This year we have started a new fruit garden to go along with the vegetables we are growing.

Blueberries

We are currently growing two different varieties of Blueberries so we can harvest them one after the other.

Blueberry – Chandler

This variety is known for the worlds largest blueberry. With a delicious flavour and ripening season over 6 weeks to be harvested in August/ September. This variety is self fertile.

Blueberry – Duke

This variety is known for its heavy cropping and harvest is as early as July. The foliage turns a orange, red in autumn.

We bought our blueberries from Pomona Fruits

How to plant Blueberries

They require ericaceous (acidic) compost so are best grown in a pot. They like full sun and in a place where the bees can pollinate the flowers.

Raspberries

We decided that we wanted to grow raspberries and have planted them in our flower borders. We added compost for nutrients as our soil is quite poor. We put in 6 summer fruiting raspberries and 6 autumn fruiting raspberries. 4 of the summer fruit raspberries are now producing fruit and none of the autumn raspberries have even started producing leaves.

We have been harvesting raspberries in July.

Blackberry

We picked a thornless variety called Loch Ness. It is a compact variety that grows upwards rather than outwards. It will need training against a fence or wall. The fruit are being produced in June onwards and ripening August onwards.

Apple Tree

Our Apple tree was bought from Tesco for £9.99, we didn’t hold out much hope but in the second year it has produced apples so it’s a bargain.

The Fruit Series

January – Planting Bare Root Trees

May – Sowing & Growing Mini Melons

June – Our Fruit Garden – Berries, apple, pear, peach & apricot Miniature trees

June – Strawberries – My leaves look like lace, what’s eating my strawberry leaves?

July – Broad Beans, Peach, Blackberries, Lettuce…

August – Blue, Black, Raspberry and Strawberry harvest

November – Columnar Fruit Trees – 1 Year Growth Update