Fruit bushes!
FlowerNewbie
Posts: 153
Hello! I need as much advice as possible. I'm doing container growing for fruit and veg, I've bought two blueberry plants, a raspberry(4canes in one pot) and a blackberry, and also a Merrello cherry tree (it's small but not sure if it's dwarf as doesn't say on it)
My questions are
1. Do the blueberry plants need to be in the one container for pollination or just in pots next to eachother.
2. I have two flower boxes - 62 length 38 height 39 width, would these be good for these Plants? (One has a trellis) if so how many raspberry canes could I get it there, if not what length of pot will be best to get the most out of them.
3. the instructions on the back say <50cm> for raspberry canes does this mean maximim or minimum? How close can they really be in containers
4. How big a pot would I need for the cherry tree to stay a container plant? I think it's 7.5l right now.
5. Do I mix the blood fish and bone in while transplanting them to containers or put on the top when finished.
6. Any other advice would be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advanced!
Posts
1. nearby is fine. You want bees to go from one bush to the other reasonably directly.
2.are those dimensions inches or cm?
3.It's approximate. Gardening really isn't that precise (or not the way I do it, anyway
) and the maximum number will depend how deep the pot is and how diligent you are about watering and feeding. Essentially if you pack them in very close, the soil will quickly be exhausted but you can keep them happy if you feed and water them regularly. There just won't be much margin for error (or holidays, as some people call them)
4.Don't know, not being sure how big the tree will get. The rule is always to go up one pot size - maximum two - at a time. Just keep re-potting it every time it seems to be outgrowing it's pot (getting dry and wilting very soon after watering is usually a sign of this) and see where you end up.
5. I always mix it in but I have dogs and they will attempt to excavate anyplace they smell some types of plant food like that. If I top dressed plants they'd lick it off so I don't know if that works. If you have cats around you'll probably have the same problem.
6. Consider one of the bush raspberry types, there are a couple around these days - intended to be grown in pots. You can also get small bushy blackberries. A few pots of flowers that attract pollinators (lavender, for example) in amongst the fruit pots will help. What about strawberries in the flower boxes? Or in hanging baskets? If you are growing these plants in a sunny, sheltered position (?) you can get a type of small kiwi that is reputed to grow outdoors in the UK. That would scramble up your trellis.
Last edited: 10 February 2017 15:33:28
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Thanks patsy thats great advice ? Is it best for a different variety of the blueberry for pollination or the same kind?
Thanks raisingirl! The dimensons are cm. it's the askholmen flower boxes from Ikea if that helps. I'm doing some veg too. I'm thinking it might be better for veg to go in them and buy 50cm pots For the fruit, like a terracotta or plastic pot? I seen a video on YouTube someone put 2 canes in a 40cm pot but read somewhere these canes for a 50cm pot? Could this work? I was thinking of getting an autumn fruiting raspberry and mixing them all up in different pots 3 in each two in another, the first lot I bought is summer fruiting.
I have lavender plants already- as a housewarming gift last year they sort of struggled and didn't flower very much Hoping to get more this year. One seems quite bushy at the moment and the other more woody. I've got one of those bee and other pollinator friendly mixes to be scattered, not sure how reliable they are hoping this could help.
I also have strawberries given to me late last year wanting these on those hanger planters nearby the site the fruit bushes are going. The spot I have is quite a good one for sun, not sure about windy think it might be.
Last edited: 10 February 2017 16:45:18
Whatever you do , my best advice is DONT mix autumn and summer fruiting raspberry canes - you'll never know how to prune them properly
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Okay thanks! Do they need to be pruned at different times of the year or something?
The main problem is summer raspberries fruit on last year's canes and autumn on this year's. So for autumn raspberries you cut them right down in the winter, but summer ones you have to leave the new canes that grew the previous year (but didn't fruit). If you mix them up, you end up not knowing what you should cut and what you should leave.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Okay I'll just stick to the one kind this year see how I get on. Is there a certain amount of bf&b to mix in with the fruit bushes? I don't want too much and burn the plant or too little it doesn't really help. Anything else to add whilst I pot them up?
super excited To get started!