Berry Fruits in the Home Garden

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 1, 15 July 1953, Page 53

Berry Fruits in the Home Garden

By

W. G. CRAWFORD,

, Horticultural

Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Oamaru

IN New Zealand at present there is a resurgence of interest in the growing of berry fruits. These small fruits are so useful in the home that every gardener should grow at least some of those most required by the household. The complete study of all small fruits is a long and comprehensive work, so in this article the culture of only a few is briefly discussed. A PRIMARY consideration in small fruit growing is the site, and this is particularly important to the commercial grower. Small fruits do not grow well under shaded conditions. Young growth does not ripen properly before winter frosts, and fruit is low in colour and late in maturing because of the cold soil conditions. If possible, a sunny, well-sheltered site should be chosen. Soils The condition of the soil is probably the most important single factor to be considered when a berry fruit garden is being planned. Soil texture is very important for all semi-permanent and permanent crops and especially for berry bushes and plants producing heavy crops. A soil with a good texture is one capable of retaining moisture and thus making available to the plant the nutrients necessary for good healthy growth over a long period. Soils of good texture do not dry out too early during the warm fruiting season or leach too freely as do sandy types; neither do they become waterlogged for a long period, and they can be worked under all but extreme conditions. Good drainage is important, for without it air cannot penetrate and the roots cannot remain healthy. For the types of crops described in this article soil and drainage faults must be corrected at the start, as little can be done once the crop has been set out. Preparation of the Soil If the soil is heavy or sticky, it should be dug well to a depth of two spades, but at the same time care should be taken to see that not too much of the subsoil is brought to the surface. If compost is available, or better still if haystack bottom or stable manure can be obtained, 4 or 5 bushels to every 6 sq. yds. of land should be incorporated and worked in to a depth of 12in. On sandy soils the same quantity of compost should be added, but incorporated to a depth of only 3 to 6in. Selecting Varieties Many . gardeners choose varieties from nurserymen’s catalogues or from

books, but they may not be suitable for a district other than the one in which the nurseryman is established. Some varieties may not adapt themselves to the climate of the new district or may make undesirable growth during late winter or early spring when, unless the plants are well sheltered, the foliage may be severely damaged or bruised. It is wise to make local inquiries before deciding on which varieties to buy. Berry fruits which show a quick return and require little extra trouble and skill beyond the ordinary cultivation are the most sought after, but others such as the loganberry and the boysenberry will well repay the extra time and trouble needed. Early Planting Necessary All kinds and varieties of berry fruits with the exception of strawberries should be planted as early as possible during the dormant season before frosts and heavy rains set in. Strawberries may be planted any time from February onward until early spring. In districts where hard frosts are common, however, it is sometimes better to wait until spring unless the plants can be well established before winter frosts cause “lifting” of the soil. In most coastal districts February and March are the best months for planting. When berry fruits are being planted out the holes should be dug sufficiently large for the roots to be spread evenly around them. A little soil should be sprinkled over the bottom roots and

pressed, firmly. This process should be repeated until the final 3in. of soil, which should not be pressed, has been filled in. The final filling in should leave the soil around the plants a little higher than the surrounding garden soil. This does not apply to strawberry plants, however, which are best planted with a trowel and firmed with the hands. When planting out has been completed the crowns should be just above the ground and the plants should be slightly deeper than they were in the nursery (this can be determined by the soil marks on the plants). Deep planting often results in the rotting of the crowns of strawberries, and shallow planting may cause the plants to die because the roots dry out. Types of Berry Fruits Loganberries and Boysenberries Loganberries and boysenberries are best grown on a trellis 4 to sft. high. The new growth is allowed to run along the ground each season. No pruning is done until the crop is picked, when all the old wood that has borne fruit is cut to ground level and cleared from the trellis. The new wood which has grown during spring and summer should then be trained on the trellis. In some gardens this new growth is left on the ground until early spring and tied up just before the new growth begins. Youngberries Youngberries can be treated in the same way as loganberries, but in districts of high rainfall or where ample

supplies of water are available the following method may be preferred. The first season all the vine growth should be left on the ground and the longest runners kept back in line with the row. The vines should be left on the ground until spring, and when the leaf buds are just beginning to start movement they should be tied on to the trellis. Provided the vines have been well cared for during the previous summer and a plentiful supply of water and manure has been available, growth should be very heavy at this time, and the long canes are best headed back a few feet. Small surplus canes should be cut out altogether. Only sufficient wood to cover the trellis without overcrowding should be kept. About 2 weeks before the berries start to ripen the rows should be inspected and any surplus growth that may be in the way cut out. After the crop has been harvested the whole vine should be cut off lin. above the ground with a sharp hoe or sickle and the ground should be well ■cultivated, manured, and thoroughly watered. The vine will then make sufficient growth for the following season, when it should be handled in exactly the same way. If this system is to be adopted, the old vine must be cut out immediately the crop has been picked and the plant must be given a continuous supply of water throughout the remainder of summer and autumn. Raspberries Planting of raspberries is usually ■carried out during winter or early spring before the buds start to burst. Raspberries are best cut back from ■6 to 12in. from the ground when they are set out. When the suckers or next year’s fruiting canes attain the same

height as the original plantings the old canes should be cut out at ground level and burnt. . This early cutting back helps to eliminate diseases carried on the old canes and prohibits the canes from fruiting for the first year, thus helping to build up the plants. In the next spring further suckers will be noticed growing up through the bush. These should be cared for and not broken or damaged as they provide next year’s fruiting crop. The bushes should be inspected three or four times during the season and any suckers coming up between the plants and between the rows should be hoed but. Immediately the crop is picked all the old fruiting canes should be cut off at ground level. This early cutting out allows better penetration of sunshine and circulation of air round the advanced suckers and helps considerably in ripening the wood to withstand the winter frosts. The number of advanced suckers or new season’s canes which should be left depends primarily on the vigour of the canes. If the canes are strong and vigorous in growth, 12 to 16 are considered sufficient, but if they are less vigorous, 6 to 10 are enough. All prunings are best burnt as soon as possible after removal from the garden as a precaution against disease. Gooseberries Provided the soil is in a suitable condition, late autumn or early winter is the best time for setting out gooseberry bushes in most districts. Spring planting is advisable in districts where severe frosts are likely. When the bushes are being planted out leaders should be shortened back severely. Gooseberry bushes are . often incorrectly pruned, and during the season look more like porcupines than gooseberry bushes.

When pruning a gooseberry bush the pruner should try to visualise a bush in full leaf carrying a crop of fruit. Gooseberries, fruit on the previous season’s growth and on wood up to 9 or 10 years old, but the choicest fruit is always from growth 1 to 3 years old. The aim of the pruner should therefore be to have, a cycle of the renewal of wood every 3 years. If a branch is not required, it should. be taken off close to the main framework of the bush. Clipping the ends of branches should be discouraged, as it only increases undesirable and excess growth. Unwanted new growth should also be taken out. The harder a. bush is cut the more it grows; therefore weak and old bushes can often be improved by hard cutting. Strawberries Immediately after strawberries have been harvested many growers like to clean up the area by burning off or collecting and burning all the old leaves. The best method is to place a layer of dry straw over the bushes and light it. Care must be taken, however, to see that a suitable breeze is blowing so that the fire will be carried quickly through the strawberry area; otherwise the crowns of the plants may be damaged. Burning helps considerably in preventing diseases from carrying over from one season to another. Moisture Requirements There are some kinds of berry fruits which will grow and produce fruits with very little moisture in the soil, but if crops of fine fruits are to be obtained, ample soil moisture or a suitable rainfall is very important. No set of . rules can be laid down which will apply in all cases because of the : vast differences in the water-holding capacities of the soils and the climatic conditions of the various districts.

Sandy soils need water more often than do heavier soils. To ensure good bushes and crops the grower should see that berry fruits have sufficient moisture to keep them growing well throughout the entire summer. It is also most important to water them well again at the end of the fruiting season and immediately after pruning and burning. The amount given and the application of water around bushes are important. If the plants are 4ft. high, the roots will probably be 6 to Bft. long, so if the water is applied to the area around the base of the plant, most of the roots are still dry. An area several feet on each side of the plants should receive a thorough, soaking. Cultivation Crops growing in open ground must be kept free of weeds if best results are to be obtained from the soil. If the season is wet, more cultivation will be necessary than during a dry season favourable for weed destruction. Generally, however, three main cultivations are necessary. The first is carried out as soon as the crop has been picked and the bushes have been pruned, the second in early spring, and the third some time just before the flowers set or the area is mulched down. Other cultivation may be necessary also to keep weeds in check. The method of cultivation is most important. All berry plants produce fairly large numbers of surface roots, so it is essential that only shallow cultivation be carried out; otherwise roots may be damaged. Fertilising the Crop On all soils it is wise to fertilise berry fruits. Cow manure and haystack bottoms spread to a depth of 3 to 4in. over the surface of the soil and lightly hoed in during late autumn or immediately after the final clean up are excellent. For heavy soils stable manure supplemented with artificial fertiliser has given good results and usually increases the size of the fruit considerably. Fowl manure and litter at the rate of 21b. to the square yard is also a good manure when applied just before winter. If organic manures cannot be obtained, a general mixture of 4 parts of phosphate, 2 parts of sulphate of potash, 2 parts of blood and bone, and 1 part of sulphate of ammonia applied at the rate of 3oz. to the square yard will help to maintain soil fertility and the production of good crops. These fertilisers are best applied in two dressings —a third in autumn and the other two-thirds in spring before growth starts —and should be lightly hoed in and watered. Mulching The benefit mulching has on improving a berry fruit crop cannot be overemphasised, particularly on sandy soils. It helps to prevent the soil from cracking and packing, checks weed growth, helps to conserve moisture, and promotes a cool root run, which aids good fruiting during the hot days of summer. A mulch around strawberry plants prevents fruit from being splashed with mud and reduces the amount of fruit damaged by contact with the soil. Clean straw is generally preferred to hay because of the seeds and weeds which hay often carries.

Diseases and Pests Many crops of berry fruits are reduced considerably each year by diseases and pests, and the work of growing the bush should not be wasted through the risk of plant injury from diseases and pests. Diseases affecting raspberries, strawberries, and gooseberries are dealt with in Department of Agriculture Bulletins Nos. 258, 321, and 297 respectively, all available free from offices of the Department, and no mention of these three crops will be made here. Only the principal pests likely to trouble growers are mentioned. Leaf Roller Caterpillar (Tortrix spp.) The leaf roller caterpillar is light green and protects itself from its natural enemies by ■ sheltering between two leaves or by rolling a leaf around itself. It moves quickly when disturbed and will sometimes drop to the ground. Control consists of spraying the foliage with a solution of l-Jlb. of arsenate of lead, 31b. of hydrated lime, and 100 gallons of water. A small quantity can be made with loz. of arsenate of lead, 2oz. of hydrated lime, and 4 gallons of water. Raspberry Bud Moth (Carposina adreptella) The larvae of the raspberry bud moth do considerable damage not only to raspberry plantations but to other bramble fruits. The moth lays its eggs in crevices of the leaves and in buds on the bushes during summer and autumn. The eggs hatch in from 7 to 20 days, depending on weather conditions. The larvae tunnel into the young, dormant buds to enter the cane, causing considerable damage and reduction of crop the following year.

The raspberry bud moth can be controlled by spraying the plants with a solution of 21b. of arsenate of lead, 41b. of hydrated lime, and 100 gallons of water. A small quantity can be made by mixing l|oz. of arsenate 'of lead, 2joz. of hydrated lime, and 4 gallons of water. Red Spider (Tetranychus sp.) When plants are affected with red spider the leaves take on a red, rusty appearance, and during hot, dry seasons the pest can do enormous damage if left unchecked. Red spider can be controlled by spraying the under sides of the leaves thoroughly with a solution of 1 part of summer oil to 100 parts of water. Eggs usually take 10 to 14 days to hatch, so a further spraying is necessary. A small quantity can be made by mixing 64- fl. oz. of summer oil with 4 gallons of water. White Rose Scale (Aulacaspis rosae) and Lecanium Scale (Eulecanium corni) White rose scale and lecanium scale suck the sap from the plants and thus weaken them considerably. They can be controlled by spraying the plants in the dormant season with 5 per cent, winter oil in the ratio of 1 part of winter oil to 17 parts of water or with 1 part of lime sulphur to 15 parts of water. Four gallons of oil spray can be made by mixing 1 pint 18 fl. oz. of oil with 4 gallons of water. If hard water is used, the addition of soap powder will assist in emulsifying the mixture. Four gallons of lime sulphur can be made by mixing 2 pints 4 fl. oz. of lime sulphur with 4 gallons of water.