How Do You Grow Rasberries & Blackberries?
Raspberry and blackberry plants provide an enjoyable addition to summer gardens. Raspberry and blackberry bushes are not a hardy plant, so gardeners should carefully research their plant zone before undertaking these bushes. Growing best on trellises, raspberries and blackberries also provide lovely landscaping and hedge cover, as long as you keep them well-maintained. Preparation is vital and will ensure healthy plants. In areas where the soil has lost its nutrients, preparation may take as long as two years before you can plant a berry crop. Select a planting site for the bushes. Berries respond best to full sun and thrive in sandy-loamy soil that drains well. Avoid low areas and spaces where potatoes, tomatoes and peppers have been planted in the last five years to reduce the risk of root rot. Test the soil to determine its overall pH. According to David T. Handley, vegetable and small fruit specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Raspberries prefer a soil pH o
