Berry Week At
Blackberry and Raspberry Care Sight Selection Blackberries and raspberries are very versatile and forgiving of their location. However, they will perform best in full sun for at least 6 hours a day. Their location should be free of grass and weeds as these can be difficult to remove once the plant is established.
Planting for Success Plant your blackberries and raspberries as you would any other perennial. Dig your hole a few inches wider and slightly deeper than your pot. Amend your soil with a small amount of compost and use Dr. JimZ 3-2-1 Grow tabs to promote root development and Mycorrhizae inoculation. Once planted, water them in with Zamzows Thrive using 1 cup of Thrive to one gallon of water. Once planted, set up a trellis or wire system and tie them to it.
Watering Requirements Blackberries and raspberries prefer consistently moist soil. Watering in the early to mid-morning will assure the plant has time to dry out by the end of the day preventing chances of disease. Water infrequently in spring and increase every other day as the fruit begins to develop. Note: Raspberries (red in particular), are susceptible to root rot and cannot handle poor drainage.
Fertilizing Blackberries and raspberries don’t need frequent feeding to be productive. Feed your berries in spring as new canes begin to emerge and again after harvest has concluded for the year. A balanced fertilizer like Zamzows Nutri-rich is an ideal fertilizer. Apply ¼ pound of Nutri-rich to the base of each plant.
When to Harvest Blackberries and summer-bearing raspberries will begin flowering in mid to late-April. Fruit will begin to develop and ripen for the following 3 to 4 weeks. Fall-bearing (or ever-bearing) raspberries bear a crop in mid-summer and another in late summer to early fall. Allow berries to fully ripen on the cane before harvesting. The fruit should be soft and easily removed from the bram- ble. Harvest berries in the morning to prevent bruising and store them in the refrigerator.
Pruning & Long-Term Care Summer-bearing Raspberries and all Blackberry canes live for only two years. First-year canes (called primocanes) will only grow leaves. Year two canes (called floricanes), will produce flowers and set fruit. Floricanes should be pruned out after harvest. The new canes emerge from the root in spring. Select 3-5 of the strongest canes and prune out the rest to prevent competition and assure a good crop. New canes should be tied to your trellis or wire as they grow and pruned to 8 or 10 feet in length once growth stops. Fall-bearing raspberries produce fruit on their first year canes (primocanes). The canes grow 3-6 feet tall during the spring and summer, then flowers (and eventually fruit) develop on the tops. During the winter, the tops of the canes die and then flowers and fruit develop on the lower portion of the canes, under the dead tops. This allows a spring crop and then a late summer/fall crop.
Common Disease and Insects Rust – likely to appear in late summer through fall. Avoid overhead watering especially late in the day. Give your plants plenty of time to dry out. Monitor for infection and prune out smaller areas of infection. Badly damaged canes should be completely removed. Treat canes with Neem Oil. Powdery Mildew – Treat the same as you would rust, seen above. The only difference is you may see damage appear in spring or fall. Leaf Rollers – Commonly seen near alfalfa and sugar beet fields. Monitor plants for tightly rolled leaves with silken webbing. Remove damaged leaves and throw them away or burn them. Treat the plants with B.T. Cane Borers – Monitor canes for swelling and/or woody galls 6 - 12 inches from the soil. Remove the entire cane and throw it away or burn it. Spraying with Neem Oil in spring through late summer can prevent further infestation. Recipe
Venison Steaks with Fresh Black Berry Wine Sauce and Sautéed Asparagus Ingredients for sauce Prepare Sauce 1 c dry red wine Combine wine and shallots in pan and bring to boil. Reducing liquid to 1 medium shallot finely chopped about ½ a cup. Add berries and reduce heat to simmer. Stir occasionally, 1 ½ c black berries until berries are soft, about 15 minutes. Add stock and bring back up to a 1 c beef stock boil. Reduce heat and cook stirring occasionally until sauce coats the 2 Tbl butter back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste Strain sauce and return to the pan. Stir in butter one tablespoon at a time 1 – 2 Tbl honey until blended. Add salt, pepper, and honey and incorporate fully. Steep 2 sprigs fresh sage sage sprigs in sauces for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat and keep warm, removing sprigs before serving. Prepare Asparagus Wash and trim thicker end of asparagus. Add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to pan and preheat to medium heat. When the butter is almost melted add asparagus and season with coarse kosher salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of garlic salt, and 1 tablespoon of onion powder. Stir to evenly coat with seasoning and butter. Sauté until asparagus is tender.
Preparing Venison Steaks. A nice ribeye will make a great substitute if you don’t have venison. If you can remember salt your steaks generously the night before serving, with coarse kosher salt. loosely cover and store in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator allow them to come up to room temperature for about an hour. Salt generously with coarse kosher salt if couldn’t the night before. Add pepper on all sides. Preheat a cast-iron pan to a medium high heat, with a tablespoon of neutral oil. Just before adding the steaks to the pan add one to two tablespoons of butter. Add steaks to pan and cook for two to three minutes per side, spooning melted butter over the top of the steaks. Cook until medium rare, flipping every two or three minutes until done.
Allow steaks to rest for two to three minutes and serve with a generous amount of blackberry sauce, and asparagus.
Grandma’s Raspberry Freezer Jam - makes about 7-8 cups of Jam, to fill about 4 pints.
Ingredients 6 cups fresh raspberries 5 1/4 cups granulated sugar 1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin 3/4 cup water Plastic jars with lids
Instructions Wash and rinse containers. Lightly mash firm, ripe berries (don’t over mash). Measure 3 cups of mashed berries into a large bowl. Slowly stir in 1 cup of the sugar to the mashed berries. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Repeat, adding just one cup of sugar at a time and then mixing, until you use up the remaining sugar. In a small saucepan, stir together pectin with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir pectin into berries mixture until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. Pour jam into containers, leaving ½ inch of space at the top of the container, for expansion. Cover with lid and allow jam to rest at room temperature for 24 hours before freezing. Jam will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to one year.