.

The most reliable information on varieties for a given area may be obtained in fruit publications available at your county Extension office.

Fall Bearers

Much good work is being done by the berry breeders in the U. S. Department of Agriculture and at various state Agricultural Experiment Stations. One of the most interesting developments has been the production of fall-bearing raspberries which have a summer crop on floricanes (canes produced the previous year) and a fall crop on primocanes (canes produced during the current season).

The fall crop is very successful in areas with a frost-free growing season of 165 days or longer.

The best fall-bearing raspberry variety is Heritage. Another promising fall-bearing variety is Augustred from New Hampshire. In New York it has a fall crop that ripens 35 days earlier than Heritage. Augustred is worth a try where the frost-free growing season is 130 days or less.

During recent years, breeders have developed some varieties of thornless blackberries which are very vigorous and productive. The weakness of these varieties is a tendency to injury during winter by temperatures near 0 F. However, the home gardener can cover these canes with mulch during winter and the buds will survive at temperatures much lower than 0 .

The most important soil factor for growing raspberries is good drainage to a depth of 3 to 4 feet. Plants in full leaf will not tolerate standing water or a high water table for 2 to 3 days without root injury, subsequent decreased yields, and perhaps death of the plant. Raspberries tolerate a wide range of soil types from clay to sand if drainage is good.

Currants and gooseberries tolerate a heavier soil and poorer drainage than cane fruits.

The most suitable soil is a sandy loam, rich in organic residues, with a good moisture-holding capacity and a pH of 5.5 to 6.8.

Select a site for planting in which perennial weeds have been eliminated and where tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and potatoes have not been grown within the previous two years. These crops build up a fungus disease known as verticillium wilt which damages or kills many cane fruit varieties. A location in full sunlight is desirable, although cane fruits will thrive in areas shaded for part of the day.

Buy plants from a reliable nursery. This is a key to success in bramble fruit production. The disadvantages of poor stock can never be overcome by a good site or even superior cultural knowledge. Be sure plants come from certified 0 or inspected stock.

Prepare the site by growing cultivated crops at least a year before Planting cane fruits. Work 1 inch or more of organic residues such as lawn Clippings, rotten leaves, or well rotted manure into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Before planting, mix about 1 pound of 10-10-10 or equivalent fertilizer per 100 square feet of soil. If the soil reaction (pH) is under 5.5, add limestone or hydrated lime as indicated by a soil test. Your county Extension office or a reputable garden store can suggest how to go about having a test made.

Plants are usually obtained and planted in early spring. If they arrive before soil preparation or when the soil is too wet for planting, store the plants; if well wrapped, in a cool place. If unpacked, heel them into the ground in a shallow trench in a cool shady area so the roots do not dry out.

Set plants in rows with 30 inches between plants in the row for raspberries and blackberries, 3 to 4 feet between plants for currants and gooseberries, and 5 to 8 feet for trailing and thornless blackberries.

Space between rows will vary from 6 to 10 feet depending on cultivation equipment. Nine to 10 feet between rows is usually adequate and helps to prevent spread of fungus diseases which tend to be prevalent with the plantings in closer rows.

Set plants in the ground to a depth of 5 to 6 inches, or at least 1 inch deeper than the plants were grown in a nursery row.

Purple or black raspberries are grown in hills. Black raspberry never develops new canes from root suckers; purple raspberry may develop a few.

Red raspberry develops many new plants from root suckers, and is usually grown in a hedgerow system. New suckers developing along the row are controlled either by cultivation or timely mowing to keep the row of new canes 6 to 18 inches wide.

Cane fruits have an unusual growth habit. The canes are biennial and the roots perennial. The new canes are known as primocanes. The next year these canes are known as floricanes.

Buds on floricanes develop shoots with leaves and terminate in flowers. After the canes have fruited they die. Remove them at this time or when pruning in winter.

Obviously new primocanes are being formed each year. Primocanes on thornless blackberries, dewberries, and boysenberries tend to grow along the ground. The next year these canes are tied along the trellis where they fruit. After the canes have fruited they may be removed and destroyed.