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)
• 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 pH of 4.5 - 5.5.  Normal in Sacramento is about 7.  To adjust pH in your soil, use soil sulfur (available at garden stores) and incorporate into the soil before planting.
  • Plants from the Southern Highbush group are best suited to Sacramento’s hot summers and relatively warm winters.  Northern Highbush blueberries can also do well.  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.

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.
    • 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.
    • The UCIPM preferred method (better harvest and easier to do) is to remove the whole cane to the ground in winter.  New canes will start from the ground in early spring, and produce fruit in the late summer/fall.
    • If you leave half of the cane, you will get a crop from them in June and another harvest in fall from new canes.
• Plant bare root dormant cane berries.  Choose a sunny site with at least 6 hours of sun (afternoon shade for raspberries).
  • Soil pH of 6 to 7 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 plenty of mulch, such as wood chips.
• For more on raspberries, also refer to  http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Berries/Raspberries/

March

• Plant blueberries and cane berries purchased in pots.  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 plenty of mulch.
• Blueberries - Test soil pH, fertilize and mulch. Watch our video on amending soil pH 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.
• 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 a bowl or bucket when you gently “tickle” the cluster of berries.
  • Fruit on blueberries grown in afternoon shade will ripen about 1 month later. It will not affect the quantity of fruit.
• Begin harvesting boysenberries, summer-bearing raspberries and black raspberries.
• Harvest blueberries and cane berries about every 3 days to keep up with newly ripened berries.
• Prevent birds from eating your ripe berries.  We 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.
  • 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, summer-bearing raspberries and black raspberries.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical during blueberry and cane berry fruit development.

July

• If fall-bearing raspberries receive afternoon sun, provide shade cloth to prevent sunburn on the fruit and leaves.
• Blackberry and boysenberry fruit will also benefit from some 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.
• Check irrigation. Moist but not wet soil is critical during blueberry and cane berry fruit development.

August

• Once blackberries, boysenberries, summer-bearing raspberries and black raspberries have finished fruiting, cut all canes that bore fruit to the ground and tie up five to eight new canes. 
• 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.

September

• Continue harvesting fall-bearing (everbearing) raspberries, and provide shade as needed to prevent sunburn on fruit and leaves.
• 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.

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.