If you’re going to grow your own fruit trees in Colorado, you may be wondering which berries are best to grow. When it comes to fruit trees, who wouldn’t want their own? Fresh fruits grown without hazardous pesticides and chemicals are a wonderful treat, but growing your own food also saves you money on shopping bills.
What Fruits Grow Best in Colorado?
Sweet Sixteen, Honeygold, Prairie Spy, Connell Red, Haralson, and Keepsake apples, pears (Luscious) and cherries (Montmorency and Gold), nectarines (Mericrest and Hardired), plums (Toka and Pipestone) and apricots (Madison, Autumn Star, and Redskin) are some of the best-growing fruits in the Centennial State (Chinese and Goldcot).
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Most cultivars can withstand temperatures as low as -25 degrees Fahrenheit if they’re planted near your home.
Quick Facts…
- Only red and yellow raspberries, out of all the bramble fruits, should be planted in Colorado. Several hardy black raspberry cultivars are now available.
- Some blackberry cultivars can be successful, despite their low hardiness.
- Most garden soils, as long as they are rich in organic matter and well-drained, are ideal for growing red raspberries.
- The canes of bramble plants are either annual or biennial, although the plants themselves are perennial.
- Only use disease-free, true-to-name material from trustworthy sources when planting your garden.
- Raspberry yields per acre are estimated at 15 to 20 pounds.
Colorado is a good place to cultivate red and yellow raspberries (Rubus idaeus). It’s possible for native raspberries to grow up to 10,000 feet above sea level. Only red and yellow raspberries should be grown statewide in Colorado due to the state’s unfavorable climate. Lower-elevation parts of the state are ideal for growing a wide variety of blackberries. New hardy black raspberry types such as Niwot and Pequot may be suitable for some sections of the state. Colorado is not the best place to grow purple raspberries (see the variety chart), boysenberries, loganberries, or dewberries.
Types
When it comes to raspberries, there are two types: the “summer-bearing” (floricane, or “June-bearing”) and the “everbearing.” Second-year canes of summer-bearing cultivars produce flowers and fruits once a year. There will be no fruit on the canes in the first year, but the canes will produce fruit in the second year. In their first year of growth, fall-bearing raspberries blossom and bear fruit along the upper parts of canes. The lower segments of these canes may overwinter and produce a small summer crop, followed by a second crop on the tips of the current season’s growth in the fall (up until freezing temperatures).
Varieties
The Front Range appears to be most suited to fall-bearing tree varieties, according to research conducted by Colorado State University. The Western Slope is a good place to grow both fall- and summer-bearing types. Short season, high altitude areas should select hardy cultivars with mid-season yields. A better harvest may be ensured by cultivating a wide range of species. (Recommended Colorado varieties can be found on the variety chart.)
It’s best for places with a short growing season and a high elevation.
Between red and black raspberry, 4Cross
5Bred throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Being put through the wringer in various parts of the state and nation.
Soil Preparation
It’s possible to grow red raspberries in nearly any garden soil, as long as there’s enough organic matter and good drainage. Apply only a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer in the spring for summer-bearing raspberries in a well-drained garden soil. In some parts of Colorado, phosphate fertilizer may be needed. To find out what additional nutrients are required, a soil test is highly suggested.. To find out if enough nitrogen has been applied, look at the growth of the cane. Ideally, the distance between the buds (internodes) is 4″. The more nitrogen you don’t need, the more vigorous the plant becomes, necessitating less or no nitrogen to be added. Zinc, iron, and manganese may be deficient in soils with a pH of 7 or above. Rhubarbs that yield fruit in the fall often require 1.5-2 times as much nitrogen as those that bear fruit in the summer do. Good soil, new bed, or untested are all terms used to describe how much organic matter is present in the soil. No fertilizer is needed in soils with 5% or more organic matter. Three times a year. Adding organic matter to the soil will help preserve water and lower the amount of N that is needed.
The 21-0-0 fertilizer is the basis for this proposal.
Apply enough water to keep the root zone at a moderately moist level. It takes a lot more water during blossom and ripening. Withholding water helps plants harden off following the first frost. Watering in late November helps keep the soil moist throughout the winter.
Planting Raspberries
Rooted suckers are used in the commercial propagation of red and yellow raspberries. Online and mail-order sources make it simple to obtain these. Often referred to as “handles,” these items are commonly available for purchase Dormant cane with a big root mass is used to make a handle that is 12-18 inches long. Rows of 2 to 3 feet apart should be sown in the spring, depending on the variety’s growth characteristics, your preference for pathways and any cultivating equipment that may be utilized. Cut the plant’s tops to 4 to 6 inches below the surface after planting. One hour before planting bare-root plants, soak them in a pail of water.
Canes create a hedge in one or two years after suckers fill in the row. You should leave five to six of the strongest canes per linear foot after pruning during the dormant season.
At ground level, the hedgerow should be no more than 2 feet wide. To conserve water and reduce weed competition, use organic mulch. Trellising
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All bramble crops in Colorado should be trellised. Canes will flop and sprawl if they are not supported, making weed control and harvesting more difficult (and prickly). The wire should be 3 feet above the ground, depending on the kind and trellis structure of the hedges you’re working with. The canes are held in place by these cables. Using soft thread, connect the canes to the wire so that they stand upright. See Fig. 1 for more information. Tip canes at a convenient height for larger fruit size for better yield. Don’t tip canes for greater yield.
Pruning
You can remove the spent floricanes from summer-bearing kinds by chopping them to the ground. These canes should be thrown away since they are a breeding ground for insects and disease. Remove the dead, weak, and undersized canes in the spring. Remove the remaining canes’ winter-killed tips. Pruning fall-bearing varieties can be done in two ways. It is the simplest and most efficient way to remove all of the canes from the ground after harvesting and before spring growth. In the spring, a new crop of canes will be harvested. There is no longer a need for a summer crop, but if an early frost does occur, there is a larger harvest overall. As a second option, canes that produced fruit last year should be pruned back so that they produce fruit again this year. In the fall, the tips of the new canes will produce a harvest. Short-season locations can get at least one harvest out of this strategy. The downside is that it will result in a smaller harvest in the fall.
Do Strawberries Grow Well in Colorado?
They do, in fact. Strawberries, if you didn’t know, are one of the most low-maintenance crops out there.
What are the Best Berries to Grow?
Currants, blueberries, and raspberries have a longer lifespan than strawberries in the home garden.
What Can I Plant Now in Colorado?
Start planting tulips, hyacinths, pansies, alyssum, snapdragons, and daffodils now if you’re thinking about starting a flower garden. You can also plant colorful kale and iris. Beans, cucumbers, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, and spinach can all be grown in a vegetable garden. Strawberry, blueberry and blackberry bushes can also be planted, as well as cranberry and grape vines.
Is Greenhouse Planting A Great Idea?
There is nothing wrong with giving greenhouse gardening a try, since it allows you to develop and maintain the ideal working conditions for your plants. In addition, you’ll have your own private tropical haven, complete with lush vegetation. This will give you an idea of how wonderful greenhouse gardening can be:
Your plants can enjoy the ideal growing conditions
Perhaps the greatest advantage of growing plants in a greenhouse is that you can precisely control how they grow. In contrast to traditional outdoor gardening, which leaves your plants at the whims of Mother Nature, greenhouse gardening allows you to maintain constant levels of temperature and humidity. You’ll be able to get the most out of your plants no matter what the weather is like outside.
You can protect your plants from pests and predators
In your greenhouse, you have complete control over what enters and exits. You can protect your plants in a greenhouse by making it a safe cage. Aphids, caterpillars, the Colorado potato beetle, cabbage maggots, cutworms, and the Mexican flea beetle are some of the pests that may infest your garden.
Aside from the bugs, predators like deer, foxes, raccoons and moles can simply be kept out of the yard.
You won’t have to worry about harsh weather conditions
One of the best things about having your own greenhouse is that you won’t have to be concerned about the safety of your plants in the case of severe weather such as a thunderstorm or a heavy downpour. Your delicate plants will benefit from a layer of protection provided by the greenhouse.
You can extend growing seasons
You’ll be able to grow year-round in your greenhouse since you’ll be able to control the temperature and humidity. As a result, you’ll be able to enjoy strawberries well into the fall.
You can plant anything you like
Another perk of growing plants inside is that you can cultivate whatever type of plant you like. No matter if you’re planting indoors or out, whether they’re native to your area or not, it doesn’t matter. Just think of all the different kinds of fruits, veggies, flowers, and herbs you may possibly manage to cultivate!
You can grow your own food
Growing your own food is better for you because you can avoid dangerous chemicals and pesticides when doing so. Having access to fresh produce all year round and saving money on shopping expenditures is also a benefit of having a garden.
No need for landscaping
One of the most common reasons novice gardeners give up or become frustrated is due to landscaping concerns. It’s not easy to come up with a design that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing. On top of that, landscaping might cost you a lot of money as well.
Gardening in a greenhouse eliminates the need for landscaping. There are a variety of enclosures to choose from, and you may personalize the design to meet your specific demands.
You’ll have your gardening needs in one spot
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The absence of a garden shed is made possible by having a greenhouse of your own. In addition to soil and seeds, you’ll be able to store portable sprinkler systems, hoses, rakes, shovels, lawnmowers, and other gardening equipment in this shed. You’ll like the ease of use, as well as the space savings.
Sun
Blackberries thrive in full sun, but growing them in partial exposure can lessen the risk of fruit scalding in intense afternoon Colorado sunshine. The hot, drying winds that can blow in during the ripening season should be kept away from your shrubs, as well as the partial sunlight they need. Blackberries may fare better in full sun in other places, but in Colorado, the combination of high afternoon sun and hot, dry air can cause fruit to dry up and burn.
Soils
It is possible for blackberries to be sensitive to soils that are too damp. Plant your blackberries in regions that have good drainage capacity. Waterlogged blackberries can’t draw oxygen from their root systems because of the lack of space. Root disease can also affect flooded roots. There’s no perfect soil for blackberries; nonetheless, loamy, fertile soil that can hold some water is ideal. Compost or other organic matter can help turn clay or sand-based soils into loamy soils that drain well.
- Blackberries thrive in full sun, but growing them in partial exposure can lessen the risk of fruit scalding in intense afternoon Colorado sunshine.
Water
No matter what type of blackberry you have in Colorado, irrigation is the same. The root zones should be kept moist all season long. While your bushes are fruiting, increase the amount of water you give them by around 20% or more. Don’t water your blackberries after the first frost to help them harden up. In order to prevent your shrubs from drying out over the winter, give them one final watering in late November.
Winter Protection
Canes must be protected during the winter if they are to produce a harvest of summer-bearing raspberries. ‘Nova’ and ‘Boyne’ cultivars do not appear to require this treatment because they are winter hardy in all but the coldest climates. Summer-blooming cultivars can be cultivated by following the following steps: A shovelful of soil or mulch can be applied to the tops of the canes to keep them in place after November 1. To get the earth to roll over the canes, plow or shovel along each row. Pitchfork the canes out of the ground in early April. Re-fill the furrow with the soil that was used to cover the canes.
Fall-bearing types don’t require winter protection because the canes can be mowed off after harvesting. However, if a summer crop is wanted from these canes, they must be protected in the same manner as raspberries that bear fruit in the summer months are safeguarded. A layer of mulch on top of the soil helps keep plants warm and dry throughout the summer months when there is no snow to protect them.
Yield
Under ideal circumstances, a 25-foot hedge row of red raspberries can produce 15 to 20 pounds of fruit per year. After that, productivity is anticipated to progressively fall. A new location should be found at least 50-75 feet distant, where no brambles or solanaceous plants have been in four years. New, disease-free stock should be used as a starting point.
Disease and Insects
As with other cultivated plants, raspberries are susceptible to a wide range of illnesses and insects. If you choose high-quality, disease-free raspberry types, you can avoid most of these issues for several years. This usually entails purchasing bare-root plants via mail order. The best time to plant them is between April and May.
Spider mites can infest raspberries over the Front Range during periods of hot, dry weather. It is possible to tell if mites are present in a plant by looking for tiny yellow dots on its leaves that gradually become brown or bronze. Keeping healthy plants is the best defense against mite infestations. Applying a well-balanced fertilizer once a year in May is the minimum need. During the months of June and July, many plants will benefit from additional fertilization. Make certain plants are well hydrated as well. Spider mites love drought-stressed raspberry vines because they may feed and breed there. Avoid overcrowding your plants, as this makes it easier for mites to thrive in an overcrowded environment. In order to achieve this, remove the weakest and most fragile canes from the planting to allow more light and air to reach the heart of the tree. Watering the leaves on a regular basis, especially in warmer weather, will help keep mite numbers under control.
Many beneficial arthropod predators are also killed by insecticides, making them less efficient at combating mites. A “summer weight” (2 percent) application of horticultural oil is frequently the finest option for a spray.
Borers of the raspberry cane have the potential to be a significant pest in the Rocky Mountain state. The canes’ tops suddenly wilt and droop are symptoms of this bug. Without management, the white borer larvae eat their way through the middle of the cane, killing it.
The easiest way to manage your garden is to remove any damaged canes as soon as you see them. Most of their damage is done between mid-May and mid-June, however this varies by area. An undamaged piece of the cane may be salvaged if the larvae is detected early enough when it is still near the cane’s tip, allowing it to produce fruit.
The spotted wing drosophila arrived in Colorado in 2013 as a new species. To lay its eggs, it has a saw-toothed ovipositor, which makes it unusual from other fruit flies. Keep fresh berries in the refrigerator, clean up any fruit that falls, and keep an eye on the traps and monitors.
References
- Growing Raspberries. F. T. Lawrence. Farmers Bulletin 2165, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-0001, 1979.
- There is a fifth edition of Shoemaker’s book on small fruit culture published by AVI Publishing Company in 1977.
- Raspberries and Blackberries Production Guide for the Northeastern, Midwestern, and Eastern Canada by Bushway, L., Pritts, M.P. and Handley D.T. In Ithaca, New York, NRAES-35 was held in 2008.
- Thor Lindstrom with the rest of the cast: Britney Hunter, Rick Heflebower, Shawn Olsen, Brent Black, Diane Alston Utah State University Extension, A Comparison of 16 Summer-Bearing Raspberry Cultivars for Northern Utah, January 2015
All three of these experts are members of the Colorado State University Extension Vegetable Crop Specialist and Associate Professor (Retired) in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, respectively. Extension agents Yvette Henson and Susan Carter from Colorado State University (CSU) provided the most recent revision on 4/20/2011.
Final Thoughts on the Best Berries to Grow in Colorado
The best berries to grow in Colorado can be attained through greenhouse gardening, regardless of whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a novice who is still learning the ropes. The investment you made in a greenhouse was well worth it.
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