It’s Berry Time!
By Don Rosenberg, author of ‘No Green Thumb Required!
Organic Family Gardening Made Easy’

Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are among the easiest crops to grow in your edible landscape. They are delicious, super-healthy, have few pest or disease problems, and if you live in the middle of the country, now is the time to get them planted!

Raspberries and blackberries are native plants over most of the country – all you have to do is buy a plant, dig a wide, saucer-shaped hole, add some organic fertilizer and drop it in. Keep it well-watered and mulched while it’s getting established and you’re on your way to fresh berries next year. Choose a spot in your yard with good sun – six hours or more is best. These berries grow into canes 6-8 feet tall. You’ll need to cut them back according to variety and find a way to support the vines – details are easy to look up on the Internet.

Blueberries are a bit more work, but the keys are ACID and DRAINAGE. They like acidic soil, so you dig out your existing soil and mix it with an equal part acidic additive like peat moss or ground pine bark (also known as “soil conditioner). Use an acid organic fertilizer like Holly-Tone (readily available) and an acidic mulch like pine needles or nuggets. Blueberries will grow eight feet tall and five feet wide, so leave some room for them to spread out. They like full sun, too.

Figs aren’t berries, but they’re also easy to grown and very popular. Digging a shallow hole and ensuring good drainage are keys to success. Figs are a bit tender, so if you can plant them close to a structure, like a shed or garage, they’ll do a lot better away from the wind.

Other notes: If you haven’t started your fall/winter garden here’s a trick. You still have time to plant your seeds, but if you’re impatient, add some veggie transplants from your local hardware store or garden center in the same spot. You’ll have a harvest very soon and a continuing harvest as your seeds sprout. I was at a big box store and saw broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, collards, kale and even spinach. It’s a lot more expensive than seeds, but it buys you back 3-4 weeks of growing time.

David Blackley, owner of Renfrow Hardware in Matthews, NC, says gardeners are finally realizing that veggie gardens are year round performers in this area. “Gardening is not just for spring and summer any more. Think of your fall and winter garden as a living pantry. Harvest what you want as you need it.”

Finally, everyone is concerned about frost and freeze damage to cool season crops, but these are crops that do well during cold weather. The biggest risk is only when there are wide swings of temperature in the winter. A 70° January day followed by a 25° night may damage some of your more tender crops. On those days, think of protecting your crops from the wind, not the cold. Straw or a loose covering of “floating row cover” is much better than clear plastic. Even an old bed sheet can help. I’m going to be experimenting with a new product called “Freeze Pruf.” I’ll let you know how it does.

So get out there and get moving on your edible back yards. There’s plenty of time… but no dawdling!