Growing healthy fresh fruit in gardens has been on-trend for centuries, but recently this trend has taken a new turn as many homeowners are choosing to add urban agriculture into their landscape. One of the easiest fruits to begin with are the Rubus plants, with two of the most popular being Raspberry and Blackberry. Rubus is a member of the Rosaceae family bringing edible enjoyment with their plump delicious red, yellow, and black berries.

Native to both North America, Asia, and Europe, raspberries and blackberries produce best when planted in well-drained soil with added compost and in full sun. Planting in an open area with adequate air circulation will help reduce disease problems. Common diseases to watch out for include anthracnose, cane blight, powdery mildew, and phytophthora root rot. A couple of ways to minimize disease include watering the base of the plant only and keeping the plant from sitting in standing water. Potential insect issues are aphids, sawfly, and Japanese beetles. Rubus plants are hungry feeders, so apply a slow-release, organic fertilizer such as Espoma’s Organic Berry-tone in the spring. They also benefit from a thick layer of organic compost used to mulch the plant to retain moisture and reduce weeds.

Raspberries and blackberries vigorously grow from canes starting in early spring. The plants produce suckers that can be cut away from the plant and used to start new plants. Their leaves are oval shaped and grow in groups of 3 to 5. They can be used as tea to help with digestive and inflammatory problems. They begin to bloom in late May or early June with small, white, or pink 5-petaled flowers that produce large amounts of nectar, a favorite of bees and other pollinators. The more bees, the more tasty berries there are to harvest. The berries are an aggregate fruit made up of clusters of fruits called “drupelets” each with its own seed. The average berry has over 100 seeds or fruits. The difference between a raspberry and a blackberry revolves around whether the berry has a hollow core. Raspberries have a hollow core, while blackberries do not. Once the fruit starts coming, it is best to pick the ripe berries every 2 to 3 days to keep the patch healthy and free of unwanted bugs.

Some of Tonkadale’s favorite Rubus varieties include Blackberry ‘Baby Cakes’ and ‘Superlicious’ as well as Raspberry ‘Heritage’, ‘Fall Gold’, ‘Indian Summer’, and ‘Raspberry Shortcake’.