Tayberries

[Novice_emz]

Hi all,

I am totally new to growing my own...apart from growing strawberries in the summer this year. I loved watching the kids pick & eat them as soon as a new one appeared so I decided that I would give growing my own veggies a go.

I moved to a new house about 8 weeks ago and I havent began preparing my small garden for future growing yet but I spotted a tayberry bush on special offer and purchased it without doing any real research and now I think my garden might be utterly unsuitable....

I would like to grow atleast one fruit so that me & the girls can make our own jam...Problem is I think Ive made a complete boo boo with the Tayberry.
Before I dig it back up and give it away to someone with a bigger garden can anyone convince me that I should keep it.
Ideally what I would like to know is can it be trained to grow smaller...I dont want it to spoil my views and I dont want it to ruin anything else I plant in the spring.

Any advice is much appreciated

[yoanbob]

we inherited tayberrys with our plot, to be honest they are no where near as tasty as rasberrys, Id get rid.

[where2start]

I would like to say that i am a complete novice, but i have told myself that i will constantly be learning and to try things first before deciding.

I don't even know what a tayberry is! But i wonder if its worth just giving it a go, as you probably have nothing to loose.

Over here we have a wild low lying plant called the Teaberry, its a tiny white and pink berry which tastes like gin, so that would be like a juniper berry wouldn't it, does the tayberry taste anything like that, just out of interest?

[Capsid]

They will grow like a blackberry, so they need training on a wire frame, training them smaller would only give you a lot less fruit. You'd think that a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry would taste delicious, but no, they are quite sharp. They are only good for jams/tarts IMO. I'm still growing one all the same

[Novice_emz]

Hiya,

Thanks for such speedy responses...really grateful.

To where2start a Tayberry is a cross between a raspberry & a blackberry and is from what Ive read a good tasty fruit but apparantly grows huge and my garden isnt very big. To be honest Ive never tasted it before but I love both blackberries and raspberries so I guess they would be very nice for jams.
I love the sound of your teaberry plant what part of the world are you and I wonder if we get them here...Ive never heard of them.

And yoanbob thanks for your advice...Were your Tayberries massive...thats all Im really worried about with them is how big they grow although I would prefere a tasty plant for the kids to be able to pick while they are playing...so I will probally just go with raspberries...Am I right in thinking they are smaller growing?

[Novice_emz]

Hi Capsid...only just read your response...By the sounds of it Tayberries grow a little to big for my garden so I think I will be digging it up this afternoon...Atleast Ive learnt to research more thoroughly next time I want to plant something...

Thanks everyone for helping me decide

[bobleponge]

Weeeellll I actually quite like Tayberries. I have one that grows along a wire mesh fence. It does grow quite long, and is quite prolific (I have had to dig lots of new shoots out of the surrounding area) but I cut it back hard at the end of every growing season and it doesnt take up that much space really. Much bigger than blackberries and I find a very pleasant taste.

[Novice_emz]

Hi bobleponge,

I must admit I do really like the look of the fruit in pictures Ive seen and Im so tempted to keep it but my growing area of the garden is only about 18ft square so I'm thinking that this is really too small of an area to grow the fruit and have room for everything else I'm hoping to grow.

[bobleponge]

Not if you have any form of fencing. I'm currently away at work so cant show you a piccy but mine runs along a fence, thus taking up no actual ground growing space at all.
I would imagine if you left it to grow as a bush it would take over in no time as its quite fast growing, but I dont have probs with it.

[Novice_emz]

Hi bobleponge

I've tried attaching a pic of the garden...not sure if its worked or not but if you can see the old wall at the bottom of the garden is quite ugly and could do with something to hide it...do you think the Tayberry could grow over it?
That would be ideal for saving me space in the rest of my patch...Am I just wishful thinking now?

[bobleponge]

If you clear the ivy off, attach a few nails into it, and plant the tayberry right in the middle of the wall, you can then train it to grow along the run of the nails. Some form of frame would be even better, but it will grow on nails no probs.
It will grow as long as you allow it to, but I have each branch grow as long as I want it to, then bend it back on itself. I also cut the old stuff hard back every year. It does need to be well managed, watch out for new runners coming out of the soil where you plant it, but I find it very pleasant to eat, good in jams etc, and something a bit different as well.
Good luck.
P.S. I have just seen the sea and am terribly homesick now!!

[dipseydiva]

Must agree with bobleponge, do at least give the Tayberry a chance. They are tough plants, so if it does get a bit rampant bend it back on itself or cut back. I think the fruit is delicious and would not be without one.

[Novice_emz]

Thanks so so much everyone for your great advice and bobleponge I will definately plant my Tayberry in the middle of the wall and have a go at growing it to cover the wall...I hadnt thought of it untill you mentioned fencing...
Thanks again much appreciated

[burnie]

I've had one this year,have to say the fruit fresh off the bush isn't that exciting,I intend to try it for wine next year as it is quite prolific.I grow it on the same principle as early rasps,fruit off the new growth,cut the old stuff out after fruiting,keeps plant more manageable.

[Snadger]

I have two Tayberry plants growing over my chicken run............if the flaming chooks would only leave them alone!

I quite like the taste of them but much prefer raspberries which are my favourite soft fruit closely followed by whitecurrants!