1. Growing Small Fruit
In Duluth

2. Planning the planting Size of fruit planting Space
Size of family (10 blueberry plants/family)
Experience of grower ( start small)

3. Planning Fruit plot location Soil type ( blueberries need acid soil)
Drainage
Sun
Water availability

4. Planning Kinds of fruit to plant What does the family like? Hardiness
yield

5. Planning Getting the plants Local nurseries
Soil and Water Conservation district tree sale
Duluth Community Gardens fruit sale
Mail order: FEDCO trees, St Lawrence
Transplant from wild

6. Soil and site preparation
Soil test (Extension )
GSC 320 W 2nd St Room 111 ( county)
fruit info sheet
Answer line (fruit processing)
Site history
Plan out irrigation
Fertilizer timing.

7. Planting Timing – Plant in spring Care of stock- keep roots damp
Planting holes- depends on the plant
Root pruning of woody plants- cut off broken roots
Watering-1 inch/week

8. Seasonal care Mulch Weed control – keep grass away
train to get the best fruit (Trellis or prune)
Animal pest control
Insect and disease control – inspect frequently

9. Vole control Shoot and eat Get Cats Trap Keep grass mowed
Feed them bubble gum
Rodentrol

10. Deer OUTSIDE the fence

11. Slant Fence
A design from New Zealand

12. Insect pests Fruit worm Wasps Bird damage
Insect pests can be generalists or specific to the crop

13. Common Diseases Botrytis – grey Mold anthracnose
Colletotrichum acutatum 

14. Shrub Cherries for Duluth
Prunus tomentosa
Nanking cherry
Hansen Bush cherry
Native cherries
sand,

15. Raspberries Fall Bearing Summer-bearing Latham
Boyne
Nordic
Festival
Amber ( yellow)
Fall Bearing
Avoid most of these unless you don’t care about total yield
Autumn Bliss (best)
Fallgold (yellow)

16. Raspberry specifics
Plant Raspberries feet apart in the rows with rows 7-8 feet apart
Prune to 3-5 canes/crown the second year
Understand the life cycle of a cane
Fall vs. summer fruiting
Can be trellised
Diseases : anthracnose and virus

17. Blueberries Minnesota ½-high Wild – can be transplanted Avoid highbush
Northblue
Northsky
Chippewa
Polaris
St.Cloud
Wild – can be transplanted
Avoid highbush

18. Blueberry specifics Plant 3 feet apart
10 plants will feed a family of 4
Must have acid soil ( pH 4.5-5)
5X15 raised bed filled with peat and sand
Mulch with compost and pine needles
Prune out stems 4 year old and older
Water 1 inch/week

19. Strawberries June Bearing Ever-bearing Honeoye Sparkle Trumpeter
Veestar
Ever-bearing
Ft. Laramie
Ogallala
Tribute

20. Strawberry specifics Plant as early as possible
Planting depth critical
Plants 18-24”apart in rows and 3-4’ between rows
Mulch – straw works well

21. Strawberry growing
Life cycle
Renovation

22. Seeded Grapes Beta (black) Valiant (black) Edelweiss (white)
Swenson Red (Red)
Marquette (wine grape)
Wild grapes
Seedless don’t work well here

23. Grape specifics Plant in a warm place/ full sun
Plant bare root plants in spring
6-8 feet apart
Prune to 10 buds per “arm” after its established
2-3 horizontal wires to support vine

25. Juneberries
Honeywood
Northline,
Pembina
Regent
Smokey
Theissen
Wild

26. Juneberry specifics
Depending on the variety these can be 4-12 feet tall
Space them according to their form
The taller forms are being used as landscape shrubs
Soil pH 5-6.5
Full sun in Northern MN

27. Gooseberry Pixwell Poorman Welcome
Gooseberries set singly from the stem.

28. Black currants
Consort
Antonina’s

29. Red Currant
Red Lake
MN 71

30. Gooseberry specifics Well adapted to Northern MN Soil pH 5.5-7
Roots are shallow so they will need water on dry sites
Ribes should be planted at least an inch deeper than they were at the nursery
Plant 3-6 feet apart
Mature plants: 9-12 canes after pruning

31. Harvest and storing Harvest at peak ripeness Keeping the harvest
Remove field heat – refrigerate
Store cold 40F
Keeping the harvest
Freeze, can, dry, Juice, jam, jelly
Answer line (fruit processing)