Introduction to Growing Berries in your Garden!
A garden's artists for its summer theatre are not only the flowering perennials and annuals; the cast also includes a legion of colorful, yummy and juicy berries. Though strawberries, blueberries and raspberries seem to play the lead roles, others like boysenberries, blackberries, cranberries, currants, gooseberries and loganberries are also quite well known.

Genus and History of the Berry
The heart shaped strawberry, genus Fragaria, belongs to the family Rosaceae. It includes about 20 named species, cultivars and hybrids. It is a symbol for Venus, the Greek Goddess of Love and signifies perfection, peace and prosperity. In ancient times, the strawberry plant was not cultivated for its fruit. In North America, Red Indians cultivated the fruit and some tribes called it wuttahimneash, the 'heart seed berry'. But it was only in the 18th century when the North American native species Fragaria virginania, was crossed with a variety from Chile Fragaria chiloensis, that today's popular variety, Fragaria ananassa, was born. Strawberry cultivation is a one billion dollar business in the USA today.

The blueberry falls in the genus Vaccinium (meaning hyacinth) and belongs to the family Ericaceae. Cranberries, huckleberries, lingonberries too belong to this family. The blueberry is a native of North America and East Asia. It has only recently become widely cultivated.

The raspberry, belonging to the genus Rubus in the family Rosaceae, has nearly 250 species cultivated in the Northern Hemisphere. Raspberries evolved in the East. In the West, raspberry cultivation began in the17th century.

Berry Description and Popular Types of Berries
The sweet smelling strawberry plant is herbaceous and is low growing. It spreads with its runners and is easy to transplant and propagate. Its lush green compound leaves have three small, incised hairy leaflets. The white flowers of the plant resemble rosettes and its fruit is the fleshy receptacle (enlarged stem end) that holds the stamen, style and stigma of the flower. This becomes the swollen red fruit which botanically is not a true berry.

The blueberry is an attractive deciduous shrub that showcases its beauty all year round. In spring, it is colorful with its white or pink bell-shaped flowers while in summer, it fills out with luscious fruits and in fall, its foliage in hues of reds and yellows is an attractive sight to behold. The plant is quite tall, about 5 feet to 23 feet in height. The popular blueberry species are the high bush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), the rabbit's eye (Vaccinium ashei Reade), the low bush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), and the hill side blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum or.). The fruit which is light green in color initially turns a red-tinged purple and then a bluish purple when ripe.

Raspberry is also not a true berry. The plant is a shrub that has thorns on it. Its fruits can be called an aggregate of many drupelets. When picked, these drupelets detach from the core so that the fruit is a hollow one. The two commercially popular types are the summer-bearing wild type and the ever-bearing ones. The fruit is sweet, sharp and red or black in color.

Tips for Growing Berries
Strawberries: Strawberry runners are planted in the fall. Strawberries need well-draining soil that is mixed with organic manure, leaf compost and a good fertilizer. The site should be moist, so water it well before planting. Later the bed should be covered with perforated black polythene; this will help keep the bed moist, protect it from weeds and also keep the fruits safe from birds. The same plants can give a handsome yield of strawberries for a period of 1 to 4 years.

Blueberries: The period from late fall till late winter is a good time for planting blueberries. They grow well only in very cold climates. Their roots must always be kept moist. Soil must be well tilled and well-draining, and its pH level must be 4.8. Plant young ones in rows, and maintain a distance of 4 feet to 5 feet between each plant and 8 feet to 10 feet between rows. Before planting, top growth needs to be cut off. Blueberries require only a slow release fertilizer. Mulching is necessary, but avoid hardwood mulch. Full sun with very little shade will yield a good harvest. Do not prune for the first four years.

Raspberries: For raspberries, the soil must be moist with pH level around 5 and should be well tilled with animal manure, compost and a complete garden fertilizer. Enrich the soil with fertilizer twice a year. The plants need the support of a trellis to grow well. In winter, remove dead foliage, and prune the tips of young canes. The new canes that grow from the base of the plant will develop for another season of fruit. Raspberries need a lot of sun and water and protection from harsh winds.

Other berries like boysenberries, currants, gooseberries and loganberries can also be easily cultivated. They too thrive in a cool climate.

Domestically grown berries like the strawberry and other berries are full of nutrients and highly nourishing for the body. 'Think summer; think berries' is the refrain heard from doctors and nutritionists in their campaigns to promote a healthy lifestyle.

If you like Berries....These pages might also interest you:

Allium Directory, Amaryllis Directory, Begonia Directory, Crocus Directory, Daffodils Directory, Dahlia Directory, Hyacinth Directory, Iris Directory, Lily Directory, Tulip Directory