Soft Fruits & Perennial Vegetables

Black Currants

Cranberry

Botanical name:
Vaccinium oxycoccos,
Vaccinium macrocarpon.

Origins:
Can be found growing wild in the marshlands of northern and central Europe, but its larger American cousin, Vaccinium macrocarpon, is the species that is more commonly cultivated.

Captain Henry Hall became the first person to commercially cultivate cranberries in Dennis, Massachusetts in 1816.

Types: Popular varieties to grow in the UK include 'Early Black', 'Pilgrim', 'Redstar' and 'Stevens'.

Skill level: Easy to grow. These hardy plants require very little attention once established, as long as you can provide the right soil conditions.

Preferred location and conditions: Cranberries require moist, acidic, lime-free soil, ideally at pH level 4.5. They prefer a sunny site and thrive beside a river or pond but can also grow well in pots.

Harvest time:
Plants should start to fruit prolifically from the third year. They are ready to harvest from September and should be picked before the first frost.

Possible problems: Cranberries are resistant to most pests and diseases; most problems are caused by incorrect moisture levels or the pH level (acidity/alkalinity) of the soil. Where birds are a problem, netting can be used to protect the plants.

Health benefits: Cranberries are considered a superfood, thanks to their high nutritional content and wide-ranging health benefits. They’re particularly high in disease-fighting antioxidants, outranking almost every other fruit and vegetable (including spinach and broccoli). They’re rich in vitamins C, A and K as well as flavonoids, which help lower the risk of heart problems.

Most commonly known as a popular way to ward off cystitis, they are also anti-inflammatory, helping to prevent arthritis, cardiovascular disease and strokes. They contribute to good cholesterol and can help lower blood pressure. Cranberries are naturally low in calories, fat and sodium

Blueberry

Botanical name: Vaccinium corymbosum (some blueberry varieties are hybrids with other species too)

Origins is a North American native that has naturalised in Europe, Japan and New Zealand

First cultivated: Elizabeth White (daughter of a New Jersey farmer) and botanist Frederick Coville harvested and sold the first commercial crop of blueberries out of Whitesbog, New Jersey in 1916

Type: ‘Bluecrop’

Preferred location and conditions: The plants need moist, well-drained, acidic soil in a sunny and sheltered spot add ericaceous compost

Harvest time: 

July to September

Planting and growing: The soil needs to be pH 5.5 or lower, and watered regularly. 

Plant in the autumn and winter and mulch in the spring.

Blueberries may take a few years to reach their full fruiting potential may have only a couple of berries in the first year.

Possible problems:  

Birds sometimes eat the fruits, buds and leaves, so use netting to protect the plants when necessary 

Marionberry

Is a cultivar of blackberry released in 1956 by the USDA Agricultural Research Service breeding program in cooperation with Oregon State University. It is named after Marion County, Oregon, where the berry was bred and tested extensively in the mid-20th century.

Scientific name: Rubus 'Marion'

Cultivar: 'Marion'

Genus: Rubus

Hybrid parentage: 'Chehalem' × 'Olallie'

Origin: Marion County, Oregon, 1956

Donated by Lee Schofield