Berry Bushes

[new gardener 1052]

Evening all. I'm back again for some more advice hope you good people can keep my right,
as said in a earlier post I've already planted 3 fruit trees into my garden. but now thinking of planting some berries ( blueberry blackberrys & some raspberries) as my boys love eating them. we don't have a massive garden so was thinking of planting a couple of each bushes(in tubs) what kind of each should i be looking for? I'm not wanting something that is going to take a lot of looking after but easy to grow and crops well.

thanks in advance ng.

[WendyC]

Of the three you mention only blueberries grow as a bush. Blackberries and raspberries grow on canes. Blackberries are strong growers and would be difficult to keep watered in a pot. They also need the support of a fence or wires stretched between posts. Raspberries can need support too especially the taller Summer fruiters, Autumn varieties tend to be a bit shorter and so might be better in a pot but again will need a fair amount of water. Blueberries need an acid soil which is why I think most people (around here anyway) grow them in pots. They crop better if you have more than one plant to cross pollinate.

[new gardener 1052]

Of the three you mention only blueberries grow as a bush. Blackberries and raspberries grow on canes. Blackberries are strong growers and would be difficult to keep watered in a pot. They also need the support of a fence or wires stretched between posts. Raspberries can need support too especially the taller Summer fruiters, Autumn varieties tend to be a bit shorter and so might be better in a pot but again will need a fair amount of water. Blueberries need an acid soil which is why I think most people (around here anyway) grow them in pots. They crop better if you have more than one plant to cross pollinate.

thankyou Wendy....just goes to show i don't know much about growing fruit. think i will go out at the weekend and buy some raspberries. & see how they go.

[Kirk]

Buy Autumn fruiting raspberries.
They are a lot easier to manage (prune), it is basically grow, fruit, chop, think Polka and Joan J are the varities to look for these days.
Not sure how good they will be in a tub, a bed is better. They do spread - send out runners under the ground, so can be a bit invasive.

Blueberries will usually need to go into a tub, they require acidic soil mix and rain water - tap water means a sickly blueberry and eventually a dead blueberry. When a blueberry is concerned this is not optional. Get a big tub.

Blackberries, I have Waldo and Loch Ness, there are newer varieties, both these are thornless and the fruit is good. They get big/long canes, sometimes very long canes 10-15ft easy.

[Scarlet]

thankyou Wendy....just goes to show i don't know much about growing fruit. think i will go out at the weekend and buy some raspberries. & see how they go.

You won't go wrong with raspberries. They are one of the easiest crops to grow and give a fantastic crop that gets better every year.

[BUFFS]

I grow some of my autumn raspberries in b & q buckets and some blackcurrants, which do surprisingly well, some blueberries, which given where we are we don't have to worry about watering, and all the fruits from peaches to apples and strawberries are looking like they are going to give us a bumper crop....

[pandasyard]

Buy Autumn fruiting raspberries.
They are a lot easier to manage (prune), it is basically grow, fruit, chop, think Polka and Joan J are the varities to look for these days.
Not sure how good they will be in a tub, a bed is better. They do spread - send out runners under the ground, so can be a bit invasive.

Blueberries will usually need to go into a tub, they require acidic soil mix and rain water - tap water means a sickly blueberry and eventually a dead blueberry. When a blueberry is concerned this is not optional. Get a big tub.

Blackberries, I have Waldo and Loch Ness, there are newer varieties, both these are thornless and the fruit is good. They get big/long canes, sometimes very long canes 10-15ft easy.

I have seen the "Loch Ness" one on eBay, do you recommend it? I wanted one that was thornless so my kids could pick them without any worries.

[BUFFS]

as for the autumn raspberries,i put about 4-5 days newspapers in the bottom of a large tub/ half dustbin before putting the soil in and it acts as a very effective moisture reserve and you will not taste better berries than your own so get going...

[Martin H]

I have seen the "Loch Ness" one on eBay, do you recommend it? I wanted one that was thornless so my kids could pick them without any worries.

I've got "Joan J", also thornless, strong grower, large berries and excellent flavour. Haven't tried "Loch Ness" so can't do a straight comparison.

[pandasyard]

I'll keep an eye out for that one too then Martin, do you have more than one of them? Also are they in the ground or potted?

[BUFFS]

I have joan j and polka late raspberries and they are loaded with fruit, even more than usual, seem to love all the rain we get, certainly taste lovely, on top of OH's own blackcurrant ice cream, I know, its a hard life, but someone has to do it...

[Stan79]

Evening all. I'm back again for some more advice hope you good people can keep my right,
as said in a earlier post I've already planted 3 fruit trees into my garden. but now thinking of planting some berries ( blueberry blackberrys & some raspberries) as my boys love eating them. we don't have a massive garden so was thinking of planting a couple of each bushes(in tubs) what kind of each should i be looking for? I'm not wanting something that is going to take a lot of looking after but easy to grow and crops well.

thanks in advance ng.

Hi there,

Whereabouts are you? I might have some raspberries already in pots that you can have if you're close by...

[Kirk]

Found both Waldo and Loch Ness to be very nice blackberries.
Cannot remember which was which exactly - one formed stout 12 ft canes, the other formed thinner 18ft canes. You need a fence to tie them into. If the tip makes it to the ground they form a new plant, can get a bit out of control as you may end up with new ones all over the place.
Both fruited well, not a "bramble" flavour, very nice however. Nice large fruit.

Loch Ness seems to be the "shorter" caned ones, at least from the descriptions.