Wilco has berries! Lots of berries! Raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries, blueberries, strawberries; and a good assortment of all. I recently visited the Lake Oswego store and was pleasantly surprised at the selection. While specific selections will vary by store location, there is certainly an ample selection to choose from and now is an excellent time to plant berries.
Bare Root Thornless Boysenberry Cane
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We are very fortunate, living in the Pacific NW, to be in an area where the climate is ideal for a variety of growing different berries. Driving out of the metro areas and into rural parts of the state, it obvious that commercially grown berries are a major agricultural crop. Many of these berries will grow equally well in home gardens, and given the right growing conditions, can be a prolific source of fresh berries during the summer months.
Bare Root Heritage Raspberry Cane
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If growing berries is a new garden venture for you, give some thought to the planting location. Most berry plants need a full sun location and without the necessary sunlight, the plants will not thrive and the production of berries will be diminished. It is also important to consider the soil and getting a soil test would be wise. With most soils in our area, the addition of garden compost would be a benefit. This compost can be worked into the existing soil at time of planting. Be sure to consider the amount of space available because you are probably going to have other things in your vegetable garden. Another important consideration that I always like to remind people is to be sure to select a berry that you and your family like to eat!
Bareroot Strawberries 12ct
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I love picking a fresh raspberry on a warm summer day, it’s a taste that is hard to beat. Raspberries, and other cane berries such as blackberries and boysenberries, need some kind of supporting structure to grow on.
This structure is often wire strung between posts and keep in mind that there will be considerable weight on this structure, making it important that the wire and posts be sturdy. Berry plants grow tall and fast and be sure to build the supporting structure so that the plants will not shade the rest of the garden. Raspberries need very good drainage and I recommend to slightly mound the soil around the base of the plant so water will drain away from the base.
Check the plant labels on the raspberries because different varieties will have different ripening dates. There will be some early, some mid-season and some late. This allows you to extend the season and you can enjoy fresh raspberries for several months. A favorite of mine is ‘Fall Gold’, which as the name indicates will ripen in the fall with golden colored berries with the same taste as red berries.
Strawberries are low growing and can easily be worked into small spaces provided they have enough sun. Both ‘Hood’ and ‘Benton’ are spring bearing and ‘Cabrillo’ is an ever-bearing type. Blueberries are shrubs and can stand alone with no additional support necessary. If garden space is limited, blueberries can easily be worked into a landscape of ornamental plants.
They make quite an attractive shrub with the new growth often bronze and then followed by clusters of white or pinkish urn-shaped flowers, The purple fruit follows and many varieties will have quite attractive fall color. Blueberries grow best in a soil that is rich in organic matter and the addition of compost at time of planting will help ensure a healthy growing plant. Like raspberries, check the plant label for harvest dates to extend the season. The actual size of the berry is variable depending on the variety and the plant tag should also note this.
If you are thinking of planting berries, don’t delay. The sooner they are planted the more time they have to get established before summer. The selection is also excellent at Wilco at this time and there will be good choices. If you’ve never grown berries, give it a try and take advantage of our mild and berry friendly growing climate.
