About Small Fruits and Berries

Blueberries
Saskatoons
Huckleberries
Honeyberries
Elderberries
Raspberries & Blackberries
Strawberries
Grapes

Blueberries

Highbush Blueberries Vaccinium corymbosum

Many of Maine’s lakes are lined with massive stands of highbush blueberries, native to North America. Grazing the shore requires only time and a suitable vessel; we prefer kayak or canoe. The beautiful vigorous shrubs are extremely easy to grow at home, productive and reliable. By planting several varieties, you can harvest berries from early July through most of August. First crops come 3–5 years after planting. Productive for at least 20 or 30 years. Berries may turn blue before they reach their peak flavor. Leave them on the bush until they are fully ripe. Check a few before you pick them all!

Growing Highbush Blueberries

Soil: Light acid soil with plenty of organic matter. Keep them watered.
Sun: Full.
Pollination: Two varieties required, three or more recommended.
Spacing: Plant 6' apart (or closer for smaller lowbush-highbush types) in rows 8–10' apart.
Planting: Mulch yearly with at least 3–6" pine needles, wood chips, hay, cardboard, even old slab wood. They don’t like grass competition.
Pruning: Fruit is produced on one-year shoots off healthy canes. Older canes become twiggy and less productive. After three years, head back long sprigs of new growth for a bushier plant. Each bush should be allowed to grow 6–10 canes varying in age from 1–6 years old. Thereafter, remove dead canes and those over 6 years old to encourage new replacement canes. Bushes with regular moderate pruning produce the most berries.

Huckleberries

Black Huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata

Cousin of the blueberry. Flowers in June and fruits in August. Nectar of the pink bell-shaped blossoms helps sustain the endangered adult Karner Blue butterfly and native bumblebees. Brilliant purple-red fall foliage. We’ve found many quiet little shrubs tucked in along pond edges and upland woods, and also in great swaths among the sheep laurel and the lowbush blueberries of coastal Maine. Native to eastern U.S. and Canada.

Honeyberries

Honeyberry Lonicera caerulea

Also called Haskap or Edible Honeysuckle. Our Canadian neighbors are crazy about haskaps, ramping up commercial U-pick orchards, exporting fruit to Japan, and making fun treats like honeyberry jam and ice cream. Medium-sized fruiting shrub is somewhat similar in bush and berry to our native highbush blueberry. In the Japanese Ainu language, haskap means ‘lots of little things on top of the branches.’ Native to Siberia and the Kuril Islands.

Saskatoons

Saskatoons Amelanchier spp.

Also called Juneberry, Parsonberry, Serviceberry, Shadblow, Shadbush and Shad. Purplish-black sweet berries great for pies, cobblers, jellies, jams, smoothies and cakes. Berries are about the size of a lowbush blueberry, or a bit larger, and seedier. Fruit ripens in mid-July in central Maine.

We’ve always admired our native Amelanchiers in the wilds of Maine where they grow along stream edges and rocky slopes. Beautiful fragrant 5-petaled white flowers are early harbingers of spring in Maine. Nice red-orange fall foliage. Recently we’re learning more about saskatoons farmed commercially for fruit in Canada, much like how we grow highbush blueberries. In Canada there are saskatoon festivals, and even a baseball team called the Saskatoon Berries!

Growing Saskatoons

Soil: Moist well-drained soil; will tolerate clay.
Sun: Full.
Pollination: Self-fruitful, but plant more than one variety for better yields.
Spacing: 5' apart.

Elderberries

Elderberries Sambucus spp.

Elderberry trees appear in myths from days of yore, thought to possess magical and protective powers. Dangling clusters of edible purple-black berries ripen in late summer on this broad vigorous multi-stemmed shrub. The fruit is highly nutritious and medicinal. A century ago, every grandmother knew how to make the perfect elderberry pie. Recipes for jam could be found in all the old farm cookbooks. Elderberries have made a big comeback as folks rediscover the scrumptiousness of elderberry jelly, cordial, elixir and wine. The large creamy-white flower clusters, or cymes, that cover the shrub in early summer make delicious fritters. Dry them for a fragrant wintertime cold-and-flu remedy tea. For centuries, humans have used this plant’s medicinal qualities to treat a wide range of ailments and to boost the immune system. Hippocrates is said to have called the elder tree his “medicine chest.” Birds love the fruit, and the blossoms attract beneficial insects and pollinators. No serious pest or disease issues. Note: Cooking elderberries is essential to breaking down toxic cyanide-inducing glycosides in the seeds. Not for fresh eating.

American Black Elderberry S. canadensis

This species is native to North America. Hardier than the European Sambucus nigra, and fruits on first-year wood.

European Elderberry S. nigra

This species is native to Europe. The medicinal berries are extremely high in immune-boosting anthocyanins. You can use them in all of the same wonderful ways you would use the canadensis species. More tender than canadensis, but ours in Zone 4 seem to be almost as hardy. Note that nigras produce on second-year wood—prune accordingly.

Growing Elderberries

Soil: Adaptable and low maintenance, but prefers moist fertile soil. Can tolerate drier soil, poor drainage and even temporary flooding.
Sun: Full, but will tolerate some shade.
Pollination: Self-fruitful, but plant more than one variety for better yields. Canadensis and nigra species will pollinate each other.
Spacing: 6–8' apart.
Planting: Add plenty of compost to the planting hole; sidedress with compost every spring. Mulch with a thick layer of hay, leaves or wood chips to control weeds and protect shallow roots. Do not invite the elderberry borer by allowing sod to grow at the base of the plant!

Raspberries and Blackberries

Raspberries Rubus spp.

We love raspberries: fresh or frozen, in smoothies, jam and especially pie. We even like the foliage—best taken from the first-year primocanes—which makes a delicious astringent healthful tea. Raspberry leaf and fruit vinegar is very high in minerals. The root bark is also medicinal.

Raspberry season in Maine is mid-July through fall. Native to North America, Europe and Asia, they are usually identified as R. idaeus or R. i. var. strigosus. 53 different Rubus species and subspecies live in Maine.

Please note: Raspberries have very fine, fibrous roots. Often they do not sprout from the plant stem after planting. This is normal. Be patient! Keep them well watered and they should all break dormancy, sprout from the roots and thrive for many years to come. (Canes are bare root unless otherwise noted in the description.)

Everbearing Raspberries: Everbearing raspberries bear on first-year canes (primocanes). Particularly desirable for northern growers because they can die (or be cut) to the ground and still produce a sizable crop the following year. In central Maine the first of these ripens in mid-late August and the latest can go through September.

Summer-Bearing Raspberries: Summer-bearing raspberries bear on second-year canes (floricanes). Midseason berries ripen around late July in central Maine.

Black Raspberries: Black raspberries bear on second-year canes. Also called black caps. Contain high levels of antioxidants and anthocyanins, strengthening the immune system when eaten regularly. Freeze excess berries for winter to help combat colds and flu.

Blackberries: Blackberries bear on second-year canes.

Growing Raspberries and Blackberries

Soil: Well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Avoid planting sites where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, strawberries or wild brambles have grown. For every 100 row feet, fertilize each spring with up to 100 lb manure or compost (or 8 lb blood meal or 14 lb soybean meal).
Sun: Full.
Pollination: You need only one variety.
Planting: Prepare holes wide enough to spread out roots. Don’t let roots dry out—consider soaking roots in Agri-gel for 1–2 hours before planting. Add plenty of compost. Plant canes 1–2" deeper than the nursery line. Mulch with a thick layer of wood chips. Plants require 2" water per week during growing season.
Spacing:
- Everbearing raspberries: Plant 9–15" apart.
- Summer-bearing raspberries: Space 2' apart. To trellis, run a wire on either side of the 18–36" bed, with wires 3–4" high to support the tall canes.
- Purple and black raspberries and blackberries: Plant in hills 3–4' apart, 3–4 plants per hill. Tie to a center post if needed.
Pruning:
- Everbearing raspberries: Cut all the canes to the ground in late fall or early spring. New first-year canes will fruit in mid-late summer. (In warmer districts, you can leave old canes, which could fruit lightly the following year.)
- Summer-bearing raspberries: In fall or early spring, prune out the canes that last carried fruit (they will be the branchy ones). Thin the fresh first-year canes to about 3–4" apart. During the growing season cut back canes to 5' if they are bending over severely.
- Purple and black raspberries and blackberries: In spring, thin to 5–8 canes per hill. In early summer, pinch back tip of first-year canes to 2½–3' tall. This will encourage lateral fruiting branches. You may run a wire between hills for lateral branching but this is not necessary. The following spring, cut these fruiting laterals back to 8–12 buds.

Strawberries

Strawberries Fragaria x ananassa

A major highlight of every summer is picking strawberries. In central Maine strawberry season is usually around summer solstice.

Modern strawberries, developed about 1830, are a hybrid of F. chiloensis (native of Chile) and F. virginiana (native of North America). Royce Bringhurst of UC-Davis developed everbearing strawberries from wild plants found in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. He crossed these with modern varieties and introduced the first everbearers in 1980.

50 plants will plant from 50–100'.

Everbearing Strawberries Everbearing, or day-neutral, strawberries flower regardless of day length as long as temperatures are between 35 and 85˚, and produce fruit from June to October. They are uncommonly productive—about 1 lb of fruit per plant the first year, and slightly less the second year. Productivity peaks in August the first year. The second year, berry size decreases in the hottest weather and increases in cooler weather. After second year, turn under and start again.

June-Bearing Strawberries When cultivated as described below, June-bearing plants begin bearing their second year and can produce for up to 5 years.

Growing Strawberries

Soil: Well-drained and fertile. Avoid planting sites where tomatoes, peppers or potatoes have grown in the past 4 years.
Sun: Full
Pollination: You need only one variety.
Planting and Spacing: Choose a site with good airflow. Plant at the same depth as they were in the nursery, with the middle of the crown at soil level. To optimize plant survival, plant crowns on cloudy days or in the evening. Soak roots in fish/kelp emulsion to lessen transplant shock.

For Everbearing or Day-Neutral Strawberries: These heavy feeders benefit from 3–4" of manure worked into the soil prior to planting. Plant 6–12" apart. Remove flowers for the first 6 weeks, and remove all runners the first season. After harvest the second year, turn under and start again.
For June-Bearing Strawberries: Use Matted Row system: Set plants 12–24" apart in rows 3' apart. Allow plants to produce runners freely and fill in the row. Remove all flowers the first year.
Harvest berries the second year, and immediately after harvest, fertilize liberally with compost or aged manure and renovate the row. By hand or with a tiller, narrow the row to 12" wide. Thin plants to 4–5" apart within the row. By this method a bed can last about 5 years.

Mulching: In late fall mulch with hay to protect plants over winter. In spring pull mulch off plants and place between rows to keep fruit dry and clean in summer. A floating row cover may be used for frost protection.

Grapes

Grapes Vitis spp.

Grapes are easy to grow and can bear plentifully even in northern New England. They begin fruiting in the second or third year after planting. They are rugged and cold hardy. Our vines bear consistently every year. Although many people prefer seedless types for table use, seeded varieties can be quite enjoyable right off the vine if you don’t mind “grape nuts.” Grape seeds contain an antioxidant that is twice as powerful as vitamin C.

Most grape varieties are bred from a combination of different species, V. labrusca and V. vinifera being the most important. Labrusca is native to the eastern U.S., has a wild tart musky (foxy) flavor, and is hardy and disease resistant. Concord is the best-known of the labruscas. Vinifera, native to Europe, is extremely high quality, and is the most important wine grape in the world, but is not cold hardy and is prone to disease. V. riparia, native to North America, used as rootstock for grafted varieties and in hybridization with vinifera, is very adaptable to a wide range of soils, disease resistant and very cold hardy.

In central Maine, “very early” grapes begin ripening in mid-August, while “midseason” ripen mid-September. Late-season Concord, a standard elsewhere, does not ripen in many northern areas.

Growing Grapes

Soil: Very well drained with moderate fertility. Every few years, fertilize liberally with granite meal. Mulch annually with hay or straw.
Sun: Full.
Pollination: Self-pollinating; you need only one for fruit.
Spacing: 8–12' apart in rows 8–12' apart.
Planting: Spread roots out in hole, planting the crown even with the soil surface. Pack soil, water and mulch well. After frost danger has passed, prune new vine back to 3–5 strong buds.
Pruning and Trellising: There are many systems for training grapes, and all involve annual pruning to remove most growth in late spring. This aggressive pruning encourages new fruiting canes. See below for a few methods, or visit the grape resource page at UMaine Cooperative Extension at Highmoor Farm. The current vineyard standard for wire is high-tensile-strength class III galvanized steel. The gauge should be 11 to 12.5. The wire is generally sold by weight. 100 lb of 11 gauge measures about 2600'. 100 lb of 12.5 measures about 3800'.
Optional Winter Protection: If a variety is marginally hardy in your area, you can still grow it if you take special care in winter. Remove the vine from the trellis in fall, lay it on the ground, and bury with just enough soil to cover.
If you plan to do this, plant your new grapevine at a 45˚ angle. Train new shoots horizontally for at least one foot. Then, curve shoots upward to form a J shape. This creates a flexible hinge, allowing you to lay the vine down at the end of the season.

Training Grapes on an Arbor

Train one or more vines onto an arbor or gazebo; we have 8 vines, spaced about 10' apart. Prune each vine back to a single trunk. Encourage several permanent arms from each trunk. In late spring remove 70– 90% of the past summer’s growth. Next summer new fruiting canes will grow off the permanent arms.

Image: A hand-drawn illustration of an arbor.

Training Grapes in the Four-Arm Kniffin System

First year: After the last danger of frost has passed, cut newly planted vines back to a single stem, 6" long with two to three buds.
Second year: Set up two wires, 3' and 5' high, stretched between posts. Cut plant back to a single stem, 6 feet long and tie it to the top wire. Leave 4–6 buds near each wire and remove others.
Third year: Select 8 canes, 4 for each wire, and remove the rest. Tie two canes to each wire, one in each direction. Cut these 4 canes back to 10 buds each. Cut the remaining 4 canes back to 1–2 buds each.
Later years: In the spring, remove last year’s fruiting canes. Select eight new canes. Cut 4 of them to 10 buds each, and tie them to your wires. Cut the remaining 4 back to 2 buds each. These will produce next year’s fruiting canes. Remove all other canes. The number of buds left on the fruiting canes may be adjusted to encourage more fruit (leave more buds) or larger size (leave fewer buds).

Image: A hand-drawn illustration of a grape vine trained to grow along a series of wires