2. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 List four small fruits that could be successfully grown in the area. OBJECTIVES The student will be able to…

3. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 OBJECTIVES The student will be able to… Plan a small fruit garden with four species. Describe the pruning techniques for grapes. Name the different types of blueberries and where each is grown. –Know which would be suitable to the area. Draw two different methods for training strawberries and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.

4. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PLANNING THE SMALL FRUIT GARDEN Small fruits can be grown on almost any property. –Easier to grow than many tree crops, on a large property, enough can be grown for canning, freezing & fresh eating. Cross-pollination seldom is required, and spraying for disease and insects is uncommon. –Only one or two species are limited regionally. Most bear within 1 or 2 years after planting. Of the small fruits discussed in this chapter, all but the cranberry are highly adaptable to climate. –County/state Cooperative Extension Service will furnish literature on most successful cultivars for a particular state.

5. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Space & arrange plants to prevent taller species from shading smaller ones. As northern hemisphere sun is always slightly in the southern sky, this requires placing taller plants north of shorter ones. Figure 10-1a Sample layout for small fruit garden. PLANNING THE SMALL FRUIT GARDEN Site Selection Rapid soil drainage and full sunlight are the site prerequisites for successful small fruit growing. –Good garden soil is ideal, but poor soil can be amended by compost & other additives.

6. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Figure 10-1b Sample layout for small fruit garden. PLANNING THE SMALL FRUIT GARDEN Site Selection

7. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PLANNING THE SMALL FRUIT GARDEN Site Selection Small fruits can also be incorporated in a landscape. –Currants, gooseberries, and brambles can be used as hedge plantings that will grow to 4 to 5 feet when mature. Highbush & rabbiteye blueberries reach 10 feet. –Low-growing strawberries produce lovely white blossoms in spring & make an excellent border for a flower bed. They can also be used as groundcover plants in small sunny areas or in planters around a patio or deck area. –Vining grape plants can be trained to an overhead arbor or espaliered against a wall or fence.

8. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Blackberries Blackberries (Rubus spp.) A bramble fruit, much like raspberries, except fruits are larger, and unlike the raspberry, when picked, the center core remains in the berry. –Stand more heat/drought but less cold than raspberries. Erect blackberry types are grown most often in the East, Southwest & Midwest and are more cold-hardy surviving winter temperatures of down to -20 deg F. –Erect blackberries grow 3 to 5 feet high without supports.

9. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Blackberries Trailing types are traditional in Pacific Coast and southern states, though occasionally grown as far north as Michigan. –Canes reach 8 feet & plants must be trellised or staked. Dewberries can be any trailing species/cultivar. –Loganberries, actually the cultivar ‘Logan,’ are a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. Blackberry/raspberry cross cultivar ‘Phenomenal,’ was later crossed with a dewberry to produce the cultivar ‘Young’—hence youngberries. –The origin of boysenberries is similar.

10. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Blueberries Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) –Require will-irrigated soil, high in organic matter, with pH between 4.2 & 5.5, with species dependent on climate. Grown from Minnesota & Canada to Florida & the West Coast.

11. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Blueberries Two cultivars of blueberries should be planted for cross-pollination, as some are nearly self-sterile. –More & larger fruit will result if a pollenizer is provided. Figure 10-2 Blueberries. Photo by Sharun Barrett Kennedy, Crozet, Va. Additional, normally wild species grown in the U.S. & Canada include: Dryland blueberry (V.pallidum), Mountain blueberry (V.membranaceum) Lowbush blueberry (V.angustifolium) Cultivars for home growing should be chosen from the three cultivated species.

12. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Cranberries Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) –Exacting growth requirements: moist, peat-bog conditions and a pH of 4.2 to 5.0. Because these conditions are hard to create, cranberries cannot be recommended as a home fruit.

13. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Currants Currants (Ribes sativum & R. nigrum) –Very resistant to cold temperature & survive in even the coldest areas, spanning the northern U.S. & Canada. Less satisfactory in the South due to prolonged summer heat. –Plants are small, attractive shrubs ranging from 3 to 5 feet in height, and should be set 4 to 5 feet apart when grown in the garden. About 3 feet apart when used as an ornamental hedge.

14. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Currants Figure 10-3 White currants. Courtesy USDA. The most popular currants are red varieties (Ribes sativum), which produce large clusters of fruits and are easy to grow. White (Ribes sativum) & black (Ribes nigrum) currants are relatively rare. Black varieties are popular in Europe, where the fruits are made into juice.

15. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Gooseberries Gooseberries (Ribes hirtellum [American] R. uva-crispa [European] cultivars) –Growing requirements are similar to those of currants. Very cold tolerant but will not thrive in a hot summer climate. –Unknown to most home gardeners, they are shrubs about 3 feet high & most are densely covered with thorns. –Fruits are the size of large grapes and are green to red when mature, depending on the cultivar. Can be eaten fresh, as well as made into pies, jam, or jelly.

16. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Grapes Grapes (Vitis spp and hybrids) –Grown for fresh eating, winemaking, or jellies and juice, cultivar choice should be based on climate and use. The fruits are large and are borne in small clusters. –Native American grape cultivars (Vitis labrusca) are the easiest to raise and are very productive. –The European grape (V.vinifera) is grown in warmer areas, and is the primary species for winemaking. –French-American hybrid grapes combine the vigor of American cultivars with winemaking quality of Europeans. –Muscadine grapes (V.rotundifolia) are least common, found where temperatures do not fall below 10 deg F.

17. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Raspberries Raspberries (Rubus spp.) –The second bramble fruit, growing wild in some areas of the country. Figure 10-4 Raspberries in spring, showing previous season’s canes above & current year’s canes growing from below. Photo courtesy of Dr. Bernadine C. Strik, Oregon State University. Red (Rubus idaeus) and black (Rubus occidentalis) cultivars are the most common. The red has a slightly more tart taste than the black, more cold tolerance, less susceptibility to disease & greater yield potential.

18. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Raspberries Figure 10-4 Raspberries in spring, showing previous season’s canes above & current year’s canes growing from below. Photo courtesy of Dr. Bernadine C. Strik, Oregon State University. Novelty cultivars in yellow & purple are also available. Raspberry cultivars can be spring-bearing or everbearing (also called primocane). Everbearing plants produce two harvests per year: one in early summer and a second in fall.

19. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC SMALL FRUITS Strawberries –Second year plants will bear only two-thirds as much. The third year only one-third as much. –Due to invasion of viruses that lessen productivity, hybrid vigor decline, and competition from weeds. The bed should be dug out and replanted. –Spring-bearing (June-bearing) and everbearing (called day-neutral) cultivars which produce lightly through summer until fall. Quality is sometimes inferior to spring-bearing plants. Strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa cultivars) –One of the most popular small fruits, while perennial, productive life is limited to about 2 to 4 years. The first year after planting, a heavy crop will be produced.

20. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PLANNING, SOIL PREPARATION AND PLANTING Small fruits, estimated yield from each plant at maturity, and the suggested number of plants for a family of five.

21. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PLANNING, SOIL PREPARATION AND PLANTING To ensure a plentiful harvest, small fruit plants must be ordered in larger quantities. –Success or failure will depend greatly on the soil conditioning prior to planting. If practical, a soil test should be taken, and fertilizer & needed pH-altering materials added to the area. –Sod should be turned under the fall prior to planting to decay and be worked into the soil in spring. –Most small fruits are planted in spring & begin producing fruit the following season. –Ground is cultivated in early spring, plants trans- planted while dormant and then watered.

22. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PLANNING, SOIL PREPARATION AND PLANTING Small fruit cultivars, commonly ordered from mail- order nurseries, arrive with no soil around the roots. –If planting is not done immediately, moisten plants if dry. Plants should be heeled in or roots covered with plastic & placed in a 30 - 60 deg F shaded area. It is generally advisable to plant at the same level at which the plant was growing in the nursery. –Especially important with strawberries. –Currants & gooseberries, should be planted slightly deeper to encourages a strong root system and abundant new shoots from the bases of branches.

23. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS All the small fruits will produce a better crop if they are pruned and trained. –On shrub fruits, may be needed only to remove weak/unproductive wood. Grapes need pruning to control productivity & vine shape.

24. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Brambles On typical brambles, the fruit is borne only on canes produced the previous growing season. –Grown from the roots the first year, they form flower buds that fall, bloom, fruit the following summer, then die. –Fruit is borne on side shoots of buds on the parent cane. –Everbearing raspberries produce two crops per cane.

25. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Brambles While most can grow without support; trailing blackberries/red raspberries have longer canes. –Require tying to a wire or stake support system to be manageable and relatively easy to pick. Grown individually in a row (the hill system), they can be supported by staking or by a trellis. –Wires pass through all the plants, attached to end posts. If planted & allowed to grow together to form a hedge, a wire trellis is the only option. Pruning method varies greatly between red, black, spring-bearing or everbearing raspberries.

26. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Figure 10-5a Pruning of red & yellow raspberries in four steps, all done during the dormant period. Remove all canes that fruited the previous summer, cutting them off at ground level. PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Brambles Red & Yellow Raspberries are pruned during the dormant period.

27. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Cut off broken, weak & poorly placed canes growing outside the row or hill. Figure 10-5b Pruning of red & yellow raspberries in four steps, all done during the dormant period. PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Brambles The 4-step pruning/training process will make picking easier the following year.

28. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Cut them off at the 5-foot level. PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Brambles Tie remaining canes to the wire trellis, or 4- to 5-foot stake. Figure 10-5c,d Pruning of red & yellow raspberries in four steps, all done during the dormant period.

29. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Everbearing Raspberries (Reds, Yellows, Purples) Everbearing raspberries fruit first on the tips of the current year’s canes in fall and further down those same canes the next spring –Spring dormant prune to eliminate thin weak canes & tip back the canes that fruited in fall. –Remove the canes after the spring fruiting. Do not pinch or prune to the ground after fall fruiting. Some people prefer to grow everbearing raspberries to produce only one large crop per year in fall. –All canes produced the previous season are pruned to the ground and the new canes produce the fruit.

30. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Black and Purple Raspberries Black & Purple Raspberries do not require support, but must be pruned twice per year. –Summer, winter, or whenever they are dormant. Figure 10-6 Pruning of black/purple raspberries & erect blackberries. (1) In summer, tip new canes. (2) in winter, cut out old canes and cut back branches on new canes. Drawing by Bethany Layport.

31. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Black and Purple Raspberries Summer pruning prevents canes from growing to excessive lengths, creating a thicket. –A 1-month process with pinching at weekly intervals. Winter pruning removes dead canes that fruited, & weak, broken, and poorly placed canes. –Branches that formed on canes tipped the previous season are shortened, which improves fruit quality. Weak branches should be left 2” to 4” inches long, to produce only a light load of fruit. –Strong branches can be left 14” to 18”long.

32. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Erect Blackberries Self-supporting & need no stakes or trellises; require pruning two times per year—summer and winter. Pruned in a manner identical to black/purple berries, except canes are summer tipped at 3 to 4 feet and side branches are cut to 12” to 18” inches in winter.

33. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Trailing and Semierect Blackberries Very vigorous plants which always need support. –Pruned once per year in the dormant season, in 3 steps. Figure 10-7a Pruning of trailing blackberries in three steps, all done during the dormant period. (1) Cut out old canes that fruited the previous summer. Cut out old canes that fruited the previous summer.

34. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Trailing and Semierect Blackberries Very vigorous plants which always support –Pruned once per year in the dormant season, in 3 steps. Figure 10-7b Pruning of trailing blackberries in three steps, all done during the dormant period. (2) select and tie up 8 to 10 new canes—remove the rest. Cut Select & tie to the support 8 to 10 strong canes and remove the rest.

35. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Trailing and Semierect Blackberries Very vigorous plants which always support –Pruned once per year in the dormant season, in 3 steps. Figure 10-7c Pruning of trailing blackberries in three steps, all done during the dormant period. (3) shorten the tops and side branches on the tied canes. Drawings by Bethany Layport. Shorten the tops of the selected canes to 6 to 8 feet and the side branches to 12” to 18”.

36. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Blueberries Bears fruit on growth produced the previous season. –Amount of pruning will vary with the species. Rabbiteye blueberries do not require pruning. –Bushes are strong enough to mature large crops of fruit without damaging the plant. –An exception should be made for older bushes, which benefit when older stems are thinned out lightly. –No trellising or other training is used on blueberries, which grow naturally into large, attractive shrubs bearing white, bell-shaped flowers in spring.

37. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Figure 10-8 Left, before dormant pruning of highbush blueberry. Right, after pruning. Courtesy USDA. PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Blueberries Highbush blueberries overbear & yield small berries, if not pruned annually.

38. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Blueberries Energy expended producing an overabundant crop inhibits vegetative growth, reducing next year’s yield. –Hard prune annually in early spring before new growth. A significant amount of wood should be removed. Upright-growing cultivars benefit from thinning out older center branches to reduce berry load, admit more light, and stimulate growth. –Drooping lower branches on spreading cultivars should be cut back to avoid breakage during fruiting.

39. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Currants and Gooseberries Currants and gooseberries, like brambles, grow into shrubs from canes produced by the roots. –Fruit is borne on 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old canes with older canes becoming progressively less productive. –Pruning should be done once per year before spring growth begins, to remove wood more than 3 years old. Remove excess weak wood & shape into a compact shrub.

40. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Four-Arm Kniffen System - uses a two-wire trellis with wires strung between posts in the grape row. Figure 10-9 Training a grapevine using the four-arm Kniffen system. (a) First winter after planting, (b) the following summer, (c) the following winter after pruning. Drawing by Bethany Layport. a. b. c. To train a vine, tie the strongest new shoot to the bottom wire & prune the rest of the shoots the first winter after planting.

41. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Four-Arm Kniffen System - uses a two-wire trellis with wires strung between posts in the grape row. Figure 10-9 Training a grapevine using the four-arm Kniffen system. (a) First winter after planting, (b) the following summer, (c) the following winter after pruning. Drawing by Bethany Layport. a. b. c. The next summer the shoot should reach the top wire, where it is again tied/tipped to encourage side shoots.

42. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Four-Arm Kniffen System - uses a two-wire trellis with wires strung between posts in the grape row. Figure 10-9 Training a grapevine using the four-arm Kniffen system. (a) First winter after planting, (b) the following summer, (c) the following winter after pruning. Drawing by Bethany Layport. a. b. c. Side shoots are trained & tied out on the wire. Annual pruning as required.

43. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Figure 10-10 A grapevine trained to an overhead arbor. Gradually it will produce side shoots (fruiting canes) to cover the arbor. Space by pruning, tie to the support, and replace annually. PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Arbor Training produces both fruit & shade. –The vine will need to grow to a large size; use a vigorous grape cultivar should & start training a vine at planting.

44. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Heavy annual pruning should remove most of the wood growing from the trunk and leave only four shortened canes for fruit bearing. Figure 10-11a Before annual pruning of a grapevine trained to a four-arm Kniffen system. One to grow in each direction along the trellis wires.

45. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Canes chosen to remain for fruit bearing should be slightly larger than pencil thickness for best fruit production. –Not necessarily the largest canes on the vine. Figure 10-11b After pruning. Each should be cut to a length that allows for 15 buds.

46. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Four canes shortened to two to four buds should be left near the two wires –These short canes (called renewal spurs) will produce the fruiting canes for the following season. Figure 10-11b After pruning. Grapevines bear fruit only on canes that grew the previous summer.

47. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Grapes Grapevines neglected for many years require severe pruning to produce quality fruit again. –Plants should be cut back severely before growth starts, removing as much accumulated older wood as possible. Following the specifications for annual pruning. –Any old wood that cannot be removed at this pruning may be taken out with regular pruning the following year.

48. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Strawberries Tree systems of training are used for strawberries: –The matted-row, spaced-runner, and hill systems. Except in the hill system, flowers that form on plants during the year they are planted should be removed instead of being allowed to develop fruit. –This will increase the harvest the following year.

49. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Figure 10-12b Strawberry planting system: matted row. PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Strawberries Matted Row system involves transplanting young strawberries 2 feet apart in rows 3 to 4 feet apart. –Runners produced in late spring & summer are allowed to root at random, forming a dense mat about 2 feet wide. This training system is least productive but easiest.

50. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Strawberries Spaced Runner System - runners are pinned to the soil by the gardener as they grow so they are evenly spaced around the plant. –There will be less competition among the runners for water, nutrients, and light than in the matted row system.

51. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Strawberries Hill System - best training method for everbearing strawberries, also useful for spring bearers. –Set plants 1 to 1-1/2 feet apart in rows 1 to 1 1 ⁄2 feet apart. Figure 10-12a Strawberry planting systems: hill system. Courtesy of Dr. Danny L. Barney, Sandpoint, Id. Runners appearing in planting year are pinched off, resulting in a strong mother plant that will bear profusely the next season. Used primarily in warm areas because plants are more likely to be damaged by cold.

52. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 PRUNING AND TRAINING SMALL FRUITS Strawberries Properly renewed, a strawberry planting can last up to 4 years, though the yield will not approach that picked the first season. –Renewal should begin as soon as harvesting is complete. Old foliage is mowed off to 1” above the crown, debris raked off & all weeds removed. –Broadcast a balanced garden fertilizer and narrow rows narrowed to 1 foot wide by hoe or rototilling. The patch should be watered thoroughly. New runners for the next year’s crop should appear within 1 month.

53. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 MAINTENANCE OF PERENNIAL SMALL FRUITS Fertilizing Most small fruits are shallow-rooted, and benefit from an annual spring side-dressing of balanced granular fertilizer no closer than 6” from the crown. –Brambles, blueberries, grapes, currants & gooseberries. Broadcast fertilize strawberries & water thoroughly to keep fertilizer granules from burning the leaves. –Fertilize blueberries annually with an acid-forming fertilizer (ammonium sulfate) to keep soil pH acceptably low. Rotted manure applied in fall will also help achieve a low pH.

54. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 MAINTENANCE OF PERENNIAL SMALL FRUITS Fertilizing Actual fertilizer rates vary with natural soil fertility. –General recommendations for plants fertilized with a balanced formula of not more than 12% nitrogen.

55. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 MAINTENANCE OF PERENNIAL SMALL FRUITS Watering Provisions for supplemental watering should be made in any climate because shallow-rootedness of fruits makes them particularly susceptible to drought damage. It is possible to overwater small fruits and decrease the fruit quality, making the fruits larger but the flavor less intense. –Particularly a problem in strawberries, which should not be irrigated more than is necessary to keep soil moist.

56. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 MAINTENANCE OF PERENNIAL SMALL FRUITS Mulching Mulch small fruits in summer with plastic or organic mulch for weed control and soil moisture retention. –Using plastic mulch for strawberry plantings trained to the hill system warms soil & can increase and/or speed fruit production by increasing root growth. Fall mulch should be applied late in the year after temperatures have dropped into the 40 deg F. –If mulched too soon, heat retained near the roots may continue growth, resulting tender shoots will be killed. Shrub-type small fruits should be mulched deeply around and covering crowns & lower stems.

57. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 MAINTENANCE OF PERENNIAL SMALL FRUITS Mulching Strawberries are mulched by completely covering them with straw or a similar lightweight material such as wood shavings. –Mulch should be raked from the patch promptly when spring growth begins to admit light for photosynthesis. Grapes should be mulched thickly in a circle extending out about 4 feet from the trunk. –This will ensure the entire root zone is protected.

58. Practical Horticulture 7 th edition By Laura Williams Rice and Robert P. Rice, Jr. © 2011, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997 Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 END OF CHAPTER