Staff \u2014 April 7, 2015
\n
\nIf you\u2019re thinking of jumping on the edibles bandwagon, try adding a little color to your program with a variety of berry plants. Strawberries can be grown in the greenhouse, and brambles or shrubs can be grown in containers or in the field. Whether you go with any of several named varieties or simply produce generic but highly nutritious, in-demand berry plants, this group of edibles has staying power. We\u2019ve recommended some of the most popular here, as well as a few unusual selections. These berries are so delicious they should sell themselves, and most plants are as ornamental as they are productive. But we\u2019ve also offered a few tips regarding their healthy-living value, just in case clients and customers need a little nudge.<\/p>\n

There are a number of wholesale suppliers\u2014we\u2019ve listed a few in the sidebar\u2014 and they can work with you to determine what\u2019s best for your operation.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rubus \u2018Osage\u2019Photo courtesy of Agri-Starts<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Blackberries<\/h3>\n

Blackberries are known for their deep, dark color, which is a hint that they contain among the highest levels of antioxidants of all fruits. They also boast anthocyanins, phytonutrients said to protect the brain from \u201coxidative stress,\u201d which may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer\u2019s disease and dementia. That\u2019s reason enough for your customers to offer a line to the home gardener.<\/p>\n

Rubus Prime-Ark\u00ae \u2018Freedom\u2019 is the first thornless primocane blackberry: This unique type fruits on current-season canes and second-season canes, potentially providing for two cropping seasons, according to its breeder, John R. Clark of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Freedom is the fourth in the division\u2019s Prime-Ark\u00ae line of primocane- fruiting blackberries, and it features very large berries with excellent flavor. Initial evaluations show that the fruit is not well suited to storage and shipping, but that just makes it all the more desirable for use in home gardens.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dr. John R. Clark, Professor in the University of Arkansas Department of Horticulture, inspects Rubus Prime-Ark \u2018Freedom\u2019.<\/em><\/strong>Photos courtesy of Agri-Starts<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Osage\u2019 blackberry also is thornless with consistently good flavor and high yields. Another University of Arkansas release, it has excellent storage potential for the shipping market. Featuring an upright habit, Osage can be grown as a hedge (with some support), and it\u2019s the first thornless variety selected specifically for flavor.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

BrazelBerries\u00ae Pink Icing<\/em><\/strong>\u2122Photo courtesy of Garden Media Group<\/span><\/p>\n

Blueberries<\/h3>\n

According to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, North American production has increased from 193 million pounds in 1995 to a projected 735 million pounds in 2015; per capita, that translates to 15.5 ounces in 1995 to a projected 50 ounces this year. Low in fat, full of dietary fiber and packed with Vitamin C, it\u2019s no wonder this little ball of nutrition has grown in popularity. And with ornamentally significant plants now on the market, home gardeners are clamoring for more. Among the popular selections are two from the BrazelBerry\u00ae line: Blueberry Glaze\u2122 and Pink Icing\u2122.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Garden Media Group<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Both of these plants are well-suited for containers, both in production and in the landscape. Pink Icing boasts spectacular spring and fall foliage, and even offers a unique turquoise blue tone in winter. It will grow to 3 to 4 feet tall with a slightly spreading habit and produces large, sweet berries in mid-summer.<\/p>\n

Blueberry Glaze offers white and pink spring flowers that pop against glossy, dark green leaves that are reminiscent of boxwood foliage. The mid-summer crop of small berries has an intense flavor similar to the taste of wild blueberries.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

BrazelBerries\u00ae Blueberry Glaze<\/strong>\u2122Photo courtesy of Garden Media Group<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Gooseberries<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve got room to grow blackberries, you\u2019ve got room for gooseberries. And why not jazz up your production a little with a berry that\u2019s not always the first on gardener\u2019s lists? You can make it the next \u201cin\u201d thing to grow.<\/p>\n

A few selling points: Gooseberries are low in calories. They\u2019re rich in phenolic phytochemicals, which have been found to offer numerous health benefits against cancer, aging and inflammation. Gooseberries offer moderate amounts of Vitamin C, especially when compared with other true berries, but they can be teamed with other fruits and with greens to provide a bit of variety.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Gooseberries<\/strong>Photo: iStock\/Avalon_Studio<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Shrubs are fast growing and reach about 4 to 6 feet tall with a similar spread. Fruiting begins in about two to three years; fruits range from round to oval and pear-shaped, and can be green, white, yellow, purple, reddish brown or nearly black.<\/p>\n

\nJostaberry<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s another unusual selection to round out your inventory: the jostaberry. It\u2019s a fast-growing hybrid of the black currant and the gooseberry, producing fruit two to three times the size of a red currant and about the size of a common gooseberry. Most varieties are dark\u2014nearly black\u2014 although reddish fruits are also available.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jostaberry<\/strong>Photo: iStock\/Suljo<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Jostaberry was developed in Germany with the objective of combining the best traits of both parents: Where gooseberry plants have thorns, jostaberry is thornless. It produces a higher yield of fruit than the currant does, and it is considerably more immune and\/or resistant to various diseases.<\/p>\n

Jostaberries are high in Vitamin C and have a pleasing flavor that brings out the best of the gooseberry with a mild hint of black currant. The shrubs grow 3 to 5 feet tall with a spread of 3 to 6 feet; they\u2019re self-pollinating and can be quite ornamental as well as productive.<\/p>\n

\nRaspberries<\/h3>\n

Who can resist ripe, red raspberries? Or golden, purple or black raspberries? There\u2019s such a wide range of selections that it will be hard to narrow it down. But here\u2019s some help: Like blackberries, raspberries grow in two types: floricane fruiting and primocane fruiting. Floricane plants produce berries only in summer. Primocane plants, however, are considered \u201ceverbearing\u201d and can bear fruit twice in the season; an early summer crop is not as abundant as the later crop, but the plants will produce late into autumn.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Raspberries<\/strong>Photo: iStock\/GomezDavid<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Cultivation for both types is basically the same, but pruning requirements are distinct. Everbearing plants (primocane) should be pruned back to the ground in winter\u2014that means the whole plant. Summer-bearing plants (floricane) should be pruned more selectively. (For a mini-course in pruning, see Cornell University\u2019s \u201cPruning Raspberries and Blackberries\u201d by Dr. Marvin Pritts at http:\/\/www.fruit.cornell.edu\/berry\/production\/pdfs\/rasppruning.pdf.)<\/p>\n

So, other than irresistible taste, what do raspberries have to offer? They\u2019re low in calories and fat, of course. They\u2019re cholesterol- free and high in fiber, plus high in Vitamin C. Rich in flavonoids that have been shown to play a role in heart health, they also contain ketones that are similar to capsacin, which is also found in red pepper and is said to aid in the inhibition of the growth of cancer cells.<\/p>\n

\nStrawberries<\/h3>\n

Did we save the best for last? Some would say so. Strawberries are the ultimate grow-it-yourself fruit, suitable for planting in the garden or in patio containers. They\u2019re often grown as groundcovers, and because they produce runners, crops will increase year upon year. Many are self-pollinating, but optimum fruit production can be achieved if a second (or third!) variety is planted nearby.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Strawberries<\/strong>Photo: iStock\/ Oksana Struk<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Spring-bearing plants will offer a large crop of fruit typically in June, while everbearing varieties continue to produce throughout the growing season.<\/p>\n

These Vitamin C powerhouses, which offer up to 160 percent of the recommended daily value, also are said to help keep blood pressure in check.<\/p>\n

Good for the home gardener, yes, but good for the grower, too!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Staff \u2014 April 7, 2015 If you\u2019re thinking of jumping on the edibles bandwagon, try adding a little color to your program with a variety of berry plants. Strawberries can be grown in the greenhouse, and brambles or shrubs can be grown in containers or in the field. Whether you go with any of several […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[81,82,83,84,85,86,32,87],"class_list":["post-566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nursery","tag-berries","tag-berry-plants","tag-cultivation","tag-edible","tag-fruit","tag-home-gardener","tag-plants","tag-spring"],"yoast_head":"\n