Make A Fruit Garden
15 October 2007

Every gardener should grow some fruit. Apart from the five a day recommendation there is something special about picking and eating truly fresh fruit from your own garden.

Most fruit are tolerant of a range of soils with the exception of waterlogged ground. Even then, swampy, waterlogged soil is essential for a good crop of cranberries.

Position the fruit area in full sun preferably sheltered from cold winds and away from low ground that is prone to late spring frosts.
Start with soil that is free from perennial weeds. Small areas may be dug over by hand removing all of the roots. In large gardens applying glyphosate weedkiller to growing weeds will speed up the process.
Dig in lots of old, well rotted farmyard manure and apply a handful of general purpose fertilizer such as Growmore, per square yard.
Spend time deciding what fruit to grow and how many plants you require.

Where the garden is small tree fruit may be grown and trained against a south facing wall.

Bush and soft fruit need less space but unless you are hoping to corner the market for jam restrict the number of bulky blackcurrant, gooseberry and redcurrant bushes.

A couple of 30 ft long rows of strawberry plants and the same of raspberries should serve the average household. With each select two varieties, one to fruit early and the other late. That way you will have fresh fruit over a longer period. With raspberries there are also autumn fruiting varieties.

Give consideration to growing bush and soft fruit in a cage. It is the best way to protect your crop from birds. It is possible to buy fruit cages in kit form but if you are making your own then the upright poles should be high enough to allow you to walk in without stooping. Make the entrance wide enough for a wheelbarrow. The hinges should make the gate close behind you to keep out unwelcome wildlife. The net may be wire or plastic but sufficiently fine to keep small birds on the outside looking in. Occasionally check for holes. If a bird does get in it will be stuck there and devour every berry.

A layer of coarse grit spread all over the soil will deter slugs and snails and is pleasant to walk on.