Fresh berries are quite expensive to buy because there’s only a short period between harvest and decline. Luckily you can easily grow your own fruit.
When we talk about berries, we usually imagine small and pulpy fruits. The scientific usage is a little bit different.
Berry is a fruit produced from the ovary of a single flower in which the outer layer of the ovary wall develops into edible fruit.
According to this description, even grapes and bananas fall into the same group. Some berries like blueberries, currants, and cranberries can be planted all year round. Raspberries and blackberries, for example, can be planted in winter or spring.
Read on and choose your favorite fruits to plant.
1. Blueberries
Healthy blueberries are the perfect fruit for a small garden, but they also grow well in containers. These shrubs offer a long season. Besides delicious berries, you can also make tea from their foliage. To protect them against spotted-wing drosophila, you can use row covers after fruit sets.
2. Mulberries
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Mulberry trees are great because they only require minimal care. They are drought tolerant and do well even without additional fertilization. Keep in mind that birds also love these berries. The downside of the plant is the habit of becoming invasive. 3.
3. Raspberries
Raspberries can be planted in containers or clumps throughout your garden. Some sorts bear fruits two times per season. The plant is completely undemanding, very easy to maintain. Raspberries spread very quickly, so maybe you should consider container planting.
4. Gooseberries
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Plant gooseberries between late autumn and early spring or any part of the year when you plan container growing. It is better if you choose two- to three-year-old bushes. It is advisable to prune the plant in winter to thin out the excess branches.
5. Strawberries
Delicious strawberries are a pleasure to grow. You can plant them early in spring in soil that is high in organic matter. Make sure to remove weeds regularly because they don’t like competition. The plants will produce less fruit as they will age, so it is better to replace them every few years.
6. Cranberries
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Cranberries are one of the healthiest sources for getting your vitamin C. They can be planted in the fall or the spring but choose one-year-old plants. Make sure for your cranberries to be watered well during the first year. There is not a lot of pruning required for this healthy plant.
7. Blackberries
These delicious fruits will grow almost anywhere and don’t need much attention. There are two types of blackberries. First grows vertically, and the other, trailing variety horizontally. Similar then raspberries, blackberries are also very invasive. They can spread out throughout the whole garden so consider container growing.
8. Honeyberries
Honeyberries look and taste almost like blueberries, and they are also packed with a lot of antioxidants. The plant is extremely hardy. They don’t need any special attention. Grow them in pairs to increase pollination. Honeyberries also do well in containers.
9. Goji Berries
Goji berries are often called ‘superfood.’ They are rich in nutrients, and they have a sweet liquorice flavor. The shrubs are incredibly tough and grow in almost any sunny position, but they thrive best in full sun. It’s best to let them stay on the vines for several weeks before harvesting.
10. Currants
There are three types called Redcurrants, blackcurrants, and whitecurrants. Especially redcurrants are great for container growth. It is recommended to prune currents after the summer harvest. The fruits are not very sweet, but they are perfect for dessert, syrup, or jam-making.
