Small fruit plants for your home garden

 

The home garden is commonly viewed as a land-use system involving the intentional management of multipurpose trees, shrubs and herbs. The plants in the home garden provide a source for a wide variety of food, medicinal, and ceremonial materials. Fruit plants are rich in nutrients to ensure food quality and diversity and can also provide household incomes. In addition, small fruits take up little space when compared to tree fruits. Strawberry, grapes, gooseberry, raspberry, and blackberry are few examples of small fruit plants. Strawberry plants make great perennial borders along walks. Grapes form effective hedges and screens to hide unsightly areas of the landscape or to divide the lawn area from vegetables garden. Always select those varieties of small fruits that are adapted to your climatic conditions.

Strawberry

• Strawberry grows well under temperate climate. Some cultivars can be grown in sub-tropical climate.
• Daylight period of 12 hrs or less and moderate temperature are important for flower-bud formation.
• Each cultivar has a different day length and temperature requirement. Sandy loam to loamy soil with pH 5.7-6.5 is ideal for cultivation.
• The soil is ploughed during summer with a soil turning plough which is followed by repeated ploughing to make soil friable, remove weeds and stubbles.
• Soil fumigation with a mixture of methyl bromide and chloropicrin helps to increase root system, reduce fertilizer requirement and control the weeds.
• Strawberry is commercially propagated by runner plants. For large scale propagation of virus free plants, tissue culture is widely used.
• The ideal time of planting runners or crowns in hilly areas is September-October. If the planting is done too early, plants lack vigour and result in low yield and quality of fruits. If planted very late, runners develop in March and crops are light. Runners are uprooted from nursery, made into bundles and planted in the field.
• These can be kept in cold storage before transplanting. The soil should be frequently irrigated to reduce water stress in the leaf.  Defoliation suppresses the plant growth, delays fruiting and reduces yield & quality.
• Planting distance varies according to variety & type of land.  A spacing of 30 cm. x 60 cm. is usually followed.  
• Strawberry being a shallow-rooted plant requires more frequent but less amount of water in each irrigation. Irrigation is applied in furrows between the rows.   
• White grubs, cutworms and hairy caterpillars attack the crop.  Areas where strawberries are to be planted should be free from white grubs and cutworms. 
• Application of endosulfan (0.05%) or malathion (0.05%) on appearance of caterpillars has been found to be effective in most cases.
• Main diseases reported are leaf spot and grey mould.  Application of carbendazim / thiophanate methyl has been found to be effective in most cases.

Grapes

• Well matured canes obtained in September/October should be selected.
• Cuttings of 4 nodes each with a thickness of 8 to 10 mm should be used.
• The fresh cuttings must be soaked in running water for 24 hours to leach out the water-soluble rooting inhibitors.
• The basal parts of cuttings are then dipped in a 2,000 ppm strong IBA solution for five minutes before planting.
• Soil drenching with chlorophyriphos 0.1 percent is a practice to safeguard the cuttings against termite damage.
• Land within a plot should be levelled perfectly to have a gradient of less than 1 percent in any direction to ensure uniform discharge of water through the emitters of drip irrigation systems.
• Trenches should be at least 75 cm wide, 75 cm deep and 118 m long.
• They are closed with topsoil, up to a height of 45 cm after 15 days exposure to sun.
• The remaining gap is filled with a mixture of soil, cattle manure, single superphosphate, sulphate of potash and micro-nutrients.
• The best season for planting the rooted cuttings of cultivated varieties in the main field is September-October whereas for rootstocks it is February-March.
• Spacing generally varies with the varieties and soil fertility. For vigorous varieties it is 6 m x 3 m or 4 m x 3 m and 3 m x 3 m or 3 m x 2 m for less vigorous varieties.
• As vineyard soils are either sandy loams or heavy clays, the usage of organic manure has assumed high importance in India.
• A standard dose of 500:500:1000 kg of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O per hectare is followed in light sandy soils, while 660:880:660 kg are applied for heavy clay soils.
• Calcium ammonium nitrate is usually not used. Sulphate of potash is the only source of potash used in place of muriate, particularly in heavy clay soils.
• Weeds between the rows of vines should be removed.
• Sometimes the post-emergent weedicides, mainly glyphosate at about 2.0 kg/ha or paraquat at about 7.5 kg/ha is sprayed in fully grown vineyards.
• Since grapes are grown in areas where the evapotranspiration exceeds the precipitation, irrigation is essential.
• Water requirement is calculated based on the pan evaporation using 0.8 as the crop factor. Water is applied at different rates at different stages of vine growth and berry development.
• Mealy bugs are hard-to-kill insects and the package of practices for their control in India is as follows: i) Avoid spraying broad-spectrum insecticides particularly synthetic pyrethroids. ii) Spray only dichlorvas at 0.1 percent mixed with neem oil 0.2 percent or tridemorph at 0.1 percent. iii) Release cryptolaemus montrozieri beetles at 8,000-10,000 per hectare when the berries start softening. It is better to release a mixed population of grubs and adults rather than only adults.

Gooseberry

• Gooseberries like morning sun, afternoon part-shade and buoyant air circulation. They are most productive in full sunlight but the leaves sunburn easily under Mediterranean conditions. They can be grown in the high shade of fruit trees or on the north side of buildings. 
• American gooseberry are much more sun tolerant. Plants collapse quickly when soil or air temperature exceeds 30°C (85°F).
• The good air movement helps to reduce disease problems. Gooseberry plants are less finicky about soil acidity than most other small fruits, and tolerate a wide range of soils, except those that are waterlogged. 
• Where summers are hot, bushes will grow better and produce better fruit in heavier soils, which retain more moisture and stay cooler. 
• A thick mulch of some organic material also helps keep the soil cool. Sandy soils are less suitable for gooseberries because they dry out too fast.
• Prepare the soil in advance of planting, gooseberry bushes will be productive for up to 20 years, so a little effort at this stage will satisfy their needs for well-drained, medium type soil. 
• Dig a hole of about 1m (3 ft) round, incorporate as much organic material as possible. Do the digging in August to give the soil time to settle by October.
• Where more than one bush is being planted, allow 1.6m (5ft) between bushes.
• The best time to plant is October; the soil is still warm, and this allows the roots to establish themselves quickly before the rest of the plant begins to put on new spring growth.
• Any time up to February is satisfactory, as long as the soil is not frozen or water-logged. At planting time in October, dig out a 60cm (2ft) hole in the centre of the previously dug area. 
• Place the bush in the hole, spread out the roots evenly and replace the soil, firming it down with your foot.
• Be sure to water the bush well and regularly for several weeks if the weather is dry.
• A gooseberry bush becomes tangled and unhealthy without pruning. Winter pruning helps to form a balanced branch structure and keeps the centre of the bush open to make picking easier. 
• Mildew disease is also reduced if air circulation is encouraged. Thorns make harvest tedious, so pruning is done to open up the bush and make picking easier. 
• If plagued by birds, delay pruning until the buds have started to grow in April. Thick growth helps to keep the birds away and you can be sure of pruning back to a living bud.
• Fruits form on old wood and around the base of last year's growth, therefore prune back the previous year's growth to two buds.
• Keep the centre of the bush clear of most growth by cutting out any weak or dead branches.  On the outside of the bush, young growth should be left untouched, older and longer side shoots should be cut back to within 2cm (1 inch) of their base.  The aim is to achieve a wine glass shape with the centre of the bush reasonably clear of growth.
• Gooseberry bushes need the soil to be kept moist, especially when the fruit is being formed. In dry periods during June to August, water them to keep the soil moist. 
• Put a layer of organic material to act as a mulch around the main stem each Spring. 
• Gooseberries have a high requirement for potassium and a moderate need for nitrogen, although excessive amounts of nitrogen promote disease, especially mildew. 
• A handful of Sulphate of Ammonia strikes a good balance between growth and weed tolerance.
• The symptom of potassium deficiency is scorching of leaf margins. Deficiency can be avoided with an annual dressing of a potassium rich fertilizer. 
• Gooseberry plants also have a fairly high requirement for magnesium, so if the soil is very acidic and needs lime, use dolomitic limestone, which supplies magnesium as well as calcium.
• Look out for gooseberry sawfly from late spring onwards. Check leaves regularly for caterpillar damage and control by hand. If this is proving hard, spray bushes regularly with an insecticide. 
• Average yield from one gooseberry bush is between eight and ten pounds of fruit.

Raspberry

• Raspberries grow best in a sunny position but also, unlike many fruits, they will also grow successfully in a partially shaded spot.
• The planting site needs rich and well-drained soil, great air circulation, and shelter from the wind.
• Avoid a wet area, as well as a windy spot, as raspberries do not like to stand in water nor totally dry out.
• Every year, feed your raspberry plants with a couple of inches of compost or aged manure; dig in a couple of weeks before planting. A good rate is about 3 1/2 cubic feet of compost per 100 square feet.
• Dig a hole large enough for the roots to spread out in. Digging a trench is the easiest way to plant numerous shrubs.
• Keep the crown of the plant 1 or 2 inches above the ground when planting bare-root or potted plants.
• Canes should be 18 inches apart with a four-foot gap between rows.Re-insert the dirt and push it firmly with your foot.
• Cut the canes down to 9 inches tall after they've been planted to stimulate fresh growth.
• You may need to make a support for the canes, depending on the kind you plant. Many reach the height of a person's head.
• Mulching is necessary all year long to preserve moisture and suffocate weeds. Always keep a thick layer of mulch around your plants.
• From spring till harvest, water one inch every week. Watering on a regular basis is preferable to thorough soaking on rare occasions.
• Cut down additional canes if there is more than one cane for every four inches of wire. 
• Raspberries are one of the few fruits that are relatively pest- and disease-free.
• From June through August, keep an eye out for spider mites and Japanese beetles.
• Japanese beetles are particularly fond of raspberries.
• In the winter, rabbits enjoy munching the canes. A chicken wire fence will help keep rabbits out of your yard

Blackberry

• Blackberries will grow in most soil types as long as they have good drainage. Lack of proper drainage will lead to root death, plant stress and increased susceptibility to insects and diseases.
• If soil holds water for a long period of time, consider building high rows or raised beds.
• While blackberries can grow in almost any soil, the optimal conditions are loam or sandy loam soils that are high in organic matter with a pH of 5.5-6.5.
• For optimal production and fruit quality, blackberries need regular watering. Installing an irrigation system or planting near a water source is essential. Blackberries require 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
• A minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight daily is required for healthy plants with good flowering and fruit production. Shadier locations will produce nice shrubs but very little fruit.
• Prior to planting blackberry, clear the site of any weeds.
• It is best if the soil can be tilled to a depth of 12 to 18 inches prior to planting because blackberries have deep roots.
• Blackberry plants are often planted in a hedge or row fashion, spacing the plants 2 to 4 feet apart. Actual spacing is dependent on the chosen variety. If more than one row, rows should be spaced about 6 feet apart.
• Blackberries can be planted in the fall, winter or spring. Avoid late spring and summer plantings to reduce the stress that is brought on by the hotter weather.
• Regarding weed management, the most common method of weed control is hand removal.
• Mulch can also be used to suppress weeds. Recommended mulch materials include: pine straw, pine bark, leaves or weed fabric. Mulches should be applied at least 4 inches thick.
• If using weed cloth, be sure that the blackberry has a large enough opening to send up new primocanes.
• Herbicides can be a very effective tool for managing weeds in blackberries. There are two basic types of herbicides, preemergence and postemergence.
• Anthracnose is a common fungus disease that can attack both the canes and leaves. Circular, light gray spots form on canes.
• As the disease progresses, the spots become sunken with a dark purple margin. Leaf spots start off yellow, turn gray with a purple border and eventually dry up and drop out, resulting in shot holes.
• Fruit may ripen abnormally and have an “off” flavor. Premature defoliation of diseased leaves may occur.
• Providing good air circulation around plants and removing old and diseased canes can reduce anthracnose infections.
• Do not compost canes. Remove and destroy wild brambles.
• Immediately after harvest remove floricanes to reduce overwintering fungus.
• Follow a fungicide spray program. Do not use lime sulfur.
• Apply fungicides that are labeled to control anthracnose. Spray fungicides when the blossoms are in bud and the young canes are 8-10 inches long. A second application should be made 10-14 days later.