Purchased one raspberry and one blackberry plant locally. We are just wanting enough for fresh stuff throughout the summer and maybe make 5-7 jars of jam for each.
Is one plant each enough for this? How many plants should I do (roughly)?
Thanks...Venom in TN
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Venomous_1
- Cool Member
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- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:59 am
- Location: Murfreesboro, TN - USDA Zone 6b
Hi V.
The one Blackberry plant should be more than enough to give you a good crop in a couple of years time.
Train it along either a fence or wires.
Easiest way is to have three post about six feet apart and around five feet out of the ground.
Put three wires at even spacing along the posts with the bottom wire a couple of feet off the ground.
Plant the blackberry to the middle post. As it grows train the new runners to the top two wires.
These will crop next year.
While these are cropping the plant will produce a lot more runners.
Tie the strongest onto the bottom wire as they grow.
Then in the winter you can cut the old runners from the top wires and move up and tie in the new young growth from the bottom wire.
This method keeps the plant tidy and keeps the new cane away from the cropping runners. Making picking so much easier.
As to Rasps.
Usually they are sold in bundles of ten or so.
I think one plant would not be enough to keep you supplied. Curtainly wouldn't me.!
Jona.
The one Blackberry plant should be more than enough to give you a good crop in a couple of years time.
Train it along either a fence or wires.
Easiest way is to have three post about six feet apart and around five feet out of the ground.
Put three wires at even spacing along the posts with the bottom wire a couple of feet off the ground.
Plant the blackberry to the middle post. As it grows train the new runners to the top two wires.
These will crop next year.
While these are cropping the plant will produce a lot more runners.
Tie the strongest onto the bottom wire as they grow.
Then in the winter you can cut the old runners from the top wires and move up and tie in the new young growth from the bottom wire.
This method keeps the plant tidy and keeps the new cane away from the cropping runners. Making picking so much easier.
As to Rasps.
Usually they are sold in bundles of ten or so.
I think one plant would not be enough to keep you supplied. Curtainly wouldn't me.!
Jona.
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Venomous_1
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- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:59 am
- Location: Murfreesboro, TN - USDA Zone 6b
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tn_veggie_gardner
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- Location: Hermitage, TN.
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rusticbeds
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There are great info sources on the web to help you learn what to purchase if you want jam from your garden. Many folks do not realize that all berries do not have identical growing/fruiting patterns.
The primocane (sometimes called fall bearing or everbearing) varieties are the least amount of work in the long run IMO. Primocane is the term used to describe a berry that will begin growing in the spring and have a crop of berries by late summer/early fall and usually fruit til hard frost. Primocane raspberries have been around for many years. One of the most widely available is the Heritage red raspberry. It is delicious and very productive in most areas. Newer varieties have slightly different characteristics regarding firmness, shape, flavor, and season length. I have five or so varieties, and currently my fave is Jacklyn-a firm, pointy and tasty morsel that is outstanding on small tarts and makes great jam. The primocane reds seem less thorny than summer bearing types. The easiest aspect of the primocanes is the maintenance. In Dec, cut down all the canes and discard. In the spring, at least by the end of April in zone 6, thin plants so there are only four per square foot. 6" spacing in all directions gives optimal growth. Those you pull can have leaves stripped and dried for teas. If you desire to expand your patch, carefully dig new plants with roots attached and transplant. These berries love to be fed, weeded and mulched. For heavy production in a windy site, I use a two line trellis on steel posts running parallel 33" apart in a 50' row. I also prune any growth over 48" to encourage side branching and increased fruit production.
Summer bearing raspberries are more complex in care IMO. Check web.
The primocane blackberry I have is Prime Jan. It is very THORNY! I am trying to give it all away. I raise it as for the red razz. I have to use pliers to hold the canes aside to gather the very tasty fruits. The thornless blackberry I have grows rampant, is not primocane, but does not produce much, despite pampering.
For any of these berries, I suggest you get at least three plants to start. As time and space allow, you will be donating excess.
Ask on freecycle , join a gardening club, or place ads at the coop...you may be able to find thinnings from a local gardener or two who will share their excess with you. Good luck!
The primocane (sometimes called fall bearing or everbearing) varieties are the least amount of work in the long run IMO. Primocane is the term used to describe a berry that will begin growing in the spring and have a crop of berries by late summer/early fall and usually fruit til hard frost. Primocane raspberries have been around for many years. One of the most widely available is the Heritage red raspberry. It is delicious and very productive in most areas. Newer varieties have slightly different characteristics regarding firmness, shape, flavor, and season length. I have five or so varieties, and currently my fave is Jacklyn-a firm, pointy and tasty morsel that is outstanding on small tarts and makes great jam. The primocane reds seem less thorny than summer bearing types. The easiest aspect of the primocanes is the maintenance. In Dec, cut down all the canes and discard. In the spring, at least by the end of April in zone 6, thin plants so there are only four per square foot. 6" spacing in all directions gives optimal growth. Those you pull can have leaves stripped and dried for teas. If you desire to expand your patch, carefully dig new plants with roots attached and transplant. These berries love to be fed, weeded and mulched. For heavy production in a windy site, I use a two line trellis on steel posts running parallel 33" apart in a 50' row. I also prune any growth over 48" to encourage side branching and increased fruit production.
Summer bearing raspberries are more complex in care IMO. Check web.
The primocane blackberry I have is Prime Jan. It is very THORNY! I am trying to give it all away. I raise it as for the red razz. I have to use pliers to hold the canes aside to gather the very tasty fruits. The thornless blackberry I have grows rampant, is not primocane, but does not produce much, despite pampering.
For any of these berries, I suggest you get at least three plants to start. As time and space allow, you will be donating excess.
Ask on freecycle , join a gardening club, or place ads at the coop...you may be able to find thinnings from a local gardener or two who will share their excess with you. Good luck!
Pruning back raspberries can be very dis-heartening when spring comes. I being a novest at raspberry care tried to trim them back in the fall. Not, really knowing the live bush of next year and dead bush of the years harvest. When, spring came what a sight, I had managed to kill off have the harvest I had the year before. My plot of thornless red raspberries is 5 ft, by 20, and the second year of harvest. I received 96lbs of raspberries - yes 96lbs. I sell them in 5lb Zip Lock bag. After trimming them in the fall. I reduced my harvest by half. I now trim them back when I see the stalk begin to bud. So, if your not an expert at raspberries trimming, wait till early spring and then you can see what harvest you'll get.