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.

The ‘Duke’ blueberry variety is grown for its prolific production and ability to withstand cold. Gardening expert Madison Moulton explains how to take care of this blueberry bush best Growing fruits reliably can be tricky for gardeners in colder climates. There is a balance required— some plants need a certain amount of cold exposure to fruit successfully, but too much frigid weather can damage some species. Blueberry lovers in colder regions won’t need to worry when growing the ‘Duke’ variety. This northern highbush is one of the hardiest blueberries available, suitable for frosty regions around the United States. They are also easy to grow when following these simple guidelines. What Is It? ‘Duke’ is a northern highbush blueberry variety known for its cold-hardy nature. These shrubs don’t mind a little chill, growing in USDA Zones 4-7. They produce flowers a little later in the season, avoiding issues with frost and ensuring cold-region gardeners don’t have to worry about frost protection. Although flowering is later, this variety is also one of the earlier producers. You can typically start harvesting berries at the beginning of summer, unlike other varieties like ‘Pink Lemonade’, which only start ripening in the middle of the season. The bush not only has berries that ripen early, but it also produces mountains of them – agricultural researchers assert it is one of the most prolific producers you can grow. You won’t have a shortage of delicious purple-blue berries to snack on if you choose ‘Duke.’ Planting Once you’ve purchased your blueberry bush, you’re bound to be excited to get it in the ground. However, it’s best to give it a little time to adjust before you plant. Changing environments are stressful for any plant, especially when they’ve been growing in optimal conditions at the nursery. For the first few days, keep your ‘Duke’ blueberry in a partially shaded area in its container. Avoid areas with high winds, as this can increase stress. Keep the soil lightly moist but not waterlogged until you’re ready to start the planting process. Don’t wait too long either – they only need a few days to adapt and limit shock. Plant within the first week in the shrub’s final home. Once your blueberry bush is acclimated, choose an ideal location for planting. Full sun is best for the highest possible yield, but these plants can also grow in partial sun. Soil is an important consideration, as blueberries are acid-loving plants. They won’t be happy in soil with a pH above 5.5 and prefer an even lower pH around 4.5 for the best possible growth. Test your soil and amend it until you achieve the right pH before planting. With your location identified, start digging the hole. It should be around twice as wide as the container and only slightly deeper, encouraging the roots to grow outwards into the soil. Lower the bush into the hole and plant at the same level it was at in the container, filling in the gaps with rich soil mix. Press down around the base of the plant to settle the roots in place and remove any large air pockets that may require a soil top-up. Water immediately after planting to prevent any further stress and encourage the roots to stretch deep into the soil. If you’re planting another blueberry bush simultaneously, leave at least 5 feet of space between each plant. Overcrowding can increase your risk of disease in both plants and increase competition for resources. However, growing multiple blueberries will improve pollination and overall yields.

Tasty, tropical guava is a farmer’s market favorite in warm climate zones. Learn how to grow this treat of a tree with Florida gardener Melissa Strauss. If you want a tropical fruit tree that matures quickly and produces lots of sweet, juicy fruit, ‘Barbie Pink’ guava fits the bill. Maturing in as few as eight years, this fruit tree can live for 40 years or more. These long-lived trees are great for growing in the ground in warm climates, but they also thrive in containers. Let’s learn how to grow these attractive, tasty fruits. What Is It? Legend has it that guavas were once considered an inedible fruit. A kind young boy who wanted to feed a beggar prayed to the gods to make the fruit edible. The gods, impressed by his kindness, transformed the fruit into the sweet, tart, and tangy delicacy we know and love today. ‘Barbie Pink’ is a beautiful, evergreen variety of guava tree that produces sweet and tangy fruits with vibrant, pink flesh. It grows beautifully in warm climate gardens. In cooler climates, you can also keep this tree in a large container as a patio tree. It’s a low-maintenance, sturdy tree that will bear fruit early, and plentifully. Cultivated for as long as 5,000 years, guavas were first domesticated in Peru. Impressed with the delicious fruits, explorers from Spain and Portugal brought the tree to the West Indies and Florida. They traveled across the ocean with their tropical treasure, which led to its introduction in Asia and India. Growing up in South Florida, I can scarcely remember a trip to Miami that didn’t include a Cuban coffee and a guava and cream cheese pastry. If you’ve never tasted one, they are as delicious as they sound and worth every calorie. Characteristics This evergreen tree is popular in tropical climates as an attractive member of ornamental landscapes. However, delicious fruits are the main reason for planting them. Guava trees can grow up to 20 feet tall, but generally, we prune them to keep them compact and easier to harvest from. Prune them to 10-15 feet, and they will spread nearly as wide as they are tall. Light brown, mottled bark covers the sturdy trunk of this shrubby evergreen. The leaves are large, ovate, and deep, glossy green. In spring, attractive white blossoms have a scent similar to the fruits. The guavas mature from green to yellow when ripe, and have a strong, wonderful aroma. Inside is the prettiest pink flesh dotted with tender, edible seeds. The fruit is a rich source of nutrients, including fiber, potassium, folate, and B vitamins, but packs the greatest punch of vitamin C. The seeds are also fiber-rich and full of antioxidants, making them a digestive powerhouse. Native Area Pink and red guavas are native predominantly to Mexico and tropical America. ‘Barbie Pink’ is a variety bred in Florida. These plants make the invasive list in South Florida but are perfectly fine to grow in Central Florida. Elsewhere, they are not invasive. Grow in Florida with care, and make sure to harvest the fruit. Do not allow it to re-seed. Planting The ideal time to plant your guava is in summer. June or July are the best months. To grow it in a container, timing is not important, just make sure to bring it indoors for the winter. Guava trees like loose soil in which to establish their roots. To plant this tree, dig a hole that is three to four times the diameter of the root ball and three times as deep. This may seem excessive, but it will pay off. Loosening the soil this way will allow for fast and healthy root development. Backfill the hole so that when you position your plant, the root ball is level with the surrounding earth. Position the plant in the hole and backfill around it. No need to amend the soil in most cases. Tap down the soil and water your tree thoroughly. Guava trees have roots that can be aggressive and extend beyond the drip line. They can send up shoots farther than you might expect when planted in loose soil. Make sure to plant far enough away from any buildings or structures, and give them space from other trees, as well.