Berries are an excellent source of nutrition. Recently the world has gone crazy about blueberries in particular, and it is not just a mad trend, but these little things do a good job at providing you with things like antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber. It would make sense to plant something which is going to do you some good.

In addition to this, it’s not something that you really have to hold your nose and swallow down in order to soak up the goodness like some kind of medicine. Most people will agree that this type of berry is kind of delicious. So if you were to start growing blueberries, you would be able to make things like pies, sauces, jellies and jams. The list goes on.

 

Growing high bush blueberries

I thought it was appropriate to start with this variety, basically because it is easy to grow. I have one of these and it just took off.

These grow all over North America, particularly in the sunny areas, but I am in South Africa and I have an endless supply. They are also perfect for patios, where you need something for a small space because you can control this in a pot. Obviously, you can get a couple and plant them in the ground.

This variety is rather new and has been developed for colder climates as well so I definitely think that you are better off with this. Apart from that, it can all take the heat.

Pots are definitely easier to cope with because you can control the soil that you put in there. These plants enjoy a high acidity level so you need to work that out before you get started. This means that you need some peat mixed in with soil. If you are not sure about this, get advice from someone at a nursery. They will be able to tell you what you need to achieve that low ph level to keep the plant happy.

You also need to water them plenty and this soil type will contribute to the drainage. You will start to see that they are lacking water when the tips of the leaves start to turn brown, so watch out for this.

Test your soil, if you are not going to use a pot and if it is over 6 in ph, then you have to work at getting it under that, otherwise you are going to have problems. You will also need to water them more in a case like this. Remember to use the peat mix in the soil and make your hole at least a foot deep.

Once you see how easy it is to grow these plants, you can mix in other varieties, and you will see even more growth. The reason for this is that cross-pollination will start to happen. For this, make sure that they are pretty close together. You will probably need them to be not more than 100 feet apart.  Remember as well that the other varieties will need full sun, so you have to take this into consideration when you are trying to find a planting spot.

Apart from the practicalities, you will start to see how good these plants look on your patio. As a decorative aspect, they do a good job.

Growing Gooseberries

I was really surprised to hear that this is not a big thing in North America. Gooseberries go really well with a lot of desserts. You can add them in your savory delights as well. There are different varieties to this plant, but they spread like crazy if you leave them in a pot and give them enough water.

To me, gooseberries are a lot easier to grow than blueberries. You don’t have to get soil or compost mix just right. If you get a container and put a little top soil in there, you will immediately start to see these things spreading about. Of course, they do need some sun to give them that strength.

I always see the Cape Gooseberry, which is the variety we grow back here in South Africa, sprouting up in other containers close by where other berries are growing. You can get a lot off one bush…and they really grow well  during the winter as well.