Released April 18, 2008
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Home gardeners can help their raspberries and blackberries stay healthy and bear more fruit with a few simple chores during the fruiting season.
Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University Extension berry crops specialist recommends that backyard caneberry growers perform a number of tasks during the growing season.
First, she says, fertilize caneberries in the spring, if you haven't done so yet. Fall-fruiting (ever-bearing) raspberries also need another shot of fertilizer at bloom.
Remove unwanted new canes or suckers that grow up between the rows. "The earlier you remove unwanted canes, the better," said Strik. "Why wait until fall? If you remove them now you will save water and nutrients for the canes that you want."
Irrigate caneberries frequently throughout the fruiting season to ensure good fruit size.
"Raspberries and blackberries need an inch to an inch and a half of water weekly," said Strik. "If it doesn't rain that much, you need to provide water."
Among other recommendations:
- Pick fruit off when fully ripe to ensure good quality. Over-ripe fruit on the canes promotes fruit rot.
- Control weeds – they rob the fruiting canes of water and nutrients.
- Be on the lookout for insect pests, especially aphids and leaf rollers. Control if necessary.
- Prune and train most blackberries in either August or February. Prune raspberries in the winter.
For more information about growing caneberries, the OSU Extension Service offers two newly revised publications: EC 1303, "Growing Blackberries," http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1303.pdf and EC 1306, "Growing Raspberries," http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1306.pdf.
Or call 1-800-561-6719 to purchase printed copies or request a free printed OSU Extension publications and videos catalog.
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http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=1031&storyType=garden
Contacts: Bernadine Strik, (541) 737-5434
Carol Savonen, (541) 737-3380
