Creating new Fruit bushes and plants

Creating new Fruit Bushes and Plants

Buying fruit bushes, trees, canes and plants can be very expensive, especially when you are looking to establish a row of bushes or canes, or you are hoping for a whole strawberry bed.

Yet creating your own is both cheap and easy. That said, I have not yet attempted to propagate my own fruit trees and I guess, I’m not likely to try it as I now have nowhere to plant them anyway.

But, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries are easy to reproduce.

If you already have established bushes, canes and plants this process can be done now or as soon as the plants become dormant (In the case of fruit bushes and raspberry canes the leaves will have fallen. With strawberry plants the leaves will become rather weather beaten, no new leaves will be developing on the ‘mother’ plants and established plants will have sent out runners – each runner will probably have 2 or 3 potential new plants).

Strawberries  - prepare the new bed (for my plot, I like to have an area well dug, well manured and covered by 2 metre wide woven plastic covering with crosses cut into it where I intend to put my new plants. I find that this keeps weeds under control, prevents too much evaporation and allows water filter through. I will extend the bed across the width of my plot, which will allow me an area for 4 plants x 9 plants = 36 in all. Once established, this area produces a lot of strawberries. I usually try to keep 2 beds of this size going at the same time though, established in different years. You should aim to replace a bed every three years – this is the recommended time for optimum crop production).

You will find that each established plant will produce 3 to 4 strong runners, each having 2 – 3 potential young plants. Where they can, these young plants will root into the ground close to the parent plant. Fill small pots with soil or compost and peg these young plants into the pots – use a piece of bent wire to hold the young plants in place. When they have rooted securely into the pots you can cut them free from the parent and plant them out into the new bed. Some may not ‘take’ so keep a few extras to fill-in. Strawberry runners are pretty hardy and tenacious creatures, they can be established by removing from the parent plant in the dormant season and pegging them straight into their new bed. But, be prepared for a higher rate of failure. This is not too important if you have lots of runners available.

If you don’t already have an established strawberry bed, you might like to befriend a neighbour who has, who is likely to let you take their runners.

Currants and Gooseberries – although they can be reproduced by layering this is not the easiest method. Taking hardwood cuttings is probably the easiest.

For Blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries you will need to take ‘hardwood’ cuttings. These need to be from this year’s new growth which will, by now, have turned hard. Old wood does not establish easily. You will need to cut straight, disease-free (in blackcurrants especially, check for big-bud). Using secateurs or a sharp pruning knife remove the top, close to a young bud. Cut diagonally to prevent water sitting on the cut wood and rotting. At the base, cut diagonally, close to the bottom bud.

Blackcurrants – around 8 inches ( 20cms long).

Gooseberries  - around 10 inches (25cm long)

Redcurrants   - around 10 inches (25cm long – remove the lower buds, leaving 3 – 4 for above the soil.)

Prepare a bed where the young cuttings can be established and push the cuttings into the ground leaving 3 – 4 ‘buds’ above ground. Allow 10inches, 25 cm between each cutting. Make sure the ground is moist and is not allowed to dry out. Birds, particularly blackbirds are fond of the young buds of these bushes so you might find it useful to cover them with net, along with their parent plants.

Raspberries – you will find that your established raspberry canes (as long as they have been well looked after and have been well manured), will put out suckers. These suckers will grow into next year’s productive canes. However, allow only 3 – 4 new canes for each plant, depending on the strength of the established plant. Any extras or those canes growing outside their allotted area should be cut away. (For canes close to the parent, keep only those which are strongest.)

For strong new canes which are growing 30cms or 1 ft away from the allotted area, they can be used to create new plants. They should be far enough away to avoid disturbing the parent plant. By this time of year, these suckers will have established roots. Dig down to uncover the roots and cut them free from the parent plant, through the – ‘sucker stem’.

These young plants can then be established in a new bed. Plant 15inches – 30cm apart.

Thieving magpies

I have known for some time that they were helping themselves from my gardening bag – of food that I bring to the allotment for the birds. However, I have been amused and amazed by their arrogance and cockiness. They always work in pairs (one keeps watch while the other thieves) – how they share out their spoils I have yet to see. They love cheese – which is the treat they have stolen in these photos but, I guess they are looking for high fat food to ensure their survival through the winter. Bless them, I did set them up!