
Course Outline - Welcome!
Grow blueberries in sunny, moist, well-drained acidic soil with ericaceous compost, ideally with two plants for better yields; water with rainwater, mulch with pine needles, and prune after five years.
Grow blackberries, loganberries, and tayberries with simple pruning, propagation, and support techniques. Learn about floricanes, fruiting on previous year's growth, feeding, and protecting these hardy, sun-loving cane fruits.
Select strawberry varieties, set up optimal sun, moisture, and soil pH, propagate new plants from runners, rotate plots, and deter slugs and birds for extended harvest.
Grow gooseberries by planting at soil level, pruning to fruit spurs, in partial shade, and watering at the base. Harvest begins in year two, June–August, with netting protecting from birds.
Grow raspberries by mastering summer and autumn fruiting types, pruning needs, and simple propagation methods. Provide rich soil, full sun, supports, and pest protection for a reliable harvest.
Plant blackcurrants three inches deeper than surrounding soil and prune to ground level to boost two-year growth and future fruit. Water at the base, feed in spring, protect with netting from birds, and prune from year three.
Learn how to grow red currants and white currants, their thornless nature, and how to site, feed in spring, water, protect from birds, and prune in February and July.
Learn to grow figs outdoors or in containers, especially brown turkey, restrict roots to boost fruiting, prune for manageability, protect against frost and birds, and harvest ripe fruits.
Welcome! This course is aimed at beginner and intermediate gardening enthusiasts.
Even if do not have enough space for a garden, all the Soft fruits mentioned here can also be grown in pots - so no excuse not to enjoy great homegrown fruit.
In putting this course together, I have tried to structure it in a way that provides simple step-by-step guides for growing your own delicious organic Soft Fruits.
The aim is to make growing easy and accessible to all. Part of the fun of developing 'green fingers' is simply having a go, with the added satisfaction of tasting fruit from plants you have nurtured.
As the great chef Gino D'Acampo passionately believes, the goal should be "Minimum effort, maximum satisfaction!"
To that end, this course covers the following 8 different types of Soft Fruits:
1). Blueberries
2). Blackberries, Loganberries and Tayberries
3). Strawberries
4). Gooseberries
5). Raspberries
6). Blackcurrants
7). Redcurrants and Whitecurrants
8). Figs
Where possible, my approach is to promote organic growing methods. Once you've tasted the flavour and nutritional health benefits of your own organic soft fruits, you'll never want to buy them in the shops again!
Some background about the author:
Brian Matthews has been a professional gardener with over 20 years gardening experience, for both public and private clients. He is a graduate of the Irish National Botanic Gardens & also hold RHS certification. In more recent times, he has been teaching part-time as a Horticultural tutor for the last 4 years on accredited courses run in public schools.