Growing your own berries is an ideal way to save money vs. buying them from the store and can be a very rewarding summertime treat! One of the easiest ways to care for these different berries is by growing them in a container. Doing this gives you the ability to control the soil type the plant needs as well as protecting it from subfreezing temperatures in the winter. All berries enjoy at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day as well as a good draining soil and container.
In choosing a pot, you may want to decide to go with a plastic container since they hold in moisture well but not heat, they are less expensive and are very light weight in comparison to other containers. Berries can be a favorite treat not only for you, but for birds as well. Keep an eye out when berries start forming; you may need to use a bird-friendly netting to cover the plants.
Blueberries are one of the easiest berries to care for in that they are highly resistant to pests and diseases. They require the lowest soil pH of all berries ranging between 4.5 and 6.0 depending on variety. To ensure a good harvest, choose two different varieties to plant since blueberries need to cross-pollinate. Blueberries don’t enjoy having “wet feet” so choose a pot and soil that will drain well.
Blackberries are extremely hardy plants and are great for container gardening. When choosing your container, choose one that is at least 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep and plant only one per pot. Using a soil such as the Pro-Mix Outdoor is a good choice for planting blackberries since they need a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Blackberries can be susceptible to a few pests and disease such as spider mites, stinkbugs, orange rust, and powdery mildew.
Raspberries enjoy as much water as they can get and are easily grown using a 5-gallon plastic container. You may want to drill a few addition holes in the bottom of the pot, however, since raspberries don’t like to be waterlogged and this situation could lead to diseases. As with blackberries, using a similar soil is a good choice for planting raspberries with a pH of 5.6 to 6.2. Keep an eye out for pests and diseases that can attack raspberries: cane borers and tarnished plant bugs as well as raspberry mosaic and verticillium wilt.
Strawberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow since they practically take care of themselves as long as their basic needs are met. They grow well in most any container that is at least 8 inches deep (if sitting on the ground) or 12 inches wide (if hanging). When planting, use a good potting soil and plant only deep enough that the area where the leaves begin growing is flush with the surface of the soil. More than likely, the only problem you may encounter with strawberries are slugs. If your plants are on ground level, they will be more susceptible to slugs, but a trick to deterring these pests is to line the top of the container with copper tubing or strips on the outside.
Stop by Hyams Nursery for more information on berries and other mouthwatering plants such as the muscadine and scuppernong grapes!
