Soft fruit
Raspberry 'Malling Promise'
Now is the time to start planting soft fruit, growing your own gives you the freshest taste straight from the plant.
Blueberries produce excellent autumn colours to their foliage before losing their leaves and so are worthwhile additions even without the berries, but use fresh blueberries in a home-made muffin for exquisite taste. They can be grown in the soil, but dig in ericaceous compost before planting, or alternatively grow in a container.
Redcurrants can be grown in slightly more shaded conditions so are perfect for training on a north wall and can be used either to attract birds to the garden or covered with crop netting for your own benefits.
Raspberries and blackberries have some of the best taste when fresh and are easy to grow. There are some less vigorous varieties of blackberry with excellent taste so varieties can be chosen for any sized garden.
Fruit performs best in moist, fertile soil so dig in plenty of well rotted farmyard manure to improve the soil by holding onto some moisture, whilst allowing the excess to drain away.
Fruit can be trained as the backdrop in a garden as well as part of a dedicated fruit bed. The flowers of blackcurrants and redcurrants may not be as good as the more ornamental varieties but will still look good in the garden, whilst in autumn the clusters of fruit add to the effect.
Blackcurrant 'Ben Connan'
Tayberry
Blueberry 'Bluecrop'
