‘middle of the day, ‘| nONE reating a Strawberries best grown in rows utilizing block planting LAST WEEK I wrote an article on the benefits of growing berries on _ the ‘North Shore. By Roy Jonsson Contributing Writer This. week I would like to follow up on that article with some specific’ suggestions for- establishing a strawberry or rasp- -.. berry growing area. - _If you have a small section of - garden that receives full:sun for ‘: approximately six hours during the strawberries “will grow well. ‘ They-are: best grown in TOWS, | “but where space is at.a premium, ‘you may wish to use block plant- ing. : . Preparing raised’ beds ‘to “facilitate good drainage and early warming is beneficial. ° If a raised bed is used, make sure that the width is no more than twice the distance from shoulder to wrist: This. allows picking from both sides with no wasted space. for a path... The’ raised ‘bed’ or row area should: be aligned on- a_north- south “axis to .maximize the sun, - but this is not essential. Prepare .the- soil .by adding a geherous quantity of compost or well rotted manure., . For those who. have not discovered the value of a’ good rodent-proof ‘compost . box. you can check your local nursery for bagged commercial ‘compost or ‘composted manure. ba For large gardens you might like’ to purchase a small bulk ‘order. , One ‘or. ‘two inches. of good organic. material worked’ into the soil will add nutrients, microbes, “structure “and~ air- arid — water- ‘holding qualities to the soil. The application of two kilograms of dolomite lime per 10 ‘square metres of. garden will also , Feduce the acidity of the soil. Additional granulated _ fertilizer + (@rganic 5-5-5 or chemical 6-8-6) can be worked into the soil prior .. to planting. Use the same rate as for lime Of . fertilizer just become active in the spring. but do not apply at the same time. Add the lime first and water before applying the fertilizer. Purchase .June-bearing or ever-bearing plants that are named varieties and certified to be disease-free. Buy one plant per foot of row or one square foot of block planting. Instead of planting the entire area with plants the first year, it might be better to plan a four- year. cycle for planting and “renewal. Plant one row or block in Year 1. During the first summer when the new plants put out runners, collect enough to plant a second row and then snip off all remain- ing runners to divert the energy into the parent plant. Do the same thing for Years 3 and 4 and save the cost of buying . hew plants each year. After Row I has produced three or four consecutive crops it is best to-pull up the old plants and leave ‘the soil fallow or plant some other crop. When you have the patch in full production, there will always be three producing rows and one area _ Testing. Not..only does this procedure allow you to work up and renew the soil, but it also helps to reduce the incidence of disease in old © plants. To conserve strength, do not let the new plants beara heavy crop the first year. Give the plants a side dressing before | they Do not be afraid to cut all the old foliage off the plants when they start to look scruffy in the , late summer. * A light mulch for the winter will’ help to prevent the frost from heaving mew plants out of the ground. . Additional mulching material under the berries in the spring will help reduce: the incidence of moulding or rotting during the wet weather. Remove rotting berries to pre- vent contaminating others that are not yet ripe. RASPBERRIES How Clean fs Your Drinking ' Our system wil Water? give you spring water at your tap for under l¢ a gallon/litre ‘Removes bad taste, odor, chlorine, organics, inorganics and removes lead. SPECIAL OFFER No Interest, No Payment for 90 Days (0.A.C) (only on whole house unit) If you want to grow raspberries you can plant them in single rows, multiple rows or clumps where space is available. Again, north-south alignment is preferred. The soil can be prepared as for strawberries, with new canes set at one- to two-foot intervals. Each row will require three feet of space for growing and another two to three feet for a picker’s path. The best method of support is posts and wire trellises. Sink a cedar or treated four- ‘by-four post at the end of each row and leave at least four feet above ground. To each post, nail two two-foot cross pieces, one at 244 and one at four feet. Using recycled electrical or 12-- gauge galvanized wire, run a line from crossbar to crossbar betweea the posts. ‘Cross wires can be added every two to three three feet to prevent the canes from slipping sideways. Do not expect new canes to ~. fruit in the first year; they should put out a good supply of new shoots that will fruit the following year. ; If the new canes grow too tall, cut them off at six feet or bend them over and run them along the row. . After. the mature brown canes have finished fruiting at the end of July they should be cut as low to the ground as possible. Do not leave stubs for insects to winter in. The removal of the old canes gives the new shoots room to grow and develop. A top dressing of compost and a side dressing of fertilizer at this time as well as in the spring will increase next year’s crop. Mulching a raspberry patch will protect the shallow roots during the winter and help to keep the weeds under control. If you allow grass or weeds to invade a raspberry bed it is very difficult to clean it up. Once raspberries are established in a garden they wil! continue to renew themselves for many years and be as productive as you allow them to be. Unlike. strawberries, the plants do not need to be replanted every three or four years. . There is nothing quite like a fresh berry pie or jam made from berries you have grown and picked yourself, Roy Jonsson is a horticultural consultant and gardening instruc- ALSO OPEN SUNDAYS 12-5 Friday, August 20, 1993 —- Novth Shore News — 7 ee “fia ea 73-YEAR-OLD Don Hamill performs squat 17 exercises at rec- Centre Lonsdale’s new workout station. The station features. stato-of-the-ast equipment which makes It casler fer. seniors to use. Larger plants act as eis ; From page 13 Once again, using the screening - " effect of Jarger plants and/or Structures should do the trick. Next week we will look at. some’ _ of the other considerations for. seaside plantings and list Some of : the plants which might be consid-. wf ered suitable. Flowers as garnish course » offered: VANDUSEN BOTANICAL Garden offers a special course on garnishing with flowers on Satur- day, Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in the classroom at the gardens, 5251 Oak St.. in. Van- couver. Flowers such as roses, nastur- tiums, squash and violets, which are found in many city gardens, can be used to gamish meals at- tractively. An introduction to. garnishing, Z with these pretty edibles - will. be, followed by saraples to taste,