I’d say raspberries are the only thing that pay for themselves out of everything we grow.
Tomatoes have the highest yield I think, and over a long period of the year. That would be the best as a “food source”, although not cheaper than store bought.
In general it’s just a hobby, it’s not economic and you need a lot of land and effort to supply even for a single person. No wonder some 95% of population were farmers in pre-industrial era.
Blueberries are sensitive and require acidic soil. When you get that right they can pay for themselves, although they tend to be cheaper by weight than raspberries store-bought here (ymmv).
Blackberries are a scourge and I wouldn’t recommend anyone to grow them, especially in a variety garden. They spread rapidly, suffocate anything they touch, have thorns everywhere, and they are nigh impossible to get rid of. It’s great to have on the edge of your garden - if you hate your neighbor.
If raspberries were dog, blackberries would be rabid wolfs. I don’t even care if the fruit was golden.
Your hardiness zone is probably the best way to decide what kind of berries to grow. In my experience, compared to most other crops, berries are most likely to be cheaper when grown at home versus buying at the store. I’d recommend looking at what berries grow best in your zone, then choose cultivars based on what growing conditions you can provide.
Blackberries tend to need a lot of space, growing an average of 2m high and 1.5m across. When I was little, one of my neighbors had a blackberry patch and some of the plants were over 3m tall.
Raspberry plants are marginally smaller, growing an average of 1.5m high and 1m across, though there are some dwarf varieties that can thrive in patio containers.
Blueberries are moderate in size and can be grown in containers, but they thrive best in acidic soils. Plant near pine trees, or mulch with pine needles for good results. You can also fertilize with specific blends that increases acidity specifically for blueberries.
Strawberries are fairly easy to grow. The only downside is the most varieties only fruit once a year in late spring/early summer. Varieties that produce all summer are still tasty, but they are typically just a little bit sweeter than store bought. The great thing about strawberries is that if you have half-decent soil and don’t prune runners, they will propagate endlessly with very little upkeep.
I planted several gooseberry bushes on my property. They take a few years to start putting out berries, but once they do it’s so nice. Unripe gooseberries are tart and great for making pies and jams. When ripe they are sweeter, but not too sweet, and I love eating them fresh off the bush… as long as I can get to them before birds do.
I also have several aronia, chokecherry, and elderberry bushes. Their berries are smaller and more tart that other ‘dessert’ berries, most suitable for syrups or mixed into desserts or jams. Supposedly their health benefits are phenomenal, but I discount a lot of that kind of talk and just enjoy using them where and when I can.
I’ve also planted a Hawthorne tree that puts out a ton of berries each year, but one thing I didn’t realize is that they are extremely susceptible to rust (fungal disease), and if I don’t treat it every spring when it flowers then I won’t be able to use the berries in the fall. When I do treat it, and I do get around to using the berries, they taste like a cross between an apple and a cranberry, and I like to use them in my thanksgiving stuffing/dressing and cranberry sauces.
I’d say raspberries are the only thing that pay for themselves out of everything we grow.
Tomatoes have the highest yield I think, and over a long period of the year. That would be the best as a “food source”, although not cheaper than store bought.
In general it’s just a hobby, it’s not economic and you need a lot of land and effort to supply even for a single person. No wonder some 95% of population were farmers in pre-industrial era.
do you think other berries would be as advantagious. Like blackberries or blueberries?
Blueberries are sensitive and require acidic soil. When you get that right they can pay for themselves, although they tend to be cheaper by weight than raspberries store-bought here (ymmv).
Blackberries are a scourge and I wouldn’t recommend anyone to grow them, especially in a variety garden. They spread rapidly, suffocate anything they touch, have thorns everywhere, and they are nigh impossible to get rid of. It’s great to have on the edge of your garden - if you hate your neighbor.
If raspberries were dog, blackberries would be rabid wolfs. I don’t even care if the fruit was golden.
ok that is good to know. I sorta knew about the thorns but for some reason I tought there was thorny species and non thorny ones.
Your hardiness zone is probably the best way to decide what kind of berries to grow. In my experience, compared to most other crops, berries are most likely to be cheaper when grown at home versus buying at the store. I’d recommend looking at what berries grow best in your zone, then choose cultivars based on what growing conditions you can provide.
Blackberries tend to need a lot of space, growing an average of 2m high and 1.5m across. When I was little, one of my neighbors had a blackberry patch and some of the plants were over 3m tall. Raspberry plants are marginally smaller, growing an average of 1.5m high and 1m across, though there are some dwarf varieties that can thrive in patio containers. Blueberries are moderate in size and can be grown in containers, but they thrive best in acidic soils. Plant near pine trees, or mulch with pine needles for good results. You can also fertilize with specific blends that increases acidity specifically for blueberries.
Strawberries are fairly easy to grow. The only downside is the most varieties only fruit once a year in late spring/early summer. Varieties that produce all summer are still tasty, but they are typically just a little bit sweeter than store bought. The great thing about strawberries is that if you have half-decent soil and don’t prune runners, they will propagate endlessly with very little upkeep.
I planted several gooseberry bushes on my property. They take a few years to start putting out berries, but once they do it’s so nice. Unripe gooseberries are tart and great for making pies and jams. When ripe they are sweeter, but not too sweet, and I love eating them fresh off the bush… as long as I can get to them before birds do.
I also have several aronia, chokecherry, and elderberry bushes. Their berries are smaller and more tart that other ‘dessert’ berries, most suitable for syrups or mixed into desserts or jams. Supposedly their health benefits are phenomenal, but I discount a lot of that kind of talk and just enjoy using them where and when I can.
I’ve also planted a Hawthorne tree that puts out a ton of berries each year, but one thing I didn’t realize is that they are extremely susceptible to rust (fungal disease), and if I don’t treat it every spring when it flowers then I won’t be able to use the berries in the fall. When I do treat it, and I do get around to using the berries, they taste like a cross between an apple and a cranberry, and I like to use them in my thanksgiving stuffing/dressing and cranberry sauces.