Berry Berry Nice!

By Jos Van Hage

This time of year you can find many people in our area picking ‘Saskatoon berries’ (also know as ‘Service Berry’).

The berries are very similar to those of the blueberry plants as they are dark purple and ½ -1 cm. round. These grow wild in our area on deciduous shrubs which are identified by their smooth dark gray bark, and thin round/oval shaped leaves. The bushes grow 1-5 m. tall and are quite pretty in the spring as they have clusters of pretty white flowers. The shrub often spreads by rhizomes or stolons which if left on their own will form large colonies.

In my own yard I have many wild Saskatoon bushes that I have been tending by clearing away all the weeds, and other wild trees and shrubs away from the Saskatoon bushes and then fertilizing them and giving them water when the weather becomes dry. By doing this I get large berries which are tasty if we can pick them before the birds get to them!  

A problem with the wild Saskatoon bushes is that in the winter the moose and deer come in and eat all the new growth off the bushes which can sometimes make a mess but the shrubs have so far survived quite well and it does stop them from getting too tall.

If you enjoy the taste of Saskatoon berries but do not want to go out in the bush to pick them, you can plant Blueberry bushes in your yard. There are a few varieties that are hardy for our Prince George climate. They grow well on a raised bed or well drained soil containing organic matter which is also slightly acidic with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. Blueberry plants do best in filtered light so that the sun does not dry up the berries which grow on this year’s growth.  To get maximum fruit production you should plant more than one variety so that you have good pollination. The lower varieties produce higher yields of fruit as they are covered by a protective layer of snow over the winter.

There are three different varieties that grow well in our area. The ‘Northland’ has a medium sized fruit which is very sweet. It is consistently productive and has a very vigorous spreading growth habit. Another variety is the ‘Northcountry’ which have a wild blueberry flavour and in the fall the leaves turn a beautiful dark red. The third variety is the ‘Northblue’ which is quick to establish itself and then grows fast and is highly productive. All three of these varieties are mid-season producers.

To increase berry production fertilize plants in spring with a Berry fertilizer such as 4-19-17 which is applied at a rate of 150-300 g. along the drip line (the outer edge of the plants branches).

You can also give the plant some added magnesium by adding 1-2 Tablespoons of Epson salts to the soil in the spring along with some Iron sulphate which will help acidify the soil surrounding the plant.        

-Jos      

Jos VanHage owns and operates three Art Knapp Garden Centres in Prince George

-Highway 97 North

-Highway 97 South at the old Cariboo Highway

-Highway 16 West  

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us