Georgia Magazine - April 2022 - 33

Berry. " These new plants are perfect for any outdoor space; plus, they are
self-pollinating. "
Thornless blackberries, plump raspberries
Blackberries have come a long way from the days of picking from roadside
plants. Modern-day hybrid blackberries are thornless and produce
large, sweet fruit with smaller seeds. New thornless varieties from Southern
Living Plants include 'Navaho,' 'Osage' and Prime-Ark 'Freedom.'
" 'Navaho' and 'Osage' bear fruit on old wood, so the first year you
plant them they will not produce, " Murray says. " The second-year canes
will yield a nice crop. The upright-growing Prime-Ark 'Freedom' blackberry
flowers and fruits on first-year growth. These plants
tolerate clay soil and have really long, pinkie-fingersized
fruit. "
Bushel and Berry's 'Baby Cakes'-a dwarf,
thornless blackberry-can be grown in
containers. This compact variety produces
crops in spring and fall.
The company also produces a
'Raspberry Shortcake'
thornless variety of raspberry-'Raspberry
Shortcake'-that's suitable for smallspace
and container gardening. Unlike
bramble-type raspberries that grow long
canes, it produces on first-year growth.
Other raspberry cultivars typically
grown in Georgia include 'Heritage' and
'Redwing,' both producing fruit from late
Bushel and Berry's 'Midnight
Cascade' blueberry is easy to
grow in hanging baskets.
summer to the first frost. Bramble-type
raspberries such as these typically need
a support system for their longer canes.
Trellises help keep the canes spread out
to maximize sunlight and air circulation
and make the harvest easier.
Tips for success
When planting, pick a location that receives at least six hours of direct
sun. Having a water source nearby is also helpful, particularly in times of
extreme heat or drought. Ames recommends testing the soil in proposed
planting locations.
" Blueberries can grow well in clay, which naturally has a pH in the
4.5 to 5.5 range, as long as the soil drains well, " she says. " However, black'Tifblue'
blueberry
cultivars that are disease- and pestresistant
and tolerate heat well.
Plant breeders also have developed cultivars to
suit small-space gardens and containers. Bushel and
Berry, a wholesale nursery based in Pennsylvania,
has developed two compact varieties: 'BerryBux'
and 'Blueberry Buckle.' Both can be planted as low
hedges or in containers.
" With these more-compact plants, blueberries
have never been easier to grow, " says Kristen Pullen,
woody ornamental product manager for Bushel and
berries and raspberries prefer a pH of 5.5 to 6.5, which is more neutral.
" Doing soil tests will help you determine if your soil is suited for these
plants so that they can have optimal growing conditions for absorbing
nutrients. "
Soil tests through local Extension offices, extension.uga.edu, cost
less than $10 and can provide information about what nutrients your soil
needs in order to grow berries successfully and any amendments required
to adjust the pH. Fertilize in the spring when plants are flowering, using a
balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10.
" Harvesting fruit you've grown transcends generations, " Murray
says. " When you've put in the work and harvest it to share with family and
friends, it taps into the need for people to have a tangible-and tasty-
reward. "
Pamela A. Keene is a Master Gardener and freelance writer living in
Flowery Branch.
www.georgiamagazine.org 33
UGA EXTENSION
BUSHEL AND BERRY
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Georgia Magazine - April 2022

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