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By

R.M. Skirvin
A.G. Otterbacher
J.D. Kindhart
M.M. Kushad
K.D. McPheeters
S.M. Ries
R.A. Weinzin 1

Small
Fruits
in the
Home
Garden

MAR 1 2 1998
AGRICULTURE LIBRARY

Circular 1343

(1997 Completely Revised)

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
and Department of Crop Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION

ACES

College of Agricultural, Consumer and
Environmental Sciences

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension
Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1 9 1 4, in
cooperation with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Dennis Campion, Interim Director,
Cooperative Extension Service, University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Cooperative
Extension Service provides equal opportunities in
programs and employment.

Copyright© 1998

by University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

Authors and publishers have granted permission
for copies of this work or parts of this work to be
reproduced, provided that (I) copies are
distributed at or below the cost of reproduction;
(2) the author, the publication, and the University
of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and
Environmental Sciences and the relevant division
within the College are identified; and (3) proper
notice of copyright is affixed to each copy.

The information provided in this publication is for
educational purposes only. References to
commercial products or trade names do not
constitute an endorsement by the University of
Illinois and do not imply discrimination against
other similar products.

Acknowledgements:

Fig. 3: Dr. Oscar Schubert; photo on page 20,
Fig. 1 6, Fig. 1 7, and photo on page 34: USDA; Fig. 2 1 ,
Fig. 24, Fig. 25, Fig. 26, Fig. 30; Rutgers University.
The rest are provided by the authors or previous
authors.

This publication was last published as University of
Illinois Circular 935. It was prepared through
various revisions by H.C. Barrett, J. W. Courter,
C.C. Doll, D.B. Meador, A.G. Otterbacher, D Powell,
M.C. Shurtleff, R.K. Simons, R.M. Skirvin, and C.C.
Zych. The section on landscaping with small fruits
was co-authored by S. Morrissey.

ISBN 1-883097-20-7

6M— 2-98— Ul Printing Division— CF/PC

2

Table of Contents

Planning the

Small Fruits Garden 5

Strawberries 1 3

Brambles

Raspberries 2 1

Blackberries 24

Blueberries 35

Currants & Gooseberries 43

Grapes 47

Pest Control 59

Edible Landscapes 65

Cooking & Eating the

Fruits of Your Labor 69

Recipes 7 1

References 77

For further information.

For assistance in selecting the proper species and cultivar, order catalogs from
reputable nurseries and read the plant descriptions carefully. University of Illinois
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences lias a variety of
resources available on growing fruits and related practices. Contact the1 I of I
Extension for applicable circulars and fact sheets, or contact the nearest local
Extension office. Inquiries can also be made to the College of ACES's Information
Technology and Communication Services office, 1301 W. Gregor) Drive, Urbana,
Illinois 61801, (217)333-4780.

Ml

Getting
Started

Planning the
Small Fruits Garden

Growing small fruits in the home garden offers many advan-
tages to a family that is willing to provide the space and care
plants require. All major small fruits — including strawber-
ries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants, gooseber-
ries, and grapes — can be grown successfully in most parts of
Illinois. These plants tolerate small spaces and are popular
even for small city lots. Space limitations can be overcome by
fitting small fruit plants directly into the overall landscape
in shrub borders, screen plantings, arbors, hedges, patios, or
perennial gardens.

A well-planted garden supplies fresh Aside from the benefits of superior

fruit from early spring to the first quality, the care and cultivation of small

killing frost in the fall. The fruits fruits at home can provide much

produced are enjoyed for their pleasant pleasure and satisfaction. Careful

taste as well as for their dietary value as selection of early- and late-season

sources of vitamins, minerals, acids, and cultivars of different small fruits will

anti-cancer agents. Fruit of the best supply fresh fruit over the longest

cultivars, harvested at the peak of their possible season. Success, of course, also

season, cannot be matched in the depends on careful attention to

market regardless of price. Surplus cultural details. This circular describes

production can be sold as an income cultural techniques and cultivars for

supplement or canned, frozen, or dried reliable production in Illinois home

for use year-round. gardens.

(left) This hedge of thornless blackberries illustrates how a small fruits garden can be
incorporated directly into an overall landscape.

Size of Planting

Location

The number of plants the home
gardener can grow is determined by the
space and time available as well as the
needs of the family. Home fruit
plantings should be limited in size,
especially if the primary objective is
only to supply fresh fruit for home use.
Large plantings may be justified for
local sales or a 4-H project. The best
advice is to plant no more than you can
properly care for. Neglected plants
produce low yields of poor-quality fruit,
harbor destructive insects and diseases,
and can be unsightly.

Plant spacings, approximate yields, and
a suggested number of plants for a
family of five are given in Table 1
(inside front cover).

Although there is no sharp demarca-
tion between northern, central, and
southern Illinois, some cultivars
definitely perform better at a given
latitude. For the purposes of this book,
we have defined the regions as N =
region north of Interstate 80; C =
central region between Interstate 80 at
the north and Interstate 70 at the
south; and S = region south of Inter-
state 70.

The yields shown are dependent upon
proper cultivar selection and good
management. The size and layout of
the garden may vary according to the
selection of fruits desired and the space
and location available. When arranging
small fruits in the garden, place the
taller-growing fruits such as trellised
grapes north of lower-growing fruits
such as strawberries to prevent shading.

It is a good idea to locate the small fruit
garden near the house. If large trees
are nearby, locate the garden to the
south of them, if possible. There is an
advantage in planting adjacent to the
vegetable garden for convenience of
doing cultural chores. However,
sometimes the most convenient
location does not have the most
desirable exposure, soil, or water
drainage.

The site should have reasonably fertile
soil and be well drained. Avoid areas
that collect water after a rain. A
moderately elevated or sloping site will
reduce losses from late spring frosts
and provide better water drainage.
Exposure to full sunlight is preferred,
although most small fruits will grow in
partial shade. Black raspberries and
gooseberries can stand more shade
than other small fruits. Where possible,
take advantage of natural windbreaks
such as buildings and hedgerows to
protect the planting from severe
prevailing northwest winter winds.

Strawberries and brambles should not
be planted on a site where tomatoes,
potatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons,
okra, peas, beets, or roses have been
grown in the past three to five years.
Verticillium wilt is a disease common to
all these crops, and if they are not
rotated with nonsusceptible crops,
severe losses can result. There are
Verticillium-resistant strawberry and
raspberry cultivars available; some of
these cultivars are listed in the appro-
priate section later in this circular.

Size of
Planting, ^^

Preparing the Soil

Most small fruit plants will occupy the
same location at least three years and as
long as thirty or more years. Therefore,
it is desirable to build up the soil
fertility of the proposed planting site
before planting. Planning one or two
years ahead can also help to reduce
weed problems.

All small fruit plants benefit from the
addition of organic matter to the soil. If
well-rotted manure that is free of weed
seed is available, incorporate four
bushels (or 100 pounds) per 100 square
feet (1,000 to 1,500 pounds per 1,000
square feet) in the summer or fall
before planting. Similar levels of
compost, decomposed leaves, or lawn
clippings can also increase the soil's
organic-matter level. Use only lawn
clippings that have not been treated
with herbicides. It is a good idea to add
ten to fifteen pounds of 10-10-10
fertilizer per 1,000 square feet when
leaves are used. Thoroughly work the
organic material into the soil. In
September, sow a cover crop such as
annual rye at three pounds of seeds per
1 ,000 square feet to protect the soil
during winter. Turn the crop under in
spring to improve the soil.

To reduce weeds, plant and cultivate
row crops for one or two years prior to
planting small fruits. Avoid the Verticil-
lium-susceptible crops listed earlier.
Also, avoid sites where herbicides with
long carry-over periods have been used
recently. Regular cultivation and
hoeing will be necessary to control
weeds. The cultivation helps improve
soil conditions by mixing organic
matter in the soil and increasing
aeration.

Location,
Preparing
Soil

If sod must be

turned under, it

should be done

in fall to allow

decomposition

to begin. Sod

often harbors grubs (insect larvae) that

feed on roots. Most of the grubs die if

the sod is turned under and the ground

cultivated at least one year prior to

planting.

All small fruits, except blueberries,
grow satisfactorily in a soil pH range of
5.5 to 7.5. Blueberries require a pH of
4.8 to 5.2 for best growth. The pH
measurement refers to the relative
acidity or alkalinity of the soil: 7 is
neutral, 6 to 7 is slightly acid, and 7 to 8
is slightly basic (alkaline). Horticulture
Fact Sheet FL-13-81, "Taking Soil
Samples in the Yard and Garden,"
provides instructions on how properly
to obtain soil samples. Soil-testing
services are often listed in the tele-
phone book Yellow Pages under "soil
testing." Contact the nearest regional
Extension office for help in interpret-
ing the soil-test results, if help is
needed.

Prior to planting, work the soil as
thoroughly as you would in planting
a vegetable garden. The soil should
be well pulverized and moist, and soil
granulation should be no larger than
a pea.

Planting Stock

Choosing Cultivars

I [ealthy, vigorous plants are essential
for establishing a successful small fruit
planting. It is wise and, in the long run,
cheaper to buy the best plants available.
The disadvantages of poor planting
stock can never be overcome. Repu-
table nurseries supply disease-free and
true-to-name plants. The state certifi-
cate of nursery inspection is your
assurance of healthy plants. Strawberry,
raspberry, and blackberry plants should
be "virus-free" at the time of purchase.
Many of these plants are now supplied
from tissue-culture propagation. Tissue-
culture plants may cost more than
traditionally propagated plants but are
worth the extra cost.

Obtain catalogs from several nurseries.
While some nurseries specialize in one
or two types of small fruits (specialty
nurseries) , others are more general and
supply most small fruits. Orders should
be placed early to obtain desired
cultivars. November or December is not
too early to order plants for the
following spring. The delivery date and
method of shipment should be speci-
fied when placing the order.

One-year-old plants of medium to large
size are generally the best to buy. The
added cost for older or extra-large
plants is seldom justified. Blueberry
plants are an exception. It is best to
purchase two-year-old container-grown
plants. Two-year-old transplants are
also good.

Cultivated varieties (cultivars) for home
small-fruit plantings should be selected
for their high quality for eating fresh,
preserving, or both. Many cultivars of
high-quality small fruits are not suited
to commercial production, so the only
source of these quality fruits may be
your own garden. Disease resistance
and winterhardiness also are very
important considerations. Careful
selection of early- and late-maturing
cultivars will provide fresh fruit over a
long harvest season. The use of several
cultivars helps to ensure a successful
planting; one cultivar may perform well
in one location and poorly in others.
The cultivars suggested in this circular
are generally adapted to Illinois
conditions. Special notation is made
when a particular cultivar is best suited
to a particular region. In addition to
the suggested cultivars, gardeners can
purchase and compare one or two new
cultivars.

Care of Plants on Arrival

Most plants are dug by nurseries in late
fall or early spring while the plants are
dormant, stored under refrigeration,
and then shipped dormant during the
correct season. Such plants, when
handled properly, are as good as freshly
dug plants.

Packages should be opened and the
plants examined as soon as they arrive.
If they smell sour and rotten, they
should be replaced. Healthy plants have
an earthy smell; roots should be supple
and white. It is a good idea to peel back
the wrapping to let excess heat escape
from the package. Do not let your plants

Planting
Stock,
Choosing
Cultivars,
Care of
New Plants

Heeling-in strawberry plants. The

bundles are opened, the plants spread
out one deep in the trench, and moist earth
thrown back and packed around the roots.
Here they will keep fresh several days until
conditions are favorable for planting.

dry out. If the plants are dry when they
arrive, soak the roots in water for one
or two hours and plant immediately, if
possible. If planting is delayed more
than one day, place the plants in cold
storage or in a refrigerator (32° to 40°
F) that is not being used to store fruits
and vegetables, or "heel- in" the plants
(Fig. 1).

For cold storage, moisten the roots if
they are dry, but be careful not to get
them too wet, or the plants may mold
and rot. Plants in plastic bags may be
kept satisfactorily for a week in your
home refrigerator. Avoid storing plants
in refrigerators that also contain fresh
fruits (especially apples and pears)
because as the fruit ripens, it produces

a gas (ethylene) that can injure or kill
plants. Do not allow plants to freeze.

To "heel-in" plants, select a location
that is well drained, shaded, and
protected from the wind. Dig a trench
deep enough to permit covering the
roots and long enough to place all of
the plants side by side, one plant deep.
After positioning plants in the trench,
firm the soil over the roots. Do not
cover the crowns of strawberry plants.
Water the plants thoroughly and keep
them shaded until they are ready to
plant. Do not Leave the plants heeled-in
any longer than absolutely necessary.
Their roots will begin to grow, and
transplanting them will destroy some of
their new feeder roots.

Irrigation

PruningTools

Lack of rain while new plants are
becoming established — during bloom
and harvest and during late summer
and fall when fruit buds are forming —
can reduce the quantity and quality of
fruit. For optimal growth, most small
fruits require at least one inch of water
per week during the growing season.
Irrigation to supplement rainfall to this
level is especially important for soils
subject to drought, such as sandy soils,
or soils with a shallow hardpan that
restrict the development of a deep-root
system.

If possible, locate the small fruit garden
where water is readily available for
irrigation. Sprinklers, porous soaking
hoses, and drip or trickle hoses are
suitable for applying water. Irrigate to
thoroughly wet the soil to the depth of
the roots. Shallow watering encourages
shallow root growth and is of little value
(and may even be harmful) to long-
term plant survival.

Correct pruning and training are
necessary for good production of the
brambles, blueberries, currants,
gooseberries, and grapes. The neces-
sary tools are not complex or expensive
(Fig. 2). The hand clipper is used to cut
back small branches and lateral shoots.
There are two types of hand shears: the
by-pass type cuts cleanly with a
scissorslike action; the anvil type cuts
with a crushing action. Most horticul-
turists agree that by-pass shears are
superior to the anvil type. The lopping
or long-handled shears is needed for
larger branches and canes that cannot
be cut with the hand shears. The
bramble hook is a specialized tool for
removing entire canes from the
brambles. A pruning saw may be
needed for grapes and blueberries.

Pruning tools work best when they are
sharp and clean. Tools should be
cleaned after each use and their cutting
edges should be wiped with an oily
cloth to prevent rust. The cutting edges
should be kept sharp to make smooth
cuts that will heal quickly.

PRUNING SHEAR

The Home Landscape

Individual small fruit plants or groups
of small fruit plants can be included in
the landscape to provide fresh fruit
when space is not available for a
defined fruit garden (Fig. 3). Strawber-
ries— particularly the disease-resistant,
day-neutral types that bear fruit
throughout the summer — can be useful
for edging or ground-cover plantings.
Grape arbors or hedge plantings of
erect blackberries, raspberries, or
blueberries can be used effectively to
partially screen or separate parts of the

Irrigation,

Pruning

Tools,

Home II

Landscape IJ

V*>

lawn or garden.
Blueberries are
especially well
adapted to the
home landscape:
they have lovely white bell-shaped
flowers in the spring, blueberries in the
summer, and attractive red foliage in
the fall. With a little imagination and
careful planning, small fruit plants can
be combined with other plants to result
in an eye-pleasing, appetizing landscape
planting. This topic is discussed in
more detail beginning on page 65.

A

in a backyard fence

¥

I

i

Soil

Strawberries

Strawberries are the most popular of the small fruits. They
are the first to ripen in the spring and are highly nutritious.
A single cup of strawberries supplies more than the minimum
daily requirement of Vitamin C and is a tasty way to fight
cancer. Choosing disease-resistant cultivars usually results in
the production of satisfactory crops in a home garden with
minimal use of pesticides.

Three types of strawberries are grown
in Illinois: spring or June bearing,
everbearing, and day neutral. June
bearers produce their crop in a two- to
three-week period in the spring. The
everbearing strawberries usually
produce three flushes of flowers and
fruits throughout the growing season —
spring, summer, and fall. Day neutrals
will flower and fruit continually
through the growing season. Many
cultivars of strawberries are suitable for
culture in Illinois.The cultivars listed in
Table 2 (page 19) have proven their
adaptability to Illinois. New cultivars are
introduced regularly, so the list is
subject to change.

Soil

Strawberries will grow satisfactorily in
most garden soils, but they require a
relatively high level of soil fertility for
optimal production. The soil pH
should be between 5.5 and 6.5. Live-
stock manure, preferably well-rotted,
may be applied the year before planting
(see page 16). If manure is not avail-
able, compost and commercial fertilizer
can be added when preparing the soil.
Apply fifteen to twenty pounds of 10-20-
20 fertilizer, or equivalent, per 1 ,000
square feet, and work the fertilizer into
the top six to eight inches of soil.

13

Proper planting depth, (right)
The center plant is set cor-
rectly, with the soil just covering the
tops of the roots. The plant on the
left is set too shallow; the plant on
the right, too deep.

(left) Young plants soon after planting,
with runners.

Runners can be made to grow in
"matted rows" by training most of
the runners into the row and rototilling out
the others (see photo right and diagram
below).

Spaced row plantings (below) These spaced plantings were made by limiting the
number of runners to two or four, or all runners can be removed to yield hills
(Fig- 8).

matted row

spaced row: two runners

spaced row: four runners

14

Planting and Spacing

Strawberries should be planted as soon
as the ground can be prepared in the
spring. Do not plant if the soil is wet.
Planting is best done in March or April
in Illinois to allow the plants time to
become well established before the hot
summer weather begins. If possible, the
plants should be set during cloudy
weather or during the late afternoon or
evening. Set the plants to the proper
depth and apply one pint of water per
plant (Fig. 4). Within four to five weeks,
mother plants will produce runners and
new daughter plants (Fig. 5).

The matted-row system (Fig. 6) is the
most popular method for growing June-
bearing (standard) cultivars in Illinois.
The plants should be set eighteen to
thirty inches apart in rows three to four
feet apart. The daughter plants are
allowed to root freely to become a
matted row no wider than two feet.

Spaced-row systems ^^
(Fig. 7) limit the & Spacing

number of daugh-
ter plants that
develop from a

mother plant. Under this system, the
original mother plants are spaced the
same as before, but the daughter plants
are spaced to root no closer than four
inches apart. All other runners are
pulled or cut from the mother plants.
Such spacing gives optimal growing
conditions because strawberry rows can
often be too dense for good produc-
tion. Spaced-row culture requires more
care than matted-row plantings, but
higher yields, larger berries, and fewer
disease problems may justify the extra
effort.

The hill system (Fig. 8) is the best
method to grow everbearing and day-
neutral cultivars. All runners are
removed so that only the original
mother plant is left to grow. Runners
develop from the same region as flower
stalks, so runner removal enables the
mother plant to develop numerous
crowns and more flower stalks. Multiple
rows are often arranged in groups of
two, three, or four plants with a two-
foot walkway between each group of
rows. Plants are set about one foot apart
in the multiple rows. The planting
should be cultivated and hoed for the
first two or three weeks; then the entire
bed may be mulched (see page 16).
Sawdust or wood chips or even layers of
newspaper laid flat between plants may
be used as soil mulch during the
growing season. Apply sawdust or
corncobs in a layer one to two inches
deep. About four cubic yards arc-
needed to cover 1,000 square feet.

Hill plantings for day neutrals.

15

Blossom Removal

Remove flower stems as early as they
appear from newly set plants during the
fust summer. Allowing the fruit to
develop during the first season delays
root and runner development and
reduces the crop the following year.
Flowers that develop after July on
everbearing and day-neutral cultivars
should be left to produce a crop later
in the fall.

Weeds

Cultivation and hand hoeing should
begin soon after the plants are set. This
practice will control weeds and make
the soil more suitable for runner plants
to take root. Repeated cultivation every
seven to ten days is effective against
weeds because weeds are easier to kill
when they are small. Cultivation should
be shallow around the plants to prevent
injury to the roots.

Chemical herbicides can be used to
control weeds, but they may be imprac-
tical for small gardens. Consult the
nearest regional Extension office for
up-to-date recommendations.

Fertilizing

Strawberry plants should be fertilized in
early August with four to six pounds of
ammonium nitrate (33 percent nitro-
gen) fertilizer per 1,000 square feet.
This amount of nitrogen (one table-
spoon spread in a narrow band about
three inches from the crown of each
plant) may also be applied about a
month after planting if the plants are
not vigorous. The August application

may be broadcast over the rows but
only when the foliage is dry. Brush
the foliage with a broom or rake
immediately after application to
remove fertilizer particles; if left, the
fertilizer particles may burn the leaves.
Irrigate to carry fertilizers down into
the root zone.

Be careful when applying fertilizer. Too
much will cause excessive vegetative
growth, reduce yields, increase losses
from fruit and foliar diseases, and result
in winter injury. Application of fertilizer
during the spring of a fruiting year can
produce soft berries and is not recom-
mended.

Mulching

Strawberries should be mulched during
the winter months to protect the plants
from extreme cold as well as to reduce
damage from frost heaving that occurs
when the soil alternately freezes and
thaws. Mulching also conserves soil
moisture, keeps the berries clean, and
provides better picking conditions. Use
a loose organic material such as clean,
seed-free wheat straw. The straw also
can be used to cover the plants tempo-
rarily during cold nights in the spring
to protect the flowers from frost injury.

Apply straw mulch after several frosts in
the fall, but before the temperature
drops below 20 F. This generally
occurs between mid-November and
mid-December in Illinois. If using heavy
equipment, it is best to wait until the
ground is frozen. Apply 100 to 150
pounds of straw per 1 ,000 square feet
(two to four bales) three to four inches
deep over the rows. If the straw blows
off of the plants, it should be raked
back on them (Fig. 9).

16

Remove part of the straw in the spring
before new growth starts after the soil
temperature remains at 40 F for at
least three or four days. Put the excess
straw between the rows.

Blossom

Removal,

Weeds,

Fertilizing,

Mulching

(left) This field of strawberries had
been covered with straw (left) but it
has blown off (right). To avoid plant loss,
rake the straw back on the plants.

-4

If

V* *

i -rf

3P9

1

*^*x J. '

I

*>*

^ « ..wi

'4i

I

•" *f. 2

• ~- •- •

(above) In the spring, it is necessary to
remove the straw to avoid suffocating
the plants. Pull back the straw and look at
the plants. If they are green and growing,
remove the straw before they become pale.

| (left) Strawberries will flower soon
after the straw is removed (10a).
Strawberry blossoms are very susceptible to
frost. Frost-damaged blossoms can be seen
the next moring as "black eyes" (Fig. 10c).

17

Strawberry flowers with frost-
damaged centers called black eyes.
These can be seen the morning after a frost.

Frost Control

Strawberry buds, blooms, and immature
fruits are very susceptible to frost and
freezing damage in the early spring
(Figs. 10a, 10b, andlOc). These losses
can be lessened or prevented by
covering the plants with straw or other
insulating material or by careful and
timely application of irrigation water.
Irrigation water should be applied
continuously when the temperature at
the plant level reaches 34 F. Remem-
ber, because warm air rises and cold air
sinks, the air temperature above a
planting can be considerably higher
than at the ground level. Sprinklers
that put out a minimum quantity of
water (0.1 to 0.3 inches per hour)
should be used to prevent unnecessary
flooding. A finely perforated plastic
hose may also be used. Water will freeze
on the plants and blossoms; the
blossoms will not be injured as long as
water is applied during the entire
freezing period. This system is effective
down to temperatures 25 F or lower.
Once irrigation has begun, it must be
continued through the night and into

the next morning until all of the ice has
melted from the plants.

Straw from between the rows may also
be raked over the plants for protection.
In small home patches, the placement
of old blankets or sheets can often
insulate the plants enough for them to
survive frost. If this system is used,
remove the covering (especially straw)
during the day, and cover the plants on
nights only when there is danger of
frost. Spun bond material is available
commercially to serve as a blanket over
entire rows and will protect plantings
down to temperatures of about 23° to
25° F.

Renewing the Patch
(Renovation)

Properly managed strawberries will bear
fruit more than one year. Usually a
patch may be picked two to four years
or more, but only good plantings
should be maintained. Weedy or
diseased plantings are best destroyed
and replaced.

Immediately after the harvest is
complete, the strawberries grown on
the matted-row system should be
renovated to achieve good production
the next year. First, mow the old foliage
with a power mower, cutting off the
leaves about one inch above the crowns.
Rake the leaves and other debris from
the patch and burn, compost, or
incorporate them in the soil. To avoid
spreading leaf diseases, do not return
the leaf mulch compost to the straw-
berry planting. Do not mow the leaves
if renovation cannot be completed
within a week to ten days after harvest.
Broadcast ten to fifteen pounds of 1 0-

18

10-10 or 12-12-12 fertilizer per 1,000
square feet over the planting. Narrow
the rows to six to twelve inches wide by
spading, hoeing, or rototilling. Next,
eliminate all weeds. If the remaining
plants in the narrowed row are too
crowded (closer than four to six inches
apart) , it may be advisable to remove
some of them. If a herbicide is used,
apply it carefully and as directed on the
label. Irrigate thoroughly to encourage
the plants to recover and make new
runners for the next season's crop.

Day-neutral and everbearing strawber-
ries are usually grown in a hill system
(Fig. 8). Home gardeners who have
limited space may grow these strawber-

Frost

Control,

Renovation

ries in terraced
beds, pyramids, or
barrels. These
strawberries also
make good edging
plants or ground covers in the land-
scape. Sometimes they are grown as
potted house plants or trained on
"totem poles." If grown indoors, the
plants must have good light, and the
blossoms must be pollinated by hand to
form well-shaped berries. Although
these methods are not as productive as
the conventional systems, they do have
ornamental value.

TABLE 2.

Strawberry cultivars for Illinois, listed by season from earliest to latest within groups
Disease resistance

Strawberry type

Fruit size

Red stele

Verticillium wilt

Region of adaptation

June bearing

Earliglow

medium

Ra

R

N,C,S

Annapolis

large

R

S

N

Honeoye

large

S

S

N,C,S

Delmarvel

large

R

R

N.C.S

Seneca

medium

S

S

N.C

Jewel

large

S

S

N.C

Kent

large

S

S

N.C

Allstar
Day neutrals

very large

R

R

N.C.S

Tristar

medium

R

R

N,C,S

Tribute

medium

R

R

N.C.S

aR = resistant to this disease; S = susceptible to this disease.

'N = adapted to region north of Interstate 80; C = adapted to region between Interstate 80 and

Interstate 70; S = adapted to region south of Interstate 70.

19

r. v.

.**f- **•'!

1 #

Raspberries

Brambles

The brambles include raspberries (below) and
blackberries (left).

Raspberries

Raspberries ripen shortly after
strawberries and are popular in all
parts of Illinois. Plantings that are well
cared for may produce crops for five
years or more. Red, black, purple, and
yellow fruit types are available. Red
and yellow raspberries also have single-
and double-cropping types. The
double-cropping or everbearing
cultivars bear one crop in the early
summer and another crop in the fall.
A careful pest-control program should
be followed for all brambles (see page
61). Prior to planting, destroy any wild
brambles growing around or near the
new plantings because they harbor
destructive insects and diseases.

21

TABLE 3.

Raspberry cultivars for Illinois, listec

by season from earliest to latest within plant type

Raspberry type

Harvest
season

Region of
adaptation'

Notes

Cultivar

Red raspberry

Boyne

spring

N

old cultivar that is very winter-
hardy

Latham

spring

N,C

old cultivar that is relatively
thornless and dependable

Titan

spring

cs

very large fruits, erect canes,
very susceptible to Phytophthora

Heritage

spring + fall

N.C.S

widely adapted, erect, very
dependable, firm berries, good
flavor, susceptible to Phytophthora

Ruby

spring + fall

N,C,S

large fruits, very similar to Titan,
but produces two crops per year

Southland
Yellow raspberry

spring + fall

C,S

good quality fruit, adapted to
southern regions

Goldie

spring + fall

N,C,S

reported to be a mutation of
Heritage

Black raspberry
Jewel

spring

N,C,S

largest fruits of the black raspberry
cultivars

Haut

spring

CS

very good flavor

Purple raspberry

Brandywine

spring

N,C,S

large fruits that are good for jams
or jellies

Royalty

spring

N,C,S

best-flavored purple, it can be
picked when red to resemble the
flavor of a red raspberry or left to
darken and develop a flavor more
like a black raspberry

N = adapted to region north of Interstate 80; C = adapted to
Interstate 70; S = adapted to region south of Interstate 70.

region between Interstate 80 and

Plants and Plantings

Traditionally, one-year-old, No. 1 Grade
plants have been best for establishing
new plantings. Certified virus-free
plants should be obtained. However,

many commercial growers and
homeowners are now planting tissue
culture-derived brambles. These are
small and require a little extra tending

22

during establishment, but with proper
care, will outgrow and outyield conven-
tionally propagated plants. Some
nurseries offer "nursery-matured" tissue
culture-derived plants that offer the
same benefits as other tissue culture-
derived plants but are easier to estab-
lish due to their larger size.

Raspberries are best planted in early
spring (March or April). Prevent the
plants from drying out in the field prior
to planting by placing their roots in a
bucket of water. After cutting off any
broken roots, carefully spread the
remaining roots in the planting hole
and firm the soil over them. Set red
raspberries at the same depth they were
in the nursery; set black and purple
raspberries about one inch deeper.
Apply one or two quarts of water
around each plant.

At planting time, conventionally
propagated red raspberry plants should
be cut back so that an eight- to twelve-

Raspberries:
Plants,
Plant
Spacing &
Support,
Fertilizing

Fertilizer application should be made
around the plant at the drip line.

inch "handle"

protrudes

from the soil

after planting.

The handle

serves as a marker for the plant's

location. Handles of black and purple

raspberries should be cut off at ground

level and removed and burned to

prevent disease infestation. Tissue

culture-derived plants need no pruning

at planting.

Plant Spacing
and Support

Raspberries may be grown in hills or in
hedgerows. The plant spacing depends
on the system of training to be used.
(see Table 1 on the inside front cover
and the discussion of training systems
on page 26) . Red raspberries spread by
root suckers and naturally form a
hedgerow. Black and purple raspberries
seldom spread by root suckers and will
remain as individual plants or hills.

Fertilizing

For maximum production, fertilizer
should be applied prior to planting.
Ten to fourteen days after planting,
apply two ounces of 5-10-5 fertilizer
around each plant.

In the second and subsequent years,
the plants should be fertilized with
10-10-10 or equivalent fertilizer at a rate
of fifteen to twenty pounds per 1 .000
square feet broadcast along the
hedgerow or about one-half cup spread
around each plant in the hill
system(Fig. 11). Apply fertilizer in early
spring before new growth begins.

23

Dry animal manures may also be used
to fertilize established raspberry
plants. In the spring before new
growth begins, apply 300 to 400
pounds of cow manure per 1,000
square feet or 100 to 200 pounds of
poultry manure per 1,000 square feet.

Do not apply fertilizer during the late
summer or early fall. Such applica-
tions may injure the plants or
stimulate soft, succulent growth that
is very susceptible to winter injury.

Mulching

Generally, raspberries should be
cultivated shallowly during the early
part of the first summer to suppress
weeds. After the plants are estab-
lished, a light organic-matter mulch
may be applied. Mulched raspberries
grow better, produce more, and have
larger berries. A light cover of wheat
straw is a good mulch. To suppress
weed growth, mulch should be two to
four inches deep. Too deep of a
mulch will suppress cane emergence
as well as weeds. Heavy mulches such
as leaves and corncobs will suppress
cane growth. The mulch should be
renewed annually if needed. If turf is
used between rows, it is best to keep it
closely mowed and out of the row.

Mulched plantings will require extra
nitrogen over the first two years.
Apply double the amounts of fertil-
izer recommended earlier. After two
years, the amount of nitrogen
fertilizer applied may be reduced by
half because the decomposing mulch
will begin to release fertilizer nutri-
ents to the plants.

24

Blackberries

Blackberries are well suited to the
home fruit garden in the southern half
of Illinois. Most blackberry cultivars are
too susceptible to winter damage for
dependable production in northern
Illinois. However, one cultivar is
suitable for culture in most of northern
Illinois (see Tables 1 and 4 on the
inside front cover and page 33) .
Blackberries are classified as thorny,
thornless, erect, semi-erect, or trailing.
Erect, semi-erect, and trailing type
blackberries are all available, but each
requires different culture. The trailing
and semi-erect cultivars, including most
of the thornless blackberries, require a
physical support and are not very
winterhardy. Thus, the culture of most
thornless blackberries in Illinois
requires special care. Plant breeders are
working to develop hardy thornless
erect cultivars.

Planting and Spacing

Blackberries are best planted in early
spring, using the same care as when
planting raspberries. Spacing will
depend on the trellis and training
system to be used (Figs. 14 and 15 on
pages 27 and 28). Most erect black-
berry cultivars can be grown without
physical supports and are spaced two to
four feet apart in rows eight to ten feet
apart. Semi-erect and trailing blackber-
ries are planted eight to ten feet apart
in rows eight to ten feet apart.

Establish your planting from virus-
indexed (certified) plants. Some
nurseries can supply tissue culture-
derived plants. Tissue culture-derived
plants grow more vigorously and

Tissue culture -derived plant.

become established more quickly than
conventionally propagated plants.
Tissue culture-derived plants are
supplied in three-inch root plugs (Fig.
12). When these small plugs are
planted, the roots should be barely
covered with soil, whereas convention-
ally propagated plants are set at the
same depth as they were when planted
in the nursery. The tops of convention-
ally propagated plants should be cut
back to six inches; tissue culture-
derived plants need no pruning at this
time. Cultivation, mulching, and
fertilizer are the same as for raspberries
(see pages 22-24).

Blackberries:
Planting &
Spacing,
Winter
Protection,
Sterility
Problems

Winter
Protection

Most of the semi-erect and trailing
thornless blackberry cultivars are not
very winterhardy and are suggested
only for southern Illinois. However,
with special protection, they might be
grown in northern areas, though some
winter injury should be expected even
then. After they become dormant in
the fall, the canes can be protected by
removing them from the trellis support
and completely covering them with soil
or straw. Any exposed canes can be
damaged by cold air. When the danger
of severe cold is past in the spring,
uncover the canes, remove broken or
dead canes, dormant-prune the other
canes, and tie the remaining canes to
the support.

Sterility Problems

Sterility in some blackberry cultivars
has been a problem. Affected plants
generally grow vigorously and bloom
profusely, but set only a few malformed
berries. If such plants occur in your
garden, they should be destroyed
immediately — roots as well as stems.
The cultivars listed in Table 4 on page
33 have been observed to bear consis-
tently in several locations in Illinois.
However, their resistance to sterility
problems is unknown.

25

Training and Pruning
Brambles

Growth & Fruiting Habits

To prune the brambles properly, it is
essentia] to understand their growth
and fruiting habits. Brambles bear fruit
on biennial canes that live for two years.
The roots and crowns are perennial. All
brambles send up new shoots during
each growing season from the crown.
The first year, these new shoots are
called primocanes. Erect blackberries
and red or yellow raspberries develop
primocanes from both the crown and

Black and purple raspberries and
erect blackberries are pinched back
three to four inches after the primocane has
reached the desired height in the summer.
This results in the development of lateral
shoots shown in Fig. 1 7 on page 3 I .

roots. These primocane shoots, regard-
less of origin, grow vigorously during
the summer, initiate flower buds in the
fall, overwinter, and bear fruit the
following season. In the second season,
the shoots are called floricanes. The
fruit is borne on leafy shoots arising
from lateral buds on the floricanes.
After harvest, the floricanes gradually
dry up and die. Meanwhile, new
primocane shoots are developing to
repeat the cycle, thus providing fruiting
canes each year.

Some brambles fruit twice on the same
cane. These are called everbearing, fall
bearing, double cropping, or
primocane flowering. At present, only
red and yellow raspberries are available
as primocane-bearing cultivars. The
primocanes bear a crop at their tips in
the fall and again the next season as
floricanes further down on the canes,
after which the canes die.

Variation in the development of lateral
branches must be considered in order
to properly prune brambles. Black
raspberries, purple raspberries, and
erect blackberries develop strong
lateral branches when the new shoot
tips are cut back early in the growing
season. This characteristic is encour-
aged by the practice of pinching, or
summer topping, which consists of
snapping off or cutting with shears the
top three or four inches of the new
shoots (Fig. 13). This system has no
advantage for red and yellow raspber-
ries, semi-erect blackberries, and
trailing blackberries. If red or yellow
raspberries are topped, weak laterals
develop. These break easily and are
likely to be winterkilled.

26

5'- 6'

V^

4'

3'

2'

iT

1/2'
I

,

Brambles:
Training &
Pruning,
Growth &
Fruiting
Habits,
Supports

These raspberries are growing on a
hill system; their canes are trained to
a pole. An example of a mature plant trained
to this system is shown in Fig. 19 on page 32.

Supports

Although most of the brambles can be
grown without support, some type of
support or trellis is desirable to pro-
duce high-quality fruit. Trailing and
semi-erect blackberries must be
supported. Fruit on supported plants is
clean, and a minimum of the crop is
lost due to cane breakage by wind,
cultivation, and picking. Supports also
facilitate harvesting and other cultural
practices and in the long run will pay
for themselves. Trellised plantings can
usually be kept attractive in the home
landscape.

Many types of trellises and methods
of training are in use by bramble
growers. The following are some of the
simplest methods of satisfactory trellis
construction.

The hill system of culture (Fig. 14) may
be used for any of the bramble fruits.
A single stake, two to lour inches in
diameter, driven into the ground.
supports the plant. Five to eight canes
are tied in one or more places to the
stake in the spring following dormant
pruning. The plants are usually set lour
to six feet apart each way.

27

Two types of trellises are shown. The horizontal trellis (top) is suitable for red rasp-
berries and requires minimum tying of canes. The two-wire vertical trellis (bottom)
allows canes to be tied to it.

WIRE CLIPS

WIRE
TIGHTENING

28

Wire trellising systems (Fig. 15) are
more practical for large plantings. Posts
for building a trellis may be either
metal or wood. If wood posts are used,
buy treated posts for extended useful-
ness. Posts should be spaced twenty-five
to thirty feet apart in the row, with the
end posts braced or anchored. A nine-
to twelve-gauge galvanized wire is
adequate for the trellis.

For raspberries and erect blackberries,
the most common system of training is
the horizontal trellis. The plants form a
solid hedgerow that is kept about
eighteen inches wide. Each spring the
canes within the row are thinned so
that they are at least six to twelve inches
apart. The canes are supported be-
tween the trellis wires and do not have
to be tied when using this system. Wire
clips can be used to keep the wires from
spreading between the posts.

Brambles:
Supports,
Pruning Red
& Yellow
Raspberries

The vertical

trellis is used

with trailing

blackberries

and semi-erect

thornless blackberries. This system

allows excellent weed, disease, and

insect control. Plants are maintained in

a narrow row and are tied to the trellis

wires. Harvesting of these plants is also

easier when they are secured to a trellis

Pruning Red and Yellow
Raspberries

Red and yellow raspberries should be
pruned two times per year, regardless of
the type of training system used. The
first pruning in the early spring reduces
cane number by thinning. The second
pruning should occur as soon as
possible after fruiting. New shoots of red
and yellow raspberries should not be summer

topped.

Red raspberry plant before (left) and after (right) dormant pruning.

29

Spring pruning should be done early,
before the buds begin to swell, but after
danger of severe cold is past. All short
and weak canes should be removed,
and the remaining vigorous canes
should be thinned to five to eight canes
per stake in the hill system or spaced six
to twelve inches apart in other systems.
Only the largest canes should be saved,
as these are the most fruitful. If too tall,
cut the remaining canes back to five or
six feet from the ground level. Canes
shorter than five to six feet do not need
to be cut back unless winter injury
extends below this height. If no support
is provided, cut the canes back to about
three to four feet, regardless of their
original height (Fig. 16, page 29).

Fruited canes should be removed any
time after harvest since they die soon
after fruiting. Although this pruning
may be delayed until the following
spring, cutting these canes off at the
ground level as soon as possible after
harvest is preferred. Removal at this
time encourages growth of the new
shoots and reduces disease and insect
problems. Prunings are removed from
the planting. Prunings may be burned
or chipped and composted, but the
compost should not be returned to the
bramble planting because of insects
and diseases that may be harbored in
the old tissue.

The canes of primocane-bearing
varieties are pruned the same way as
ordinary varieties: in the spring
(thinning) and after the summer
harvest (removing canes that bore the
crop) . The new shoots will bear fruit in
the fall at the tip and bear again the
next spring further down the cane, so do
not remove these canes after the fall harvest
if a spring crop is desired.

However, since the primocane-bearing
types produce abundantly on first-year
growth, many growers harvest only
once. All of the canes are mowed as
close to the ground as possible in the
spring before growth begins. This
practice eliminates all labor for hand
pruning and the problems associated
with winter injury to canes. 'Heritage' is
the best-suited cultivar for this fall-
bearing system. In addition, 'Heritage'
is very erect and can be grown with
little or no trellising — another labor-
and money-saving advantage.

Pruning Black
Raspberries, Purple
Raspberries, and
Erect Blackberries

These brambles should be pruned
three times per year — during the
summer, after harvest, and early spring.

Summer pruning is an essential step in
the production of these brambles. All
new shoots should be pinched back
three to four inches once they have
grown to the desired height (Fig. 13,
page 26). If grown without supports,
black raspberries are pinched when the
shoots are about twenty-four inches
high; purple raspberries and erect
blackberries are pinched when they
reach thirty to thirty-six inches. If the
brambles are grown with supports, the
shoots can grow six to eight inches
more before pinching. Some of the
thorny blackberry cultivars from
Arkansas (Table 4 on page 33) are
strong enough to be self-supporting at
heights of four to five feet. These
cultivars can be pinched back when
they attain a height of about forty-eight

30

Brambles:
Pruning Black
and Purple
Raspberries
and Erect
Blackberries

Black raspberry plant is shown before (left) and after (right) pruning. Purple
raspberries and erect blackberries are pruned in a similar manner.

inches. The pinching operation usually
coincides with harvest. The plantings
should be examined several times
because primocanes develop over a
period of several weeks.

As with red and yellow raspberries,
fruited canes of black and purple
raspberries and erect blackberries
should be removed after harvest.
Dormant pruning (Fig. 17) is best done
in the late winter to early spring before
the buds begin to swell. All weak canes
should be cut out at the ground level,
leaving four or five of the most vigorous
canes (at least one-half-inch diameter)
per plant. The lateral branches on the
remaining canes are thinned out and
shortened. All broken, weak (usually
one-fourth-inch diameter or less), and
dead laterals are removed. The laterals
of black raspberries are shortened to
eight to ten inches of growth, or eight
to twelve buds per lateral. Purple

raspberries and erect blackberries are
more vigorous; thus, the laterals may be
left twelve to eighteen inches long, or
with about fifteen buds per lateral.

Erect blackberries send up root suckers
in addition to the new canes that grow
from the crown. If all of these have
been allowed to grow during the
previous season, they should be
thinned out during the dormant
pruning process to leave about three to
four canes per linear foot of row. A
better practice is to remove the excess
suckers during the summer, leaving
only those desired for fruiting next
season. The suckers should be pulled
out, if possible, since thcv do not
regrow as quickly as those thai are cut
off at ground level.

31

3" -4"

Dormant
pruning and
training of trailing
and semi-erect
blackberries to a
two-wire vertical
trellis.

6' - 8' BETWEEN PLANTS

PruningTrailing and
Semi-Erect Blackberries

These brambles are pruned twice, once
in early spring and again after harvest.
Pinching the new shoots as they
develop is not practical and may lead to
winter damage. The tips of thornless
trailing blackberry canes are the first
parts to show winter kill. Therefore, if
you leave the canes long as the plants
go into winter, the lower part of the
cane may still be alive in the spring.

Spring pruning of these brambles
consists simply of selecting the best
canes or cane parts that have survived
the winter, tying them to a trellis, and

BA trailing blackberry plant trained and
pruned to the hill system. Note the
new primocanes growing from the base of
the plant.

32

removing damaged and diseased canes
(Figs. 18 and 19). Select the best six to
eight canes. If stakes are used for
support, the canes can be wrapped
around the stake, tied at two or three
places, and cut off to the height of the
stakes. On a horizontal trellis, the canes
are wound around the wires and tied.
On a vertical trellis, the canes are tied
to the wires without being wound.

Remove all fruiting canes after harvest
at ground level.

Brambles:
Pruning
Trailing &
Semi-Erect
Blackberries

TABLE 4.

Blackberry cultivars for Illinois, listed by

season from earliest to latest within plant type

Blackberry type

Harvest season

Region of
adaptation

Notes

Cultivar

Thornless

Hull Thornless

late summer

S

large fruit, good flavor, not very
winterhardy; plants are semi-erect
and need to be trellised

Chester Thornless

late summer,
harvest can last
up to 6 weeks

cs

large, round fruit; fruit is firm
and could be transported to local
markets without leaking; plants are
semi-erect and need to be trellisec

Triple Crown

mid-summer;
earlier than Chester

s

Newest semi-erect thornless;
suitable for trial only

Arapahoe
Thorny

July

s

erect thornless suitable for
southern Illinois

Choctaw

very early

s

good flavor, erect growth habit

Cheyenne
Shawnee

s

good flavor, erect growth habit

s

very large fruits, good flavor,
erect growth habit

lllini Hardy

N = adapted to
Interstate 70; S =

long harvest season

-egion north of Interstate 80;
adapted to region south of 1

N,C,S

C = adapted to
nterstate 70.

dependable moderate production
of good quality fruits

region between Interstate 80 and

33

Blueberries

Blueberries

Blueberries are delicious when eaten fresh, are tasty in pies
and muffins, and are easily frozen. However, this fruit is not
commonly grown in Illinois by most home gardeners. Blueber-
ries have very exacting soil and cultural requirements, but, if
properly handled, can be grown successfully. Soils and loca-
tions that naturally provide optimal growing conditions are
very limited in Illinois, so careful attention must be given to
cultural details. Blueberries grow and yield best when grown
in full sun but will produce good yields in partial shade.

TABLE 5.

Blueberry cultivars for Illinois, listed by season from earliest to latest within plant type

Notes

dependable early cultivar

new early cultivar

very productive

a dependable, widely adapted, standard cultivar

a very dark-colored fruit; best-flavored blueberry
available

productive, good flavor, light color

very late, productive, extends the blueberry
season into late August or September

*N = adapted to region north of Interstate 80; C = adapted to region between Interstate 80 and
Interstate 70; S = adapted to region south of Interstate 70.

Cultivar

Region of
adaptation

Collins

N,C,S

Patriot

N,C,S

Bluejay

N.C.S

Bluecrop

N,C,S

Herbert

N.C.S

Nelson

N,C,S

Elliott

N,C

35

Soil

Irrigation

Blueberries require an acidic soil
relatively high in organic matter. A soil
pH of 4.8 to 5.2 is best for optimal
growth. The soil should be tested prior
to planting. Check with the regional
Extension office or refer to the tele-
phone listings for the nearest soil-
testing services. The pH measurement
refers to the relative acidity or basicity
(alkalinity) of soil. The pH level is
measured in numbers 1 to 14. A
measurement of 7 indicates neutral; 1
to 7 indicates acidic; and 7 to 14
indicates basic.

If your soil is between 5.2 and 6.2, you
can make it more acidic by adding a
mixture of half acid sphagnum peat
moss and half top soil. Use this soil-peat
mixture in a two-foot-diameter planting
hole at least twelve inches deep. If your
soil pH is above 6.2, individual plants
can be grown in tubs buried in the
garden. Halves of fifty-five-gallon
drums, with drainage holes cut in the
bottom, are suitable. First, burn out any
residues that might be injurious to the
plants. Bury each drum in a sunny area,
and leave one to two inches of the rim
above ground level. Fill the tub with an
acidic soil (pH 4.8 to 5.2) that is high in
organic matter. Approximately 10 to 15
percent (volume: volume) of sphagnum
peat moss is good for this purpose. Set
one blueberry plant in each tub.

Blueberries are shallow rooted and
grow best where the water table is
fourteen to twenty-two inches below the
soil surface. Because of this water
requirement, blueberry plants must be
irrigated in most parts of Illinois. About
an inch of water per week is sufficient.
Do not attempt to grow blueberries
unless you can supply the necessary
water when rainfall is not adequate. In
addition, the soil must drain freely;
blueberry plants do not tolerate
standing water.

Mulching

Because blueberries are very subject to
drought injury, mulching with organic
matter is recommended in most Illinois
soils, in addition to irrigation. The
mulch also supplies organic matter and
helps control weeds (Fig. 20). Although
some mulches are better than others,
the use of any mulch is better than no
mulch at all, especially on the heavy
clay soils found in much of Illinois. A
deep mulch of sawdust, chopped
cornstalks, or leaves is best, but other
organic matter such as wood chips or
straw is also useful. Apply four to six
inches of mulch soon after the plants
are set.

Maintain the mulch by adding two to
four inches as needed. In rows, the
mulch should be maintained three to
four feet wide. The aisles between rows
can be kept in mowed turf. On small
home plantings, the entire blueberry
area can be mulched to control weeds.
Research at the University of Illinois
has demonstrated that plants grown
with a mulch produce significantly
larger fruit yields than plants grown

36

Soil,

Irrigation,
Mulching,
Planting &
Spacing

The use of mulch
is important for
blueberry culture in
Illinois. Both plants
shown here are six years
old. The one in front has
had no mulch; the one in
back has been grown
with cornstalk mulch.

without mulch, even when both plant-
ings are irrigated equally.

Planting and Spacing

Buy container-grown, two-year-old
plants of medium-to-large size. If
possible, avoid using plants older than
three years; their extra cost is not
justified, and they may be cull plants
that were too weak to be sold at a
younger age.

For each plant, remove one bushel of
soil and mix it with one bushel of
sphagnum moss (if needed). Put half of
the mixture in the hole, set the plant,
and fill the hole with the remaining
mixture.

The plants should be set in the hole at
the same depth they were growing while
in the nursery, not deeper. Do not let
the roots dry out during planting.
Carefully spread the roots and firm the
soil or soil-peat mixture over them.
Blueberry plants should be spaced six
to eight feet apart in rows eight to
twelve feet apart. Water thoroughly
after planting. Remove one-half to
two-thirds of the cane growth at
planting time.

37

A vigorous three-year-old blueberry bush heavily laden with fruit.

Removing Flowers

Remove all flowers during the first and
second year. Do not permit berries to
develop because it will restrict shoot
and root growth.

Fertilizing

Do not apply fertilizer until four weeks
after planting. Then, sprinkle one
ounce of ammonium sulfate in a
circular band twelve to eighteen inches
from the base of each plant. The
ammonium sulfate will provide nitro-
gen for growth and help maintain the
acidic soil conditions required by
blueberries. Do not use aluminum sulfate:
it is toxic to blueberries.

In the spring of the following year,
apply two ounces of ammonium sulfate
per plant in late March or early April
before the buds begin to swell. Increase
this amount each year by one ounce
until a total of eight ounces per plant is
reached. After that, each plant should
receive eight ounces annually. A
complete fertilizer, such as 10-6-4 or 10-
10-10 analysis, can be used at double
the above rates if growth is not vigorous
and the pH remains between 4.5 and
5.5. Check the soil pH every one or two
years. Fertilizers prepared for acidic
soil-loving azaleas and rhododendrons
also can be used at the same rates as
ammonium sulfate.

Iron deficiency of blueberries can be a
problem. Symptoms are yellowing and
mottling of the young leaves. Iron

38

chlorosis in blueberries is usually an
indication that the soil pH is too high,
thus making iron unavailable to the
plant. This may be temporarily cor-
rected by applying iron chelate to the
soil or by spraying it on the foliage in
amounts recommended by the manu-
facturer. However, most Illinois soils
contain adequate amounts of iron.
The soil pH should be tested and
amended periodically to maintain it
at the proper level.

Pruning

Pruning is generally not needed until
the third year after planting if growth is
normal. In early spring before growth
begins, remove dead or injured
branches, short or stubby branches near
the ground, and old stems of low vigor.
Leave vigorous branches unpruned

Removing
Flowers,
Fertilizing,
Pruning

(Fig. 21). After
the plants are
five to seven
years old, it
is important to
remove some of

the old canes each year. In general, it
is a good idea to maintain five to seven
older canes, as well as one or two new
canes. Once these numbers are at-
tained, one or two older canes can be
removed annually, and one or two new
canes can be left to replace it. This
practice allows vigorous younger
canes to develop and facilitates com-
plete bush renewal over a five-to
seven-year period.

Pruning also increases the size of the
berries and promotes earlier ripening.
If the plants have formed an unusually
heavy load of fruit buds, the tips of the
fruiting branches can be cut back to
leave four to six fruit buds. Although

A four- or five-year-old blueberry bush is shown. Left, before pruning. Right, the same
bush after removal of weak and unproductive growth.

\

39

V

\

Blueberries with net for bird protection.

this reduces yields slightly, the berries
are appreciably larger. The fruit buds
are easily distinguished in the spring
because they are large, round, plump
buds. Leaf buds are smaller, thinner,
and sharply pointed.

Under good growing conditions,
vigorous shoots may rapidly develop
and grow several feet tall. If the tips are
cut back before August 1 , the canes
usually develop strong lateral branches
that bear fruit the following spring.
When the shoot is four to five feet high,
three or four inches should be re-
moved.

Vertebrate Pests

Birds are a serious pest in blueberry
plantings. As the berries ripen, the
bushes can be covered with protective
netting (Fig. 22), either over individual
plants or whole plantings. Although the
use of noise deterrents may help to
keep birds away from the planting, the
usefulness of these deterrents is limited
because birds become accustomed to
the noises and learn to ignore them.
There are so-called "hawk eye" balloons
that can be flown in a planting. Birds
flying by recognize the large eyelike
markings on the balloon, apparently
interpret it as a predator bird, and fly
on. However, hopping and low-flying
birds such as robins and brown thrash-
ers are not deterred by such scare
devices.

40

Pruning,

Other animals also pose problems. ^$fj p

Rabbits and deer may eat twigs and

branches when the ground is covered

with snow. Fencing is warranted when

this problem is severe. Voles can also be

a serious problem in mulched plantings.

SOURCES FOR BIRD
NETTING AND SCARE
DEVICES

BIRD-X.INC.

300 North Elizabeth

Chicago, IL 60607

FORESTRY SUPPLIERS, INC.

P.O. Box 8397

Jackson, MS 39284-8397

GEMPLER'S

21 1 Blue Mound Road

Mt.Horeb,WI 53572

HUMMERT

INTERNATIONAL

4500 Earth City Expressway

Earth City, MO 63045

INDIANA BERRY AND
PLANT CO.

52 1 8 West 500 South
Huntingburg, IN 47542

41

fc** " I

Currants &
Gooseberries

Currants &
Gooseberries

Currants and gooseberries
are very hardy and easy to
grow. They will be discussed
together because their cul-
tural practices are similar.
These fruits are little knozvn
in Illinois. They tvere prohib-
ited from culture for many
years in this state because
they can serve as an alter-
nate host for the white pine
blister rust disease. However,
at the present time, there is
little blister rust in Illinois,
and the state restrictions on
grozving these plants have
been removed.

Currants (page 42) and gooseberries (above).

43

TABLE 6.

Currant and gooseberry cultiva, s for Illinois, listed by season from earliest to
latest within plant type

Fruit type
Cultivar

Region of
adaptation

Red Currants

Red Lake

N.C.S

Cherry
Black Currants

N,C,S

Consort

N,C,S

Crandall
White Currants

N.C.S

White Imperial

N,C,S

Gooseberries

Pixwell

N,C,S

Poorman

N,C,S

Welcome

N.C.S

Captivator

N,C,S

Black currant X gooseberry hybrid

Jostaberry N,C,S

Notes

an old dependable cultivar
an old cultivar

immune to white pine blister rust

not susceptible to white pine blister rust

mild flavor that resembles the red currant

light green fruit, plant has few thorns
large red fruit, mildew resistant
dull red fruit, plant has few thorns
essentially thornless

large fruit with a flavor similar to but milder
than the black currant parent

*N = adapted to region north of Interstate 80; C = adapted to region between Interstate 80 and
Interstate 70; S = adapted to region south of Interstate 70.

44

Location

Currants and gooseberries grow best in
cool, moist, and partially shaded
locations. The plants prefer a loam soil
with 3 to 5 percent organic matter.

Currants &
Gooseberries

Planting and Spacing

Plants can be set in either fall or spring,
but obtaining plants in the fall may be a
problem. Spring planting is quite
satisfactory if done early before the
buds begin to grow. Vigorous, well-
rooted, one-year-old plants are best.
Damaged roots should be pruned off;
the top should be cut back to ten
inches. Plants should be set a little
deeper than were grown in the nursery
to encourage a bush form to develop.
Plants should be spaced four feet apart
in rows six to eight feet apart.

Mulching and Fertilizing

Currants and gooseberries are heavy
feeders but have rather shallow root
systems. An annual application of rotted
manure or decomposed compost is
ideal for these plants. Well-composted
strawy manure may be applied each fall
(November) and maintained four to six
inches deep to provide a soil mulch.
Sawdust, straw, lawn clippings, compost,
or similar materials may be used for
mulch. If the plants lack vigor, four
ounces of 10-10-10 fertilizer should be
applied per plant in early spring before
growth starts. This amount should be
doubled the first year the plants are
mulched.

Pruning

Currants and gooseberries require
annual pruning for maximum produc-
tion. The fruits develop from buds at
the base of one-year wood and from
spurs on older wood. The older wood
becomes progressively less fruitful, and
canes older than three years are usually
unproductive. Pruning consists mainly
of selecting the proper type of fruiting
wood and removing the unproductive
older canes.

Prune in the early spring while the
plants are still dormant. After the first
year, remove the weaker shoots, leaving
six to eight strong canes. The second
year, remove all but four or five of the
two-year-old canes and four or five of
the one-year-old canes. On the third
and subsequent years, leave four or five
of the three-year-old canes, four or five
of the two-year-old canes, and four or
five of the one-year-old canes per plant.
When pruning, remove canes that tend
to lie on the ground; remove weak
canes in the center of the bush to
prevent the bush from becoming too
dense.

45

Planting &

Spacing,

Fertilizing

Grapes

Grapes are a popular fruit for home gardens. By selecting
early, midseason, and late cultivars, the home gardener can
extend the harvest season from mid-August to mid-October.
Grapes offer a wide range of flavors and can be eaten fresh or
processed into wine, juice, and jelly. The trellises and arbors
on which they are grown can function as attractive shaded
areas in the landscape and as screens to block undesirable
views. In recent years, French hybrid grapes have created
interest in making wine. Several moderately hardy seedless
cultivars are suitable for table use.

Planting and Spacing

Grape vines should be planted in the
early spring as soon as the soil can be
prepared. Cut off any long or broken
roots so that the remaining roots can be
spread evenly in the planting hole. Set
the plant slightly deeper than the depth
it grew in the nursery. After planting,
prune as directed on page 50. Space
the plants eight to ten feet apart in the
row and not less than eight feet be-
tween rows. If grafted vines are used for
phylloxera resistance, do not set the
graft union below the soil level.

Fertilizing

Have your soil tested prior to planting.
Before planting, add nutrients on the
basis of this test. If the selected cultivars
are vigorous and produce excessive
growth, do not apply fertilizer. The use of
excessive fertilizer can encourage rank
growth that does not mature propei lv,
is unproductive, and is likely to be
damaged during cold winters. Canes
that grow moderately tend to mature
early and produce better crops than
excessively vigorous canes.

47

TABLE 7.

Grape cultivars for Illinois, listed by season

from earliest tc

Region of
adaptation

i latest within plant type
Uses

Grape type
Cultivar

Fruit
color

American grapes

Ontario

white

C,S

very sweet dessert grape

Buffalo

blue

c,s

juice, pies, jelly

Niagara

white

N,C,S

large yields, juice

Cayuga White

white

C,S

use for wine making

Steuben

red-blue

N,C

dessert and juice

Swenson Red

red

N,C

good flavor dessert grape

Fredonia

blue

N,C,S

juice and pies

Delaware

red

N,C,S

juice and wine

Concord

blue

N.C.S

juice, jellies, grape pudding

Catawba
Seedless grapes

red

S

latest grape in Illinois, juice
and wine

Canadice

red

C,S

small dessert grapes similar
to Delaware

Himrod

white

S

makes a good frozen grape

Reliance

pink-red

N,C

good flavor, the hardiest of
the better seedless grapes.
Makes a good juice and can
be dried as sticky raisins.

Glenora

dark blue

C,S

high quality dessert grape

Einset

red

s

new cultivar for trial

Remailly

white

s

new cultivar for trial

Concord Seedless

blue

N,C,S

hardy, small fruit, flavor
similar to Concord

French hybrids (wine
Vignoles

grapes)
white

C,S

wine grape, vigorous

Marechal Foch

blue

N.C.S

hardy, productive, makes
good wine

Seyval

white

C,S

wine grape, productive

DeChaunac

blue

C,S

wine grape, some disease
resistance

Chancellor

blue

s

wine grape, frost tolerant

Chambourcin

blue

s

good wine grape

Baco Noir blue C,S

*N = adapted to region north of Interstate 80; C = adapted to region
Interstate 70; S = adapted to region south of Interstate 70.

highly productive, resistant
to downy mildew
between Interstate 80 and

48

If the vines are not vigorous growers, a
commercial fertilizer may be used.
Apply two ounces of a 10-10-10 fertilizer
(or equivalent) around each vine
shortly after planting. In the early
spring of the second year, apply four
ounces; the third year, eight ounces;
and thereafter, one pound per plant.
Distribute the fertilizer around the
plant. If the soil is high in potassium
and phosphorus, 33 percent nitrogen
fertilizer (ammonium nitrate
[NH4NOs ] ) can be substituted at
one-third the above rates.

Mulching

Cultivate the young grape planting for
the first year. Do not cultivate deeper
than three inches around the plants
because the roots are rather shallow.

After the vines are established, the
grapes can be mulched with straw,
sawdust, leaves, or compost. Caution
must be used when mulching grape
vines on heavy, wet, or highly fertile
soils. Mulching may encourage overly
vigorous canes that will fail to mature
properly in the fall, leading to winter
damage.

Supports

The first season of growth can be
supported by a one-inch by one-inch
wooden stake. A trellis or arbor should
be constructed before the second
growing season. The grape planting is
more or less permanent, and the
support trellis should be built to last
twenty or more years. The structure,
therefore, must be strong enough to
bear the weight of mature vines as well
as a full crop.

Fertilizing (cont.),

Mulching,

Supports

The most common
training system is
the four-cane
Kniffin system
(described later).
A trellis for this

system consists of two wires, approxi-
mately three feet apart vertically,
supported by posts set about twenty to
thirty feet apart in the row. Nine- or
ten-gauge galvanized wire is suggested.
The lower wire should be three feet
above the ground, and the top wire
about five and a half to six feet above
the ground. Durable wood posts (cedar,
locust, white oak, osage orange, or
green-tinted CCA-treated timber rated
for ground use) should be a minimum
of three inches in diameter at the top
and eight to eight and a half feet long.
The posts should be set two and a half
to three feet in the ground; for long
rows, heavier posts should be used for
the ends of the trellis. The end posts
should be five to six inches or more in
diameter at the top, and they should be
nine feet long so that they can be set a
full three feet deep. The end posts
should be well braced to keep the trellis
wires from sagging (Fig. 23, next page).
Metal posts also may be used for
supporting trellis wires.

Grapes can be trained satisfactorily on
latticed arbors, fences, or other suitable
structures. For some homeowners, the
shading provided by grape vines
growing over arbors may be as impor-
tant as the fruit crop.

49

Two examples of well-braced grape trellises (above and upper right).

Pruning

Grape vines produce the greatest
amount of high-quality fruit when they
have moderate vigor. Weak vines do
not have enough strength to produce
normal crops. Very vigorous vines
spend too much energy on cane growth
and not enough energy on fruit
production. As discussed earlier, one
way to modify vigor is to reduce the
fertilizer rate. However, the best way
to adjust the fruit load and maintain
proper vigor is through annual
pruning.

Grapes flower and produce fruit only
on one-year-old canes. The most
productive wood is on the six to eight
buds closest to the base of the cane.
The most productive canes have
moderate vigor and are about the
diameter of a common yellow pencil.

Therefore, the goal of pruning is to
encourage vigorous new canes to
develop, to eliminate unproductive old
canes, to train fruiting canes, and to
limit the number of buds on the vine.
Most gardeners do not prune severely
enough. Proper pruning often results
in the removal of 80 to 90 percent of
the wood.

Prune after the coldest part of the
winter is past, but before the buds
begin to swell. February and early
March are usually the best times in
Illinois. Pruning during the summer is
not recommended except to control
excessive growth.

Regardless of the training system used,
American types and French hybrids
should be pruned annually using one
of the following methods.

50

^^^^CTt^BjLV^ **%JB^ 4 ?**** m l*ilM

hp

W t H

I1 * I ? *

§

R.««^»*

I ---^^kjiH

9

1 Mm

Pruning: American Types

The "30 + 10" rule is an excellent guide
for balanced pruning of 'Concord' and
other American cultivars. For each vine,
thirty buds are left for the first pound
of primings removed and ten buds are
left for each additional pound of
primings. For example, a one-pound
vine (one pound of primings removed
annually) should have thirty buds left; a
three-pound vine should have fifty buds
left. Cultivars vary, but one- to three-
pound vines are the most productive.

A simpler method of pruning American
cultivars is to leave forty-five to sixty
buds on vigorous plants and thirty to
forty buds on low vigorous vines
regardless of training method.

Pruning: French Hybrids

French hybrids tend to set more grapes
per bud than American types; there-
fore, fewer buds should be left. For
these hybrids, a balanced pruning
system using a "20 + 5" rule is sug-
gested, that is, twenty buds for the first

Pruning and

Training

Systems

pound of primings
and five buds for
each additional
pound of
primings.

A simpler method
of pruning for French hybrids is to
leave twenty-five to thirty-five buds on
vigorous vines and twenty to twenty-five
buds on the less vigorous plants,
regardless of training method. In
general, short-fruiting cane spurs with
two to seven buds are preferred for the
French hybrids. Some shoot thinning
and cluster thinning also may be
needed on vines with heavy loads of
fruit.

Training Systems

The grape vine is quite adaptable, and
the grower has a choice of many
different training systems. The more .
popular systems for 'Concord' and
other American cultivars are the four-
cane Kniffin, the umbrella Kniffin, and
the high cordon. The high cordon
system is preferred for most French
hybrids because of the upright-growth
characteristics of their new shoots.

Training System:
Four-Cane Kniffin

At planting time, prune the vines to a
single stem with two buds (Fig. 24, page
52). Shoots should grow from each
bud. If the trellis is not yet constructed,
tie the most vigorous shoot to a stake-
four to five feet tall. The tip of the
second shoot can be pinched back. At
the end of the first summer, the main
shoot should be three to loin or more

51

A newly planted grapevine is shown before (left) and after (right) pruning.

feet high, and may be long enough to
reach the top wire of the trellis.

Four-Cane Kniffin Training
System: Second Year

In the early spring while the vine is still
dormant, prune off all but the strong-
est cane. Tie the cane tautly to the top
wire of the trellis or to the lower wire if
it is not long enough to reach the top
wire. This cane will become the perma-
nent trunk.

During the second growing season,
remove shoots that develop below the
lower wire and remove any flower
clusters. Allow the main trunk to reach
the top trellis wire, and allow some
short lateral canes to develop along
each wire (Fig. 25).

Third Year

If one to four strong lateral canes
develop during the second year, they
may be trained to trellis wires. Other-
wise, cut the vine back to a single
vertical trunk. If short canes are
present, leave two buds on each of two
shoots near the lower and upper trellis
wires. Fruiting canes for the next
season grow from these buds. If the
vines are strong, a small crop can be
grown. If the vines are still small,
remove any flowers.

During the third summer, numerous
lateral canes develop that should bear a
good crop during the fourth year.

52

(above) A grapevine after two growing
seasons. On vigorous plants, four
lateral canes may develop, and four to six
buds may be left on each lateral cane.

(below) A grapevine after three
growing seasons. A maximum of

twelve to fifteen buds may be left on each

lateral cane.

Four-Cane Kniffin

Training

System

Mature Vines

After the third
year, the vines can
be treated as
mature vines (Fig.

26) . In early spring, prune the vine to
four one-year-old lateral canes, called
arms. Each arm will have six to twelve
buds for a total of thirty-five or more
buds on a vigorous vine. Each of these
buds is capable of producing two or
three clusters of grapes. Leave two
renewal spurs near the main trunk for
future fruiting canes at each trellis
wire. Remove all other growth.

Select canes of moderate vigor for the
lateral fruiting canes. They should be
one-third to one-half inch in diameter,
straight, and preferably unbranched.
Do not select canes less than one-
fourth inch in diameter, or "bull
canes" that are long, heavy, more than
one-half inch in diameter, vigorous,

53

and tend to produce little fruit. Train
one cane each way on the trellis wires.
These lateral canes should originate
from the main trunk or as near to it as
possible on the trellis to form the "four
arms."

Alter pinning, loop or spiral the canes
over the support wires and tie with
twine or other durable material (Fig.
26, previous page).

Training System:
Umbrella Kniffin

This system is a modification of the
four-cane system and can be used on
two-wire or three-wire trellises. The
trunk is terminated six to twelve inches
below the top wire. Three to six canes
are shortened to six to ten buds each,
are bent over the top wire, and are tied
to a lower wire. Two or three other
canes are shortened to two buds to
serve as renewal spurs and to provide
the fruiting canes for the following
year's crop. All other canes should be
removed. The umbrella Kniffin system
can be used for both American and
French hybrid cultivars (Fig. 27) .

Umbrella Kniffin training system. Prune
long, with six to ten buds on each cane.

54

Training System:
High Cordon

Ease of pruning is the outstanding
characteristic of the high cordon
system. In this system, the trunk or
trunks are trained to a single wire five
to six feet from the ground to form
cordons or semi-permanent arms (Fig.
28). The trunk is trained to the wire
and two arms are set permanently to
form a T-shaped vine. Canes growing
from the arms are selected and are
"spur pruned" to three to four buds
each. The vine will have a total of forty
to sixty buds. Remove excess canes and
spurs. During the summer, shoots

The Umbrella Kniffin
& High Cordon
Training
Systems

arising from the fruiting canes are
"combed" or positioned to grow
downward to form a curtain. Canes
growing vertically above the cordon can
be removed.

American types with droopy growth
habits are well adapted to the high
cordon system. French hybrids also can
be grown with this system.

High cordon training system. Prune shoots to form many two- to four-bud spurs on
each arm.

55

Mature grapevines trained and pruned
on an arbor. Note renewal spurs.

Training and Pruning on Arbors

Grapes make excellent dual-purpose
vines when trained on arbors, on a
pergola for a summer roof, on a fence
or wall — almost anything will work.
Good varieties, properly cared for,
will produce good-quality fruit as well
as shade or screen for the home
landscape.

An endless variety of sizes and designs is
used as supports for grapes. Whatever
the design, use materials that permit
long-time use with a minimum of
repair. Wood, metal, masonry, or a
combination of these is appropriate.
Wire mesh is not recommended: it
makes a good support for the vines, but
training and pruning operations are
extremely difficult. Allow at least eight
feet between vines. Spacing too close
results in a junglelike growth that favors
the development of diseases, interferes
with satisfactory fruiting, and makes
pruning difficult. When designing the
structure and subsequently training and
pruning, keep in mind that the reason

56

for growing grapes this way is to
combine fruit production with shade or
screen.

If overhead cover is desired on arbors
or pergolas, the permanent single
trunk is trained to the top of the
structure (Fig. 29). Each year, one-year-
old canes three or four feet long are
distributed at intervals of three feet
along this permanent trunk. Renewal
spurs of two or three buds are distrib-
uted along the trunk in the same
manner to produce new fruiting wood
from which to select the one-year-old
canes for the following year. This type
of pruning is not severe enough for
best fruit production, but it results in
the desired shade. As with other
systems, the amount of bearing wood
needs to be adjusted for the vigor of the
vine, but remember that most home
arbors soon become a tangled mass of
vines because of failure to prune
heavily enough.

2,4-D damaged
grape leaves.

Arbors, Pruning

Neglected

Vines,

Chemical

Injury

Pruning Neglected Vines Chemical Injury

Old vines that have not been pruned
for two or more years will be dense and
may have several stems or trunks arising
from the roots. It may take two or more
years to salvage neglected vines. Basic-
ally, the job is to select a frame (main
trunk, fruiting arms, and renewal
spurs) as described earlier. If neglected
vines have multiple trunks, remove
several each year until one to three
remain. Select young canes from the
base for the future trunks if the older
trunks are malformed. Desirable
fruiting wood may be far from the main
trunk. Prune out the older portion of
the plant gradually, while maintaining
moderate fruit production, until the
new trunks are ready to take over.

Grapes are one of the most sensitive
plants to many chemicals, particularly
herbicides containing 2,4-D. Do not
apply fertilizer or herbicide that
contains 2,4-D to the lawn near grapes.
Avoid using any 2,4-D (or sprayers that
have contained 2,4-D) in the vicinin oi
grapes. If these precautions are not
taken, enough 2,4-D can drift one-half
to one mile by air and can ruin your
grape crop. Injury may be indicated by
misshapen leaves, tendrils, and young
shoots. The leaves may have sawtooth
edges and may be narrow and Ian
shaped. The clusters ma) ripen un-
evenly or not at all. The symptoms
appear one to three weeks after
exposure to the fumes (Fig. 30).

57

Pest
Control

Pest Control

To have a successful fruit garden, you must be aware of
many diseases and insect pests and be prepared to control
them. Home fruit growing is usually an avocation rather
than a vocation, and a person often does not have the time
or inclination to spray pesticides. Thus, most pest-control
programs for the home fruit garden are quite limited, al-
though they can also be extremely successful.

Pest control begins with the selection of
a suitable planting site and consider-
ation of previous cropping history,
followed by selection of disease-resistant
cultivars, use of healthy disease-free
planting stock, and, finally, the use of
good cultural and sanitation practices.
These factors are discussed on the
following pages as they apply to each
crop. The use of pesticides to control
certain insects and diseases is often

necessary because sanitation practices
are not always adequate by themselves.
One well-timed chemical application
may mean the difference between a
good crop and no crop at all. {Home
Fruit Pest Control and Illinois Homeowner's
Guide to Pest Management contain spray
recommendations. See page 77 for
further information about these
publications.)

(left)Yellowjackets attacking ripe red raspberry fruit.

59

Strawberries

Strawberries: Sanitation

Strawberries can be extremely success-
ful when a small number of precautions
are taken against pests. The most
damaging insects are the strawberry
weevil, which is called "clipper" because
it cuts off the buds and fruit, leaving
them hanging as though they had been
partly broken off; the "cat-facing"
insects (many different sucking insects)
that produce a deformed, low-quality
berry; the crown borer, a white, thick-
bodied grub, one-fifth inch long, that
feeds inside the plant at the soil level so
that the strawberries die or are so
weakened as to be susceptible to other
pests; and white grub, the large grub up
to one inch long that kills the plant by
feeding on the roots. The important
diseases are gray mold and leather rot,
which kill the blossoms and rot the
fruit. Anthracnose, red stele, and
Verticillium wilt diseases are caused by
soil-borne fungi that infect the roots
and kill the plant. Leaf spot, leaf scorch,
and leaf blight are three important
foliar diseases. The recommended
chemicals and spray schedules are given
in Home Fruit Pest Control (see page 77).
Many of these diseases can be avoided
by using resistant cultivars.

Use of cultural and sanitary practices is
of utmost importance in controlling
various diseases and insects affecting
the strawberry. The following practices
are recommended:

1. Begin by planting healthy plants on
fertile soil that has been plowed deep
and contains 3 to 5 percent organic
matter.

2. Obtain virus-free plants for new
plantings. Reliable nurseries have virus-
free plants readily available. For white
grub control, plant strawberries on
land that has been under cultivation for
one or two years, if possible.

3. If crown borer has been a problem,
locate new beds as far as possible (more
than three hundred feet) from old
beds, and plow infested land immedi-
ately after harvest.

4. Choose disease-resistant cultivars.

5. Renovate beds immediately after
each harvest (see pagel8).

6. Since Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne
disease that enters through the roots,
avoid planting strawberries after other
crops that are susceptible to this
disease, such as tomatoes, potatoes,
eggplant, melons, okra, beets, peas,
brambles, and roses.

7. Control nearby weeds that may
harbor insects and certain pathogens.

8. Do not over-water, under-water, or
over-fertilize plants.

9. Provide good air circulation.

60

Brambles
Brambles: Sanitation

Many diseases of brambles cannot be
controlled by pesticides. These include
crown and cane gall (bacterial diseases
that produce large tumorlike growths
on the roots and canes) and five viral
diseases that are characterized by their
names — mosaic, leaf curl, ring spot,
bushy dwarf, and streak (dark-blue or
violet-blue markings that appear
longitudinally on the canes from the
ground up).

The following sanitary procedures must
be observed:

1 . Wait at least three years to replant a
site where crown and cane gall or
Verticillium wilt-infected plants have
grown. To protect against Verticillium
wilt (caused by a soil-borne fungus that
infects the roots) , do not plant
brambles where tomatoes, potatoes,
eggplant, melons, okra, beets, peas,
roses, or strawberries have grown within
the past three years.

2. Select virus- and aphid-resistant
cultivars.

3. Order plants from a reliable nursery.

4. Purchase certified virus-free planting
stock.

5. At planting time, cut off old stubs
of nursery stock and "handles" of
young purple and black raspberries.
These "handles" are left on the plant
by the nursery to facilitate handling.
The old stubs may be infected with
anthracnose, a serious fungal disease
of many brambles.

6. As soon as plants with a disease that
cannot be controlled by chemicals are

Pest Control:
Strawberries
&
Brambles

detected, dig the

plants with as

many of their

roots as possible,

and destroy

them by burning

or placing them in a trash can.

7. Prune out canes that do not leaf-out
normally in the spring.

8. Immediately after the summer
harvest, remove and burn or compost
all canes that have fruited. Do not
return this compost to the planting.
Also, cut out surplus or weak canes and
those showing injury. Canes of
everbearing red or yellow cultivars
grown under the one-crop (primocane-
bearing) system are not removed after
the fall harvest.

9. Remove nearby (within three
hundred feet, if possible) wild brambles
and neglected plantings; they are a
source of disease and insect pests.

10. Tie long canes, especially semi-erect
blackberries, to supports. This practice
allows better air movement and
sunlight penetration, which helps in
disease control.

1 1 . Keep plantings and surrounding
areas free of weeds.

Brambles: Spray Schedule

Use the spray schedule for brambles
(raspberries and blackberries) outlined
in Illinois Homeowner's Guide to Pest
Management or Home Fruit Pest Control
(see page 77).

61

Blueberries

Because blueberries are a relatively new
crop in Illinois in terms of acreage, the
pests affecting them have not assumed
major importance. If pest control is
needed, follow the spray schedule for
blueberries in Illinois Homeowner's Guide
I o Pest Management or Home Fruit Pest
Control (see page 77). Some of the
potential problems that have been
observed in Illinois are mummy berry,
Phomopsis cane blight, fruit worms,
and scale.

The best way to care for blueberry
plants is to prune them annually, use
mulch, irrigate properly, and give them
an early dormant oil spray to control
scale and mites.

• powdery mildew, particularly on
gooseberry, which forms white patches
on the surface of leaves, shoots, and
berries, eventually distorting them.

For these and other insect and disease
problems, the spray schedule outlined
in Illinois Homeowner's Guide to Pest
Management or Home Fruit Pest Control
(see page 77) is effective.

When pruning currants and gooseber-
ries during the dormant season, watch
for signs of cane borers (hollow canes
with black centers) . Remove such canes
and destroy all primings immediately.
Keep the plants from becoming too
dense (see page 45 for pruning instruc-
tions) . This practice will reduce damage
from diseases by allowing air circulation
and quick drying of the foliage.

Currants & Gooseberries

These fruits require a minimal spray
program. The important insects are the
currant aphid, which causes bright red,
cupped, distorted, or wrinkled areas on
the leaves; the imported currant worm,
about one inch long and greenish with
black spots, which feeds on the edges of
the leaves; the cane borer, a worm one-
half inch long that burrows the entire
length of the cane and dwarfs the plant;
and scale insects whose very small,
grayish, nipple-shaped coverings can be
seen on the bark. The important disea-
ses include:

• anthracnose and leaf spot, which
cause a spotting of the leaves and a
yellowing most pronounced on the
gooseberry,

• cane blight, which may suddenly wilt
and kill scattered canes or bushes (cut
out such canes and destroy them
immediately), and

62

Grapes

Because grapes have many diseases and
most cultivars have little resistance,
grapes must be sprayed. Spraying
usually provides excellent control of
troublesome pests that occur in most
seasons. The grape berry moth, which
causes wormy fruits, and leafhoppers,
which are small brightly colored insects
that feed on the leaves and produce tiny
whitish spots and sickly appearing
plants, are the most troublesome
insects. A serious insect problem of
some American and many French
hybrids is the grape phylloxera. The
important fungal diseases are black rot,
which causes brownish circular leaf
spots and black, wrinkled, dried-up
fruit; and powdery and downy mildews,
which result primarily in a scorched
appearance of the leaves. For spray
schedules, see Illinois Homeowner's Guide
to Pest Management or Home Fruit Pest
Control (see page 77).

ForYour Protection

Always handle pesticides with respect.
After all, the people most likely to
suffer ill effects from pesticides are the
applicator and his or her family.
Accidents and careless, needless
overexposure can be avoided. Every
year, there are deaths due to accidental
ingestion of pesticides.

Each year, more than 750 Illinois
children under 12 years of age are
rushed to a doctor because of suspected
pesticide ingestion or excessive expo-

Pest Control:
Blueberries, Currants
& Gooseberries,
Grapes,

sure. A study of Safe

such cases Use Of

showed that 50 Pesticides

percent of the
children ob-
tained the

pesticide while it was in use and 13
percent obtained it from storage. Fifty-
three percent of the cases involved
pesticides used as baits. These accidents
could have been prevented. The
following suggestions for safe use of
pesticides are designed to prevent such
unfortunate, careless accidents.

I. Store pesticides out of reach of children, irresponsible persons, or
animals; store in a locked cabinet away from food or feed.

"\ Put pesticide containers back in the storage area before applying the
pesticide. Children have found open bottles by the water tap.

3. Avoid breathing pesticide sprays and dusts over an extended period.
This is particularly true in enclosed areas such as crawl spaces, closets,
basements, and attics.

Wash with soap and water exposed parts of the body and clothes
contaminated with pesticide.

5. Wear rubber gloves when handling pesticide concentrates.

Do not smoke, eat, or drink while handling or using pesticides.

7. Do not blow out clogged nozzles with your mouth.

Leave unused pesticides in their original containers with the labels on
them and in locked cabinets.

Wash out empty pesticide containers three times and then bury them
or place them in the garbage.

10. Do not leave puddles of spray on impervious surfaces.

I I . Do not apply pesticides to fish ponds, bird baths, or pet dishes.

1 2. Do not apply pesticides to dug wells, cisterns, or other water sources.

1 3. Observe all precautions listed on the label. Use pesticides only on the
crops specified, in amounts specified, and at times specified.

63

i nil {lilVMM-

Edible
Landscapes 3

Edible Landscapes

Landscaping a new home or renovating an existing land-
scape performs several functions. Landscaping beautifies the
home, increases the value of the property, and helps the area
surrounding the home to function as an extension of the
indoor living space. Traditionally, these objectives are met by
using various types of ornamental plants — ground-covers,
both deciduous and evergreen shrubs, small flowering trees,
and shade trees. But...

...those who dare to be different from
the average homeowner can incorpo-
rate plants producing edible products
into the residential landscape. Many of
the functions of landscape plantings —
screening, defining space, providing
interest, and aesthetics — can be suitably
served by fruit-producing plants. These
plants can provide the homeowner with
the enjoyment and relaxation of
gardening and with the satisfaction of
producing fresh, high-quality fruit for
the entire family at low cost.

It must be emphasized, however, that
fruit plants require higher mainte-
nance than do the more traditional
landscape plants. To produce a

satisfactory crop, fruit plants must be
regularly fertilized, mulched, watered,
pruned and trained, sprayed for pests,
kept weeded, and harvested. Without
these important operations, only low-
quality produce can be expected.

Designing with edible, fruit-producing
plants should be done on a gradual
basis. Add a few plants annually until
your limit of upkeep is reached.
Limiting fruit plants to the outdoor
living area — the back or side yards —
may be a wiser choice than using them
on the entire property. This will avoid
creating a landscape whose mainte-
nance exceeds the capabilities of the
homeowner.

This grape plant (left) both produces fruit and provides shade for the patio.

65

Food-producing plants can be gradually
integrated into an established land-
scape with traditional plantings. Land-
scaping for new properties can be
completely designed but installed in
stages, amending plant choices as
maintenance limits become apparent.
In all cases, the fruit plants should be
chosen to perform the same landscape
functions as the traditional plant
materials. If a large shrub is required,
you should not plant an apple tree just
to have the fruit.

The most important step in landscap-
ing with fruit plants is proper plant
selection. Suitability to the site and
performance in the particular climate
are the main considerations. Choose
the proper size and shape for the
location, and then determine which
fruit plants satisfy these criteria. This
being done, a cultivar can be selected.
Fruit plant cultivars differ in their
temperature hardiness, soil tolerance,
moisture requirements, and disease
resistance. Careful planning before
plants are purchased will reduce future
maintenance problems and total cost.

blueberries can be established in acid
soil. These plants require annual or
biennial mowing or pruning.

Container or
Patio Plants

Plantings in containers or tubs are
often used for decks, patios, and
around homes on very small lots where
bed space is limited. Commonly used
pot plants are annual bedding plant
types such as geraniums, petunias,
marigolds, and begonias. Pots of dwarf
blueberries, figs, strawberries, or even
grapes can be used as replacements for
these small, decorative container
plantings.

Small trees and shrubs are often used
in large containers or tubs when a
greener, more lush effect is desired.
These can be replaced by dwarf fruit
trees such as the 'North Star' tart
cherry or fully dwarfed, spur-type
apples. Even though small in stature,
these trees will produce high-quality,
standard-sized fruit.

Groundcovers

Grasses are the most widely used
groundcovers. They are easily and
rapidly established, can cover wide
expanses, are fairly easy to maintain,
and can withstand foot traffic. Other
kinds of plants are used on steep banks,
under trees, and in shrub beds. These
include selections such as ivies, vinca,
and low-growing evergreen and
deciduous shrubs. Runner-producing
plants like strawberries and low-growing
vines such as dewberries can replace
traditional groundcovers. Dwarf

Flower Beds and Borders

Flowering plants are difficult to replace
with fruit crops. The flowers of fruit
plants are beautiful individually and
when viewed close up, but their floral
display cannot rival that of the tried-
and-true annual and perennial
bloomers. Flower colors of fruit plants
are generally limited, with most being
white to pink and only a few ranging
into the darker reds. They also typically
bloom only once a year and then only
for a short period of time. Because of
the narrow range of colors, the small

66

flower size, and the seasonal bloom of
most fruit plants, the homeowner who
likes the "showy" display of flowers in
beds and borders should continue to
rely on the wide variety of annuals and
perennials available for this purpose.
Remember, however, that strawberry
plants make a neat and attractive dual-
purpose border for ornamental beds.

Hedges and Shrubs

Evergreen and deciduous shrubs, which
are by far the largest group of land-
scape plants, come in a multitude of
sizes, shapes, and colors. Such shrubs
can be used in almost any landscape
situation as screens, windbreaks, shrub
borders, hedges, group plantings,
"living walls," or individual specimens.
Included in this group are the honey-
suckles, the viburnums, euonymus,
juniper, yew, and many more.

A large variety of fruit crops is suitable
as replacements, satisfies the landscape
requirements, and produces sizable
yields of fresh fruit. Currants, gooseber-
ries, blackberries, filberts, and quince
make interesting additions to shrub
borders. They can also be used as single
specimens or in masses. Be sure,
however, that their looser, more
spreading form is acceptable for the
landscape situation.

Highbush blueberries require a cool,
moist, acid soil and consequently do
well when planted in conjunction with
acid-loving rhododendrons, azaleas,
and andromeda. Hedges of red
raspberries and thorned blackberries
are easy to establish due to their free-
suckering roots. The serviceberry, a
common ornamental, also produces
delicious blue-black fruit in June.

Edible
Landscapes 3

Trees

Trees can be
divided into two
subgroups: small
ornamental trees
(eight to twenty

feet tall), and large shade trees (twenty
feet and over) . Flowering dogwood,
eastern redbud, amur maple, star
magnolia, and the popular crabapples
are small trees that are frequently used
as single "showy" specimens, or placed
near patios and decks for their beauty
and fragrance. The best use of this
group is in corner plantings to inte-
grate the bold lines of architecture into
the landscape beyond.

Dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees —
apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and
plums — can readily replace the com-
mon small tree choices mentioned
above. The mature size can be adjusted
to the site by careful selection of scion/
rootstock combinations. Certain large-
fruited varieties of crabapples are
good for making jellies and preserves.
The fruit of the pawpaw is a special
treat, too.

For trees in the large shade-tree
category, tall-growing nut trees such as
persimmon, walnut, pecan, butternut,
blight-resistant chestnuts, and hickory
can be planted. However, the decision
to plant large fruit trees in the subur-
ban landscape must be carefully
thought through. Large trees are
difficult (and dangerous) to harvest
and can pose a real maintenance
problem for the average homeowner.

67

ttft

ijM

d

Determining
Ripeness

Cooking & Eating
the Fruits
of ^bur Labor

After having set your plants in the soil and having tenderly
cared for them for several years to produce enough fruit for
you to use, you are now ready to harvest and eat the berries!
But when are the fruit ready to pick?

Are They Ripe?

The best ways to determine when the
fruit is ripe enough are by looking at
them and tasting them. As the crop
ripens, look over the fruit at frequent
intervals. Berries signal their readiness
to be harvested and cooked into
delicious family meals by changing their
colors. Strawberries and raspberrries
change from white to red, blackberries
from red to black, and grapes from
green to blue, red, or yellow-green.

When they look ripe and have the right
color, pick several berries from the
plants and taste them. If the fruit is soft
enough and sweet enough for your
taste, harvest the ripe berries. Once the
berries start to ripen, harvest every two
to three days. Strawberries and raspber-
ries can become over-ripe and start to
rot within a few days.

69

Time to Harvest

Harvest in the morning, if possible. At
this time, the berries are still cool from
the night and will store better. Picking
should be done gently; never squeeze
the berries. Pick strawberries, currants,
and grapes by the stems. Pick the
bramble fruits by placing your finger-
tips around the base of the berry and
gently pulling the berry from the plant.
Use your thumb to "roll" blueberries
from the cluster into your palm.

Containing and Storing
Berries

Place all the ripe berries in containers
that are no more than three to four
inches deep. Large containers such as
buckets are not recommended; the
fruit in the bottom of deep containers
will be squashed and leak juice. Set
picked berries in the shade if large
quantities are being harvested. As soon
as possible, store the berries in a
refrigerator to remove the heat from
them. If the berries are to be eaten
fresh, wash and drain them before
enjoying the fresh flavors.

Freezer Jams
Preserve Flavor

Freezer jams made according to pectin
manufacturers' (such as Surejell)
recipes are an excellent way to preserve
the fresh flavors of soft fruits. Small
fruits and grapes can also be frozen
easily, but do not wash them prior to
freezing. Washed berries tend to
become very mushy upon freezing.

Blueberries, raspberries, and blackber-
ries need only be examined for un-
wanted stems, over-ripe fruit, or other
materials before placing in a bag for
freezing. Strawberries, currants, and
gooseberries should have the stems
removed before freezing. Grapes
should be removed from the stems and
frozen in a light sugar syrup for best
results.

70

When to Harvest,
Containing &
Storing,
Freezer Jams,
Recipes

Recipes for
Small Fruits

1/4 c. softened butter or margarine, or
1/4 c. oil for those watching cholesterol

1-3/4 c. flour

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sugar

1 large egg or egg substitute

1/2 c. milk

1 c. washed and drained blueberries

Most Delicious Blueberry Muffins

Mix dry ingredients together. Add
softened butter, then unbeaten egg, and
finally the milk. Stir until batter is
smooth. Gently fold in the drained
blueberries. Spoon batter into greased
muffin pan. Bake at 375° F for 20 to 25
minutes. Remove muffins from the pan,
split while still hot, and place a pat of
butter inside to melt. Great for Saturday
morning breakfast.

Makes 12 large muffins.

71

Stawberries or Raspberries

rhere are two best ways to eat these soft
fruits. The first way is fresh, on a good
homemade biscuit shortcake. The
second is as frozen homemade jam — in
the winter on top of thick slices of
homemade bread or toasted English
muffins.

Grandma's Shortcake for Strawberries or Raspberries

Clean at least 3 pints of fruit. Remove
stems of strawberries and slice or chop
them into small pieces. With raspber-
ries, simply wash and drain. Place
berries in a bowl and add 1/2 to 1 cup
of sugar, depending on the sweetness of
the fruit and individual taste. Stir the
sugar and fruit together and place in a
refrigerator to cool. The berries should
become juicy.

Then put together the shortcake:
2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

5 Tbsp. butter or shortening
2/3 c. milk

Mix dry ingredients together. Work in
the butter with a pastry blender and
then stir in the milk. The dough will be
stiff. Place in a greased pie pan and
bake at 400° F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Spread butter
on the hot surface and allow the
shortcake to cool for 15 or 20 minutes.
During that time, whip one cup of
cream. Split the cooled shortcake into
two layers. Place half of the cool, juicy
berries from the refrigerator on the
bottom layer, cover with the top layer,
and place the remaining berries on top.
Serve the whipped cream on individual
servings.

This dish is good served for lunch,
omitting the whipped cream and
accompanying the shortcake with slices
of a hard cheese, such asjarlsberg or a
mild Swiss and hot or iced coffee.

72

Recipes

Currants

Red and white currants are seldom
used in cooking. Do not confuse these
with the dried currants found in
grocery stores. Dried currants are
actually small raisins and not the same
as the currants discussed here.

Apple-Currant Pie

This is a simple variation of the tradi-
tional apple pie that most people enjoy.

Begin as you would when making a
typical 9-in. or 10-in. deep-dish apple
pie. Make the crust, peel and slice 6 to
8 large apples (preferably a flavorful
sweet-tart apple such as a 'Jonathan'),
and place the apples in the pie crust.

Then, instead of adding spices to the
pie, add 1 cup of fresh or frozen red or
white currants on top of the apples.
Sprinkle approximately 2 tablespoons
of cornstarch, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4
teaspoon of salt over the fruit. Cover
with the top crust and bake as usual.
The currants will add a spicy flavor to
the apple pie.

Orange-Currant Chicken

Another use for red currants is to make
delicious red currant jelly. This jelly can
be eaten with breads or meats and can
be used in pastries. This recipe blends
spiciness and sweetness to change the
taste of traditional fried chicken.

One whole chicken, cut in pieces and
skinned, or three whole breasts

1 c. orange juice

2 Tbsp. currant jelly

2 Tbsp. prepared ground horseradish

Brown the chicken pieces in a hot
frying pan in a small amount of oil.
Reduce the temperature and add the
other three ingredients that have been
combined in a blender. Cover and let
the chicken simmer for 30 minutes.
Turn the meat occasionally for the
flavors to penetrate all of the meat.

73

Grapes

Blackberries

What can be (lone with grapes except
for making jelly, jnice, and an occa-
sional grape pie? One old-time recipe is
grape pudding. This pudding is similar
in texture to chocolate or butterscotch
puddings, but tastes like grapes.

Blackberry pie is one of the best pies to
eat. Seedless blackberry jelly is also very
good but takes a lot of time to prepare.
To enjoy blackberries easily and quickly,
make an old-fashioned cobbler using
biscuit dough.

Grape
Pudding

Select 2 quarts of grapes (the best are a
blue grape with a full flavor such as
'Buffalo,' 'Concord,' or 'Fredonia.'
Other cultivars can be used to change
the color and flavor intensity).

Cook the grapes with 1 cup of water
and extract the juice. There should be
about one quart of juice. Add 1/2 cup
of sugar to the juice — more if the juice
is not sweet enough.

Heat the juice and add 3 tablespoons of
cornstarch or tapioca. Dissolve the
cornstarch in a small amount of water
before stirring into the juice. Cook
until thickened and pour into a serving
bowl. Top with sweetened whipped
cream.

Blackberry
Cobbler

Wash 1 quart of
blackberries and
drain well. Mix the
berries with 2 tablespoons
of cornstarch and place in the bottom
of a baking dish. Pour 3/4 cup of sugar
on top of the berries with a pinch of
salt. Then, prepare biscuit dough the
same as shortcake (page 72) with these
exceptions: increase the sugar to 3
tablespoons and the milk to 3/4 cup.
Drop or spread dough on top of the
blackberries and sprinkle extra sugar
on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at
350° F or until done.

74

Recipes

Gooseberries

These berries are enjoyed by Europeans
much more than by Americans. The
berries can be left on the plants until
very sweet, but most recipes call for
fruit that is not fully ripe and somewhat
tart. The following recipe is a modifica-
tion of the trifles that are common in
England.

Gooseberry Trifle

1 qt. gooseberries, stemmed
and washed

1-1/2 c. water

3/4 c. sugar — more or less according
to the tartness of the fruit

Next make a custard with:

1 c. milk

3 egg yolks or 1/4 c. of egg substitute

1 tsp. cornstarch

Cook the berries in the water slowly
until they are soft. Drain the fruit, but
reserve the cooking liquid. Puree the
berries in a blender to remove the
seeds. Measure the pureed fruit and
add enough of the reserved liquid to
make 2-1/2 cups. Add the sugar and stir
until sugar is dissolved. Cool in the
refrigerator.

Heat the milk slowly. Combine the
cornstarch with the egg yolks in a small
bowl and whisk into the warm milk.
Continue to cook while stirring until
the custard is thick. Simmer about 2
minutes more. Cool slightly and stir
into the gooseberry puree. Chill this
mixture.

Whip 1 to 1-1/2 cups of whipping
cream sweetened with 3 tablespoons of
powdered sugar to stiff peaks and fold
gently into the gooseberry-custard
mixture.

Line a 2-quart bowl with thin slices of
sponge cake, pound cake, or lady
fingers. Sprinkle with orange juice or
orange flower water. Pour the goose-
berry mixture over the cake slices, top
with lightly toasted cake crumbs, and
serve.

75

Fruit Soup

When you have leftover fruits, either
fresh or frozen, but not enough to
make a particular dish, do as the
Scandinavians and mix the fruits
together into a sweet soup. This soup is
eaten hot or cold, at the beginning of
a meal or at the end as a dessert with
cookies. Fruits can be combined in any
proportion. However, any of the small
strawberries, when cooked, will have a
very mushy consistency. This dish is
better if they are not included.

1 qt. mixed berries (except
strawberries)

1/2 c. sugar, or to taste

1/4 lemon sliced very thin

1 cinnamon stick

1 Tbsp. cornstarch or tapioca

Heat the berries with about 1/2 cup of
water over a medium heat. Stir in the
sugar. Add the lemon and cinnamon
stick and cook for 15 minutes. Mix the
cornstarch with a small amount of
water and blend the paste into the fruit
mix. Cook until the fruit is thickened. If
too thick, the soup may be thinned with
water or fruit juice. Serve either hot or
cold.

76

Recipes

and

References

References

The following references are listed for
gardeners seeking more detailed
information on cultivars, culture,
propagation, and disease and insect
control related to the small fruits.

BOOKS

Modem Fruit Science (1995). N.F. Childers, J.R. Morris, and G.S. Sibbert. Horticul-
tural Publications, Gainesville, FL.

Small Fruit Crop Management (1990). G.J. Galletta and D.G. Himelrick. Prentice-
Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Temperate Zone Pomology (1993, 3rd ed.). M.N. Westwood. Timber Press, Portland,
OR.

CIRCULARS AND BULLETINS

The publications listed below may be purchased from Information Technology
and Communication Services, College of ACES, University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign, 1401 S. Maryland Drive, Urbana, IL 61801 (toll free: 800-345-6087).

C1354 Illinois Homeowner's Guide to Pest Management (1997, $8)

IDEA2 Small Fruits: Insect and Disease Management for Backyard Fruit Growers in the

Midwest (1997, $5)

The publication listed below may be obtained by contacting J. D. Kindhart,
University of Illinois, Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, Route 1, Box 256,
Simpson, IL 62985.

C1262 Illinois Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide (issued annually)

The following publication is available on the VISTA Web Site.

CI 145 Home Fruit Pest Control (1993)
(http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~vista/abstracts/aHOMEFRUT.html)

The following publication is available at The Ohio State University Extension
Bulletin Web Site. Soft- and hardbound copies can be purchased from Extension
Publications at The Ohio State University, (614)292-1607.

BULLETIN 861 Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook
(http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/b861/)

77

PROCEEDINGS

Proceedings of the Illinois Small Fruit and Strawberry School are issued annually.
Many back issues arc available. Contact J. D. Kindhart, University of Illinois, Dixon
Springs Agricultural Center, Route 1, Box 256, Simpson, IL 62985.

NEWSLETTERS

To subscribe to Fruits and Vegetables Newsletter, contact R. Weinzierl, Department of
Crop Sciences-Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, AW-101
Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801. E-mail subscriptions are
available. 25 issues per year.

OTHER UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PUBLICATIONS

The publications listed below may be obtained from the Department of Natural
Resources and Environmental Sciences, NRES/Horticulture, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign, W-503 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL
61801.

FR-1-79 Propagating Grapes from Cuttings

FR-2-80 Sources of Small Fruit Plants

FR-3-80 Distinguishing Thornless Blackberry Cultivars

FR-4-84 The Fall-Crop-Only Cultural System for Everbearing Red Raspberries

FL-13-81 Taking Soil Samples in the Yard and Garden

The publications listed below may be obtained from the Department of Crop
Sciences/Extension Crop Pathology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
N-533 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801.

FL 1 Strawberry Spray Schedule

RPD 700 Raspberry Anthracnose

RPD 701 Strawberry Red Stele Root Rot

RPD 702 Strawberry Leaf Diseases

RPD 703 Black Rot of Grape

RPD 704 Gray Mold of Strawberries

RPD 705 Downy Mildew of Grape

RPD 706 Leaf Variegation in Strawberries

RPD 707 Verticillium Wilt of Strawberry

RPD 708 Orange Rust of Brambles

RPD 709 Spur Blight and Cane Blight of Raspberries

RPD 710 Virus Diseases of Brambles

RPD 71 1 Failure of Fruit Set in Blackberries

RPD 1006 Crown Gall

RPD 1010 Verticillium Wilt Disease

78

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA

3 0112 050509782

The small fruits include

strawberries, raspberries,

blackberries, bluebern

grapes, currants and
gooseberries. This book

ncludes information on

how to select culti vars,

g,row the plants to ma

harvest and store fruits

until readv tor use, and

how to prepare them for
family dining.

:1343

ISBN l-Afi3DT7-ED-7

9 781885"097202