Riotte - Berries, rasp & black: storey country wisdom bulletin a-33

Louise Riotte

The brambles, raspberries and blackberries, are among the most popular of all bush fruits, ranking second for most families only to the strawberry. I have found them easy to grow and very rewarding, for they produce the most fruit with the least amount of effort. Blackberries will be considered separately, so lets start with the raspberries.

Raspberries bear a light crop the second year after planting but you can expect a full crop a year later, and annual crops thereafter for the life of the planting. And plantings that are well cared for may produce good crops for ten years or more.

Another big advantage Ive found with raspberries is the relative ease of controlling insects and diseases as compared with the sometimes difficult, expensive and messy job of applying several sprays each year to fruit trees. The berries often need no spraying, but if they do, it may be done with a hand sprayer or duster.

While generally raspberries thrive best in cooler regions, I have had no difficulty growing them in my area of southern Oklahoma, and have been particularly successful with the black ones, such as the Cumberland variety. The red variety, Latham, has done well for me, too, but may be expected to do much better farther north.

Raspberries come in a brilliant spectrum of colors red, black, purple and yellow and many varieties come early, midseason, late or as everbearers. Those bearing one large crop each year generally are referred to as July-bearers.

The so-called everbearers are becoming increasingly popular, since they bear two crops each year and extend the season. If you have the space, plant both types.

Red raspberries include Fallred (everbearer), Latham (late), Newburgh (midseason), September (everbearer), Southland (everbearer), Sunrise (early) and Taylor (late). Some excellent varieties for the North, originated at the New York Experiment Station at Geneva, are New Heritage, a vigorous grower of medium-sized, very firm berries, which may be picked about September 1st. The sturdy, erect canes require no support. Two other excellent new varieties, Hilton and Milton, will be available soon as virus-free stocks can be increased.

Some good, proven varieties of black raspberries are Allen (early), Blackhawk (late), Bristol (midseason), Cumberland (midseason), Dundee (midseason), New Logan (early) and Morrison (late). Two fine varieties originated at the New York Station are Huron, which has large and glossy black berries of good quality, and Jewel, a vigorous variety whose large, glossy black fruits are of very high quality. The plant is not susceptible to any serious disease and only slightly susceptible to mildew.

The purple raspberry is a cross between reds and blacks. Varieties include Amethyst (midseason), Clyde (late) and Purple Autumn (an everbearer). Sodus, also an old favorite among the purples, is hard to beat.

Yellow raspberries include Amber (very late), Fallgold (an everbearer) and Forever Amber (a yellow member of the black raspberry family). This last has medium-sized yellow-to-amber berries, which have a delicate black raspberry flavor and aroma.

Names of raspberry varieties seem almost endless when you look through nursery catalogs and it is difficult not to become confused. Each one, seemingly, has its own good qualities and differs from the others in size, quality, color or bearing season. It may be well for you to do a little detective work before you purchase. Check with your county agent, friends and neighbors, to find out what will grow best in your area and select types best adapted to your section of the country. One-year-old No. 1 grade plants are best for establishing new plantings. Make every effort to secure virus-free plants.

Never try to grow raspberries in soil that is too acid a pH of 6.0 is preferable and determine your conditions by sending a soil sample to your State Agricultural College or Experiment Station. If you do not know where to send your sample, call your county agent.

To take a soil sample, dig deeply in four or five places in your plot, mix the earth together in a clean box and then send about a pint of this mixture. There probably will be a small charge for the test.

If the report shows an acidity below pH 5.8 or 6.0 you will need to give your plot a good application of lime. A one hundred foot row should have about 40 pounds of agricultural lime scattered on the ground, preferably in the fall before setting out plants in the spring. The lime should be dug or tilled into the ground, and if this is done in the fall, follow up by seeding the ground with rye.

If youre planning a hedge or single row of raspberries, lime, till and seed to rye a strip six or eight feet wide. You will need about six quarts of rye seed, which should be raked or cultivated into the ground.

In selecting your raspberry plot, bear in mind that the planting will remain there for seven to 10 years, so put it to one side of your garden where it will not interfere with yearly cultivation. Try to choose a piece of ground that has goodly amount of humus in it. If the soil is lacking, work into it a very heavy application of farmyard manure before sowing the rye. Manure with a lot of straw in it is excellent. If manure or compost if not available, gather grass clippings, weeds, wild grass or old vegetable plants from the garden. Till these into the ground with 50 pounds of purchased dried sheep manure. Do not use dried weeds with mature seed heads (as the seeds may sprout), but young, green weeds will decompose quickly.

Old leaf mold from a nearby woods can be used, but be sure to add lime even if the soil test shows alkaline or neutral, for leaf mold is acid, and the lime will be needed to counteract the condition. Old, weathered hay which is no longer fit for animal consumption, also may be used, or alfalfa and peanut hay, which are particularly high in nitrogen.

In the spring, as soon as the soil can be worked, dig or plow in the rye. Do not use any fertilizer at this time. Then let the ground remain in the rough until you are ready to set out your raspberry plants. (This should be done about the time beans are planted in the garden in your section of the country.)

If you buy your plants from a reliable nurseryman you should order them in January or early February at the latest; let him decide when to send them to you. As soon as they arrive will be the right time to set them out in your locality. Unless you live in the far South or Southwest, spring is best to set out plants.

When the plants arrive, remove them from their packing at once (unless they are frozen in which case let them thaw slowly in a cold room), and soak them in a tub of water to which enough soil has been added to make the water muddy. Muddy water not only freshens up the plants, but the particles of mud stick to the fine, hairlike roots. This helps the plants get a good start when they are set out.