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​How To Grow Berry Plants Successfully

​How To Grow Berry Plants Successfully

Sep 01, 2018

Berry plants seem to grow with great ease in nature, which makes many people assume that growing them in their home garden must be a difficult task. The great news is that berry plants are some of the easiest plants to grow in your home garden, as long as you give them the proper maintenance and attention. Potential berry plant growers have a number of choices, such as black berry plants, huckleberry plants, raspberry plants, and blueberries to name a few. These will be the plant types addressed here.

Black berry plants and raspberry plants are both brambles, and require a sunny location with soil that drains well to ensure that plants can receive the proper nutrients. Planting the plants in clay soils or gravelly soils will cause the roots to die. Also, growers should avoid planting the berries in areas where strawberries, eggplant, potatoes, or tomatoes have been grown, because the soil could contain root disease which will spread to the plants. It should also be noted that both raspberry plants and black berry plants do not mature until their second year; so they should be planted when they have finished one season of growth and are dormant. The plant's first blossoms should also be removed after planting in order to allow the plant to become established. Successful growing also depends on making sure that the plants are pruned and weeded regularly to aid in growth. Pruning back suckers that grow outside the planting area yields larger berries, while weeding ensures that the plants don't have to compete with weeds for nutrients. Placing a deep layer of sod around plant patches will prevent weeds from growing and establishing themselves and make weeding easier and almost unnecessary.

Blueberries and huckleberry plants are both very similar and will grow very easily if the soil is properly prepared. Soil preparation should begin months ahead of actual planting. The soil must drain well and be acidic. Adding sulfur to the soil can help with acidity. These plants also require high levels of nitrogen and potassium to grow well. Planting for blueberries and huckleberries is the same as for blackberries and raspberries. They must be planted when dormant and have their first summer blooms removed to allow the plants to become established. Also, a spot that receives adequate sun is ideal for both plant types although huckleberries prefer very light shade. The plants must also be planted at a depth of only a few inches because they have a very shallow root system.