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Small Fruit Small Fruit ProductionProduction

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Teryl R. RoperDept. of Horticulture

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Small Fruits for Small Fruits for WisconsinWisconsin

• Strawberry• Raspberry

• Juneberry• Currants

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• Blueberry• Cranberry• Lingonberry

• Gooseberry

Soils for berriesSoils for berries• Well drained loamy soils• High organic matter

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• Amend with compost, etc.

• pH between 6.0 and 7.0• Except blueberries & lingonberries

(4.5 to 5.5)

Site preparationSite preparation• Begin the year before planting• Soil test & add P, K fertilizer if needed• Adjust pH (if needed & possible)

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• Adjust pH (if needed & possible)• Control perennial weeds

• Cultivation• Non-residual herbicides

• Add organic matter• Manure, green manures, compost

Obtaining PlantsObtaining Plants• Purchase plants from a reputable

nursery• True to name

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• True to name• Disease free• Virus indexed

• Don’t save, don’t share• Arrange for spring delivery

Strawberry PlantStrawberry Plant• Crown• Leaves

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• Stolons (runners)• Roots• Trusses (flowers and fruit)

• Plantings last 3-5 years

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25-40%

25-40%

Flower Truss

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25 40%

Stolon orRunner

Crown

Roots

50-10%

Tertiary

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PrimaryPrimary

Secondary

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Daughter Plant

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Stolon

Stolons or Runners

Anther

Petals

Strawberry FlowerStrawberry Flower

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Stigma

Style

Achene

Receptacle

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3

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Fruiting HabitsFruiting Habits• June bearers Short Day• Everbearers Long Day• Day Neutral Insensitive

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• Day Neutral Insensitive

Day Neutral Day Neutral StrawberriesStrawberries

• Based on a collection of F. virginiana made in Utah’s Wasatch mountains by Royce Bringhurst, Breeder at UC-Davis.

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y g ,• Incorporated into breeding program.• Is now the basis for the strawberry

industries in California, Florida and other warm climates.

PlantingPlanting• Spring after danger of frost

pastP d th

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• Proper depth• Spread roots• Firm soil around crown

PLANTING DEPTHPLANTING DEPTH

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ShallowShallow CorrectCorrect DeepDeep

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4

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Strawberry planting Strawberry planting systemssystems

• Matted Row• 12 to 18” between

plants

• Spaced Plant• 6” between plants• 36 to 40 row spacing

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• 36 to 40” row spacing• Beds 12-18” wide• Runners encouraged

p g• Single plant row• Runners removed

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Spaced Plant System

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5

ant S

yste

m

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Spac

ed P

l

Remove blossoms Remove blossoms the first yearthe first year

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Promotes vegetative growth

IrrigationIrrigation• Strawberry is shallow rooted• The soil must not dry out

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• Require 1 to 2 inches per week

Winter MulchWinter Mulch• Straw 2-3”• Apply when soil freezes (late)

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• Remove in spring as leaves emerge (early)

• Spun-bonded polyester row covers

Winter ProtectionWinter Protection

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3 to 4 inches of clean straw

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Avoid weedy straw

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Remove mulch when new leaves emerge

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Place mulch between rowsPlace mulch between rows

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Alive ☺Dead

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Frost ProtectionFrost Protection• Proper site is important• Tarping is the best and easiest

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solution in home gardens• Tarps• Blankets• Row cover material

RenovationRenovation• Begin immediately after harvest• Control weeds

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• Mow leaves if leaf diseases serious• Narrow rows• Place soil around crowns• Incorporate mulch• Fertilize

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Rows vs. PatchRows vs. Patch• Linear feet of row edge Yield• Square feet covered ≠ Yield

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FertilityFertility• Amend soil before planting• Do Not add fertilizer before

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harvest• Get leaves, not fruit

FertilityFertility• Year 1 when runners form apply:

• ¾ to 1 ½ lbs ammonium sulfate OR• ½ to 1/3 lbs urea per 100 feet of row

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• Bearing years at renovation AND one month later apply:• ½ lb ammonium sulfate OR• 1/3 lb urea per 100 feet of row

• Water thoroughly

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CultivarsCultivars• June bearing• Earliglow• Honeoye

• Day neutral• Tribute• Tristar

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• Honeoye• Cavendish• Jewel• Sparkle

• Tristar• Seascape

Questions?Questions?

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RaspberriesRaspberries

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Raspberry PlantRaspberry Plant• Woody perennial

• CrownR t

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• Roots• Canes Primocanes & floricanes• Leaves• Flowers

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Raspberry PlantRaspberry Plant• Biennial growth and fruiting habit

• PrimocanesFl i

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• Floricanes

• Plantings last 8-10 years

Tips Floricanes

Primocanes

Side Branches

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Crown

Roots Crown Buds

ImmatureBuds

Fruit buds70%

20%

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Leader BudRoots

6%

4%

StigmaStyle

AntherFilament

Ovule

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Receptacle

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Raspberry Fruiting Raspberry Fruiting HabitsHabits

• Summer Bearing• Fruit on one year old floricanes

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Fruit on one year old floricanes• Fall Bearing

• Fruit on primocanes

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Planting RaspberriesPlanting Raspberries• In the spring after danger of

frosts is past

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• Just lower than in the nursery

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Planting SystemsPlanting Systems• Rows

• Plants 2-3 feet apart in rowsR 6 10 f t t

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• Rows 6-10 feet apart

• Hills• 4 X 4 feet apart

Hill System

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Hill System

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Hill SystemHill System

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63 64

65 66

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Pruning RaspberriesPruning Raspberries• Summer

• Remove fruited floricanes• Thin out new shoots

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• Thin out new shoots

• Dormant• Head floricanes by ¼• Remove weak or damaged wood• Thin canes to 4-6 per foot of row

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BEFORE AFTER

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BEFORE

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AFTER

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FertilityFertility• 4 to 6 cups high N fertilizer

per 100 feet of rowTi i

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• Timing• Early spring (early May)• Late spring (early June)

HarvestingHarvesting• Red, yellow, & black raspberries

• The cap pulls clean leaving the receptacle

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receptacle

• Blackberries• The receptacle is removed along with

the fruit

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Other BramblesOther Brambles• Black raspberries R. occidentalis• Purple raspberries R. neglectus• Interspecific hybrids:

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• Interspecific hybrids:• Boysenberries red x blackberry• Tayberries red 4 x black 8

• Blackberries Many species

Raspberry CultivarsRaspberry Cultivars• Summer Bearing• Boyne• Nova

• Fall Bearing• Autumn Britten• Autumn Bliss

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• Killarney• Reveille• Titan

• Ruby• Heritage

Raspberry CultivarsRaspberry Cultivars• Yellow• Goldie

• Purple• Brandywine

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• Kiwigold• Fall Gold

• Royalty

GrapesGrapes• Vitis labrusca

• Blue grapes also known as fox grapes. Native to western hemisphere. Hardy.

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p y

• V. vinifera• Wine grapes native to Europe. Not hardy

• French-American hybrids• Hybrids are marginally hardy

Grape PlantGrape Plant• Roots. Root readily from cuttings• Trunk. May be single or split• Cordon. Horizontal permanent stems

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p• Canes. One year old wood. Current season

growth, too.• Spurs. Canes pruned off short. 2-3 buds• Tendrils. Twining structures borne opposite

leaves or clusters. Helps hold vines to trellis

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One year old cane

Current season cane

Cluster

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Tendril

Primary Bud

Tertiar

Seconda

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ry Bud

ary Bud

HardinessHardiness• French hybrids

• -10F bud and trunk injury20F kill b d d t k

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• -20F kill buds and trunks

• American types• -20F would cause crop reduction

Grape trainingGrape trainingPruning

Spur Cane

g

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Cordon Cordon trained, spur pruned

Cordon trained, cane pruned

Head Head trainedspur pruned

Head trainedspur pruned

Trai

nin

g

Cordon/SpurCordon/Spur

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Cordon/CaneCordon/Cane

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Head/SpurHead/Spur

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Head/CaneHead/Cane

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Cane Cane vs.vs. SpurSpur

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Labrusca types bear fruit at the second to fifth cane nodes

Vinifera types bear fruit at the second and third canenodes

J system forcold climates

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Spur pruned roseSpur pruned rose

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Balanced pruningBalanced pruning• American types

• 30 plus 10 system30 buds for first pound of prunings

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• 30 buds for first pound of prunings• 10 buds for each additional pound

• French hybrids• 20 plus 10 system

• Don’t exceed 40-50 buds98

PollinationPollination• Grapes with perfect flowers are self

fruitfulS ild t h l d

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• Some wild types have male and female plants. Male plants produce flowers, but never produce fruit.

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PropagationPropagation• Cuttings root easily• Cut canes with three nodes (bud)

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• Put two buds below ground one above

• Vines will readily root and grow• Can also tip layer

FertilityFertility• Annual nitrogen application in

springM d dditi l t i

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• May need additional potassium• Micronutrients rarely needed• Tissue testing based on petioles

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Questions?

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Bush FruitBush Fruit• Blueberries• Juneberries• Gooseberries

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• Gooseberries• Currants

• Red• Black

• Culture is very similar

ReviewReview• Correct Site• Correct Species

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• Correct Cultivar• Correct System• Pre-plant preparations• Careful Culture