My Edibles: Berry Trees

Raspberry - Atherton ^10/10

Comments: -

Spring 2008: This was a gift from a friend. I beleive that it is an Atherton Rasberry (rubus probus which is also known as rubus fraxinifolius) (see http://asgap.org.au/APOL22/jun01-1.html).

The fruit are awesome! So tastey and it is so prolific. It fruits early too so I haven't had any trouble at all with fruit fly (unlike the blackberries).

It is not at vigorous as the non-native rasberries but it still spreads so I keep it in a pot. The canes are also shorter and mostly self-supporting so you don't need to prop them up. It drinks a lot and will get droopy if you let it dry out. It has been fruiting for about 2 months now and there are still flowers coming!

I have orders for canes from all my friends but I don't know when they'll get any because I am NOT disturbing it til it stops fruiting! YUMMERS!!!!!

Autumn 2011: I think that we have a brave kangaroo that has developed a liking for the leaves. I went out this morning to find a branch completely leafless. Kindly it ate around the flowers. It is a discerning animal too as it only ate the leaves from ONE of the bushes! :O)

Spring 2011: We've been enjoying fruit since the very beginning of spring. So yummy. The fruit is at its best just before it or immediately after it has fallen. Don't PULL them off because they won't be as tastey. Tickle them a bit and if they fall off on their own then they are perfect.

I cut off all the finished fruit stalks. I find that this encourages new grow and flowers which means more fruit!!

This year we have had a LOT of heavy spring rain and a lot of the fruit was damaged, either by getting knocked off and smashed into the ground or the mud was splashing up so high that it was getting embedded into the fruit. To prevent fruit loss I build a garden bed   around the pot and filled it with peas straw. The soft straw provides a soft landing for the fruit and I haven't lost any since.

Summer 2011: We have had a visit from our kangaroo again. Though I think that it might have developed a preference for the native violets in one of the other pots as there was only a little damage to the raspberry. Maybe it got a thorn in its mouth?

Fruiting Months September, October, November, December

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 5

First Fruited: 12 Months after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Fallen fruit can attract tiny slugs so get to them before the slugs. Also gets white scale which I scrub off with a toothbrush and spray the area with pest oil.

Raspberry - Summer Fruiting

Comments: -

Make sure that you keep them contained cause they go nuts! From my original plant bought in August 2009 I had 6 plants by November 2009!

They need support. I've used She-oaks and gum tree as a trellis. They also like lots of water to make sure that they can fruit well.

2009: I haven't gotten any fruit yet because the original plant had to stay at the old house and the new canes came with me. Being that they don't fruit on the newest canes I missed out this year but next year there will be rasberries aplenty.

2010: so much fruit!!!!

Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

caterpillars & grasshoppers = pick them off by hand and lux soap spray to keep them off

Cranberry

Comments: -

Summer 2010: I love the dried fruit but commercially they usually have so much sugar added. I can't get them fresh in Newcastle so decided to grow my own.

The plant was difficult to get hold of but well worth it. The plant has trippled in size in about 3 months. It's a ground cover so needs to be able to spread. Small dark green leaves (redish tinge to new growth) on very thin woody looking stems.

I have planted it in an old terracotta birdbath which drains very slowly (they like it boggy). Looks lovely trailing down the sides. Seems to be loving it.

I fed it and I do not think that it likes it at all. The leaves have gone purple and it doesn't seem too happy. I cut it back thinking that the branches were dead but them stems were still juicey. I don't think it likes the food. That said, it might be deiduous and the leavse going purple is normal... I guess I will have to wait til next spring?

Spring 2011: These are really quite fragile. I was mulching and snapped off the branch! I have stuck it back in... maybe the roots are OK? Just in case I bought a second one. :O)

Summer 2011: The broken bits did not strike. I think it might need to be layered to propagate. When the new one is big enough I will have a crack.

Planted: 2010

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Green caterpillars seem to be the only thing that eats them. Because the foliage is so small it is easy to spot them so I just pull them off and squish them.

Irish Strawberry Tree - arbutus canariensis

Comments: -

Summer 2010: This one was a gift from my sister. She picked it cause it sounded interesting (and she knew I didn't already have it!).

The flowers are pretty but it hasn't fruited yet. It does have lovely bright green new growth.

Spring 2011: lots of new growth. Since spring started it has doubled in volume!

Summer 2011: I don't think that it likes all the rain. Getting brown patches on the inside of a lit of the folliage. Fingers crossed the weather warms up soon.

Planted: 2010

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Dynamic Lifter, Seasol, Charlie Carp, worm juice (in rotation)

Pest Control: Ants seem to be farming some sort of GINORMOUS fat black bloated scale things on the hardened off branches (just where the leaves come out). I picked as many off as I could and then sprayed it with pest oil.

Cape Gooseberry

Comments: -

Annuals. Seeds save well for following year. I mix them through the herb bed and also have them in pots.

I have 2 different sorts of these - a yellow and a green variety. I am told that both should go yellow when it ripens but I kept fruit from last season and they stayed green until I broke it open to plant the seeds this year so I don't know what sort that is!

I really like adding the fruit to salad. They have a lovely tomatoey flavour and I like the seedy texture. They also dry well in a dessicator and retain a strong flavour.

Summer 2011: John gave me a gift of some mamoth cape gooseberry seeds. I have planted them but nothing is up yet. Not surprised though, the weather has been so cold and wet that nothing much is coming up - not even my flowers!

Planted: 2009

Height 50 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Last year they got orange and black striped bugs that completely decimated them within a day. I was lucky to get enough fruit to save the seeds. This year there has been no sign of them

Blueberry - Nellie Kelly

Comments: -

Summer 2010: Have had heaps of fruit but not the best flavour and small. They needed little maintenance. I rotate which ones were allowed to fruit each year. They are still small and fruiting takes a lot of energy. Rotation seems to improve vigor.

I had a different variety a few years ago and grasshoppers demolished it but the Nellie Kellies haven't been touched. I'm either luckier this time or this variety isn't so tastey!

Summer 2011: SO MUCH FRUIT! Fruit was much better quality this year. They obviously take a few years to really establish. Plus I think that they have loved the rain!

Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2008

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Some sort of grub likes to spin webs through the flowers and berries at the very tip of the branches. Kills the branch. I just cut them off and throw them away.

Berry - Youngberry (Cutting)

Comments: -

Autumn 2011: My dad just bought this for me - he was buying onfor himself and it had rooted into a second pot so the nursery just pulled it out and let him have it all.

Spring 2011: New leaves just coming on. :O) And by mid-October I have my first flowers! He is still little but I feel greedy because I have never had youngberries before so I am going to leave them on there!

Fruiting Months November

Planted: 2011

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, worm juice, Blood and Bone

Pest Control: I haven't noticed any pests as of yet although I have put a good helping of iron-based snail pellets around the base of the pot to keep the snail invasion at bay.

Gooseberry - Captivator (Cutting)

Comments: -

Spring 2011: snapped it up when I saw it in the nursery. I love berries so couldn't resist. I beleive that this variety doesn't need frostto bear good fruit... we will just have to wait and see!

This variety (ribes uva-crispa) is thornless which also attracted me-between the various raspberries I usually come away from gardening with holes in something - either myself or my clothes!

Summer 2011: It has taken a while to settle in to the garden. I think more due to the wet and cold than anything else. It is starting to get some new growth now that the weather is warming up. Have notices those nasty leaf curling caterpillars in the new growth. GRRR!

Planted: 2011

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

The leaf curling caterpillars get into the new growth.

Blueberry - Backyard Blue ^8/10

Comments: -

Suggestion for Blueberry and Grapevine for backyard garden in the newcastle area.Soil clay, imported good top soil, mulched, drainage, north facing  

Alternative your Suggestion??

As we have planted citrus, black sapote, fig black genoa, mango bowen, dwarf peach, and all growing well

Dwarf Mulberry - Black ^10/10

Comments: -

These 2 mulberries get massive amounts of mulberries on for there size . Those grey birds with the black head think all there christmases have come at once .

Planted: 2009

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Lycium Chinense/Chinese Wolfberry (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: -

A hardy plant, easy to grow and has nice flowers but be aware of thorns. Cutting made from my old plant which expired just after planting this beauty into the ground. Last plant was in a pot under the patio, had the last one since 2005. Great little plant if kept trimmed and controlled. Young leaves good in soups.

Notice leaves are different from the Africian Boxthorn and the popular Lycium Barbarum which can now be found in Geraldton's Bunnings outlet for $27.95, last checked 25/01/12.

Planted: 2011

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Comments

I don't remember seeing berries after flowering therefore for a long while didn't know I had a rather precious plant (was special anyway to me). I only harvested the young leaves.

Cape Gooseberry

Comments: -

Volunteer from under compost bin. This plant is attacked by three striped beetle every year, but bounces back and fruits well for long periods of the year despite this. The fruit is really nice, slightly tart. African yam (heart shaped leaves) is also a volunteer from the compost. This yam tastes nice grated and washed in lemon juice water, but oozes slime when cut, like a lamprey.

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Blueberry - Biloxi

Comments: -

Also a Sharpblue and Gulf coast. Quite a few small blueberries over a long time (Nov-Dec, still flowering and new fruit in December)

Fruiting Months October and November

Planted: 2010

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Panama Berry

Comments: -

Planted in November. Second picture is April. Now 3 x 3 m. Absolutely covered in berries and flowers. The perfume and taste is lovely, and the flowers attract a lot of bees. No fruit fly or any other problems other than having to prune often to keep it in check. Fruits all year, but tails off in winter.

Planted: 2009

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 2 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mulberry - White Seedling

Comments: -

Fast-growing and massive. Fruit has a more subtle flavour than black mulberry. Second fruiting season in January/February after tip pruning.

Fruiting Months January, February, October, November

Planted: 2008

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 8 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: compost

When I Fertilise: Spring

Strawberry - Maroochy Flame ^9/10

Comments: -

Maroochy flame and Redlands Joy. You can't have too many, and they are pest free. I think I have to plant new ones after this season of third generation suckers, though. They seem to be getting a second wind, I thought strawberries were finished in November, but they are covered in flowers and unripe fruit again in late December.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.25 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 1 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Planted in compost

Pest Control:

Only spraying with seaweed

Blueberry - Biloxi (Seedling) ^10/10

Comments: -

One of the best tasting berries on earth. Potted in azalea mix, only small but growing pretty well so far. Have another unknown variety for cross pollination but will get more from Daleys when available

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pruned By: 10% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: not sure!

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Dynamic Lifter, Seasol

Pest Control:

none

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Dwarf Mulberry - Red Shahtoot (Grafted)

Comments: -

From Daleys this spring. In a bonsai bag & growing well. No fruit has appeared yet. Very strong winds appear to have damaged trunk at the graft. Leaves have drooped a bit, so I've put some budding tape over the graft & it seems to be OK. Has set some fruit (Jan 2012)

Fruiting Months January and February

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

First Fruited: 3 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pruned By: 10% in Summer and Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Dynamic Lifter, Seasol

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting and Spring

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue (Cutting)

Comments: - From Chris - I lost this with all my other blueberries in the dry of 2009. 

Planted: 127

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Comments

Blueberry - Climax

Pollination: Self Pollination

Austromyrtus dulcis - Midjim Berry ^6/10

Comments: - nice native ground cover with interesting fruits

Height 0.5 metres

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pest Control: none

Organic Status:Organic

Strawberry - Maroochy Flame (Cutting) ^8/10

Comments: - Great tasting fruit that makes a nice groundcover

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 12

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Organic Status:Organic

Raspberry - Heritage (Seedling) ^10/10

Comments: -

These are one of the best fruits we grow--very tasty, easy to grow and quite a long fruiting season. They taste so much better fresh than frozen, canned or supermarket bought.

We have quite a few varieties of raspberry. They all taste good, but  the Heritage ones have a long fruiting season through autumn (even up to June), but just a few fruits at a time. It's worth growing quite a few Heritage plants. Just buy one to start with though, because they spread like crazy from the roots so by the next spring year you will have 10 plants or so. They can be pruned out if needed and replanted elsewhere and will also grow easily from stem cuttings.

The Heritage variety fruit in their first season (from a spring planting), on the new growth. After fruiting it's best to prune them right back to ground level since those stems won't fruit again. This is easier than pruning summer-fruiting raspberries which fruit on the seond year's growth (so you have to leave the new shoots and cut back only the ones that fruited).

The stems grow fairly tall (2m) and tend to flop over if left. Ours are loosely supported by a nearby mesh fence. you can also tie nearby stems to a tall stake. This works really well and is flexible.

I estimate .5kg of fruit per plant per year--one plant = one stem. Our huge patch arose from one original plant though!

Fruiting Months March, April, May

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 0.5 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 0.5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

None needed. The birds don't seem to get them. Children are the main risk :)

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Misty ^3/10

Comments: -

Have moved them to a new location with less root competition will see if things improve.

Well the move hasn't worked I have been told they like morning sun so will have to move them again (when things cool down a bit)

Moved back into pots and placed them in a sheltered spot with morning sun - got a few fruits this year.

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2008

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Home compost

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Organic Status:Organic

Strawberry - Redlands Joy

Comments: - I have quite a few different varieties of strawberries, and can't remember which are which.  I wasn't getting much fruit off them for a couple of years, and they always looked quite scrappy...........but I moved them into a different position with afternoon shade, and starting foliar feeding them, and are now getting some great results.

Pollination: No

Raspberry - Atherton

Guava - Strawberry (Seedling) ^3/10

Comments: -

Four little plants from Bunnings, planted quite close together (just over 1m apart as I'm hoping to create a dense hedge) in 2010. I've loaded them with compost and some blood & bone. Hopefully the soil improvements will be enough - but the soil is very poor and likely to stunt their growth (hence planting them so close)! They really don't appear to enjoy large amounts of WA sun (they will be blasted in summer) so I'm hoping they can make it. I've recently tasted a few strawberry guavas in my grandfather's yard in Melbourne. Delicious ... I hope that in time mine are as tasty!

They are quite fast growers, doubling in size in less than 6 months. They appear to be quite bushy - they tips are already touching (which is good from my perspective - a dense hedge is exactly what I want). I've tip pruned to encourage strength rather than straggly. Flowers and baby fruit have already appeared (October 2010)

I'm actually not thrilled with these guys. They all have the yellow guava instead of the pink, and they are getting hit by disease quite hard. They might end up being relocated (and replaced with a known feijoa) or 'donated'. Not a bad looking plant ... but just not the flavour I wanted.

Jan 2012 - tough as old boots, fruit well ... but boring.

Planted: 2010

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

None so far

Organic Status:Partially Organic

raspberry - Unknown

Comments: -

I actually thought I had killed this plant, but it has bounced back for spring (in August). The plant was purchased to cultivate my husband's appreciation of gardening (as he is a fan of raspberries). I'll be interested to see how well it crops given the mild winter. I've thrown on loads of coffee in the hope this will assist with nutrients and moisture retention. I must confess it is in the 'forgotten corner' next to the compost bin (where I was going to put it when I thought it was dead) so it is probably not optimum for light! Although the WA sun is crisping any leaves that sneak out of the dark corner! The plant does not appear to love the pot (it isn't fruting much) and I'm wondering if it really is a plant for me.

It is probably my husband's favorite plant, and he has plonked it in the ground near the avocado as of May. Perhaps it will give him some raspberries in summer.

Alas, as of Jan 2012 there are no raspberries. the plant fails to thrive despite being in the optimum soil, getting plenty of water and attention. I think it is just a Bunnings dud and quite probably nearing the end of its life - leaves are very healthy, but each year it responds less and less ... perhaps just age?

Planted: 2010

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pruned By: 80% in Autumn and Winter

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

None - I've not seen any pests yet

Question:

Mulberry - Black Shahtoot? (Cutting)

Comments: -

A cutting from a tree growing wild on an undeveloped block I hope to nurture this plant and put it in the naturestrip. The fruit are delicious (although nothing beats the Black English) and the parent plant has survived years of neglect and no water in unimproved soil (at least 10 metres above the water table) so the cutting should be tough! I'm planning on espilaring it against the fence (in a pot) and keeping a close eye on the berries to prevent paver stains.

Maybe my husband won't notice!

From a 10cm cutting in November 2010 it is now 1m high in October 2011 and covered in fruit. Clearly a tough weed (that will never be released from a pot!) By Jan 2012 it has its second crop of fruit (I've not seen such a thing before) and is 1.5m high. This plant is a weed!! I intend to plant it out on the verge come autumn as it cannot stay in the pot (it will stain pavers and grows too quickly).

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Blueberry - Biloxi (Cutting)

Comments: -

this is a highbush variety unspecified i don't know if it is Biloxi

Planted: 2012

Growing: In a Pot