It was nearly two years ago exactly that I first posted about Fall Creek Farm & Nursery’s BrazelBerries, a fantastic collection of berry plants that are designed to be both edible and ornamental. Specifically, BrazelBerries are specially-bred Blueberry, Raspberry and Blackberry plants that can thrive in containers on a deck or patio, or be planted in-ground, depending on where you live. For our first batch. The Rock Daughters™ and I planted two Raspberry Shortcake plants along with two Blueberry plants – Jelly Bean and Blueberry Glaze. Likely due to my own error in winterizing (we live on the border of climate zones and the cold can be harsh and unpredictable), our blueberries didn’t survive the first winter… but our raspberries did, and in 2015 they bore some of the most delicious berries that we’ve ever eaten – anywhere. Our entire family enjoyed them right from the bush, and I even spotted the dogs trying to take a nibble. So what’s in-store for our BrazelBerries in 2016? Well, our raspberries are back, plus the folks at Fall Creek sent us four new plants – a Raspberry Shortcake, a Pink Icing Blueberry, and two brand-new varieties – Perpetua (a true double-cropping blueberry) and one that won’t be available for purchase until the Spring of 2017… Baby Cakes, a sweet, thornless blackberry that can provide up to two crops per year. It was planting time!
As the girls and I prepared to get our new plants into containers, it’s interesting to make note of the baby plants that they’re holding – and what our existing plants looked like two years ago. These tiny plants will soon fill out their containers, so it’s important that you plant these little ones in something that will give them room to grow – roughly a 16″ pot will do. As they get bigger, yearly pruning will help new growth, and eventually an even bigger container could be a potential thing – if you want them to continue getting bigger.
The plants directly above are our Raspberry Shortcakes, and they’re already showing blossoms with fruit on the way. While the new plants might have a little fruit this year, I’d expect a first harvest next summer, in 2017. With some regular care, they should be looking something like the preview images below…
Want to get some BrazelBerries for your home? Check out the “Where to Buy” section of the BrazelBerries website to find the location of an Independent Garden Center near you (U.S. & Canada) – or a mail-order partner. To see our progress, check in with us on Instagram throughout the season!
