A Guide on Soft Fruit Gardening

Growing soft fruits in my garden has been a delightful work for me. I personally love them, especially strawberries and raspberries. So, it’s always my pleasure to grow and enjoy them in my garden. They take up a very little space and can be grown with minimal maintenance. Just, choose a sunny corner of your patio or balcony to grow your favorite soft fruits and get the sweetest result. You can also grow strawberries and blueberries in containers with minimal maintenance. Here, I present a detailed guide on growing soft fruits.

Strawberries

These incredible fruits can be grown anywhere such as in borders, containers or hanging baskets. Strawberries are popular home grown fruits that just need sun, shelter, and fertile, well-drained soil to grow well. This type of fruit is prone to a number of pests and diseases. So, never grow them in a particular place for more than a few years. Avoid frost prone areas and soils that have previously grown potatoes, or tomatoes. These areas may have disease like verticillium wilt. Grow them in rows which are traditionally known as strawberry patch. Choose a site free from wind. This will prevent pollinating insects from reaching the flowers. The best alternative is to use containers or plant growing bags. This will better protect your strawberries and help them grow healthy.

Blueberries

These easy to look after fruits burst with nutrients and flavor. They have a very specific soil requirement. So, make sure to keep the compost moist, but not soggy wet. Watering them with rain water will be better than tap water. The pH level of the soil should be 5.5 or lower. You can add sulphur chips if you want to lower down the pH level. Try to prune rarely within the first two years. Then prune up in late February to early March. Remove a proportion of old wood every year after pruning. This will help the plant to grow healthy and faster. 

Blackberries

Blackberries are simple to grow plants that can clamber over arches and pergolas, or up a trellis or wall. You can grow thornless types of blackberry perfectly in containers. These soft fruit plants are more productive in sunny, sheltered sites. On an average, a single plant produces 4.5kg of fruits per season. This vigorous plant need regular pruning. Water them, especially young plants every 7-10 days during dry condition. Whereas, you need to water mature plants more to get better fruit size. It’s good to treat blackberry canes with a fertilizer or compost in February. July to October is the best time to harvest the fruits.

Blackcurrants  

They are a great source of vitamin C and come with a tart flavor. They are generally used for making pies, jams and even wine. These handy plants can also grow well in containers. They can tolerate several soil conditions. But, a well-drained, moisture-retentive condition can result in better growth. Blackcurrants can tolerate light shade, but normally prefer full sunlight. Water them sufficiently in dry condition. Treat them with a balanced fertilizer in late winter. Late autumn to late winter is the best time to prune the fruits. While pruning, remove the older wood and leave the young shoots. 

Redcurrants

Redcurrants are closely related to blackcurrants and grow well with low maintenance. These cool-climate plants are quite durable and don’t need a lot of sunshine. Too much of sun’s heat can affect their growth. Grow them in a well sheltered, out of strong wind, and frost-free site. In February, treat the plant with a balanced granular fertilizer. Prune up the fruits in winter by removing the old branches.

Gooseberries

Although these easy-to-grow plants prefer a sunny site, they can grow in many kinds of soil conditions. There are varieties of gooseberries bush and the fruit varies in color from greenish-yellow to red. The best time to plant bare-root gooseberries is between late autumn and early spring. Conserve the soil moisture by covering the root area with garden compost or bark chips. Gooseberry plant doesn’t need a lot of watering, but water them every 14 days under dry condition. Pick up the fruits from early July and carefully when they become soft. 

Raspberries

This popular summer fruit are loaded with antioxidants which boost your immune system. It helps your body fight against heart disease and cancer. These are one of the healthiest fruits around that are quite easy to grow. Little care and attention will result in plenty of fruit from midsummer until mid autumn. Raspberries prefer moisture-retentive, fertile, slightly acidic soils. Although they can tolerate part shade, plant them in a sheltered, sunny site. Treat the plants with potash. Make sure to prune them annually which will ensure healthy plant growth and better quality crop.   

   

In conclusion, soft fruits are always delicious to enjoy if you maintain them properly. Soil condition, suitable site, plant watering, and fertilizer treatment are the keys to have a beautiful soft fruit garden. I hope the above guide will help you to grow and enjoy soft fruits with ease.