fruit

By Nancy Garrison, former Horticultural Advisor, Santa Clara County

VARIETIES

Three main types of raspberries are grown in the United States: red, purple and black. They differ in ways other than fruit color. Red raspberries have erect canes and are propagated by suckers. These are usually grown in the Western States. Black raspberries have arched canes that root at the tips. Purple raspberries are hybrids of red and black varieties. The black and purple varieties are grown in the Eastern States.

Varieties of blackberries include boysenberries, ollalieberries, loganberries and youngberries. Boysenberries are reddish black with an aroma and flavor similar to raspberries. Ollalieberries are slightly longer and more slender than the boysenberry and are a cross between black, logan and youngberries.

PLANTING

Raspberries grow best in cool climates. A wide range of soil types are suitable for growing raspberries, from sandy loam to clay. The most important requirement for the berries is that the soil be deep so that the roots are not restricted. Raspberries should not be planted in an area following the cultivation of tomatoes, eggplant or potatoes. Diseases that affect these plants may remain in the soil and damage the berries. Plants may be set in hills or in rows. Red raspberry plants should be set 2' to 3' apart if planted in rows. Before planting, cut the tops of the plants back to six inches. Set the plants into the hole so they are 2" to 3" deeper than they were in the nursery. Water after transplanting.

Originally planted in the mid-90’s, the Prusch High Density Orchard provides a public demonstration of pomme fruit gardening, showing local gardeners how to maintain reasonably sized trees, and how several varieties can be grown in a small garden space.

Located in San Jose at the intersection of highways 280 and 101, the entrance to Emma Prusch Park is on South King Road. To visit the orchard, make an immediate left after entering the park.

Home Orchard Advice

If you're planning for yourself, here are some things to keep in mind. For more information, visit the California Backyard Orchard website.

Tree Selection

The most important factors in selecting varieties for growing at home are your personal preference for type and taste, and the ripening time for the varieties you select. Even keeping your trees small, you can get a lot of fruit from a single tree. With a little planning, you can choose varieties that bear fruit over a longer period of time, thus maximizing the length of your fruit season.

There are other factors to consider, including the amount of winter chill a variety needs in order to bear fruit. For more information on chill hours, visit the California Home Orchard tree selection page.

Planting options

Don't have much space? You don't need much to get started. Some options you might want to consider include:

by Nancy Garrison
Revised: 01-Mar-2003

Introduction

In February 1997, with the invaluable help of my Master Gardener volunteers, I established a variety trial to evaluate 15 varieties of blueberries in a replicated trial. This was conducted at the Bay Area Research and Extension Center of the University of California located in the City of Santa Clara near Valley Fair Shopping Center. The objective was to determine which varieties of blueberries grow and produce best under our soil and climatic conditions in Santa Clara County. The South Bay Area has not been known as a blueberry growing area, but a few people, including myself, have been growing them successfully for nearly a decade.

We trialed Northern Highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum), Southern Highbush (Vaccinium darrowi), as well as interspecific hybrids. Each of the 15 varieties were replicated four times with four plants per replication totaling 255 blueberry plants. There was also a border row on the east and west perimeters which contained one or more of each of the varieties. Fall Creek Nursery in Oregon was the source for all plants included in this trial.

Varieties

Blueberry varieties are distinguished by their climate suitability and ripening season. One might want to select varieties that ripen at different times or feature large fruit (best for fresh eating and desserts) or small fruit (best for muffins and pancakes). Bushes with brilliant fall color or different growth habits offer the gardener lots of choices to use throughout the landscape. Plant at least two plants per family member.

by Nancy Garrison, Former Urban Horticulture and Master GardenerProgram Coordinator with U.C. Cooperative Extension

Revised 20-Feb-2003

Varieties

Strawberries can be grown in the home garden and will provide a sweet tangy fruit high in vitamin C. There are two general classes of strawberries, the "day neutral" or as they are also called, "everbearers" and the "short-day" types. The day neutral types flower and produce fruit all year round; although, the bulk of the fruit will be from April through October. The short-day types produce when day lengths are shorter as in the fall through early spring. Pajaro, Seascape, Chandler and Tioga are short-day types, while Aptos, and Fern are day-neutral types. Day-neutral varieties can bear fruit about 3 months after planting, if favorable growing temperatures prevail. Varieties to choose from for best flavor are Aptos, Chandler, Seascape, Tioga, Fern, and Pajaro.

Factors Affecting Growth

Long days and warm temperatures favor the growth of leaves and runners, while short days and cool temperatures are necessary for flower formation in the short-day varieties. Strawberries will have more flavor when grown in areas where days are sunny and nights are cool. Strawberries that grow during cool temperatures have firmer fruit than those grown during warm humid weather. Temperatures of 70 to 80 F during the day and 60 to 65 F during the night result in a ripening period of about 30 days.

By Nancy Garrison, Former Urban Horticulture and Master Gardener Program Coordinator

Apples, Malus communis D. C., are adaptable to most areas of Santa Clara County; our moderate climate is adequate for coloration in most red varieties and generally adequate to meet winter chilling requirements. There are hundreds of varieties of apples, and some varieties have several strains, each with its own characteristics. There are several available rootstocks for apples, the most profound characteristics of which, are dwarfing and pest resistance. Apples require cross pollination to varying degrees.

VARIETY SELECTION

The greatest selection of varieties will be available from local nurseries during the December - February bareroot season. One's choice should be made based on personal taste preference, tree size and harvest season. Early season varieties start to ripen in mid June. Mid season ones ripen August to September and late season varieties finish ripening in November. By choosing varieties with different ripening dates, one can stretch the harvest season to five months. Additionally, one can choose by predominant use, such as juicing versus pies versus fresh eating. Below are descriptions of some of the "tried and true" performers for our area. There are certainly others, so don't take this as an exhaustive list.