Make 2021 The Year You Grow Soft Fruit

Delicious and nutritious, berries are brilliant entry level options for anyone new to fruit growing as they give a good crop in a small space, says Kris Collins

- Kris Collins

If you’re tempted to try growing your own fruit this year then soft fruit bushes make an excellent introduction. The beauty of soft fruit is that, unlike apple or pear trees, say, you don’t need to clear large areas of soil to start growing it; bushes can be added to gaps in the border or small areas of prepared ground. Give them an annual prune and feed and it’s surprising what good yields you can get from just one or two bushes.

Even those who are really strapped for space can give berries a whirl as, thanks to modern breeding, there is an ever-increasing choice of compact yet high-yielding varieties that will grow happily in patio containers and hanging baskets. What’s more, you don’t even have to lift a spade to get started!

I grow a range of tried-and-tested fruit varieties, but every year the new launches always catch my eye and I can rarely resist. That’s why in my garden you’ll find old favourites such as Raspberry ‘Joan J’ and ‘Polka’, growing alongside newer introductions – the likes of ‘Ruby Beauty’, for example.

Rich pickings

Most fruit canes and bushes take two or three years to reach their full cropping potential – which means the earlier you plant them, the better. Once these longlived croppers are set out, you can expand your grow-your-own operation, and by the time your vegetable patch is established you could be picking full punnets of fruit alongside your summer and autumn veg.

You don’t need to compromise on aesthetics, either, thanks to bushes that look as lovely as their fruit tastes. For something special on the patio, look out for ‘standard’ currants. Their large cropping canopies, topping single, sturdy, clear stems, make them a favourite patio fruit of mine.

Multi-season interest