Your Guide to Growing Juicy Berries and More

Small fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and grapes offer a bountiful harvest without taking up too much space. These soft, juicy fruits are easy to grow, prune, and harvest, often producing a crop within the first couple of years. Plus, many small fruit plants double as attractive landscape features, adding beauty to your garden year-round.

1. Choosing the Right Location & Soil Preparation

  • Sunny and Open: Select a location with plenty of sunlight and good airflow to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
  • Soil Enrichment: Small fruits thrive in deep, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. If you’re planting blueberries, currants, or gooseberries, partial shade is acceptable.
  • Ornamental Appeal: Many small fruits, like compact blueberries with stunning fall color or everbearing strawberries cascading over walls, make beautiful additions to your garden.

2. Planting Tips

  • Best Time to Plant: Late winter or early spring is ideal. Plant bare-root plants in prepared beds or large containers by digging a hole slightly deeper and wider than the root ball. Water thoroughly after planting.
  • Use Raised Beds: Raised beds are especially beneficial for small fruits, as they improve drainage and keep soil warmer early in the season. Choose untreated wood, bricks, or blocks to prevent chemical leaching.

Container Gardening: Small fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries can thrive in large containers (half wine barrel size or larger). This is ideal for small spaces or patios.

3. Essential Care & Feeding

  • Watering: Keep soil consistently moist, especially in hot weather, but avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.
  • Annual Mulching: Apply a layer of well-rotted manure each year to encourage healthy growth. Pair with high-phosphorus and high-potash fertilizer to boost fruit size and yield.
  • Pruning: Yearly pruning is crucial to maintain plant health and increase yields. Refer to our in-store ‘Pruning 102’ guide for specific techniques by fruit type.

4. Small Fruit Varieties & Their Unique Needs

  • Blueberries: Ornamental with stunning foliage and clusters of berries. Plant multiple varieties for a longer harvest season. Blueberries prefer slightly acidic soil and are hardy in Zones 5-6.
  • Cranberries: Choose low-growing, evergreen varieties for traditional cranberries or taller highbush varieties for wine and preserves. Hardy to Zone 3.
  • Currants: Produce best on last year’s stems. Prune to allow air circulation and stimulate new growth. Hardy to Zones 5-6.
  • Elderberries: Produce clusters of antioxidant-rich berries. Plant two varieties for better pollination. They grow well in moist soil and are hardy in Zones 5-6.
  • Goji Berry: Known as a ‘superberry’ with high antioxidants. Self-fertile and grows well in rich, well-drained soil. Hardy to Zone 5.
  • Grapes: Need plenty of sun and support structures like trellises. Prune for air circulation and space. Hardy in Zones 5-6.
  • Haskaps: Early-ripening, blueberry-like berries with high yields. Plant two varieties for pollination. Hardy to Zone 3.
  • Raspberries: Everbearing varieties produce from mid-summer through fall. Ensure good air circulation and support with wires. Hardy in Zones 5-6.
  • Strawberries: Everbearing types produce from June to fall, while June-bearing types offer one larger crop in June. Plant in sandy, well-drained soil and full sun.

5. Small Fruits as Landscape Elements

Many small fruits serve a dual purpose, providing both food and beauty:

  • Blueberries: Work well as hedges with beautiful foliage.
  • Cranberries: Make a lush groundcover.
  • Grapes: Can be trained on pergolas for natural shade.
  • Strawberries: Perfect for cascading over walls or in container gardens.

Growing small fruits is rewarding, adding color, fragrance, and delicious harvests to your garden. Let us know if you need additional guidance on specific varieties, and don’t miss our pruning guide for best practices!