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  1. Growing Beautiful Raepberries

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    How To Grow Raspberries

    When to Plant Raspberries

    Raspberries can be planted any time between November and May, provided the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.

    What Raspb

     

    raspberry all gold
      • There are two types of raspberry plants:

      • Summer-fruiting raspberries - these will fruit between June and early August depending on specific varieties. For the earliest raspberries Glen Ample

    • Autumn-fruiting raspberries - these will fruit between August and October and are ideal for growing in containers on the patio as they don't need supporting. They are also great for beginner gardeners as the pruning is very simple. One of the most reliable varieties is Autumn Bliss

     

    Primocanes and Floricanes - What's the Difference?

    Don't let these terms confuse you. Primocane varieties produce flowers and fruit on stems grown in the same year. Most Autumn fruiting varieties are primocanes producing fruit in their first year of growth. Summer fruiting varieties are usually Floricane raspberries which have stems that grow for one year before bearing fruit and flowers. Because floricanes and primocanes produce crops on different aged stems, they require slightly different pruning techniques.

    Where to Plant Raspberries

     

    Raspberries like fertile, well drained soil in a sunny spot. They will tolerate shading but you're unlikely to get as much fruit as raspberries growing in full sun. Summer-fruiting raspberries will need supporting by a fence, wall or other type of framework as they can grow to 1.5m tall. Autumn-fruiting raspberries are normally fine without a support.

     


    Growing Raspberries in the Garden

    Once you've chosen your site, simply break up the soil with a garden fork and dig in some organic matter such as compost (old or new), well rotted manure or recycled green waste. Create a framework of posts about 1.8m (6ft) high and stretch wires horizontally across them. Set the wires about 60cm (2ft) apart. If you have space for more than one row, make sure the rows are 1.8m (6ft) apart. For summer-fruiting raspberries, plant each cane about 40cm apart and for autumn-fruiting raspberries plant each cane about 60cm apart. When planting raspberries, place them at a depth of about 8cm (3in) and gently firm them in and water them well. Once planted, cut the canes to 25cm from the ground to encourage lots of basal shoots.

    Growing Raspberries in Containers

    Raspberries can successfully be grown in containers on the patio as long as the container is of a reasonable size about 60cm (24in) diameter. Fill your container with a soil based compost such as John Innes No. 3 as this will add stability to your container and won't dry out as quickly as multi-purpose compost . Plant 6 raspberry canes around the edge of the container and gently firm them in and water them. As with all patio plants make sure the compost doesn't dry out and feed your raspberries regularly with a high potash throughout the growing season to encourage lots of delicious fruit. After 3 years it's best to plant your container raspberries in the ground.

    Caring for your Raspberries

    Raspberries need feeding in the spring to maintain a good crop throughout the season. Mulch around the canes with well rotted manure (take care not to bury the canes) or apply a balanced fertiliser and then mulch with compost to help keep the roots moist in dry weather. As well as feeding raspberries it's important to water them during dry weather for the best cropping. You will find that raspberries produce 'suckers' along their root system so new canes may pop up a fair distance from the main plant. Any that are more than 22cm (9in) from the main row should be dug up and pulled out (don't worry severing them won't harm the parent plant). When the plants start to set fruit it's advisable to cover them with netting to prevent the birds eating your crop!

    Pruning Raspberries

     

      • Knowing when to prune raspberries can seem complicated but it is really very simple! All you need is a good pair of secateurs and some gardening gloves to protect against thorns.

      • Pruning autumn-fruiting raspberries these are the simplest to prune. In late winter (February) prune all the canes to ground level before growth commences. The plants will fruit on new growth.

    • Pruning summer-fruiting raspberries these produce fruit on one year old canes. In autumn cut all canes down to soil level that bore fruit during the summer. To help with pruning summer raspberries, it may be worth marking the fruiting canes during the summer so you can distinguish between these and the new season's canes (new season's canes are lush and green). Tie in  6-8 of the strongest new canes and remove the rest. Canes should be spaced out about 10cm (4in) apart on their support to allow each cane as much light and air as possible.

  2. Hydrangeas

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    Growing hydrangeas in your landscape is an easy way to add color, butterflies, and uniqueness. They are beautiful, easy to maintain plants, that have unique blooms and work well for adding color and character to your flowerbeds. 

    One of the many things that make hydrangeas unique are their globe-like blooms, which are actually a cluster of several tiny blooms. These beautiful plants are commonly grown in warm, southern states and are preferred for their hardiness, bushiness and brilliant flower heads. They are easy to grow and make great plants for both beginners and expert gardeners. Below you will find everything you need to know on how to grow Hydrangeas including light, water, fertilization and other requirements for a beautiful, healthy plant that will reward you year after year.

    Growing hydrangeas in your landscape is an easy way to add color, butterflies, and uniqueness. They are beautiful, easy to maintain plants, that have unique blooms and work well for adding color and character to your flowerbeds. 

    One of the many things that make hydrangeas unique are their globe-like blooms, which are actually a cluster of several tiny blooms. These beautiful plants are commonly grown in warm, southern states and are preferred for their hardiness, bushiness and brilliant flower heads. They are easy to grow and make great plants for both beginners and expert gardeners. Below you will find everything you need to know on how to grow Hydrangeas including light, water, fertilization and other requirements for a beautiful, healthy plant that will reward you year after year.

    Light Requirements for Hydrangeas

     
    Do Not Put Hydrangeas in Full Sun!
    Hydrangeas do well in full or part shade. Never plant hydrangeas in full sun as they will scorch and dry out quickly. A few hours of indirect sun is acceptable as long as the soil is moist.
     

    How to Prune Hydrangreas

    Hydrangeas need to be pruned to encourage new growth and establish a nice shape. Only prune during dormant months to achieve a desires shape or size.

    At the beginning of spring as Hydrangeas can be cut back a few inches above the soil to establish a thick, compact bush. If you want a large, lush Hydrangea then you should only prune when needed to maintain a specific shape or size, or to remove old growth.

     

    Changing the Color of Hydrangeas

    Hydrangea blooms range from a lavender-blue to a soft pink, with an occasional white, dark pink, or red. The exact color of the bloom depends on the soil conditions and the variety you are growing. New varieties are less likely to change colors though the shades may change slightly. The new varieties are easily to spot as they usually have rich colors in deep pinks and purples or have several colors on a single bloom such as pink, orange and green.


    How to Change the Color of a Hydrangea  

    To change the color of hydrangeas you will need to alter the soil pH. It's quite simple and just requires the addition of a fertilizer geared for pH alternations. 

     
    Pink Hydrangeas
    For pink Hydrangea blossoms maintain a soil pH at or near 6.5 

     
    Blue Hydrangeas
    For blue or purplish colored blossom, maintain a pH at or near 5.0. 


    How to Check You Soil pH:
    You can check your soil pH and other factors using a soil meter or pH kits. They range from a few dollars up to $30+. The more expensive soil meters can test not only the pH, but also the moisture and sun exposure for that specific area. Simply press the stake in the ground and within a few minutes, you have an accurate reading for your soil, light and moisture.