Producing a reasonable crop of fruit can be difficult in an average sized backyard. Trees need space to grow strongly with plenty of penetrating sunlight and room for a good root system to develop. An increasing number of gardeners are growing space saving dwarf varieties of fruit trees, and are utilising the front yard, usually barron of any food crops. Many gardeners go one step further and also grow fruiting vines over pergolas and on lattice along fences.
These are great ideas but there is another type of space saving, fruit producing plant that's often overlooked. Berries can produce massive crops in relatively small growing areas. Again the front yard can be utilised - closely planted berry canes can make a great informal hedge. Wherever you decide to position the canes, they should be planted into well prepared soil with plenty of organic matter dug in. The soil needs plenty of humus for plant food and to retain moisture. Drainage is equally important. Keep the soil moist, particularly in summer, and mulch well.
Most berries prefer full sun but many will still fruit in semi-shade. Wind however, can be a problem. A 2 wire trellis, with wires spaced about 700mm apart can be useful for tying fruiting canes to. Do this when the canes are dormant to avoid damage to the fruiting buds. The weight of the fruit will pull the canes over the wires and the new canes can then develop in the relatively well sheltered centre.
Fruiting habits differ between berry varieties eg' raspberries are produced on laterals from buds on the previous years growth, while blueberries are produced mainly on the tips of the previous years growth. This effects the way in which you prune the plants - if you tip prune the previous years growth on your blueberries, you'll get very little fruit and so on. Check the fruiting habits and pruning methods at the nursery when buying the plants.
May/June (last month of autumn/first month of winter) is a good time to be planting new canes in Tasmania and nurseries should be stocked with many varieties. So get some in the ground now and you should have fruit in the second summer of growth. That gives you plenty of time to start looking for jam recipes.
The strawberry has to be the most delicious of all the berries and take up little room relative to the amount of summer time feasting they can provide.
Soil should be well prepared with ample organic matter dug in. Use old manure and compost. They need a sunny position with perfect drainage and soil moisture must be kept up. It's common to grow strawberries in the veggie garden.
Prior to planting, remove any damaged roots and unhealthy looking leaves. Plant strawberries between mid-autumn and mid-winter but the earlier you plant the sooner they'll start cropping.
Mulch with straw to retain moisture and to prevent the fruit from being spoilt by coming in contact with the soil.
New plants are established on runners from the parent plant and these can be propagated for additional plantings but watch out for disease and always practice crop rotation by moving your strawberry patch every 2 or 3 years.
Birds and slugs can be a problem, so net the plants when fruit begins to form and hand pick slugs on rainy nights.
Mulberries grow on large deciduous trees to about 6 mtres in height, so you'll need plenty of room. Their large spreading branches create a fantastic shady place to sit in summer while feasting on the fruit.
They propagate successfully from cuttings and can produce fruit in the second year. Planting is the same as for other deciduous fruit trees and they will grow in all but the most extreme of climates.