AY Honors/Small Fruit Growing/Answer Key
1. What are the soil requirements for growing bramble berries, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries?
- Bramble Berries: These include blackberries and raspberries. Brambles require loamy soil with a lot of organic matter mixed in with it. They will not tolerate sandy soil, or heavy soil that leaves moisture standing on the roots. A heavy layer of mulch will help the soil retain water and keep weeds down.
- Strawberries: Strawberries need well-worked soil with good drainage and plenty of organic material mixed in with it.
- Grapes: Grapes require fertile, well-drained soil. It should be mixed with plenty of compost, but be careful to not over-fertilize.
- Blueberries: Blueberries require soil that is well-drained and porous. It should also have lots of organic material in it, and it should be acidic with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. A heavy layer of mulch will help the soil retain water and keep weeds down.
2. Write a one-page report telling how to grow one of the above fruits. Include the following:
a. Variety selection
The main thing to consider when selecting a variety is whether it is well-suited to the climate in which it will grow. Check that the variety will grow in your hardiness zone. The hardiness zone is a number from 1 to 11, with 1 indicating a cold climate, and 11 indicating a warm one. Many seed packages and seed catalogs have a map showing the hardiness zones. Make sure the variety of plant you select is suited for your zone number or higher.
The next thing to consider is the area you intend to plant the variety. Some are more suited to shade, and others require lots of sun. Varieties are also suited to different soil pH (which you can control). Finally, you should consider other factors, such as fruit size, yield, thornless stems, when the fruit is expected to ripen etc. It is also a good idea to plant multiple varieties. This can improve disease resistance and stagger the harvest times.
b. Soil preparation
In general, you should follow the directions included with the plant you buy. Dig a hole to the proper depth as instructed. You will also want to control the soil's pH (acidity). Add lime to increase pH, or add manure to decrease it. Make sure these are well mixed with the soil though, because concentrated clumps can damage your plants. You can buy pH measuring kits and test the soil yourself. The soil should be well tilled and loose.
When you dig a hole to plant in, do not feel compelled to refill that hole with the same soil you removed from it. For the ambitious, there are dozens of soil recipes to choose from, combining loam, vermiculite, peat, lime, fertilizer, sand, compost, charcoal, manure, etc. You usually only need a gallon or so of soil per plant, not 40 acres of perfect dirt.
c. Planting techniques
Again, you should follow the instruction that come with a new plant. You will need to dig a hole to the proper depth, and usually, you will place the plant in the hole so that new soil-line matches the old soil-line. If the plant has become root bound in the container, you need to cut away the roots that are curled around the outside to allow the newer roots within the rootball to grow. Lay down a layer of mulch. Mulch helps to control weeds and retain moisture. This will help in the hot summer months. Wood chips are excellent for this. Do not use leaves or sawdust, as these will wick moisture away from the plants and make it difficult for water to penetrate to the roots.
d. Fertilizing
Do not over fertilize, and wait four to six weeks after planting before fertilizing. Make a circle around each plant with one ounce of ammonium sulphate in the first year. After that, do the same with two ounces as soon as the plants bloom, and again one month later.
e. Pruning (where applicable)
Blackberries and Raspberries
Blackberries and raspberries produces canes that live for two years. A first year cane is called a primocane and a second year cane is called a florocane. In most varieties, only the florocanes produce fruit. Once they produce fruit, they die. Florocanes should be pruned to the soil line as soon as they are harvested to eliminate an important path to disease. Primocanes should be pruned in to a height of 18-20 inches (45-50 cm). This will cause them to send out branches which will bear more fruit. The branches should be pruned to a length of about 12 inches (30 cm).
Blueberries
Blueberries should not be pruned for the first three years. After that, you should prune every year during the dormant period, removing any of the lower branches that look weak or are less than six inches (15 cm) long. Remove any branches longer than two inches (5 cm) in diameter (small branches bear larger fruit), and remove a portion of the branches in the center of the plant to allow sunlight to penetrate. Ideally, you should have about twelve canes per plant, and these should be of different ages.
Strawberries
Strawberries are not pruned.
