Q: I love fresh berries and would like to grow them at home, but I just have a small back yard. What can I do? — Kay Seaton, San Luis Obispo
A: While you’re not likely to have a crop that will keep Smuckers supplied, it is possible to grow enough blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries to delight your family even in a small yard.
Blueberries are popular in home gardens because they can be grown in a very small space. In our area these berries do better in containers or raised beds because they prefer acidic soil as opposed to our typical alkaline soil. Amending the soil in a smaller space before planting makes it possible to provide the needed conditions for a successful plant. Blueberries are self-pollinating, but do better if planted with another variety.
Blackberries are the most heat-tolerant of the berries, though some believe that their flavor is better when raised in cooler, coastal climates. They come in both erect and trailing forms and can be planted in raised beds or even large containers. They don’t require pruning the first year, but thereafter should be pruned correctly and vigorously every year.
Raspberries are best adapted to cool coastal climates. They come in many colors and can be either summer or fall bearing depending on the way they are treated and pruned. Their depth of planting is very important; if the primary roots are planted more than two inches deep they may not have enough energy to push shoots up through the ground.
Strawberries are an important and successful crop in California agriculture, and most gardeners have tried growing them in home gardens with varying levels of success. A bountiful crop of home-grown strawberries requires that the gardener study the various types of cultivars and their appropriate care. They spread by forming runners, and it is important to remove these runners until the plant has become well established.
All these berries have several things in common. All must be in a sunny, weed-free environment with moist — not soggy — well-drained soil. Mulching is imperative. All have shallow root systems and should not be cultivated too deeply. All are fairly easy to propagate, though it is best to purchase healthy certified plants from a nursery to avoid introducing disease to the garden. In all cases, poorly cared for and stressed plants will be more susceptible to pests.
Recommendations for pruning and feeding berries vary, as do the specific varieties appropriate for different microclimates in our county. Take advantage of the various available websites. You’ll find http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/Berries/ especially helpful and, as always, the Master Gardeners are happy to answer your questions.
SanLuisObispo.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. See our full terms of service here.
Here are some rules of the road:
You should also know that The Tribune does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "report abuse" button to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at webmaster@thetribunenews.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.
If you submit a comment, the username of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them, but you may ask our staff to retract one of your comments by sending an email to webmaster@thetribunenews.com. Again, make sure you note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us your profile name.
Be the first to know what's going on in San Luis Obispo County. Just tell us how you want to find out — we'll take care of the rest.
Sign up for breaking news alerts from SanLuisObispo.com and get the latest news sent to your cell phone via text message.
By signing up for alerts from this site, you are signing up for a program that may include up to 5 SMS text alert(s) per alert category per day. There is no service fee charged per month but your carrier's standard text messaging and other charges may apply. You may stop this subscription service at any time by sending the text message "STOP" to 72737. You must be at least thirteen (13) years of age to use our alert services. If you are between 13 and 17 years old, you agree that you have received parental permission both to complete the registration process and to receive SMS content on your cell phone. For help, send the text message "HELP" to 72737. This service will work with ATT, Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, Alltell, US Cellular, Cincinnati Bell, Boost, Virgin Mobile USA, Celluar South, Telos, Centennial, East Kentucky Network, Cellcom, Immix and Rural Celluar.
E-mail »
Twitter »
Facebook »
iTribune »
Subscribe »
RSS »
About comments
Reader comments on SanLuisObispo.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Tribune. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.