Backyard Berries Monthly Tips

January/February

Blueberries

• Prune.  For new plants during their first 2 years, prune spindly, dead, diseased or damaged branches.   Older plants (3 years or more) need more pruning. See pruning details in: Growing Blueberries in the Sacramento Region (PDF - EHN 88) and our video Pruning Mature Blueberry Plants (5:02 min.).
• Plant bare root or dormant potted plants when they are available at nurseries, usually late December through February. 
  • The most important thing about growing blueberries successfully is soil pH.  You should get a pH meter or testing kit and learn to use it.  See above for choosing a pH meter.
  • Blueberries REQUIRE a soil pH of 4.5 - 5.5.  Normal in Sacramento region is about 7.  To adjust pH in your soil, use soil sulfur (available at garden stores) and incorporate into the soil before planting. If you are planting in the ground, you should add soil sulfur at least six months in advance.  For container planting you can use an acidic soil mixture.  See the planting and spacing section  in Growing Blueberries in the Sacramento Region for a soil mix recipe.
  • Plants from the Southern Highbush group are best suited to Sacramento’s hot summers and relatively warm winters.  Some Northern Highbush blueberries can also do well.  Look for a chill hour requirement of less than 800. See the list of plants we grow at the Horticulture Center on the last page of our Growing Blueberries in the Sacramento Region (PDF) This is not a complete list of plants available at nurseries! 
  • Blueberries appreciate some afternoon shade, but will tolerate full sun.  Select a location with at least 6 hours of sun.
  • Plants are self-pollinating; meaning they will produce fruit with only one plant.  However, a second plant of another variety that blooms about the same time will result in considerably more fruit for both. 
  • Blueberries are shallow rooted about 3 to 4 feet wide.  Dig soil this wide and 1 to 2 feet deep.  They need well-drained, porous soil high in organic matter. With hardpan, consider raised beds or containers. If possible, add soil sulfur at least six months in advance to reduce soil pH before planting.

Cane Berries

• Prune.  See pruning details for all cane berries in: Growing Cane Berries in the Sacramento Region. (PDF)
  
  • For most cane berries, cut new canes back to 5 to 6 feet and shorten lateral branches to 12 to 18 inches or approximately 9 buds.
    • If you didn’t remove last year’s fruiting canes, cut those back to the ground—they will not produce fruit again and will make the plant difficult to control.
  • For fall bearing (everbearing) raspberries you have two choices--remove the entire cane to the ground or cut off the top half of the canes that fruited last year.
    • If you leave half of the cane, you will get a second crop the following June.
• Plant bare root dormant cane berries.  Choose a sunny site with at least 6 hours of sun (afternoon shade for raspberries).
  • Soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is ideal.  Most berries are shallow rooted, 3 to 4 feet wide and about 1 foot deep.  Add well-decomposed organic matter to the soil to help with drainage (or use raised beds or containers). 
  • Space blackberries and boysenberries about 4 feet apart, raspberries about 3 feet.  Irrigate and cover the soil around each plant with mulch, such as wood chips.
• For more on raspberries, also refer to  http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Berries/Raspberries/
• Feed container plants with fertilizer at one-half strength.

March

• Plant blueberries and cane berries purchased in pots or sleeves.  Refer to January/February above for details.
• Cane berries - fertilize and mulch.  Gently move existing mulch away from plant without digging into shallow roots.  Spread fertilizer, water it in and then cover with mulch.
• Blueberries - Test soil pH, fertilize and mulch. Watch our video Blueberries: Amending Your Soil's pH (4:10 min.) for better blueberries.
  • For established plants where the soil pH tests above 5.5, apply half of the required sulfur now and follow up in October with the other half needed. 
  • Find Soil Sulfur* at garden stores.  
  • Carefully move existing mulch away from the plant taking care not to damage shallow roots.  Sprinkle the sulfur and fertilizer on the soil under the plant, water it in and cover with mulch. Sulfur and fertilizer should be applied at the same time. Using an acidic fertilizer, such as those used on azaleas, hydrangeas and gardenias will help to keep the soil at the desired pH.
• Strawberries: apply high nitrogen fertilizer.
• Check irrigation and begin watering when rain stops.
  • Test, repair, and flush out the irrigation system, including sprinkler heads and drip emitters.
  • Verify that the irrigation timer is working and set for the amount of water needed.
  • Moist but not wet soil is critical during blueberry and cane berry fruit development.

April

• Cane berries and blueberries are blooming.  Some blueberries will begin bloom before Christmas.
  • Remove flowers from newly planted blueberries. This allows the plant to spend energy developing strong roots rather than fruit.  You can harvest in year two!
• Add a thick layer of mulch (such as wood chips) under your berry plants to protect shallow roots and keep soil moist.
• Manage pests.  Thrips are sometimes a problem on Blueberries.  Heavy infestations cause new foliage to curl or twist.  If you see this, shake a branch over a piece of white paper to see if tiny specs (insects) are present.  Thrips Pest Note, UC ANR Publication 7429.  

May

• Begin harvesting early season blueberries.
  • Like other berries, blueberries don’t all ripen at once so many pickings are needed.  This is one reason they are so expensive to buy. 
  • Wait one week after berries turn blue before picking for the sweetest taste.  Ripe blueberries will fall into your hand or a bucket when you gently “tickle” the cluster of berries.
  • Install shade cloth in advance of hot days over berries growing in full sun.
  • Fruit on blueberries grown in afternoon shade will ripen about 1 month later. It will not affect the quantity of fruit.
  • Feed container plants with half-strength acidic fertilizer.
• Begin harvesting boysenberries, summer-bearing raspberries and strawberries.
• Harvest blueberries and cane berries about every 3 days to keep up with newly ripened berries.
• To prevent birds from eating your ripe berries, ee use a structure made of PVC pipe covered with bird netting for blueberries.  Seal openings or birds will sneak through or under.  Drape netting over trellised cane berries.  Lift netting to harvest. Refer to our video Bird Netting Your Blueberries (2:35 min.).
  • For more information on bird pests, see Birds on Tree Fruits and Vines Pest Note, UCANR Publication 74152.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical during blueberry and cane berry fruit development.
• Tie cane berries to a trellis if not already done.

June

• Begin harvesting blackberries late this month.
• Continue harvesting blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries and strawberries.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical during blueberry and cane berry fruit development.

July

• If raspberries receive afternoon sun, provide shade cloth to prevent sunburn.
• Blackberry and boysenberry fruit will also benefit from shade cloth to keep the fruit from scorching.
• If blueberries send up long shoots without growth on the bottom, consider cutting them back by half to encourage branching out and more fruit for the following spring.
• Feed containers with half-strength fertilizer.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical during blueberry and cane berry fruit development.

August

• Once blackberries, boysenberries and summer-bearing raspberries have finished fruiting, cut all canes that bore fruit to the ground. 
• For blackberries and boysenberries, shorten new canes to 5 or 6 feet long.  This will make January pruning simpler.
  • If you plan to propagate new plants over the winter, don’t shorten the new canes.  See November for propagation tips.
• Begin harvesting fall-bearing (everbearing) raspberries.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical when blueberry and cane berry plants set buds that will produce fruit next year.
• Feed containers with half-strength fertilizer.

September

• Continue harvesting fall-bearing (everbearing) raspberries, and provide shade as needed to prevent sunburn on fruit and leaves.
• Feed containers with half-strength fertilizer.
• Strawberries: apply high-nitrogen fertilizer.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical when blueberry and cane berry plants set buds that will produce fruit next year.

October

• Fertilize* and mulch cane berry plants.  Gently move existing mulch away from plant without digging into shallow roots.  Spread fertilizer, water it in and then cover with plenty of mulch.
• Fertilize and mulch Blueberries; add sulfur if needed.
  • For established plants where the soil pH tested above 5.5 in spring no need to test again.  Apply second half of soil sulfur now. 
  • Find Soil Sulfur* at garden stores. 
  • Carefully move existing mulch away from the plant taking care not to damage shallow roots.  Sprinkle fertilizer and sulfur (if needed) on the soil under the plant, water it in and cover with mulch. Sulfur and fertilizer should be applied at the same time.
  • Feed containers with half-strength fertilizer.

November

• Propagate new blackberry plants.  Allow new canes to rest on the ground or a pot of soil to root over winter.  Transplant when roots have formed.

December

• Enjoy fall color from some blueberry plants.
• Clean up around berries.