Country Living in a Cariboo Valley

Homesteading in BC

How to Plant Fruit Trees in the Backyard

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Have you ever wondered How to Plant Fruit Trees in your backyard but you’re not sure where to get started? Keep reading for all the best tips so you can start cultivating your very own trees for fresh and delicious fruits!

Apple tree with a graphic that says how to plant fruit trees.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to plant fruit trees and get started growing your own fruits!

 

Why You Should Plant your Own Fruit Trees

The most obvious reason is this: once mature, they’ll provide lots of fresh fruit! You can experience the joy of picking tree-ripened fruit in your own yard and have delicious fruits to boot.

You can eat these fruits as healthy and home-grown snacks, use apples for baking, to making smoothies for breakfast, and so much more! I enjoy making Dehydrated Apple Slices with my apple harvest.

This will save you money in the long run, as long as you’re willing to be patient and care well for the trees.

But aside from the fruit, the trees are also great for contributing to a healthy ecosystem in your yard. They produce lots of oxygen which can increase your air quality, and they also attract a whole slew of wildlife.

In addition, before the fruits grow, the trees will flower beautifully and provide gorgeous scenery before the fruits develop throughout the summer.

This guide has some information on how to plant apple trees in clay soil, as well as general information about planting all kinds of different fruit trees, including dwarf fruit trees.

 

When to Plant Fruit Trees

Fall is the best time for planting fruit trees – planting fruit trees in fall or the very late summer gives the trees time to settle in before the winter cold sets in.

You can plant a fruit tree in the spring – just be sure to give it regular watering ALL season long until the winter comes. Here’s how we got started with fruit trees on our homestead. We decided on planting apple trees.

Now, our trees are loaded with fruit each year and we really enjoy a good Apple harvest! Think about getting a couple of fruit trees for your yard and then….get them planted.

The branch of an apple tree.
Growing your own fruit is a great way to save money and know exactly where your food is coming from.

We talked to the fellow at the nursery and he suggested these trees – there are 4 different kind of apples on each tree.

And the tree is hardy to this area (which is something that is important here where the Winters can get so cold).

fruit tree
This particular apple tree was labeled to let us know what kind of apples would grow.

Each branch is labelled as to the type of apple. If we treat these fruit trees well, we should have a good bounty of different apples.

I love planting things once and getting the rewards every single year. We grow perennial foods here like Rhubarb and Asparagus.

Learning how to grow fruit trees include digging a very deep and wide hole in soil.
Be sure to dig a large enough hole for the roots of the tree to take hold.

Preparing for Planting Fruit Trees

So, in the Fall we got them planted. That hole in the above picture may not look very big or deep, but it is. It is easily 2 times the width and depth of the fruit tree itself.

This is a very important step. Prepare your hole well! You only get one chance at it – make sure you dig a deep and wide hole.

You can see that the natural soil here is clay, just by looking at the picture. It is much more difficult to garden with and so we are always amending it.

Here is how to improve clay soil, which is a good step to take before learning how to plant fruit trees in clay soil.

Measuring the depth of a planting hole with a potted tree.
You only have one real chance to plant the tree, so make sure the planting hole is deep enough!

This picture above gives a better idea of just how deep that hole is. I have added lots of very well composted manure already. Then I set the tree in the hole and stand back.

Depth for Planting Fruit Trees

I am trying to determine whether I have:

  1. Dug the hole deep enough
  2. Added a deep enough layer of manure or top soil

This is very important – you want the tree to sit at the same level as it was sitting in the pot. The picture is a bit deceiving – don’t look at the top of the pot – look at the trunk of the fruit tree. It is at a good level here for planting.

Adding manure to a planting hole. An important part of how to grow fruit trees is the addition of compost
Adding some kind of compost or manure for additional nutrients can help trees settle in.

I removed the fruit tree from the center of the hole and put in 3 good handfuls of Bonemeal.

You only get one chance to fortify the planting hole, so make sure you do this before setting your tree in the ground.

Using a shovel to break up an apple tree's root ball.
Sometimes the root ball needs to be coaxed apart to encourage proper rooting.

Here’s the Apple tree out of the pot – can you see how rootbound it is? I never just plop plants in the hole like this, as usually the plant is rootbound.

Rootbound Fruit Trees

I like to either loosen up the rootball by prying it apart with my fingers or using a shovel, like I did with this Apple tree.

Score the rootball all the way around. What we want is for the roots to be free, it is OK to slice them with your shovel. This way, once planted the roots will begin to spread and grow.

You can also plant bare-root trees, as long as you don’t bury the graft union when planting. (This is the raised bulge that should remain above the surface when a tree is planted.)

A newly planted apple tree.
Once planted, be sure to care for your tree to ensure it roots properly and can start to grow fruits!

How to Plant Fruit Trees

Finally, in goes the fruit tree, root ball first. I then backfill the hole with more well composted manure. Use organic fertilizer if you don’t have compost. Tamp down the soil to eliminate potential air pockets.

This apple tree is already staked and we will leave the tree stakes in for at least a year. After the backfilling, I make a “well” so that any water the tree gets will not run off.

Keep in mind that many fruit trees are attached to a rootstock, and the join should be above the ground as opposed to buried.

The nursery guy told me to water it when I first plant it. Then water it once a week if the weather is very hot.

If there is some rain, water the young tree once every two weeks. Letting the tree roots dry out between watering will encourage it to send out feeder roots.

It will become settled in faster and the tree trunk will grow better.

An apple on the branch. Learning how to grow fruit trees means lots of free fruit to harvest.
Plant a fruit tree in your yard and get fruit every year.

The finishing step is to put a palmful of tree and shrub fertilizer around the base of the tree. If you’re using mulch, try to avoid letting the mulch touch the trunk of the tree.

Normally, we don’t use fertilizers of any kind here, except for the composted manure. With these trees, I was advised to use some and I think that is a good idea.

The best tips for planting fruit trees in the backyard.
Keep reading for even more tips and tricks about how to grow fruit trees in your own backyard.

Hopefully these two Apple trees will contribute nicely to the other fruits we grow here, including Raspberries, Strawberries, Rhubarb and Saskatoon berries.

It’s great that we don’t have to buy fruit at the grocery store! Consider planting a couple of fruit trees this year.

 

How to Care for Fruit Trees

  • Try to keep pests away. Insects, fungi, and diseases can easily ruin a perfectly good fruit tree. With proper monitoring, you’ll be able to keep trees healthy. Employ other plants that have natural repellent properties, rely on natural repellents, or choose types of trees that are particularly hearty, disease-resistant, or inherently resistant to pests.
  • Plant at the proper times. Any time after the frost is gone in the spring is okay, as long as the ground is fairly dry.
  • Like many plants, deal with weeds as necessary. You don’t want other plants competing for nutrients or space.
  • If you live in an area with lots of deer, you may want to employ some kind of fence, like this fruit tree fencing, to prevent them from chewing up your trees.

 

FAQs

When is the best time to plant fruit trees?

This can vary depending on the variety of fruit tree you’re planting, but a good window of time is typically late winter or early spring.

As long as the ground isn’t frozen, you should be able to dig a decently sized hole that will be big enough for any fruit tree. You can also plant early in the fall in some cases.

Check your local nursery to see if they’re displaying bare-root fruit trees or other fruiting plants. That’s typically a good sign that you can start planting.

As long as you plant before summer begins, the root system will have time to take hold and adapt to the new setting. This will prevent extra stress in the summer when it comes time to flower and grow leaves and fruit.

 

Learn how to grow fruit trees like this growing apple tree.
Learning how to grow fruit trees means decades of healthy organic fruit.

Can you plant fruit trees in the fall?

Some say that fall is actually the best time to plant fruit trees, as it will give the tree roots maximum time to take hold and establish themselves before the following summer.

Hearty fruit trees, like apple trees, peach trees, pear trees, and cherry trees are especially good for planting in the fall.

They’ll hold up well through the winter and be ready to start growing tasty fruits in the late spring and summer.

How to plant fruit trees in clay soil?

There are certain kinds of fruit trees that are better suited for clay soil. Some trees, like avocados, citrus, and sweet cherries, require more drainage or are just intolerant to heavy clay soils.

But some apple trees, certain kinds of peach trees, and tart cherry trees are good for clay soil.

It also depends what kind of clay soil you have. A soil pH of between 5.5 and 7.5 can indicate clay loam, as long as there’s good drainage.

Too much moisture can lead to root rot in many trees. This kind of clay soil is generally okay for most fruit tree varieties.

There are also certain solutions to planting in clay soil. One such solution is to use compost in order to gradually change the soil’s composition to be more receptive to fruit trees.

 

Apple tree with lots of growing apples on it.
Want apple harvests like this one? Learn how to grow fruit trees.

This will take some time and patience, but is a great way to naturally improve your soil.

Otherwise, you can plant in raised beds or opt for dwarf trees, which can be grown in large planters or large pots. Dwarf variety fruit trees can also be moved inside for some of the year in some cases.

In these cases, it is always best to use one of these heavy duty dollies with wheels to make it much easier to move large pots.

What are some of the best fruit trees to plant?

When it comes to choosing a fruit tree, there are many variables to keep in mind. Soil quality, climate, and amount of space are all important.

That being said, here’s a list of some popular fruit trees to grow. Use this as a starting point and decide which varieties will work best in your particular area, as long as which types of fruit you’re most interested in growing, eating, and even selling!

Best Types of Fruit Trees

  • Apple Trees – This is a classic option, and one that’s great for beginners. Apple trees are hearty and versatile and can grow in a wide variety of climates. Recommended in zones 3-9, apple trees required little maintenance once planted and will start bearing fruit in anywhere from 2 to 4 years.
  • Lemon Trees – If you have soil that’s unsuitable for planting, lemon trees are a great option to plant in pots or planters. They can add a tropical and exotic flair to any yard, and many can even be grown indoors during the winter. Lemons are best grown in zones 9-11 and require proper pruning and a good citrus feed to flourish.
  • Plum Trees – Generous yielders, plum trees are another easy variety. They’re also typically compact and don’t take up too much space. Like apple trees, they can be grown anywhere from zone 3 to zone 9.
  • Cherry Trees – Looking for something that will brighten up your yard in the spring? Cherry trees are known for their gorgeous pink flowers, and they’re also considered a beautiful autumn tree. Not to mention the gorgeous red fruits in the summer! Low maintenance cherry trees are best in zones 3-9.
  • Peach Trees – For something particularly low maintenance, turn to peaches. These zone 4 to zone 9 fruit trees tend to be some of the least fussy, and will grow in any soil with decent drainage as long as they have access to enough sun.

Some other good options are mulberries, nectarines, apricots, and figs.

Are fruit trees self-fertile?

In other words, can fruit trees pollinate themselves? Again, this depends on the particular variety.

Many types of fruit trees rely on cross-pollination in order to fruit properly. This means you’ll want at least two of the same species in order to bear fruit.

When planting for cross pollination, be sure to position the trees close enough that they won’t have issues with pollinating. But not so close that they’re competing for water, sunlight, or nutrients from the soil.

Learn even more about growing fruit trees here.

 

apple tree with fruit
With all of this information, head to your nearest nursery and pick up some fruit trees to start growing them yourself!

 

 

originally published 2011; latest update May, 2023

Pruning Tips for Your Shrubs and Trees

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This post contains everything you know when it comes to Pruning Tips for your shrubs and fruit trees. Check out the info below to become an expert pruner and keep your garden tidy and growing well!

Pruning is a valuable skill for any gardener, although I found it quite intimidating in the beginning. But learning how to prune shrubs and trees properly will really benefit them. Plus, it adds to the overall aesthetics of your garden.

Tips on how to prune shrubs and trees. Spring pruning for your backyard garden. #shrubs #garden #backyard #pruning
This guide on pruning tips contains all the information you’ll need in order to learn how to start pruning your plants!

 

Why Does Pruning Matter?

Many people look at pruning with apprehension. They worry that they might cut the wrong part of the plant or prevent it from growing any more. Or even kill it.

But if you prune your shrubs and trees properly, you will actually stimulate the plant to grow more. You can even dictate which way you want it to grow. Here are some tips to help you get acquainted with the basics of pruning, so you can pick up the shears with confidence.

 

Pruning Tips FAQs

What is pruning?

To start, let’s define what exactly pruning is. Pruning is the act of removing specific parts of a plant in order to encourage healthy growth. Parts that are removed include things like branches, buds, roots, leaves, stems, vines, and other kind of arboreal limbs.

I suggest trying to avoid cutting any more than 30% of any given plant, which is just under a third or so. When you become experienced and learn what can and can’t be pruned away, you may be able to discern additional areas of the plant that are appropriate to prune.

Start with less, as you can always prune more, but it’s impossible to undo when you’ve cut off a certain part of the plant!

As a general tip, try to cut in a way that preserves the branch collar. This is essentially the little stub that forms the base of the branch. Leaving this stub will allow the tree to easily bark over the cut area and heal better.

What are the 3 D’s of pruning?

To begin to prune plants, consider the 3 D’s of pruning, which are Dead, Diseased, or Dying. These are parts of the plant that are obviously unhealthy or already dead. For the most part, it will be visually clear which parts are no longer thriving.

The reason you should dispose of dead parts of a plant is to prevent pests. Bugs and other critters will be drawn to decaying plant matter, so removing the dead bits from the plant will protect it from intruders.

Pruning a hedge with pruning loppers on a sunny day.
Avoid these common pruning mistakes.

What are the 3 C’s of pruning?

Once you’ve covered the 3 D’s, consider the 3 C’s: Crossing, Competing, or Crowding. Any limbs, leaves, or offshoots that fall into this category can be strategically removed.

Crossing limbs will be the most obvious, as these are limbs that are growing directly against others. If you see two or more limbs rubbing together, decide which of them needs to go.

You can also remove any foliage that’s rubbed up against a solid surface like a wall or fence. Cracks in the bark can allows bugs or parasites in, which will harm the plant.

Competing limbs are ones that may not be directly touching, but are growing in the same direction or fashion. When two parts of a plant are competing for nutrients and sunlight in the same place, they might both suffer as a result.

Crowding is essentially a combination of crossing and competing. If there’s an area that’s dense with foliage, there won’t be enough circulation of air or distribution of water, sunlight, and other nutrients. Clear these areas to allow the remaining plants a better chance at healthy growth.

 

A plant growing in a garden.
Pruning allows flower buds to flourish and grow into beautiful plants!

What should you not do when pruning?

There are a number of mistakes one can make while pruning with various degrees of harm to the plant as a result.

  1. Over Pruning – Perhaps the most obvious is going overboard with your pruning. Taking off too much of the plant will do more harm than good. Pruning removes leaves and stems, which are crucial components in generating nutrients for the tree. Be sure to leave enough leaf and stem volume for proper nutrient distribution and generation.
  2. Dirty Pruning Tools – Another way to potentially harm plants is by using dirty tools. Keep your tools clean, oiled, and sharp for the best results. Be sure to wipe off sap and other old wood or debris from your cutting blade. You can also use specific kinds of oil to encourage sharp blades. Read all about how to clean and sharpen pruning shears here.
  3. Pruning at the Wrong Angle – Generally, you’ll want to prune plants at a downward 45 degree angle. A cut that’s too flat might allow water to pool in the stump or or stub that’s leftover, which can lead to fungal infection and other problems. The angled cut will allow water to drain.
  4. Avoiding Suckers – Sucker growths from trees and shrubs are crucial in helping yield more fruits and foliage, but too many can also cause the fruits that do grow to be small or underdeveloped. You want to find a good balance of keeping some suckers and removing others. This may result in a less bountiful fruit growth, but the fruits that do grow will be healthier and bigger. Sometimes a simple pair of scissors can be enough to get rid of suckers.
  5. Wrong Season Pruning – Most pruning is done in the fall or winter, as plants are dormant during this time. That being said, this rule isn’t 100% universal; some plants should be pruned at other times. When it comes to specific plants, seek information about pruning seasons in order to ensure you aren’t pruning them out of season.
  6. Using the Wrong Tools – For pruning tools, you’ll want hand pruners (pruning shears), as well as some other tools. Loppers have long handles and are great for providing more leverage without as much effort and work great on branches and stems with a diameter of 3cm or less. Pruning saws are larger and can be used for thicker limbs and branches. Hedge shears, like their name suggests, are great for trimming hedges. A pole pruner is another tool with a long handle, great for tall or otherwise hard-to-reach areas.

 

hand held pruning shears a woman is using to prune raspberry canes
Prune raspberry canes with hand pruners.

What are the best pruning shears?

The Felco 6 pruners are an excellent option, as is the Felco F2 Bypass Hand Pruner. If you want to go for a more powerful tool, try the Milwaukee pruning shears or Milwaukee pruning saw, which are cordless and battery powdered. These are great for avoiding fatigue as well as fast and efficient pruning!

You may also want to look into shears that are suited for specific pruning, like flowers, hedges, and trees, depending on what kind of plants you’re caring for.

As a note, pro pruners tend to advise going for tools with bypass secateurs (two blades that cross) over anvil ones (one cutting blade that presses against solid metal). Bypass pruners can prevent things like infection and results in generally cleaner cuts.

Here are some other pruning shears that are well-reviewed and liked:

 

Pruning Tips for Your Garden

Prune in order to first remove any parts of the plant that are dead or are dying. Not only will it look better, the tree’s energy will now be solely be going into live branches, instead of trying to keep a dying branch alive.

This will also prevent pests like insects and bugs from flocking to the dead parts of the plant.

Now you can start to prune any branches that are too close together. Stand back often to look at the tree or shrub at a distance; this will help gain perspective and you can see the tree from several angles.

Flowering plants in a yard.
Though it may seem counterintuitive to remove plants that seem healthy, getting rid of competition will result in healthier and stronger plants.

Before you prune your shrubs or trees, do some research online . Find out about your specific plants and learn how to recognize when they need to be pruned. Generally, you prune woody plants in the spring.

When to Prune Shrubs

A flowering hydrangea.
Flowering shrubs like hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and azaleas can be trimmed right when flowering begins.

You should prune shrubs that bloom in spring and early summer just after they have flowered, to increase their growth and strength. When you have a plant that tends to bloom later in the year, in summer or fall, then you should prune them in the spring.

This will increase their production of new shoots. All cuts made during pruning should be clean and smooth, to enable adequate healing. This means that your equipment should always be as sharp and effective as possible. Take the time to make sure your pruners and other tools are good to go.

In the photo of the hydrangea shrub above, those lowest 3 branches will get pruned after flowering. Because I want this shrub to grow taller before getting wider, those shoots of new growth at the top of the shrub will stay.

Cut fruit tree branches at an angle.
Angled cutting allows water to drain from the pruned limb, which will prevent decay, rot, and fungal infection.

Always make the cuts at an angle, to prevent water collecting in the open wound and to encourage healing. If you cut too close to the bud it will die. However, if you cut too far away from the bud, the wood above will die. So make sure you get this balance right.

When to Prune Fruit Trees

Crossing flowering branches.
When branches cross and compete with each other, they should be pruned.

Tree pruning can be a different story than shrubs, especially for pruning fruit trees. Here are some basic tips for pruning a tree. Fruit trees bloom in early spring, so prune them right after they flower.

Don’t forget – ALWAYS make your pruning cuts at an angle. This will minimize extra plant tissue, which can lead to rot and decay.

Prune any branches that crisscross each other. You can see some of those crossed branches in the photo above. Those branches will be pruned out in a couple of weeks when this Apple tree has finished blooming.

Generally, and especially for young trees, you want to protect the main trunk and eliminate competition.

Pruning apple trees can be done almost any time of year as they are hearty trees, though late winter or very early spring is an ideal time for apple tree pruning.

But when it comes to pruning peach trees, for example, this should be done as late as possible before they begin to bloom in the spring.

This is why it’s crucial to research your various plants and find out exactly when their growing season is and when is the best time to prune. Knowing the specifics will ensure that all of your trees and shrubs are healthy and growing beautifully.

A flourishing lemon tree.
For citrus trees, avoid over pruning. The trunk of the tree should be hidden from view.

Here’s another example for you. When pruning citrus trees, make sure to leave the trunk as covered as possible. You should not see the trunk of the tree.

Pruning Tips for Espaliered Trees

Some people choose to espalier their fruit trees. This means the tree is planted very close to a wall (think south facing wall of the garage or house) and then trained to grow along the wall.

The tree uses the building as a support, and is heavily pruned into horizontal cordons or candelabra shapes.

A tree growing up against a brick wall.
Espaliered trees should also be trimmed and kept neat to promote healthy growing.

Espaliering fruit trees is also a great way to build a small micro climate! The heat from the wall could bump you up a full gardening zone (or even two!).

So, if you want to try to grow a peach tree, even though it’s too cold in your area, try using the espalier method. Wrap or cover the trees for the winter. My grandfather was able to grow beautiful peaches using this method.

Here’s a great article to learn more about pruning espaliered trees.

Here's when to prune spring blooming shrubs. How to prune summer blooming shrubs. Pruning woody perennial shrubs to keep their shape. #DIYgarden #DIYbackyard #perennial #gardening #pruning #spring
With this pruning tips, you’ll know exactly when and how to prune your trees and shrubs!

More Helpful Articles for Gardeners

 

 

originally published 2019; latest update May, 2022

How to Grow Huge Strawberries

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Wondering how to grow huge strawberries? Here’s the trick you need to know to grow fresh jumbo strawberries!

If you love the taste of fresh berries but don’t want to pay the high prices at the grocery store, why not start a strawberry bed in the backyard?

You can easily grow strawberries in your home garden or even as a border alongside your patio. You can also grow huge strawberries in containers!

A cluster of large strawberries on a plant.
Save these tips to your Pinterest Gardening board.

 

Strawberries are quite easy to grow but to keep your bed going year after year, some maintenance needs to be done. And we’ve figured out how to grow huge strawberries every year! Keep reading for our best tips.

Want more articles about gardening? Check out all of our Food Gardening posts here.

How to Grow Huge Strawberries 

We have learned that it’s much easier to keep track of your new and older strawberry plants if you have two (or more) separate beds of plants.

We actually have four separate raised beds, but you can just have two separated areas to keep track of which plants are older.

 

a bowl of freshly picked strawberries

 

You could also grow them in a vertical planter, like this one. Or grow strawberry plants in these metal raised garden beds, which would keep all the weeds out.

It doesn’t matter whether you are growing strawberries in hanging grow bags, pots, baskets, containers, raised beds or directly in the garden. The basic care is the same.

Do whatever works for you so you can easily tell which are the oldest plants.

And you ARE going to want to know which plants are oldest, if you want the biggest juiciest strawberries there are.

red juicy strawberries right after picking
The #1 tip to grow huge strawberries. How to grow, maintain berries and what to do with runners. Grow huge strawberries by doing this.

What Type of Strawberry to Grow?

There are two main types of strawberries, both will be available at local nurseries:

June-bearing strawberries

The June-bearing varieties of strawberry plants start bearing fruit around the middle of June, here at least. They will keep bearing fruit for about four weeks. 

Everbearing strawberries

Everbearing strawberries will also be ready for picking in early Spring, around mid June.

However, instead of bearing one big harvest over the next month, these berries will keep growing and bearing fruit all summer long, sometimes even into the Fall months!

Our berry plants are the everbearing variety; the following information applies no matter which strawberry variety you choose to plant.

Both the everbearing and the june-bearers will produce big fruit if you follow these tips!

How to Plant Strawberries

Strawberries love to grow in full sun, but they will also grow in spots where there is less sunlight. The first thing is to figure out where your strawberry patch will be sited.

Get your strawberry plants in the ground after the last frost. New plants don’t do well if there are any freezing temperatures.

When you dig the hole add some compost before planting.

Well-rotted manure works great for this, with all its organic matter full of the necessities like potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and other goodies needed for fertility.

Ensure your soil has good drainage; this will be healthier for the plants and encourage plant growth. 

Using a garden trowel instead of a shovel works better. And, when you plant, make sure you do so at the right height. If you plant too deep, your strawberry plant will suffer and not grow well.

If you plant too shallow, the roots can become exposed to the air and will likely die.

 

a freshly planted strawberry plant in the ground

 

This plant is set perfectly, it’s not too deep so that the crown is buried. It’s not so shallow that the roots can become exposed.

Planting depth is crucial to having your strawberry plants survive!

Now just keep the plant watered regularly and it will grow. You can use drip irrigation or you can use a garden sprinkler.

We water our plants every morning, so moisture is maintained in the strawberry patch.

After the plants have settled in, you will find them starting to grow runners. You will be able to tell a runner because the mother plant sends out a long stem and starts new roots and leaves.

Big juicy strawberries on the plant in a garden.
Save this to your Pinterest Gardening board!

This Part is Key to Grow Huge Strawberries

If you want just a few plants but bigger berries, snip these runners off! Yes, every single one of them. These Felco hand pruners are perfect for making clean cuts.

That way, all the energy will be sent to the fruit on that plant. (What to do with these runners? Keep reading)

Soon the plant will start bearing flowers – each of the flower buds will turn into a strawberry. You will probably find a LOT of flowers on EACH plant.

If you want the bigger fruit, snip off at least half of the flowers. It might break your heart just a little bit, but believe me, you need to in order to get the rest of the flowers to grow into big juicy strawberries!

 

Grow huge strawberries like these three big ripe strawberries.

 

You will be rewarded with fewer berries per plant, but those berries will be so big! And juicy!

Just remember, the more flowers, the more berries, but they will be smaller. The fewer flowers, the fewer berries, but they will be definitely be bigger strawberries.

If you want extra large strawberries, keep just three or four flowers!

How to start new Strawberry plants

Loving strawberries so much you want even more plants? Here’s what to do:

When you want to have new plants for putting in the ground, always take rooted runners off your youngest mother plants.

Just snip the runner close to where the NEW growth is. Plant that baby in a separate bed or area. This is how you get new daughter plants.

 

A new strawberry plant is shown at the end of a runner; flowers pulled off to encourage plant to grown huge strawberries.

 

(See, this is why we plant the runners into a different bed. This helps us after a few years to remember where the oldest plants are.)

By the end of the growing season, all the plants will be the same size. It’s easier for us to keep them in different beds.

Remove ALL the flowers that grow off your runners that first year to let the plant put its energy into the roots.

And snip off any more runners that appear. This part is tough, because you see all the runners and flowers and think of all the strawberries coming! 

Grow Huge Strawberries like these juicy red strawberries on the plant.
Grow Huge Strawberries using these best tips!

But, if you leave the flowers on, you will have lots of strawberries but they will be small! To grow large strawberries, pick off a lot of the flowers!

This will pay off the following year, as you will get much larger berries.

What to do With Old Strawberry Plants

Over time, you will end up with a lot of strawberry plants, maybe too many. In this case, take any 3 or 4 year old plants and toss them.

Plants older than 3 years are usually past their prime and you will have lots of newer babies by that time.

Keep replanting those new babies. You’ll be rewarded with healthier plants that bear big berries.

 

A neglected overgrown strawberry bed before thinning in order to grow huge strawberries.
This is what an out of control strawberry bed looks like. Learn from our mistakes and don’t let this get out of hand!

 

You will be able to have a really good berry harvest if you just keep cutting and planting the baby runners from the newest plants. 

These will bear fruit the following year. For other maintenance, all you really need to do is keep the berry bed weeded.

I have a lot of sawdust laid down as a mulch (we also use straw), and it has helped a lot to keep the weeds down. Weeding and regular watering are all that are needed. Early each spring, I top dress the plants with a shovel full of compost.

 

three red strawberries being picked from the garden

 

Strawberry Pests:

You may find you have a problem with slugs and snails being attracted to the strawberries. The best ways to combat these pests is to use copper tape. Just staple it around the edge of your raised bed or pot. 

You can also use diatomaceous earth; sprinkle this around the base of your plants. Finely crushed egg shells will work too, as these pests won’t want to cross the sharp edges of the shells.

Just be sure the shells are well washed though or that may attract even more pests.

As for deterring birds, I am not a fan of using net in the strawberry patch. We have had birds caught up in the net (even with fine mesh) and it is awful trying to free the bird, who was usually injured by thrashing and getting caught even more.

I have painted small rocks to look like strawberries; this does work. The birds give them a try and leave!

Our other Growing Berries posts

You can also take some of the small plants and plant those extra strawberry plants in containers. Group a few planters on your patio or deck.

What do you want to know about growing berries in the North?

Here’s how to grow and maintain a Raspberry patch.

Why not make some Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam with some of your strawberries?

Need to move a Berry Bush to a new location?

Here are 3 Low Sugar Ways to Preserve Strawberries

Other Growing Vegetable Posts

How to grow peppers

Here’s how to Grow Tomatoes

How to Grow Potatoes

 

Learn how to grow huge strawberries using these tips!

 

Originally published April 2019; latest update March 2026

Growing Berries in the North

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We can grow great berries in the Cariboo. They just love our climate and if we have a lot of rain in the Spring, our berry crop is fantastic. Usually, berries can take the cooler weather at night time. One of the gardening obstacles we have here is the fluctuating temperatures.

It’s common here for daytime summer temperatures to be 30C and then go down to 4 or 5C at night time. That’s pretty extreme, but here it’s very common.

It can make vegetable gardening more of a challenge. Berries are usually fine with this, unless temperatures start going down to 0C.

 

Berries in the Cariboo

Here’s some information about the different kinds of berries we grow. One is wild, the others are not. Every year, we have Raspberries and also Strawberries. Saskatoon berries are native to our area and their bushes are found all around the Cariboo.

 

Berries are not hard to grow and you can get big harvests. Here's how to grow strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. Grow berries at home in containers or in raised beds. #berries #gardening #strawberries #raspberries #perennials

 

Saskatoon Berries

We have a lot of native Saskatoon berry bushes on our property. Growing wild, they are really easy to pick and taste fantastic in pies!

 

Saskatoon berries hang in a cluster from a bush.

 

Saskatoon jelly is also a big favourite. These are Saskatoon berries in the photo. The only thing about picking wild Saskatoons here is that the bears love them just as much as we do.

I make sure to sing when I am out picking, just to let the bears know I am there. And frankly, if I am singing, whoever hears me will go the “other” way!

 

Raspberries

 

grow raspberries

 

We have a large Raspberry bed and it produces huge amounts of berries every year. At harvest time, I am usually really busy with all the other things going on, so I make it as easy on myself as possible for harvesting and preserving raspberries.

I bring Ziplock bags with me out to the patch and pick and drop them right in the bag. I try and pick as clean as possible, because it is just not worth it to wash raspberries. Too much berry is lost – they just turn to mush!

I put 1 pound of Raspberries into each small Ziplock bag. This way, it is easy to use them for a pie (usually mixed with Saskatoon berries or Rhubarb). One I have about 10 of these small bags, I then start using large Ziplock bags.

These will be filled with berries and then weighed and marked. They go straight into the freezer; then in the late Fall or Winter, we start using them to make homemade wine!

Each Spring, suckers grow out of the ground from the raspberry canes already there. I pull the ones I don’t want, keep the ones I do want and try to maintain some kind of order in this bed.

By mid-September, the raspberries are coming to an end. By then, we’ve got lots of raspberries in the freezer – enough to start several batches of Raspberry Saskatoon berry wine. It is the best homemade wine we have made, hands down.

 

Strawberries

 

grow berries, strawberries

 

Strawberries can do great here – IF we keep up with the maintenance we can get fantastic harvests of Strawberries. But it is the same everywhere when it comes to Strawberries.

Strawberries are quite easy to grow, although to keep your bed going year after year, some maintenance needs to be done. It’s easier to keep track of if you have several separate beds of plants.

We are so busy here with the gardens and garlic farm, it is hard for us to keep up with the Strawberries. I don’t want you to think there are hours and hours of work in this berry bed.

You can easily take care of a Strawberry bed (unless you grow almost ALL of your own food, raise animals and run a garlic farm!)

 

 

 

how to grow berries

 

A big bowl full of big berries. And of course, I just had to eat some while I was sitting in the berry patch! Who could resist?

 

 

 

berries, how to grow berries

 

 

Here’s the results –  2 3/4 pounds! I’ll be making Strawberry Freezer Jam with most of these. The rest we will eat fresh. Making freezer jam is super easy and a great way to get started with preserving.

No canning involved – as long as you have freezer room to store your jars, you can make enough to last all winter.

 

Blueberries

 

 

A man picking blueberries off a bush.

 

 

Many people (most people) here have no problem growing blueberries. I, on the other hand, have had no luck at all, although I have tried several times.

The first time, I planted the blueberry bushes in an area that got too much wind. Because we are in a Valley, once the wind starts coming through, it gets pretty breezy (and cool as well).

The Blueberries didn’t like it….at all. So I got some more and tried them in the Berry Bed along with the Raspberries.

They didn’t like that either, even though they got watered every day with a sprinkler on a timer.

Then….I gave up! Whether the Blueberries didn’t like where they were planted or they just didn’t like me, I don’t know. But I never tried again!

Just don’t let that stop you, because Blueberries bushes give you a LOT of berries on a small bush. Great for gardening in small spaces or even a raised bed.

 

Try Growing Berries!

Growing berries is fairly easy, especially if you prepare your beds well. They all like a good helping of well composted manure when being planted. And after that, every year or two, just top dress with more compost.

Top dressing is just adding compost (or other amendments) around the base of the bush. Just grab a shovel and add some compost.

Watering and rain will bring the goodness of the compost down to the roots.

 

How we grow Raspberries and Strawberries and even Saskatoon berries. Grow berries in containers, raised beds or in the ground. #strawberries #raspberries #berries #gardening

 

Need to transplant a berry bush? Here’s how we moved a Saskatoon Berry bush – there are things you need to keep in mind, in order for your berry bush to thrive in its’ new home.

Raspberry bushes need to be properly maintained so you don’t end up with a berry patch so thick you can’t even get into it to pick fruit. Here’s how we maintain Raspberries – I make sure to do this every Fall!

5 Reasons to Plant a Vegetable Garden

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There are plenty of benefits that come from growing your own food. If you haven’t yet had a homegrown meal straight from the garden, you really don’t know what you have been missing. Here are my Top 5 reasons we grow our own food.


 

A Spring Daily Harvest

 

5 Reasons to Grow your own Food

 

1. Growing your own food can save you a LOT of money

For the price of some seeds, a shovel, rake and a hoe, you can literally grow hundreds of dollars of food. You will be amazed at how much food you can grow from $20 of seeds!

Spend $5 of that on some seed potatoes and the other $15 on the vegetables your family likes to eat. Peas, beans, carrots, broccoli – all of these can be harvested and eaten, or some frozen or canned.

Imagine how much money you could save over the year.

Want to read about how we plan our vegetable garden every year?

 

A Harvest of Fresh Green Beans

 

2. Improve your health by eating organically

It’s a fact that home grown good is better for your health. Don’t spray chemicals on it and you’ll be eating the healthiest organic food that you could ever find.

Your immune system will get a huge boost and you’ll reduce your chances of getting diabetes or some types of cancer.

And let’s not forget that working in the garden an hour a day will improve your health and fitness level too.

You can get rid of your gym membership and save even more money.

 

Homegrown Dinner

 

3. Homegrown food tastes so much better – it’s fresher and healthier

Seriously, if you have never had a meal where every single thing on your plate was totally homegrown, you don’t know what you are missing.

Incredible, healthy, delicious – the vegetables are amazing, and words can’t do justice to a homegrown ham dinner.

Everything on the plate above was raised by us here at home. We raise pigs on pasture all season long and then fill our freezer in late Fall.

 

Gardening can be a family affair

 

4. Make Gardening Family time

Encourage your family to work alongside each other in the garden. Children love digging in the dirt and even teenagers will enjoy pulling fresh carrots right out of the ground.

Let the kids help and work off some of their energy digging and weed pulling. Husbands will usually mow the lawn, even if they don’t want to!

Chickens Working the Compost Pile

 

5. Growing your own food is good for the environment

Less fuel wasted going to the grocery store is one bonus. What’s easier and quicker than harvesting tonight’s dinner right from your backyard?

Yet another boost to your personal environment is all the great compost you can make!

Any vegetable waste including stems and roots can be thrown onto a compost pile. Add some dirt every once in a while, turn the pile every few weeks and voila.

Making your own compost is a great money saver too. If you have to buy bags of compost at the garden center, the costs are going to add up quickly.

Get a compost pile started as soon as you can. Next year you’ll be adding wonderful new compost soil to your gardens. We also sow Buckwheat in our veggie gardens after the harvest. The Buckwheat is a fantastic cover crop and green manure.

When it comes to growing your own food there is no way that you can go wrong. So what are you waiting for?

 

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