Grapes and berries
Berries along with herbs are packed with anti-oxidants, containing up to 9 or 10 times the amount as traditional fruits. A berry is seen as a fruit that 1, a berry is produced from one flower and 2, it does not have a stone in the middle like an avocado. You may have read the word fruit in articles on horticulture as many plants are technically berries including tomatoes and chilies.
The word berry is developed socially in language like many terms around thew world. The old English for grape is berie, which has become known as berry so it would be a bit unfair not to include grape in a category that is named after them! Berries come from different plant families, some are eaten fresh, others need to be processed before eating and some grow in trees. As berries are tasty for many animals from birds to mice and even insects it is a good idea to support and net or protect berries from eager mouths.
Prickly vine berries
Berries from brambles and related vines produce some of the sweetest fruit as well as sharp spines. Fruits like blackberry, boysenberry, cloudberry, dewberry, loganberry, raspberry, salmonberry and tayberry can be eaten fresh or preserved in a variety of ways. Many of these will grow wild but they can be cultivated quite easily. Raspberries are probably the common cultivated berry in this category. Plants can be grown from seed or have cuttings or canes planted from January - April.
If you get canes or cuttings, soak them in water for around 2 days before planting out around 45 cm (18 inches) apart as they will grow out. The fruiting vines can be used together in 'patches', part of a boarder or training around arches, supports or or fencing. Depending on the space you have, these plants can be pruned right back to a short height.
Plants will take a year to start producing fruits, which is why canes are often purchased. Pick your berries from July - September, or even early October for warmer areas.
Shrub berries
These fruits include bearberry, blueberry, chokeberry, cranberry, goji and ligenberry, saskatoon. Black, red and white currents as well as gooseberry. These plants often prefer acid soil (a lower Ph) and if you have neutral or alkaline soil they can be grown in pots, where you can manage soil types specific to a certain plant. Plant the shrubs any time and they should start to fruit July - September.
If you have pine trees on your property you can use this as mulch due to the acidic content and it will suppress weeds. Blueberries are often eaten fresh but many in this category need processing and sweetening in some way. This can be preserves, desserts, syrups and purees with added sugar to make the berries more pallatable.
Strawberries
Strawberries are an alpine and woodland ground level plant that is part of the rose family. These can be grown from seed in winter or planted as roots or runners in April. As strawberries are so low lying fruits can be prone to mould and rot as well as slug and snails so use straw, chippings or horticultural mats when flowers start to open to ensure you enjoy your harvest. You should be able to pick your own in July and August. These berries have a smaller fruiting window but can be eaten fresh or preserved in many ways like the raspberry.
You can grow red, white or wild strawberries. The red cultivated varieties will be heavier cropping. Strawberries do well in pots, containers, raised beds or in the soil.
Tree berries
These are the edible berries on fruiting trees such as acai, lingenberry and mulberries. As they grow on trees they will require much more room and height (up to 25 m if left). However, they can be pruned back and managed like fruiting trees. Acai trees are similar to fruiting palms so require a warm or tropical climate (zones 11 - 13). Lingenberries and Mulberries on the other hand have grown wild across Asia, Europe and eastern North America and can tolerate colder temperatures.
Trees can be bought from gardencentres, nurseries either face to face or online. They will be able to provide detailed advice based on soil type, variety hardiness and feeding the plants. These fruit in the height of summer (July or January for the Amazon). Acai berries have been promoted as a 'wonder food' and are sold in many different forms from dried, mixed with other berries, smoothies and purees. However, the scientific evidence suggests that they probably no better than other berries, which are also packed with antioxidants.
Grapes
Grapes and wine are often a USDA zone 10 - 11 plant, however, there are colder tolerant varieties than can be grown in mild zone 9 climates such as southern England. Most grapes are seeded, however, to grow a large, productive vine would take a very long time and not be a guarantee.
Grape vines are often sold as grafted plants, meaning the plant has be carefully joined to a specific root stock. Some fruit trees are as well and yo should be able to see a clear join between both plants. Plants require a warm, sheltered position with plenty of sun. If you have a suntrap or white wall in your garden, which reflects sun well, this would be ideal. It will take quite a few years to get proper bunches or grapes, for the first two years it is recommended you remove flowers, allowing plats to focus on growth. Plant your vine pout in November - March and after a few years you should be able to harvest in August - October.
Lastly, prune back in November but grape growers will also remove leaves that block sunlight or air movement to ensure healthy grapes ripen well. If you live in a cold climate but have a go they may be too sour and can be used ornamentally.
