Are you looking for a new ever-bearing red raspberry variety to add to your garden this season? Transplant ‘Heritage’ bare roots and leafed-out plants in the spring, and they’ll produce berries for you in year one. Join organic farmer Jenna Rich as she shows us how to plant, grow, and care for ‘Heritage’ raspberries. ‘Heritage’ is an amazing raspberry variety that offers abundant harvests of delicious red berries. It is fairly low-maintenance under the right growing conditions. After a heavy fall harvest, simply cut all the canes back in the fall, mulch, and put them to bed for the winter. Raspberries are one of my favorite fruits, and when I learned just how easy they are to maintain, I opened up a new raised bed and added 30 plants to our farm plot. We chose this everbearing variety for our zone 5b farm because it is winter-hardy and highly productive. Get your jam recipes ready! Let’s explore why everyone loves ‘Heritage’ and why you should too! What Are ‘Heritage’ Raspberries? ‘Heritage’ is a popular commercial heirloom everbearing raspberry that has made its way to the list of favorites among home gardeners. It is beloved for its hardiness and high yields of high-quality, dark red, deliciously juicy medium-large berries, perfect for fresh eating and making jams and jellies. These plants are self-fertile, so no pollinators are necessary for them to produce fruits and you don’t need to plant more than one of this variety. This variety grows erect and doesn’t require support, even though it can grow to six feet at maturity. If maintained properly with sufficient water and sunlight, plants may live for ten years. Growers from zones 4 to 8 can enjoy this plant, which survives well even when winters are harsh, though it may need some protection. The canes produce two flushes of fruit per season unless pruned otherwise. Fun Fact: Raspberries are botanically not berries at all. Rather, they are round cone-shaped aggregates of drupelets that separate from the receptacle when they’re gently tugged off the stem. Each drupelet is like a bead clustered around a center core. The average raspberry is made up of 100 to 120 drupelets, each with its own seed. Appearance ‘Heritage’ plants can grow six feet or more with lush, dense foliage. The deep green leaves are made up of alternately arranged leaflets. Tiny five-petaled flowers are white or light pink and appear in clusters. While raspberry plants are typically grown for their delicious berries, the stems of their deep green, textured foliage can be used to elevate a simple bouquet or be displayed alone in a vase as a seasonal statement piece. The fruits are bright, a saturated pinkish-red, and oh-so sweet! How to Grow Raspberry bushes will reward you with garden beauty and delicious, healthy fruits in exchange for ideal growing conditions and seasonal pruning. They are a garden favorite because they can produce fruit on new wood each year with minimal maintenance. Sunlight While raspberry plants may survive in partial sun areas, full sun will result in high productivity and the most fruit. If you live in a particularly dry area with harsh summer sunshine, provide ample water during drought-like conditions. Water Water newly planted bushes and bare roots at least two inches per week for proper root development and establishment. Increase to four inches per week when the plants are setting fruit. Set up drip irrigation lines at the plant base at the time of transplanting, so you’re prepared for any dry spells. Fresh, thin roots dry out very easily. Use a rain gauge to determine the exact rainfall in your garden. Insufficient water leads to small, seedy berries lacking that juicy pop we all crave. Once established, plants have some drought tolerance, but it’s best to check them once weekly to ensure the soil is moist. Keep a watering schedule until just before your first fall frost to ensure the plants are as healthy as possible going into winter dormancy. Once the ground is frozen, plants cannot uptake water or nutrients, so stop watering until spring. Plants receive water when it rains and snows. Too much water may lead to rot and disease. Soil Soil preferred is well-draining sandy loam that is consistently watered and has a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. If your native soil isn’t conducive to growing raspberries, grab a large container. ‘Heritage’ raspberry plants perform well in pots and shouldn’t need any support. Check their water levels frequently. Before planting, fully rid the area of weeds that may compete with shallow-rooted raspberry roots. If there is grass or stubborn perennial weeds, cover the area with a tarp for about a month. You can also start fresh with a metal raised garden bed. Mulch Apply several inches of organic mulch around your plants to keep weed pressure down, retain moisture, and keep the soil warm and cozy. Wood chips, shavings, compost, bark, and lawn clippings are recommended. To make your own mulched leaves, mow over piled-up leaves a few times until they’re in smaller pieces. These will break down more quickly and add fertility to the soil, encouraging healthy fungi and microbes to flourish. Reapply mulch as materials break down. If you live in colder climates, mulching is an important step for winter preparation. We layer several inches of aged compost to protect the crown and a thick layer of mulched leaves around the base. Add wood chips to the walking paths to increase insulation and reduce muddiness between rows. Climate and Temperature The preferred daytime temperatures are between 65 and 80°F (18-27°C), but ‘Heritage’ raspberries can tolerate much warmer. While hardy down to USDA zone 4, take care when temperatures fall below 5°F (-15°C) to protect the crown and root system. Fertilizing I recommend soil testing before you start a new raspberry patch and starting each season so you know exactly what your soil and raspberries need. When opening up your gardens in the spring, feed established raspberry bushes before new growth begins. Use a well-balanced, slow-release fertilizer like a 10-10-10 and follow the instructions on the packaging. Alternatively, select a fertilizer that’s higher in nitrogen for the first feed of the year to encourage healthy stem growth and foliage, then apply the 10-10-10 around June when new foliage begins. Do not fertilize in late summer or fall. This encourages new growth that may be damaged during frost and winter dormancy. Harvesting ‘Heritage’ raspberries can be harvested in the first year. The light summer crop comes from the canes they came out of dormancy with, and the heavy fall crop comes from the new canes that have popped up this season. Berries release fairly easily from the receptacle, and fruits hold up very well in travel and storage, making it a great option if you bring your berries to a farmers’ market or sell them at a farm stand. Be careful, ‘Heritage’ is thorny! Wear gloves to protect your fingers. Pruning Everbearing or fall-bearing raspberries are referred to as primocane varieties, which means they fruit on fresh wood. For two flushes of fruit, prune similar to floricane varieties, scheduling pruning sessions directly after each fruit flush. Note that the second flush may come very late in the season in northern climates, but it will be larger. Alternatively, cut back plants to two inches during dormancy in early to mid-March. This encourages one large fall crop and makes pruning a cinch, just once per season. New growth will produce the fruits. Remove suckers regularly and discard or share them with gardening friends to control the spread. Propagation Raspberry plants are sold as bare roots or small plants in containers. How you plant them depends on the type of plant you receive. Starting a plant from seed is possible, but it’s a time-consuming and tedious process. While I love starting plants from seeds as much as the next gardener, I advise you to leave the hard work to the experts on this one.

When hot summer days arrive, biting into a homegrown melon is one of the best treats. Join farmer Briana Yablonski to learn how to grow honeydews from seed to harvest. When it comes to melons, honeydew might not be at the top of everyone’s list. However, don’t count these green melons out if you’ve only eaten them as part of a store-bought fruit salad. Homegrown honeydew has a refreshing juiciness and subtle floral flavor that makes it compete with beloved favorites like watermelon and cantaloupe. Honeydew melons grow best in warm climates with plenty of sun and space to spread. But with a little planning and care, even gardeners in cooler regions can enjoy these sweet fruits. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to grow honeydews at home—from seed starting to harvest. What Are Honeydew Melons? Honeydew melons are a type of muskmelon known for their smooth, pale rinds and slightly sweet, light green flesh. They lack the musky fragrance found in cantaloupes and other types, but produce similar trailing vines. While you may be most familiar with the standard honeydew, there are dozens of cultivars with varying skin colors and flavors. All are members of the Cucumis melo species, which also includes cantaloupe and crenshaw types. Unlike their cantaloupe cousins, honeydews don’t emit a strong aroma when ripe, which is how they earned the name “inodorus,” meaning “without scent.” Because they don’t continue to ripen after harvest, proper timing is key if you want to enjoy the melons at the peak of flavor. Characteristics Honeydew melons typically have smooth, slightly waxy skin that ranges from pale green to golden yellow when ripe. The flesh is usually light green, but you’ll also find orange and white-fleshed varieties. The fruit size varies by cultivar, but most of them are between five and ten pounds when mature. Each plant produces long, trailing vines that sprawl multiple feet in every direction. The vines bear yellow flowers, which turn into melons after they’re properly pollinated. Native Area Most historians believe that melons originated in Africa and southwest Asia, with honeydews developing through centuries of cultivation. They made their way to Europe and the Americas through trade and exploration, and became popular in the United States by the early 1900s. Planting Most honeydews take around three months to mature, so it’s important to get them in the ground early enough to ensure they can ripen before cool fall days arrive. However, since these heat-loving plants don’t tolerate cold, wait until after the last spring frost to plant. Honeydews can grow well when directly sown in the garden or transplanted. The best growing method depends on your climate and preferences.

Skip the grocery store and grow pears in your backyard! ‘Bosc’ pear trees are easy to grow and provide a harvest of delicious fruits. Farmer Briana Yablonski shares how to grow these beloved pears at home. While apples are some of the most popular fall fruits, pears come in a close second. Late-ripening varieties like ‘Bosc’ allow you to enjoy juicy fall fruits, and a large harvest means you’ll have plenty to preserve. Plus, since ‘Bosc’ pears have a great storage life, you can continue to enjoy fresh fruits into the winter. Growing pears at home may seem overwhelming, especially if this is your first time planting a fruit tree. However, as long as you have the proper environment, planting and caring for these trees is pretty simple. I’ll explain how to select an ideal location for your ‘Bosc’ pear tree and provide the proper follow-up care. I’ll also share some common problems to look out for and offer tips for preventing and treating these issues. What Is a Bosc Pear? The ‘Bosc’ pear is an heirloom variety of the European pear (Pyrus communis). It’s a popular commercial variety readily available in grocery stores, but it’s delicious enough to warrant growing at home. The fruits have an elongated shape with light brown skin and firm flesh. Native Range Despite their common name, European pears are native to western China. Around 3,000 years ago, they arrived in Europe, where people cultivated them for fresh eating and cider making. Pear lovers cross-pollinated the trees to develop new varieties, such as the ‘Bosc’ pear. This variety emerged sometime in the early 19th century, although its people debate its exact origin. Some people say the pears were first created in Belgium, while others argue they were discovered in France. Regardless, this pear variety made its way to the eastern United States in either 1832 or 1833. While you can still find ‘Bosc’ pears growing in this region today, they are primarily grown in the Pacific Northwest. Characteristics ‘Bosc’ pears stand out from other European pears due to their unique shape, texture, and color. The fruits have a classic pear shape but sport a more elongated neck than varieties like ‘D’Anjou’ and ‘Barlett.’ Their skin is a warm, light brown prone to harmless discolored patches known as russetting. These pears have firmer flesh than many other European pears, so they’re excellent for slicing and using in baked goods. However, their sweet and slightly spicy flavor and noticeable juiciness make them great for fresh eating. ‘Bosc’ pears develop their sweetness when they’re still quite firm, so you can eat them before they’re completely soft. The trees themselves are similar to other European pears. Their mature height depends on the rootstock. Most ‘Bosc’ scions are grafted onto semi-dwarfing rootstocks, so they’ll grow between 10-15 feet tall. However, obtaining smaller trees by grafting onto dwarfing rootstocks and larger ones by grafting onto standard rootstocks is also possible. Planting Bosc Pears There are two main options when it comes to planting pear trees: potted and bare-root. Both options are readily available through in-person and online nurseries and can produce healthy specimens. However, each option has its advantages and requirements, so choose the one that best fits your garden and needs. No matter which option you select, choose a location with well-draining soil and full sun. Be sure you won’t hit any underground utilities when digging, and check for any overhead obstacles that will hit the tree’s growing branches. Pollination requirements: To set fruit, ‘Bosc’ pears require another pear variety that blooms at a similar time. ‘Comice,’ ‘D’Anjou,’ and ‘Corsica’ are all suitable pollinators. Planting Bare-Root Trees Bare-root trees are dormant plants that nurseries dig up, trim, and ship without soil. Their slim design means they’re lighter weight and easier to ship than those growing in containers. Therefore, they’re often less expensive than potted specimens. Since bare-roots are dormant, you must plant them when outdoor vegetation is dormant. You can plant anytime from the late fall through early spring, as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Planting in the fall is ideal since it lets the plants settle into their new home and put on root growth before they break dormancy. A day before you plant your tree, place the roots in water and let them soak for 24 hours. The following day, dig a hole a bit wider than the tree’s roots and set the tree in the hole so the graft union is a few inches above the soil line. Backfill with soil and water well. Planting Potted Trees Container-grown trees grow in plastic pots. Since they are already growing in soil, you don’t have to plant them as soon as you bring them home. Like bare-root trees, fall and spring are the best times to plant. When it’s time to plant, dig a hole as deep as the plant’s rootball and twice as wide. Remove the tree from its container and gently loosen the roots with your hands. Place the tree in the hole, spread the roots, fill it with soil, and water well.