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Fruit cage planting

Lyn Watkins 707Lyn Watkins 707 Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg
I have just erected my first fruit cage 3 metres x 3 metres, so limited space. The door is in a corner.  I need some guidance on the best, practical way to plant: 5 Glen Ample Mid Summer Raspberries, 2 Jonkheer VT Redcurrants, 1 half standard Big Ben Blackcurrant, 1 Ben Nevis Blackcurrant, 2 Merton thornless blackberries, 1 Tayberry, and 2 American Boysenberries. I also have 2 blueberries and 1 pinkberry.  The raspberries are my true love.  Now the snow has melted I am eager to get them in asap.  I would be very grateful for your help.  Thanks Lyn

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 47,925 ✭
    Hello Lyn :smile:
    I've a feeling that's going to be a mite overcrowded ... the blackberries and tayberry will take up a lot of room ... I've not grown boysenberries but I've a feeling they need a fair bit of space too ... and I'm constantly having to keep my raspberries in check ... my Polka (which started off as three canes a few years ago) now takes up about 2.5m x 1m and I'm always having to deal with raspberry runners coming up among the gooseberry bushes.
    I'm afraid the forum members may be a bit slow to get going as it's been shut down for a week for a re-vamp ... but hopefully within a few days we'll come up with some practical ideas for you. 
    "...tea and toasted buttered currant buns, can't compensate for lack of sun because the summer's all gone..."   Autumn Almanac - Ray Davies
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy North London Posts: 1,211 ✭
    Hi I have just seen this thread. I agree with Dove this will be too crowded. Unless you have a particularly ravenous local bird population I don't think you need to put all these in a cage. I have a cage on my allotment but I have my Blackberries & other hybrid berries ( Logan & Tay in my case) outside it & I still get a good crop. You will need to work out some kind of staggered (zig zag) pattern to give max growth space for minimum ground use. The summer raspberries will need support so posts & wires will be needed for those.  Maybe you could try growing some of the currents on a cordon type system rather than as bushes. 
    Hope that helps a little bit.
    AB Still learning
  • Lyn Watkins 707Lyn Watkins 707 Posts: 3
    Hello Dovefromabove,
    Sorry for delay in response ...thank you for your helpful comments, yes I now realise I was getting over enthusiastic with my soft fruit purchases. As I don't want the cage to be too crowded,  I'm thinking again about including the Blackberries, Boysenberries and Tay. I'm excited as some practical advice now coming through.
    Many thanks
    Lyn
  • Lyn Watkins 707Lyn Watkins 707 Posts: 3
    Hi Allotment Boy,
    I so appreciate your suggestions - a zig zag pattern would give max growth space for min ground use for the raspberries; and a double fence system for support would work.
    The cordon style support for the currants sounds perfect solution.
    Excited, many thanks.  :) Lyn


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