Berry Crops

13
TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER

By Bernadine Strik, Extension Berry Crops

Specialist, Oregon State University.
Adapted by Robert Gorman, Extension Faculty,
Natural Resources and Community Development,
Cooperative Extension Service, University of
Alaska Fairbanks.
Raspberries
Native Rubus species
Strawberries
Blueberries
Currants and gooseberries
Kiwifruit
Lingonberries or lowbush
cranberries
Highbush cranberries
Saskatoon berries
Chokeberries
G
rowing raspberries, strawberries, blueberries,
gooseberries, currants, kiwifruit or other berry
crops can be an interesting, challenging and re-
warding experience. Alaska boasts many native berry
plants, including blueberries, red huckleberries, lingonber-
ries, high bush cranberries, red raspberries, salmonberries,
cloudberries, strawberries, serviceberries and elderberries.
Success depends to a large extent on selecting the proper
site, as well as on providing proper soil conditions and care
to allow the plants to fourish.
All berry crops grow and produce best in full sun. Avoid
planting them in shaded areas or near trees or large shrubs,
which compete for moisture and soil nutrients. Take ad-
vantage of sunny areas and locations protected from drying
winds. Try to avoid planting berries and grapes in areas
where potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants or other ber-
ries have grown within the past 3 years. These plants can
harbor soilborne diseases that might affect the new plant-
ing.
Plan for a long-term space investment when planting
berry crops. Strawberry plants, properly cared for, remain
productive for 3 to 5 years. Caneberries (red raspberries)
often produce a good crop for 15 to 20 years. Blueberries
and grapes can survive for 40 to 100 years.
Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries are sensitive to
soils that remain wet for long periods. Therefore, drainage
is the most important soil factor in selecting a site. Blueber-
ries, red huckleberries and lingonberries need well-drained,
light, sandy loam soil that is high in organic matter and has
a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. If you want to plant blueberries,
check the pH with a soil test.
See Chapter 3,
Soils and Fertilizers.
238 Berry CropsChapter 13
Raspberries
Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are among the
most delicious and delicate of berry crops.
This section discusses summer- and fall-
bearing red raspberries. All are species and
hybrids of the genus Rubus, and all have
similar fruiting habits. Purple raspberries are
hybrids of black and red types. Yellow, or
amber-colored, raspberries are single gene
mutations of red types and thus have the
same cultural requirements as do reds.
Suggested summer bearing red raspberry
cultivars include:
Boyne (cold hardy in Southeast,
Southcentral and Interior, not tolerant to
varied temperatures, early harvest)
Canby (cold hardy in Southcentral,
disease resistant, early harvest)
Chilliwack (hardy in Southeast, some
root rot resistance)
Festival (Southcentral, hardy, mid- to
late season harvest)
Haida (very cold hardy in Southeast
and Southcentral, some resistance to
root rot, late harvest)
Indian Summer (hardy in Southcen-
tral, vigorous plant, mid-season harvest)
Kiska (Interior Alaska cultivar, very
cold hardy, lower quality fruit)
Latham (very cold hardy in South-
east, Southcentral and Interior, root rot
resistant, long established Minnesota
cultivar, early harvest)
Nova (hardy in Southeast and South-
central, early harvest)
Prelude (very cold hardy in Southcen-
tral, root rot resistant, early harvest)
Reville (cold hardy in Southcentral,
mid- to late season harvest)
Skeena (very cold hardy in Southeast,
Southcentral or Interior, root rot suscep-
tible, early harvest)
Titan (hardy,
Southcentral
only, susceptible
to viruses and
root rot)
Suggested fall bear-
ing red raspberries
cultivars include:
Amity (some root rot resistance)
Autumn Britten (low hardiness, early
harvest)
Redwing (cold hardy, root rot suscep-
tible, early harvest)
Summit (hardy, some root rot resis-
tance, early harvest)
All raspberry plants are perennial; the
roots live for many years. The canes are
biennial; they grow 1 year (primocanes) and
produce fruit the next (foricanes). Flori-
canes die after they have fruited and should
be removed at this time. New primocanes
are produced each year from the roots or
at the base of old canes. New foricanes,
which will fruit the following year, need to
be trained.
There are two types of red raspberry
cultivars: summer bearing and fall bear-
ing (primocane fruiting). Summer bearers
produce a crop in July/August. Fall bearers
produce fruit on the top portion of the cur-
rent seasons primocanes in late summer.
For a high volume of fruit and best freez-
ing quality, grow a summer-bearing rasp-
berry. Grow a fall bearer for one crop in late
summer (see Pruning), and use the fruit
mainly for fresh eating.
Raspberry cultivars differ in fruiting hab-
it, tolerance to pests and heavy soils, and
fruit characteristics. Thus, it is important
to choose a cultivar adapted to your needs
and site. Buy only certifed, disease-free
plants from a reputable nursery. Digging up
a neighbors raspberry suckers is not a good
idea.
Chapter 13Berry Crops 239
Establishing the planting
Red raspberries should re-
main productive for 15 to 20
years, so choose and prepare
a good site. Soil should be
moderately fertile and well
drained. Raspberries tolerate a wide range
of soil pH (from 5.5 to 7.5) but the recom-
mended pH is 5.7 to 6.0. During the year
before planting, incorporate organic matter
into the soil. If the soil is too acidic, work
lime into the soil as recommended by a soil
analysis. If drainage is poor, install drain
tiles or use raised beds.
Before planting, spread 1 pound of
10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet (or
equivalent rate of another well-balanced
fertilizer). Till the fertilizer into the soil. If
you cant incorporate fertilizer before plant-
ing, wait 4 to 6 weeks after planting and
apply 1 tablespoon of 10-10-10 per plant.
Apply this fertilizer in a wide band 6 to 8
inches away from the new shoots and rake
it in shallowly. If you use manure to im-
prove soil structure, decrease the fertilizer
rate by one-half.
Planting
Plant as early in the spring as the soil
can be worked. Dig a shallow hole, large
enough to accommodate the roots. Spread
the root mass and set the plant so that the
highest point where roots are attached to a
cane is 1 to 2 inches below ground level.
Cover with soil and press frmly to remove
air pockets. Water to settle the soil. Cut the
canes back to 6 inches tall.
Hedgerow and hill planting systems
are most popular for home gardens. In
the hedgerow system, space red raspberry
plants 2 feet apart in rows about 8 feet
apart. Allow the new primocanes that de-
velop to spread along the row but dont let
them spread wider than 8 to 12 inches.
In the hill system, hill refers to the clus-
ter of canes that develops around a single
plant, not to planting on top of a mound of
soil. For red raspberries, space plants 2
feet apart within the row, with 8 feet be-
tween rows. Confne hills to a diameter of
about 1 to 1 feet. Remove all suckers that
develop between hills or in aisles.
Plants may produce a small crop the year
after planting and a full crop in the third
year.
Trellis
Summer-bearing red raspberries need
a supporting structure to hold the canes
upright. Make a simple trellis by string-
ing wire (12-gauge or heavier) between
posts spaced 15 to 20 feet apart. Posts may
be treated wood or metal. Figures 1 and 2
show methods used in training and support-
ing primocanes.
With fall-bearing raspberries, you can use
a temporary support structure if the plants
are cropped only in the fall (see Pruning).
Caring for established plantings
Fertilizing
Apply fertilizer in early spring when new
growth is starting. Apply 4 to 6 pounds of
10-20-20 (or equivalent) as a broadcast or
band application to each 100 feet of row.
Fall-bearing raspberries need additional
Caneberry terminology
PrimocanesFirst year of growth, usu-
ally vegetative. (Only fall-bearing
raspberries produce fruit on primo-
canes in late summer.)
FloricanesSecond year of growth;
these canes produce fruit on later-
als. All caneberries produce fruit on
foricanes.
See Chapter 3,
Soils and Fertilizers.
240 Berry CropsChapter 13
fertilizer before fruiting. When new canes
begin to bloom, spread 1 to 2 pounds of
ammonium nitrate (33-0-0) per 100 feet of
row.
If you use manure, apply it in late fall or
early winter. Reduce the rate of nitrogen
fertilizer by one-half.
Cultivation
You must control weeds and primocanes
that grow between hills or in row aisles.
Cultivate shallowly. For weeds, use herbi-
cides recommended by your local Extension
offce.
You can apply mulch once plants are es-
tablished. Place compost or bark in a 3-inch
layer over the row. Do not use cedar saw-
dust. Additional nitrogen may be needed to
assist in breaking down organic mulches.
Watering
Raspberry plants need about 1 inch of
water per week. Irrigate when rainfall
doesnt provide this amount. Ample soil
moisture is essential from the time fruit
begins to form to the end of the harvest
season.
Overhead irrigation during the harvest
period may promote fruit rots. If possible,
water only the bases of the plants during
this period, using trickle irrigation or hand
watering.
Pruning
Dont top primocanes during the growing
season. Remove the dead foricanes in late
summer/fall. While the plants are dormant,
remove all weak, broken, diseased and
insect-damaged canes. In the hill system,
leave all of the healthy primocanes in each
hill. In the hedgerow system, narrow the
row to 8 to 12 inches wide.
For maximum fruit size, shorten the canes
in both systems to about 5 feet tall and
tie them to the trellis as shown in Figure 1
or 2. If, however, you are willing to sacri-
fce about gram in average fruit weight
to obtain a higher yield, retain almost the
entire cane length. Tie the bundle of canes
from each hill to the top wire and then loop
the canes downward and tie the end of the
bundle to the bottom wire (not illustrated).
To grow fall-bearing raspberries for a
fall crop only (the best method in cold
regions), cut all canes to ground level in late
March. When the new primocanes emerge,
maintain a row width of about 12 inches.
If conditions are favorable, fruit will be
produced on the tips of the primocanes in
late summer.
Figure 1.Four-wire trellis with cross arms for raspberries. Cross
arms for the top two wires spread out the fruiting canes and leave
room for new primocanes to grow between the wires.
18 cross
arm
30
4.5 to 5
Figure 2.Three-wire trellis with wires fastened directly to posts.
The single top wire is stapled to the post, and the two bottom wires
are on hooks or bent nails so they can be lifted and swung out over
primocanes to pull them in. (a) Hills with up to 6 or 7 canes are tied
in a single bundle. (b) Hills with more canes can be split, with part
going halfway to the next plant in the row.
4.5 to 5
30
(a) (b)
Chapter 13Berry Crops 241
Harvest
Pick ripe fruit every 3 or 4 days. Avoid
picking fruit that is wet from dew or ir-
rigation. Place fruit in shallow containers.
Berries are quite perishable and should be
refrigerated or processed as soon as pos-
sible.
Pest and disease problems
Weeds are the main concern
when growing raspberries in
Alaska. Powdery mildew is a
common disease. The raspber-
ry fruitworm is a common insect problem.
Other insect and disease problems that may
affect raspberries include root weevils, leaf
roller larvae, spider mites, aphids, verticil-
lium wilt and phytophthora root rot.
Red raspberries generally are quite hardy;
however, in cold regions, be aware that some
cultivars are more cold-hardy than others.
Native Rubus species
Alaska has several native Rubus spe-
cies that provide valuable berry crops and
require little cultivation, fertilization or
pest control. Salmonberry, R. spectabilis,
is found in Southeast Alaska though Prince
William Sound in moist to wet forests and
disturbed places. The plant and early-bear-
ing red or orange colored fruit resemble red
raspberries. Dwarf Nangoonberry, R. arcti-
cus, is a low growing species found in mus-
keg, tundra and alpine areas. The favorful
berries are a traditional food for Alaska
Natives. Cloudberry, R. chamaemorus, is
an important food for Alaska Natives since
its vitamin C does not deteriorate following
freezing. Cloudberry is a circumpolar, low-
growing groundcover with dioecious plants
(male or female plants) found in low eleva-
tion muskeg and tundra.
Strawberries
Strawberry types include June bearers,
everbearers and day-neutrals. June-bearers
produce only one crop per year, in July/
August. In some parts of Alaska, everbear-
ers are grown as annuals, fruiting the same
year they are planted and plowed under
after fruiting. Day-neutrals produce a crop
almost continuously through the normal
growing season.
The fruit of everbearers and day-neutrals
typically is smaller than that of June-bear-
ers, and total yields often are lower. How-
ever, the advantage in growing day-neutrals
along with June-bearers is that you can har-
vest fruit for most of the growing season.
Note that day-neutrals are the best choice
for fresh fruit throughout the season, as they
have a longer fruiting period and better fruit
quality. Unfortunately, retail nurseries often
lump day-neutrals and everbearers together
as everbearers.
Successful strawberry growing is greatly
infuenced by selection of the cultivar most
suited for the location. Tolerance of extreme
cold temperatures and photoperiod are
important characteristics in selecting June-
bearers. Cultivars to consider for perennial
plantings in Southeast include:
Hood (early fruiting, hardy but disease
susceptible)
Suksan (midseason fruiting, very
hardy and resistant to virus)
Benton (mid- to late season fruiting,
hardy and virus resistant)
Earliglow (early fruiting, widely
adapted, disease resistant)
Cultivars for perennial beds in Southcen-
tral include:
Pioneer (earliest fruiting, Alaska
variety, low quality fruit, hardy with no
mulch, hardy in Interior Alaska)
See Chapter 19,
Diagnosing Plant
Problems
242 Berry CropsChapter 13
Matared (early fruiting, Alaska variety,
excellent quality fruit, mulch for hardi-
ness)
Susitna (mid-season, Alaska vari-
ety, excellent quality, winter hardy if
mulched)
Skwentna (mid-season, Alaska variety,
distinctive favor, excellent frozen fruit)
Toklat (mid-season, Alaska variety,
hardy in Interior and north, large berry)
Day-neutral strawberry cultivars to con-
sider growing in Southeast and Southcentral
Alaska include:
Tristar (early fruiting, hardy, disease
resistant and adaptable)
Tribute (hardy, disease resistant and
adaptable)
Fern and Selva (not hardy but may
be adaptable in Southeast as perenni-
als or elsewhere in annual production
systems)
Everbearer cultivars successfully grow
in annual production systems in Fairbanks
include Quinault. Fort Laramie (hardy)
is worth considering as an everbearer or in
annual production systems.
Establishing the planting
Soil preparation
Strawberries grow best in well-drained,
reasonably fertile soil. A good supply of
organic material worked into the soil im-
proves aeration, drainage and water-holding
capacity. Apply organic matter the year
before planting if possible. If you use fresh
or woody organic matter, add ammonium
nitrate at 1 pound per 100 square feet to aid
in decomposition.
Before planting, apply 1 pound of 10-20-
20 fertilizer (or equivalent) per 100 square
feet. If you use manure, decrease the fertil-
izer rate by one-half.
In soil that drains relatively slowly, you
can improve strawberry plant growth by
planting on raised beds about 10 to 12
inches high.
Planting
Purchase certifed, disease-free plants
from a reputable nursery. If you use runners
from an old, established patch; they may be
diseased. Plant strawberries in early spring
as soon as the soil can be worked.
Dig a hole for each plant large enough
to place the roots straight downward but
somewhat spread. The midpoint of the
crown should be level with the soil surface,
and the top root should be just below the
soil surface (Figure 3). Irrigate the plants as
soon as theyre planted.
The matted-row and hill systems are
the most common training methods for
strawberries (Figure 4). The hill system is
preferred for everbearers and day-neutrals
because they dont produce as many runners
as do June-bearers. June-bearers usually are
grown in a matted row; however, they can
be grown in either system.
Figure 3.(a) Proper planting depth for
strawberries. (b) The crown is too deep. (c) The
crown is too high. (d) The roots are bent and remain
near the surface.
Soil
surface
(a) (c)
(d)
(b)
Chapter 13Berry Crops 243
In the matted-row system, set plants 15
inches apart in the row or raised bed, with
3 to 4 feet between rows (Figure 4a). Allow
the runners that form from these mother
plants to take root; they will form a matted
row 18 inches wide. Keep the remaining 1
to 2 feet between rows clear by sweeping
early-forming runners into the row and by
cutting off late-forming runners.
The hill system is ideal for cultivars that
produce few runners, such as everbearers.
Set plants 12 to 15 inches apart in double-
or triple-wide rows (Figure 4b). Aisles
should be 1 to 2 feet wide. Remove all
runners that develop throughout the grow-
ing season.
First-season care
For June-bearers, some gardeners remove
all fower clusters during the planting year.
Young plants may be stressed if allowed to
produce fruit the year they are planted. If
crown and leaf growth are limited, the fol-
lowing years yield will be decreased.
For everbearers and day-neutrals, re-
move only the frst fush of fowers, allow-
ing fower clusters formed after July 1 to
develop fruit. This allows plants to become
well established before fruiting.
On a few occasions during the summer,
cut off all runners from plants growing in
the hill system. In the matted-row system,
most of next seasons crop will come from
the mother plants plus runners that develop
and root before September. Ideally, position
runner plants as they develop to attain about
fve runner plants per square foot of matted
row. Place a little soil just behind each run-
ner plant to keep it in place. Once this den-
sity is achieved, remove all other runners. A
simple method is to remove all runners that
have not rooted by September 1.
Cultivation and weed control
Weeds compete with shallow-rooted
strawberry plants for water and nutrients.
Hoe often enough to destroy weeds and
keep the soil loose. Use sawdust, bark or
clear or photoselective plastic flm to sup-
press weeds, conserve moisture and keep
fruit clean. Be aware that some mulches
may lead to increased slug populations.
Row covers and IRT plastic mulch are use-
ful in warming the soil and air.
Figure 4.Proper spacing for strawberry plantings: (a) Matted row system; (b) hill system.
15
3 to 4
18
2 rows
(shown in planting year)
1 row
(shown in second year)
Double row Triple row
12 to 15 12 to 15
12 to 15
1.5 to 2
(a) Matted row system (b) Hill system
244 Berry CropsChapter 13
Fertilizing
If plant growth is weak and leaves are light
green in color, add additional nitrogen fertil-
izer 6 weeks after planting. Broadcast am-
monium nitrate at a rate of pound per 100
square feet of row. Make a similar applica-
tion in mid-summer if the plants lack vigor.
Broadcast the fertilizer when foliage is
dry. Avoid placing fertilizer directly on
crowns because they can be burned. If
necessary, remove fertilizer from leaves and
crowns with a brush or sprinkler irrigation.
Watering
Strawberries are shallow rooted. To
obtain maximum growth and yield, never
let them be stressed by lack of water.
Keep new strawberry plants well irrigated
throughout their frst season.
Caring for established plantings
Winter and frost protection
Growing strawberries as perennials in
Alaska usually requires a protective winter
cover of snow or organic mulch. Damage
can be caused by temperatures lower than
22F or by persistent alternate freezing and
thawing, which can heave young plants out
of the ground. Minimize damage by cover-
ing plants with several inches of loose straw
or similar organic matter after temperatures
frst drop below freezing. Dont
place straw on the plants before
freezing weather, and be
sure to remove it when
plants start to grow in the
spring.
Spring frosts can kill
open blossoms. Small
plantings can be
protected with a sheet
of spunbound row
cover or light canvas.
Place the cover on in the early evening and
remove it in the morning after danger of
frost has passed.
Weed control
Keep weeds out of your planting by
cultivation or using registered herbicides.
Check with your local Extension offce for
information.
Fertilizing
Fertilize established June-bearing straw-
berries in late summer to promote fall
growth. After harvest, apply 2 to 3 pounds
of 10-10-10 (or equivalent) per 100 square
feet of row. You can broadcast fertilizer and
brush it off the foliage, or you can apply
it in a 2- to 3-inch band 2 to 3 inches from
both sides of the row. Water the plants to
carry the fertilizer down to the roots. Fertil-
ize day-neutrals and everbearers in small
amounts throughout the growing season.
Watering
During the growing season, strawber-
ries need 1 inch of water per week. Wet the
soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches each time
you water. After the frst season, there are
two times when soil moisture is important.
The frst is from bloom through harvest, to
ensure that berries swell to their maximum
size. The second is in late summer, when
plant growth resumes and fower buds form
for the next seasons crop.
Renovation
You can maintain your strawberry plant-
ing for several fruiting seasons by manag-
ing and renovating it properly. If plants are
vigorous and relatively free from weeds,
insects and diseases, renovate June-bearers
to prepare them for next season. Renovation
improves the next seasons yield and may
decrease fruit rot signifcantly, especially if
leaves are removed. Renovation is not rec-
Chapter 13Berry Crops 245
ommended for day-neutrals or everbearers.
For matted-row beds, the procedure is as
follows:
1. After the crop has been harvested, mow
the foliage to about 2 inches above the
top of the crowns. Use hedge clippers
or a rotary mower with the blade raised
high. Remove all plant debris.
2. Narrow the rows to 8 to 10 inches wide
using a rototiller, shovel, or hoe. Till no
deeper than 1 to 2 inches.
3. In older plantings, thin out old and weak
plants, leaving 1-year-old, vigorous
plants. The best plant density is about 5
to 6 plants per square foot of row.
4. Keep the planting free of weeds and
remove all excess runners as they form.
Remove all runners that form after Sep-
tember 1.
5. Irrigate as needed.
To renovate June-bearers in the hill
system, mow off foliage above the crown,
remove and burn or bury all plant debris,
and remove all runners through the fall.
Remove plantings that no longer are
productive or lack vigor. To make a new
planting, plant in another location.
Harvest
Pick ripe fruit every other day, or daily
during hot weather. Fruit harvested in the
morning usually has a longer shelf life.
Pick all ripe berries; fruits left on the plant
become overripe, and disease and insect
problems can develop. To prevent fruit soft-
ening and decay, avoid washing fruit until
just before using it.
Novel growing methods
Strawberries can be planted in barrels,
planters, mounds or hanging baskets (Fig-
ure 5). However, strawberry plants will not
survive the winter if planted in containers.
These planting methods require close care
in watering, fertilizing and other cultural
needs. Everbearing or day-neutral types are
best suited for this type of production. They
also beneft from season extension tech-
niques (See Chapter 9, Greenhouses and
Season Extenders).
Figure 5.Alternative methods for growing strawberries: (a) Barrel planter; (b) pyramid planter.
Add water to tile
and soil surface
4 drain tile
8
Drain holes

1-diameter
holes
Materials to build a 72-wide, 5-level, square-
sided pyramid planter, where each ascending
level is 12 less in width than the previous
level:
4 boards 6 long and 6 wide
4 boards 5 long and 6 wide
4 boards 4 long and 6 wide
4 boards 3 long and 6 wide
10 of 2-by-2s for corners
1# of 6-penny galvanized nails
(a) Barrel planter
(b) Pyramid planter
246 Berry CropsChapter 13
Pest and disease problems
The most serious disease problems of
strawberries are fruit rot and verticillium
wilt. Insect problems include root weevils,
aphids, spider mites, crown moths and sym-
phylans.
Blueberries
Growing highbush (cultivated) blueber-
ries in Alaska can be challenging but re-
warding. Cultivated highbush blueberries
developed from Vaccinium corymbosum and
V. australe may be worth growing in South-
east Alaska and the Prince William Sound
area. These deciduous plants are perennial
and long-lived. Attractive as ornamentals,
they progress from a profusion of white or
pink blossoms in spring to colorful foliage
in fall. They can be grown in beds, rows,
hedges or individually.
There are a number of blueberries native to
Alaska that can be propagated from seed and
successfully planted in gardens and yards
with limited care. Maintain soil moisture in
a well-drained acidic soil with high organic
matter and eliminate weeds and competing
vegetation. Native blueberries to consider for
home gardens include Alaska blueberry (V.
alaskaense), oval-leaved blueberry (V. ovali-
folium), red huckleberry (V. parvifolium) and
bog blueberry (V. uliginosum).
Plant more than one highbush cultivar to
provide cross-pollination and set larger ber-
ries. Choosing cultivars that ripen at differ-
ent times provides fruit for a longer period
(see Table 1).
Table 1.Blueberry cultivars.
Flavor Fruit size Comments
Northern highbush (Southeast only; in order of ripening)
Early
Earliblue Sweet Large Vigorous, erect, lower yielding than other
cultivars
Patriot Excellent Very large Spreading bush, tolerates heavy soil
Midseason
Bluejay Mild Medium Erect, vigorous bush
Northland Good, sweet Medium Compact bush, very cold-hardy,
high-yielding
Blueray Excellent Large Erect bush, grows well in areas with hot
summers
Toro Very good Very large Compact bush with large fruiting clusters
Bluecrop Very good Large Erect bush that can overproduce fruit
Half-high (Southcentral; hardy to -45F, especially with snow cover; great ornamentals and good for con-
tainer growing)
Early
Patriot Good Medium bush is 4 ft high and 5 ft wide; 3-12 lb
fruit/bush
Midseason
Northcountry Good, sweet Medium Bush is 2 ft high and 3 ft wide; 25 lb
fruit/bush
Northsky Good Medium Bush is 1 ft high and 3 wide; 12 lb
fruit/bush
Northblue . Large Bush is 3 ft high; 37 lb fruit/bush
For more information, see OSU publication EC 1308, Blueberry Cultivars for Oregon.
See Chapter 19,
Diagnosing Plant
Problems
Chapter 13Berry Crops 247
The fruit of each cultivar ripens over a 2-
to 5-week period from mid- to late summer.
Most blueberry cultivars make great or-
namentals (bright yellow or red wood color,
fall leaf color and white to dark pink blos-
soms), so they can be used throughout the
landscape.
Highbush cultivated blueberries will
survive and should fruit in Southeast but are
unlikely to bear fruit in Southcentral and
colder areas. Half-high blueberries are the
most cold-hardy. They make great ornamen-
tal plants and are best suited to container
production. Half-high or northern blue-
berries, developed at North Dakota State
University and University of Minnesota, are
successfully grown in Southcentral Alaska.
Establishing the planting
Soil preparation
A well-drained soil with pH between
4.5 and 5.5 is ideal for blueberry growth.
Incorporate organic matter, such as well-
decomposed sawdust, bark dust or leaves,
to improve soil aeration and drainage. If
you incorporate a lot of organic matter
(especially fresh sawdust), add ammonium
sulfate (21 percent nitrogen) at 1 pound
per 100 square feet to aid in decomposi-
tion. Test soil pH a year before planting
and amend as recommended on the soil test
report. See EC 1304, Growing Blueberries
in Your Home Garden (OSU), or EB1640,
Growing Small Fruits in the Home Garden
(WSU), for instructions on how to modify
soil pH.
Blueberries will not tolerate poor drain-
age. Ideal soil is well drained with a water
table 14 to 22 inches below the surface.
On poorly drained sites, install drain tile or
plant on raised beds.
Planting
Plant healthy 2- to
3-year-old plants in
early spring. Space
plants from 4 to 6 feet
apart in rows 7 to 9
feet apart. Set plants
no more than 2 inches
deeper than they were
growing in the nursery
row or container. Do not
fertilize at planting time, but water thor-
oughly.
Remove blossoms the frst year so that no
crop is produced. Flower and fruit produc-
tion hinder growth, so be patient and strip
off frst-year blooms.
Mulching
Blueberries grow better on mineral soil
if they are mulched. Rotted sawdust makes
a very effective mulch. After planting,
apply mulch to a depth of 3 inches. Ei-
ther mulch the entire soil surface or place
a 3- to 4-foot-wide band of mulch in the
row. Mulched plantings may take two to
three times as much fertilizer as unmulched
plantings.
Fertilizing
For spring plantings, apply 10-10-10
fertilizer at the rate of about 1 ounce (1
tablespoons) per plant 4 weeks after plant-
ing. For fall plantings, wait until the follow-
ing spring to fertilize.
Sprinkle fertilizer evenly within 12 to 18
inches of each plant, but not directly on the
crown or stems. Fertilizer is more effective
when it is in direct contact with the soil. If
you mulched your plants, pull the mulch
aside, apply fertilizer and then replace the
mulch.
248 Berry CropsChapter 13
Watering
Blueberries have a shallow, fbrous root
system. A uniform and adequate supply
of water is essential for optimum growth.
On average, plants need 1 inch of water
per week. Irrigate if rainfall or natural soil
water does not supply enough water. Drip
irrigation works quite well for blueberries
because it can keep the soil consistently
damp.
Pruning
At planting time, prune all branches back
by about 30 to 40 percent to encourage vig-
orous new growth. For the next 2 to 3 years,
prune to remove dead or dying branch parts
and spindly growth from around the bases
of plants to encourage vigorous, upright
growth.
Caring for established plantings
Fertilizing
The second year after planting, apply
10-10-10 fertilizer in spring at the rate of 2
ounces ( cup) per plant. Increase the rate
by 1 ounce each year until you reach a total
of 6 to 8 ounces per plant. If the soil is quite
fertile, an annual application of 5 ounces
of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) per mature
plant is suffcient.
Apply the fertilizer in three equal parts
throughout the season (a triple split) to
ensure the plant has fertilizer when it needs it
and to minimize leaching of nitrogen past the
root zone. Apply one-third of the fertilizer
a couple of weeks after bud break, another
third in May, and the fnal third in late June.
In general, avoid fertilizing after July 1.
The frst several years after you begin
mulching, plants may become pale green as
nitrogen is used to decompose the mulch.
It often is necessary to fertilize each plant
with an additional 1 to 2 ounces of ammo-
nium sulfate in early May and again in late
June to avoid nitrogen defciency.
Visual assessment of plant growth and
fruiting is extremely useful in a good fertil-
izer program. If the plants are growing well
(10 to 12 inches of growth each year) and
yields are average, your plants are getting
adequate nutrition.
Check the soil pH every year or two,
especially if growth is poor, and follow rec-
ommendations to maintain the proper level.
Watering
A uniform and adequate water supply
is needed from blossom time to the end of
harvest. The greatest demand is from berry
swell to harvest. If rainfall is not adequate,
irrigate frequently to prevent leaf wilting.
Pruning
Prune while plants are dormant. Cut out
dead and diseased wood frst. Keep the
bush fairly open. Remove new basal shoots
smaller than pencil size in diameter. Leave
larger shoots. Limit the number of canes to
one for each year of plant age, or a maxi-
mum of six to eight canes for old bushes. If
you remove one or two old canes each year,
and one or two new ones are produced,
none will be more than 4 to 6 years old a
good goal to work toward.
For more information on pruning, see the
OSU video A Growers Guide to Pruning
Highbush Blueberries, VTP 002.
Harvest
Berries grow in clusters of 5 to 10. Dont
be too eager to pick the berries when they
frst appear ripe. They develop better favor
if left for a few days after they turn com-
pletely blue. Pick about once per week or
more often in hot weather. Remove fully
ripe berries and leave unripe berries for the
next picking.
Chapter 13Berry Crops 249
Pest and disease problems
The most common problems, other than
birds, are mummyberry, botrytis, pseudo-
monas, aphids and root weevils.
Currants and gooseberries
Currants and gooseberries are closely
related perennial bush fruits, both belonging
to the genus Ribes. Their relatively small
plant size, ease of culture and distinctive,
attractive fruit make them well suited for
home gardens. Gooseberries and currants
are very hardy and can be grown many
parts of Alaska.
Black currants are prized for their distinc-
tive favor in juice, jelly and liqueurs. They
also are rich in vitamin C. Red currants are
used mainly for fresh eating or jelly. Goose-
berries can have red-purple or green-yellow
fruit and are eaten fresh or made into jam,
pies and other desserts. Both currants and
gooseberries can be frozen easily and kept
for later use.
Black Currant cultivars to consider for
Alaska include:
Topsy (an early fruiting American
cultivar with low susceptibility to white
pine blister rust)
Consort (an mid-season fruiting Ca-
nadian introduction with resistance to
white pine blister rust)
Crandall (a yellow-fowering black
currant with brilliant fall foliage and
resistance to mildew and rust diseases;
yields moderate amounts of large berries
Red currant cultivars to consider include:
Jonkheer van Tets (Dutch cultivar with
resistance to mildew and aphids; not
recommended for cool, maritime areas)
Red Lake (a mid-season fruiting Min-
nesota introduction with medium sus-
ceptibility to mildew)
Viking (a mid-season fruiting Euro-
pean cultivar grown for its resistance to
white pine blister rust)
Holland Longbunch (more productive
than Red Lake in Alaska trials; excel-
lent quality fruit borne on long stems;
hardy even in Fairbanks)
Gooseberry cultivars to consider include:
Malling Invicta (early-fruiting tart-
favored cultivar with yellow-colored
berries, moderately mildew resistant
plants with spines)
Poorman (favorful American cultivar
with sweet berries that turn red when
ripe; plants have few spines; mildew
resistant)
Lepaa Red (favorful Finnish cultivar
with red berries, plants with spines,
mildew resistant)
Captivator (very hardy, favorful Cana-
dian cultivar with red berries; mildew
resistant and mostly spineless)
Pixwell (bears fruit in small clusters;
turns pinkish when ripe; plant with few
spines)
Establishing the planting
Choose a spot that gets full sun. In these
locations, there is less likelihood of leaf and
fruit scalding, which can occur in hot, dry
climates. Gooseberries prefer cold tempera-
tures. Planting on a slope also decreases dis-
ease problems, especially powdery mildew,
by improving air circulation. Avoid frost
pockets (areas into which cold air drains),
because plants fower early in the spring.
Most currant and gooseberry cultivars
are alternate hosts for a disease called white
pine blister rust. Although this disease does
not cause excessive damage to these plants,
fve-needled pines (for example, white pines)
are very susceptible. If you have fve-needled
pines in your landscape, you may wish to
See Chapter 19,
Diagnosing Plant
Problems
250 Berry CropsChapter 13
plant a resistant gooseberry or currant culti-
var or consider a different berry crop.
Red currants and gooseberries gener-
ally are self-fruitful, so you need only one
cultivar for fruit production. However, both
types produce larger fruit if you plant more
than one cultivar for cross-pollination.
Some black currants are self-sterile and re-
quire a second cultivar for fruit production.
Soil preparation
The average life span of currants is 10
to 15 years; for gooseberries its 15 to 20
years. Thus, its important to choose and
prepare your site carefully.
Currants and gooseberries tolerate a wide
range of soil conditions, but perform best
in a well-drained loam soil with an organic
matter content greater than 1 percent. You
can improve a poorly drained site by in-
stalling drain tiles or building raised beds.
Improve heavy clay or sandy soil by adding
organic matter.
Gooseberries and currants grow best in
a slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5 to 7.0).
Test soil pH the year before you plant and
adjust it if necessary. If the pH is below 5.5,
add lime as recommended by the soil test.
Plant in the spring. Several days before
planting, apply 1 pound of 10-10-10 fertil-
izer (or equivalent) per 100 square feet.
Work the fertilizer into the soil. If you can-
not apply fertilizer before planting, apply
pound of 10-10-10 per plant 2 weeks after
planting. If you use manure to improve soil
structure, decrease the rate of fertilizer by
one-half.
Planting
Plant healthy 1- or 2-year-old plants in
early spring. Purchase bare-root or contain-
er-grown stock from a reputable nursery.
Space gooseberries and red currants 3
to 4 feet apart in rows. Black currants are
more vigorous and should be spaced 4 to 5
feet apart. Rows can be as close as 7 feet,
but 8 to 10 feet allows for better air circula-
tion in vigorous plantings.
At planting, prune all branches to a length
of 4 to 6 inches to stimulate new growth.
Strip off fower buds or blossoms the frst
year so that no crop is produced. Its impor-
tant that plants grow well the frst year, and
fower and fruit production reduces growth.
Mulching around the plants with sawdust
or decomposed leaves is recommended to
conserve moisture, control weeds, and keep
roots cool. Apply mulch 2 inches deep in
the planting year. Fresh or undecomposed
mulching material may require additional
fertilization above recommended rates.
Watering
Gooseberries and currants need about
1 inch of water per week from fruit set
through harvest. Irrigate if natural rainfall
doesnt supply this amount.
Caring for established plantings
Mulching
Once plants are mature, add mulch as
required to attain a depth of about 4 inches.
In row plantings, widen the mulched area
to about 4 feet as plants become larger. As a
rule, sawdust mulch decomposes at a rate of
about 1 inch per year.
Fertilizing
In the second year, apply about pound
of 10-10-10 fertilizer (or equivalent) per
plant. Apply this fertilizer when the buds
are swelling in the spring. Spread it evenly
over an area approximately equal to the
plants maximum spread. Do not let fertil-
izer touch the plants base or crown.
If you applied fresh mulch to young
plants, they may require additional nitro-
gen. Increase the fertilizer rate if plants lack
Chapter 13Berry Crops 251
vigor or if older leaves turn pale green to
yellow.
Increase rates slightly in the third year.
Fourth-year and mature plantings should re-
ceive about pound of 10-10-10 per plant.
Depending on plant vigor and site fertility,
apply fertilizer only once in the spring or
split it to encourage better seasonal growth.
For split applications, apply pound of 10-
10-10 at bud break and another pound in
mid- to late June.
If you apply manure in the fall, decrease
the recommended fertilizer rate by one-half.
In cold regions, manure applied in the fall
may increase the risk of winter injury.
Pruning
Red currants and gooseberries
Prune when plants are dormant in late
winter. These plants produce most of their
fruit on spurs on 2- and 3-year-old wood.
Canes (stems arising from the base of the
plant) that are 4 or more years old no longer
are productive.
After pruning, a healthy bush should have
9 to 12 main canes 3 to 4 each of 1-,
2- and 3-year-old canes. Remove all canes
older than 3 years and those that are dam-
aged or diseased. Prune to form an open
center. Remove canes that are low to the
ground.
Black currants
Prune when plants are dormant in late
winter. Black currants produce best on
1-year-old wood. Strong 1-year-old shoots
and 2- or 3-year-old canes are most produc-
tive.
When pruning, keep 10 to 12 canes per
mature bush; about half should be 1-year-
old shoots. You can leave a few more shoots
if the plant is very vigorous. Remove all
shoots that are more than 3 years old. Make
pruning cuts close to the ground.
Harvest
The year after planting, you can harvest a
light crop. By the third or fourth year, plants
usually bear full crops. A yield of 4 to 6
quarts per mature bush is considered good
for red and white currants and gooseberries.
However, yields for black currants often are
only about half this amount.
Currants ripen over a 2-week period.
Once a berry ripens, however, it usually can
remain on the bush a week or more without
dropping or becoming overripe. Therefore,
you can harvest most of the berries on a
bush in one or two pickings. If you pick
more frequently, you may tend to pick ber-
ries that arent fully ripe.
Pick black currants as individual berries.
However, if you try to pick red currants
individually, youll tear the fruit and lose a
lot of juice. Therefore, pick whole clusters
(strigs) and strip the berries from the stems
later, just before processing or eating. For
making juice or jelly, you can crush the ber-
ries without removing them from the strig
since youll strain the juice anyway.
Gooseberries ripen over a 4- to 6-week
period. Harvest them individually as they
ripen. Some people prefer slightly immature
berries for jams and pies, so they harvest
the berries when they reach full size but are
not yet fully ripe. Others prefer fully mature
or ripe berries; certainly these are better for
eating fresh!
Pest and disease problems
Many black currants and European types
of gooseberries are especially susceptible to
powdery mildew. Choose a site with good
air circulation, plant resistant or tolerant
cultivars and prune to an open bush shape.
Use fungicides for control as needed.
Leaf spot or anthracnose can be a prob-
lem in gooseberries and sometimes in cur-
See Chapter 19,
Diagnosing Plant
Problems
252 Berry CropsChapter 13
rants. Infected leaves have brown spots and
may turn yellow and drop prematurely.
The imported currant-worm is a pest that
rapidly defoliates currants in Southeast and
Southcentral Alaska. It favors red currants
over black currants and gooseberries.
Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit are native to Southeast Asia.
There are hardy kiwifruit species avail-
able, particularly Actinidia arguta called
the hardy kiwi and A. kolomikta, the
arctic beauty, both of which should grow
in Southeast. A.kolomitka is successfully
grown outside in Southcentral. Kiwifruit
are not reported to be successfully grown
outside in Interior Alaska.
Hardy kiwifruit have very edible skin.
You can pop these delicious, small fruits
right into your mouth. Kiwifruits are one
of the best sources of vitamin C, containing
twice as much as oranges.
The kiwifruit is a dioecious plant; it has
separate male and female plants (with the
exception of a few self-fertile cultivars).
It is essential to plant male vines for pol-
lination and crop production. Plant male
and female vines of the same species. In
general, one male is required for every 6 to
8 females. Self-fertile cultivars require no
male pollinator, although fruit size may be
larger with cross-pollination.
Yield per plant varies with species and
cultivar.
Types
A. arguta (the hardy kiwifruit)
This kiwifruit species is hardy from -10
to -25F in midwinter. However, it has a
low chilling requirement, so warm tempera-
tures in late winter (February or March)
may promote early bud break, making it
susceptible to frost damage to young shoots.
The trunks of young vines also may be sen-
sitive to cold.
The fruits are smooth skinned, generally
green in color and much smaller than fuzzy
types. Flavor is excellent. Fruits ripen un-
evenly, making them diffcult to harvest un-
less picked underripe and forced to ripen (as
is done in commercial production). Vine-
ripened fruit generally has better favor and
aroma; however, it has a shorter shelf life.
Vines are vigorous; a strong trellis and good
pruning practices are needed.
Ananasnaya
This is the most popular hardy kiwifruit
cultivar currently available, referred to as
Anna. Fruit is of very good quality, with
good aroma and sweet, intense favor. The
fruit has green skin that develops a purple-
red blush in full sun. Fruit weight averages 9
to 10 grams. Vine growth is very vigorous.
Issai (self-fertile)
This cultivar from Japan is less vigorous
than most other hardy kiwifruit cultivars.
Flavor and aroma are very good. Harvesting
is somewhat more diffcult than for other
hardy kiwi, since the fruits are smaller and
ripen rather unevenly within a cluster.
Vines are moderately vigorous with lower
yields than other hardy kiwi. Vines are
slightly less hardy (0 to 10F) than other
A. arguta.
This cultivar, although self-fertile, may
produce larger fruit with seeds when cross-
pollinated. Use one male for about every
eight females.
A. kolomikta (arctic beauty)
This species of kiwifruit is hardy to
-40F, but, like hardy kiwifruit, shoots are
sensitive to frost injury. Available cultivars
differ greatly in fruit shape, size, color
and favor. Fruits are smaller than those of
Chapter 13Berry Crops 253
arguta kiwivines. Kolomikta are considered
good ornamentals because of their variegat-
ed pink leaves, particularly in the male.
A. kolomikta leaves contain a substance
that has an effect similar to catnip. In China,
kiwivine leaves reportedly are fed to large
cats as a sedative. You may fnd that cats be-
come a pest of your new kiwifruit planting!
Establishing the planting
Establish kiwifruit vines in a sunny loca-
tion that is somewhat protected from wind
and has deep, well-drained soil. You also
can plant vines on raised beds to minimize
the risk of phytophthora root rot (to which
kiwivines are quite susceptible). The opti-
mum soil pH is from 5.5 to 6.0. Kiwifruit
vines produce fruit in the third year and can
remain productive for more than 50 years.
Planting
Space vines 15 feet apart. Vines are
extremely vigorous, with shoots growing 6
to 20 feet per year. Male and female vines
must be planted together (one male for ev-
ery six to eight females). Most nurseries sell
self-rooted (nongrafted) vines, an advan-
tage if cold damage occurs and a new trunk
needs to be established.
Plant 2-year-old bare-root or container
stock in the spring. Do not add fertilizer or
manure to the planting hole, as kiwivine
roots are sensitive to fertilizer burn. Never
mound soil around the plant. Keep the soil
moist, but dont over-water. Place a trunk
sleeve around all species of kiwifruit vines
for protection (for the frst 3 years for A.
arguta and A. kolomikta).
Fertilizing
Ammonium nitrate and urea are good
sources of nitrogen for kiwifruit vines. In
the frst year, apply no more than 0.4 ounce
of actual nitrogen per plant (for example, 4
ounces of 10-10-10 fertilizer) per month in
May, June and July. Spread the nitrogen in a
circle 6 to 12 inches away from the trunk.
In the year after planting, apply 0.8 ounce
of actual nitrogen per month in May, June
and July. Spread the fertilizer in a ring
about 12 to 36 inches from the trunk. Fertil-
ize third- and fourth-year plants with 2 to
3 ounces of actual nitrogen every month.
Do not use fertilizers that contain chloride
(such as potassium chloride).
Watering
Kiwivines need adequate water for shoot
growth and fruit development. Apply 1 to
2 inches of water per week if this amount
isnt supplied by rainfall.
Trellis
Kiwifruit vines are not self-supporting;
their size, vigor, longevity and heavy crop
load mean they need a strong, permanent
support structure. Use either a standard
T-bar or a winged T-bar trellis (Figures 6
and 7). Use pressure-treated 4- to 6-inch
diameter posts that are 8 to 9 feet long.
Space posts 15 to 20 feet apart. Drive posts
2 to 3 feet into the ground. Anchor the end
posts well. Use galvanized, high-tensile,
12-gauge wire and wire tighteners.
Training
Proper pruning during the frst few years
is necessary to establish a well-formed
permanent framework for the vine (Figure
8). Developing or training young kiwifruit
254 Berry CropsChapter 13
vines into a bilateral cordon (two main
arms) allows for easier management when
the plants are mature. Kiwifruit produce a
crop on shoots that grow from 1-year-old
canes (last years growth).
Prune kiwivines when they are fully dor-
mant. Later pruning may cause excessive
sap fow.
First growing season
The main objective during the planting
year is to develop a single, straight trunk.
At planting, prune plants back to one or two
buds (Figure 8a). Once shoots start to grow,
select one vigorous shoot to train upward as
the trunk.
Remove all basal lateral shoots that break
along the trunk. If the main shoot loses
vigor and begins to twist slightly, top it and
train up a strong new leader (Figure 8c).
Continue to train the trunk until its 2 to 3
inches above the wire.
During the frst dormant season, head
back the cordon(s) to wood inch in
diameter or larger (Figure 8e). If vines did
not grow enough to form cordons the frst
season, head the trunk back about 2 inches
below the trellis wire to force new buds
early the next season.
Second season
The objective in this season is to develop
two permanent cordons along the center
wire from two strong shoots growing in
opposite directions from the trunk. As each
cordon grows, hang it over the wire and
wrap it every 18 to 24 inches to ensure that
its securely attached to the wire.
Retain lateral branches that are produced
along the cordons at about 8- to 12-inch in-
tervals (Figure 8f). Carefully tie these canes
to the outer trellis wires. Remove all other
canes in summer before they twist around
the shoots you want to keep.
In the dormant season, prune the main
cordons and the retained lateral canes back
to wood inch in diameter or larger (Fig-
ure 8f). The frst crop will form on shoots
from these canes in the third year. Remove
suckers and any new growth on the trunk.
Third season
In the third year, its best to concentrate
on developing the vines framework. Fruit
will form on shoots produced on last years
growth. Do not over-crop the vine.
Figure 6.Standard T-bar trellis system for kiwifruit.
Wires
56
6
Figure 7.Winged T-bar trellis system for kiwifruit.
Wires
56
6
45 angle
Chapter 13Berry Crops 255
In the third dormant period, prune so that
15 to 20 well-spaced canes remain on the
vine cordons, depending on vigor. Remove
any suckers or side growth on the trunk.
The permanent vine structure should be
established by the fourth year.
(a) Prune to two buds at planting.
(b) Train one shoot as the trunk; remove all others (Year 1).
(c) Head back the trunk as shoot growth at the terminal loses vigor.
(d) Continue to remove lateral shoots; let the trunk grow beyond the wire. Then head to just below the wire.
(e) Choose two shoots to form the cordons, one each way on the wire. Head back to 14 inch diameter in the dormant season
(Year 1).
(f) Shoot growth in Year 2 showing pruning cuts in the second dormant season.
Figure 8.Training a young kiwifruit vine. Pruning cuts are shown by .
(a) (b) (c) (d)
wire
(e) (f)
Center
wire
Caring for established plantings
Fertilizing
Mature vines (5 to 7 years and older) use
about 1 pound of actual nitrogen per vine
per year. Apply about two-thirds of the ni-
trogen at bud break as a broadcast applica-
tion under the canopy. Apply the remaining
256 Berry CropsChapter 13
third in MayJune. Irrigate before fertiliz-
ing.
Pollination
Male and female vines of the same
species bloom at the same time. Bees are
needed for cross-pollination. Misshapen or
small fruits generally are the result of inad-
equate pollination.
Male vines are more sensitive to cold
injury than female vines; sometimes only
males are affected by frost damage to young
shoots in late winter. In this case, there will
be no fruit production on the female vines
because there is no pollen. You may want
to use row covers to offer some protection
against frost damage.
Pruning and training
In kiwifruit, fowers are produced on
current-season shoots that grow from buds
on 1-year-old canes (last years growth).
See Figure 9. Shoots that grow from older
wood seldom produce fruit in their frst
season. Shoots from buds that were heavily
shaded during the preceding season are less
productive than those from buds that were
exposed to the sun.
Prune mature male and female plants dif-
ferently as described below.
Female vines
When pruning a mature female vine,
remove about 70 percent of the wood
that grew last season. Most of the wood
removed is older wood that already has
fruited (Figure 10). New fruiting canes usu-
ally will have developed at the base of last
Figure 9.Mature portion of a kiwifruit cordon in
production. Leaves are not drawn to simplify the
fgure. Fruit are produced on shoots growing from
last years growth. Winter pruning cuts are shown
by .
Spur
Cordon
Winter pruning cut
Fruitful shoot
Replacement
cane (headed
back in winter)
Fruitful cane (heading cut
made previous winter
Figure 10.Dormant portion of a mature kiwifruit
vine cordon. Winter pruning cuts are shown by .
Shoots labeled with an F fruited last season.
Replacement
cane
Replacement
cane
Spur
Cordon
F
F
F
F F
F
F
F F
F
F
Chapter 13Berry Crops 257
years canes. You can leave fruiting canes
that originate from the cordon to replace
older wood in the future. Separate fruiting
canes by about 8 to 12 inches on the cordon.
Spurs (short fruiting branches with short
internodes) often originate from the older
wood. Do not remove them unless absolute-
ly necessary, as they are very fruitful.
Mature vines, spaced at 15 feet in the row,
should have 30 to 45 fruiting canes per vine
(spaced at 8 to 12 inches on both sides).
Male vines
The goal when pruning male vines is to
produce as many fowers as possible, while
keeping the vine manageable. One popular
way of pruning male vines is to cut most of
the canes back to 6 to 12 inches as soon as
fowering is fnished.
Summer pruning
During summer, you can remove shoots
not wanted the following year for replace-
ment canes. Take care not to summer prune
excessively.
Remove all suckers or shoots that grow
from the trunk during the growing season.
Harvest
Fruit size is not related to fruit maturity.
Also, most cultivars show little visible
change in fruit appearance as the fruit ma-
tures. Thus, multiple harvests are diffcult.
Hardy kiwifruit can be harvested when
physiologically mature and then stored (as
long as 2 months) and ripened under the
same conditions as fuzzy kiwifruit. It also
can be harvested vine-ripe.
Vine-ripe fruit is soft compared to imma-
ture fruit. Soft fruit must be harvested using
scissors. Otherwise, the fruit will tear, thus
decreasing storage time. Vine-ripe fruit can-
not be stored for very long.
Pest and disease problems
Kiwifruits do not have many pest prob-
lems. Vines are susceptible to verticillium
wilt, oak root fungus, phytophthora and
root-knot nematodes.
Lingonberries or lowbush
cranberries
The lingonberry, also called lowbush
cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), is closely
related to the cranberry and blueberry.
Fruit is red like cranberries, but pea-sized
and sweeter, although still rather tart. The
seeds, like those of blueberries, are not very
noticeable.
Other common names for this berry are
cowberry, moss cranberry, mountain cran-
berry and red whortleberry. The lingonberry
is a woody, evergreen dwarf shrub (about 1
to 1 feet tall) native to northern temper-
ate, boreal and subarctic areas. Fruits are
harvested from the wild in Scandinavia
and Russia and are grown commercially in
central Europe.
Lingonberry fruit can be used for juice,
jelly, preserves and sauce. Lingonberry
sauce is a great accompaniment to meat
dishes. Plants also make attractive ground
cover.
Through the production of underground
rhizomes, lingonberries ultimately form a
solid row much like strawberries. Plantings
remain productive for more than 15 years.
Lingonberries are cold hardy and found
throughout Alaska. In summer the plants
need abundant moisture.
Cultivars
Red Pearl is a wide, bushy plant with a
height of about 1 foot. Fruits are from to
inch in diameter and bright red.
See Chapter 19,
Diagnosing Plant
Problems
258 Berry CropsChapter 13
Koralle is a wide plant reaching about 1
foot in height. It spreads by rhizomes more
slowly than most cultivars. Fruits are light
to dark red in color.
Erntedank was selected from the wild
in Germany. It exhibits moderate growth
and has small to medium-size fruit. Its very
productive, producing both a spring and
summer crop.
Establishing and maintaining the
planting
Lingonberries grow best in well-drained,
sandy-loam soil with a pH of 4.0 to 5.5.
You can improve drainage by planting on a
raised bed. Choose a sunny site.
Plant in the spring. Incorporate 3 to 5
cubic feet of organic matter (compost or
well-composted manure, for example) per
100 square feet prior to planting.
Planting
Space plants 1 foot apart in rows about
3 feet apart. You can add a light mulch to
the surface of the planted rows to improve
rhizome production.
Fertilizing and irrigating
Lingonberries are sensitive to over-fertil-
ization. Yields decline if too much manure
or fertilizer is used. Apply about ounce
( tablespoon) of 20-10-15 (with 6 percent
added magnesium) or equivalent fertil-
izer per plant per year. Fertilize in spring
or early summer. Do not use fertilizer with
chloride (often available as potassium chlo-
ride). Ammonium sulfate is recommended
as the nitrogen source.
Keep plants well irrigated during the
growing season.
Pruning
Lingonberries require no pruning.
Pest problems
There are no insect or disease pests docu-
mented, but weeds do compete with lingon-
berries and reduce yield.
Highbush cranberries
Most species of Viburnum are grown as
ornamentals for their attractive foliage and
fruit. Viburnum trilobum is sold in nurser-
ies as the American cranberrybush vibur-
num. V. trilobum is more widely distributed
across northern U.S. and southern Canada.
It grows best in moist, fertile soils and is
intolerant of draught.
Viburnum edule, the native Viburnum of
Southeast, Southcentral and Interior Alaska,
is rarely available in nurseries. Berries ripen
after the frst fall frost; if picked before the
frst frost, just before the true ripe stage,
the fruit is more acidic and has a better
favor. Highbush cranberries make a beauti-
ful jelly and are popular in many products.
The berries arent used in pies and other
baked goods because of the large, fat seeds.
However, they combine well with other
fruits and when used with less plentiful ber-
ries like raspberries, currants and rose hips
enhance their favor.
The highbush cranberry plant is propa-
gated by stem cuttings and adapts to gar-
dens. Bushes grow to about 9 feet tall. They
produce tart, red fruit and have excellent
red or orange fall leaf color. Fruit matures
late summer to early fall.
Plants prefer full sun and soils with mod-
erate moisture and fertility. They are not
drought-tolerant. Space plants 6 to 8 feet
apart in the row, with 13 to 20 feet between
rows. You also can place these attractive
plants in the landscape. Little pruning is
necessary, except perhaps light annual prun-
ing to encourage new growth.
Chapter 13Berry Crops 259
Saskatoon berries
Saskatoons (Amelanchier alnifolia) also
are known as juneberries and serviceberries.
This species is native to North America.
Plants are great ornamentals with attractive
blossoms and good fall color. Fruit may be
eaten fresh or used in pies, wine, jellies,
jams and syrup.
Saskatoons tolerate most soil types. They
bloom relatively early in May and thus are
susceptible to late spring frosts in colder
regions of the Pacifc Northwest.
Establish plants in the spring at a spac-
ing of 6 to 8 feet. No fertilizer is needed in
the planting year. Starting the second year,
apply 1 ounce of actual nitrogen per year of
plant age, up to a maximum of pound per
plant. Use a well-balanced fertilizer.
Plants bear fruit after 2 to 4 years (de-
pending on the age of the plant at establish-
ment), and full production occurs after 7
to 11 years. Fruit is borne on the previous
years growth.
Chokeberries
The chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
should not be confused with the chokecher-
ry (Prunus sp.). This berry crop produces
many small, blue fruits. Some species of
Aronia are grown as ornamentals for their
fall leaf color. Chokeberries are native to
northeast North America and are hardy in
USDA zone 5a. The fruit is bitter tasting
but high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
There are three species of chokeberry: black
chokeberry (A. melanocarpa) which has
exceptionally high antioxidants, red choke-
berry (A. arbutifolia) and purple chokeberry
(A. prunifolia).
The plant is tolerant of a wide range of
sites but is most numerous in wet locations.
Midwinter cold hardiness is to -20F. Space
plants about 6 feet apart. The crowns will
grow to as much as 6 to 9 feet in diameter.
Plants grow to about 7 feet tall.
Apply about 2 ounces of nitrogen per
plant in the establishment year and, unlike
other plants, reduce the fertilizer rate to 1

ounces in subsequent years. Apply half of
the fertilizer in May and the other half in
June.
Plants fruit on last years growth. How-
ever, unlike blueberries, very little pruning
is required other than thinning out the bush
every 5 to 8 years.
Fruits ripen at the end of August or early
September, with the season lasting about 10
days. About 15 to 20 small (1 to 1 gram)
berries are produced per cluster. Yields are
about 20 pounds per bush.
For more information
UAF Cooperative Extension
publications
Growing Everbearing Strawberries as An-
nuals in Alaska, HGA-00235.
Growing Tree and Bush Fruits in Alaska,
HGA-00038.
Native Plants of Alaska: Oval-Leafed Blue-
berry, HGA 00232D.
Native Plants of Alaska: Cloudberry, HGA-
00232E.
Native Plants of Alaska: Bunchberry, HGA-
00232F.
Native Plants of Alaska: Highbush Cran-
berry, HGA-00232H.
Native Plants of Alaska: Crowberry, HGA-
00232I.
Wild Edible and Poisonous Plants of Alas-
ka, FNH-00028.
260 Berry CropsChapter 13
UAF School of Natural Resources and
Agricultural Sciences
How to Germinate Seeds of Alaska Wild
Blueberries and Lingonberries (Low-
bush Cranberries). 2007. Georgeson
Botanical Garden Note No. 34.
WSU Cooperative Extension
publications
Growing Small Fruits for the Home Gar-
den, EB1640.
Protecting Strawberries from Birds,
EB1641.
Raspberry and Strawberry Root Rots in
Home Gardens, EB1082.
Raspberry Crown Borer, EB0920.
Root Weevils on Berry Crops, EB0965.
Small Fruit Pests: Biology, Diagnosis and
Management, EB1388.
Small Fruits and Berries: Insect and
Disease Control for Home Gardens,
EB1015.
Weed Control in Strawberry, EB1808.
OSU Extension publications
Blueberry Cultivars for Oregon, EC 1308.
Fertilizing Your Garden: Vegetables, Fruits,
and Ornamentals, EC 1503.
A Growers Guide to Pruning Highbush,
Blueberries (video), VTP 002.
Growing Blueberries in Your Home Garden,
EC 1304.
Growing Currants and Gooseberries in
Your Home Garden, EC 1361.
Growing Kiwifruit, PNW 507.
Table 2.Spacing and yield of berry crops.
In-row
spacing Expect mature Yield Yield
Crop (feet) crop in year* (lb/plant) (lb/20-foot row)
Blueberry 4 8 1318 6590
Currant
Black 4 4 48 2040
Red 4 4 812 4060
Gooseberry 4 4 814 4070
Kiwifruit 15 (+ male) 8
Raspberry
Red, summer 2.5** 3 69 4872
Red, fall 2** 3 34 3040
Strawberry 1.3** 2 12 1632
*Expect lower yields for immature plantings; planting year = year 1.
**Form solid hedgerow or matted row.
Chapter 13Berry Crops 261
Growing Raspberries in Your Home Gar-
den, EC 1306.
Growing Strawberries in Your Home Gar-
den, EC 1307.
Red Raspberry Cultivars for Oregon, EC
1310.
Other publications
Gallenta, G.J. and D.G. Himelrick (ed).
1995. Small Fruit Crop Management.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Pren-
tice-Hall.
Holloway, P.S. 2006. Managing Wild Bog
Blueberry, Lingonberry, Cloudberry
and Crowberry in Alaska. University of
Alaska Fairbanks, NRCS publication.
Holloway, P. 1995. Rhizome production
in lingonberry, Vaccinium vitis-idaea
following propagation by tissue culture
and conventional stem cuttings. The
Plant Propagator. 7(2):21-23.
Holloway, P., C. Stushnoff, and D. Wildung.
l983. Chilling and budbreak in lingon-
berries. Journal of the American Society
for Horticultural Science. 108(1):88-90.
Holloway, P., C. Stushnoff and D. Wildung.
l983. Gibberellic acid-induced fruiting
of lingonberries,Vaccinium vitis-idaea
L. ssp. minus (Lodd.) Hult. Hort-
Science. 17(6):953-954.
Holloway, P., R.M. VanVeldhuizen, C.
Stushnoff and D. Wildung. l982. Veg-
etative growth and nutrient levels of
lingonberries grown in four Alaskan
substrates. Canadian Journal of Plant
Science. 62:969-977.
Holloway, P., R.M. VanVeldhuizen, C.
Stushnoff and D.K. Wildung. l982.
Effects of light intensity on vegeta-
tive growth of lingonberries. Canadian
Journal of Plant Science. 62:965-968.
Reich, L. 2004. Uncommon Fruits for Every
Garden. Portland, Oregon: Timber
Press.
Talbot, V. and P. Holloway. 2002. Lingon-
berry Establishment on soils amended
with fsh waste and wood chips. Acta
Horticulturae. 574:305-308.
Talbot, V. and P. Holloway. 2002. On Farm
Tissue Culture Production of Lingon-
berries. Acta Horticulturae. 574: 405-
408.
Warner, Douglas R. 1991. Commercial
Interest of Lingonberries in Alaska.
Alaska Department of Natural Resourc-
es, Division of Agriculture report.
262 Berry CropsChapter 13