The size of “small fruits”

Berries:

Name given to the shrubs which produce these particularly appreciated fruits, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blackcurrants, currants or gooseberries, blueberries.

Characteristics of these plants

All these plants, with the exception of blueberries, are “basitonic”, that is to say that they are regenerated mainly by their base.

How to prune them?

For all its plants, the principle is to renew the branches to produce on young branches, well irrigated by the sap and the sun.

Blackcurrants, cassillas, currants and prickly currants (gooseberries),

To have good bunches and good fruit (gooseberries, cassava) you have to reduce the number because 1m² of soil can only produce a limited amount of fruit.
It is also necessary that these fruits are located on vigorous and well-lit branches.
It is therefore sufficient to remove the old twigs, the twigs of weak vigor while keeping only a limited number of branches, approximately 3 to 10 depending on the vigor of the plant.

In general, except for the gooseberries, we keep 1/3 in 1-year-old branches, 1/3 in 2- and 3-year-old branches and 1/3 in unborn branches*. These branches are chosen according to their positions well distributed in the volume of the shrub avoiding those which lean too much, because loaded with fruits they will lie down and the fruits will be contaminated by the ground (dirt and parasitic contamination).

The case of gooseberries

The latter produce on wood of 2 years and more. It will therefore be necessary to keep more old wood and to thin the plant well to allow easy harvesting because the thorns are really fierce.

Raspberries and blackberries,

Raspberries,
Like brambles, flower and produce on the twigs of the previous year, then die with the exception of raspberries.
These plants need support because the stems are long and thin. They are therefore led in line, on stretched wires.
For this type of plant, as for the previous ones, brushing must be avoided.
However, they have an advantage, the branches that bear fruit die during the summer. So the first thing to do is to clean up all that dead wood.
Then, just choose the vigorous and well-placed branches that will bear fruit.

· The walls,
This type of mulberry is produced by bramble plants, not to be confused with mulberry berries which are produced by a tree.
There are improved varieties of brambles, which produce large blackberries that taste like wild blackberries. The best varieties of these blackberries are thorny but have been abandoned due to their aggressiveness. But you can collect layers of beautiful fruiting plants from the wild and grow them in your garden. Be careful, it takes space and great rigor when pruning and training. When pruning it is advisable to split the stems to detach them and to use the shears as pliers.
The blackberries without thorns are hybrids obtained with other species, They have another taste sometimes a little bland with the exception of hybrids with raspberries like “Thornless loganberry”.

There is a small distinction to be made, brambles regenerate from the base of the plant while raspberries sucker. For the latter, it will be necessary to choose young stems placed near the line of trellising. The other, weak plans will be eliminated and those in excess can be used for multiplication.

The case of biferous raspberries, i.e. ascendants

What happens in these varieties is the particularity of flowering a second time in autumn on the top part of the young branch. It’s kind of an advanced production.
It suffices, when pruning, as for uniferous varieties, to remove the dead branches (having given in the spring) and to cut the dry heads of the young branches.
Be careful, these remontant varieties are not recommended in the mountains or in cold areas because the second production rarely reaches maturity.

NB, whether raspberries are everbearing or not, the amount of fruit produced per unit area is the same. Simply for the drinks she shared between the two periods.

Blueberries.

Vaccinium corymbosumdifferent from the blueberries of our mountains, Vaccinium myrtillusproduces larger fruits, but like other Vacciniums, it requires an acid soil.
Low maintenance for these plants, just periodic cleaning to remove dead wood and old wood balancing the shrub

* Branches to be born: Is an estimate of what may be born on the bases of the old stems cut short. It takes a little practice to assess this but it is what will allow you to have enough young branches for next year’s production and therefore the permanent rejuvenation of the plants.

Ask all your questions during the gardening program on Sunday morning on France bleu Isère from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. by calling 04 76 46 45 45.