Boysenberry Plants is a bramble hybrid that is becoming less common. They are not available in supermarkets, but growing them at home is simple. Do you want to have a little fun at home with boysenberries?
At Knott’s Taste of Boysenberry Festival, you can get your hands on a tonne of awesome special boysenberry-themed goods, including your very own boysenberry plant! Yes, we will cultivate our boysenberries!
Boysenberry Plants Overview
| Common Name | Boysenberry |
| Scientific Name | Rubus ursinus x Rubus idaeus |
| Days to Harvest | 1 year |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | 1 to 2 inches per week |
| Soil | Rich, well-draining |
| Pests | Aphids, mites |
| Diseases | Blights, anthracnose |
Planting Boysenberries
Boysenberry transplants begin to grow in the spring following the final frost or at least eight weeks before the first fall frost. Boysenberries should be planted in an 18 by 14-inch container or in a garden area that has been prepared for full sun. Boysenberry plants grown in containers or on the ground both require proper drainage.
Plant two sets of leaves on cane snips—one above the soil’s surface and one below. New leaves will appear in about a month, signifying that the cane has taken root. Wood chip mulch is advised for canes since they need a lot of moisture retention.
Boysenberry Plants Care
Boysenberry trees typically yield fruit the year following planting, just like blackberries do. If you provide for their needs, they could live for up to 20 years.
Sun and Temperature
Six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day are necessary for boysenberries to flourish. For these plants to bear fruit, the temperature must rise above 85 degrees, yet they need complete afternoon shade every day.
Plants that are dormant and carefully pruned can withstand frigid winters, but leaves cannot. Canes require a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 300 cold hours.
When there is a sudden freeze, cover the foliage with a frost cloth. Growers should avoid placing boysenberry plants in low-lying areas where cold air and frost build-up, as well as in places where they will be overexposed to sunlight and temperatures above 85 degrees.
Water and Humidity
In dry seasons, water boysenberries in the morning or at sunset every few days. Their soil should receive a weekly total of one to two inches of water, enough to keep it moist but not waterlogged.
Water from below, as rusts and rots are common in berry plants. It’s simple to water deeply and gently without getting the foliage wet by using a soaker hose or drip irrigation. It might not be essential to have water during an exceptionally rainy season.
Put your finger about an inch into the earth. Add some water if it’s dry. Boysenberries shouldn’t be in dry areas because they are not drought-tolerant. Watering with an even layer of moisture encourages a healthy yield.
Soil
Blueberry bushes prefer loamy soil that is rich in organic materials and well-drained. Between 5.8 and 6.5 is the ideal pH range for the soil. Neutral soils function well at a pH of 6 to 7.
Poor, compacted soil does not support their growth. Your boysenberry plant should be grown in a container or garden bed that has been amended with well-rotted compost. To inhibit weed growth near the cane mass, mulch the area surrounding plant bases.
Fertilizing
When fertilizing boysenberries, it’s best to avoid doing so throughout the winter months when they’re dormant. If not, apply a 20-20-20 NPK blend fertilizer every four weeks till harvest. Apply the fertilizer as slow-release granules or powder at first, once new growth appears.
Boysenberries benefit greatly from blood meal and fish meal. Fertilizer is required more frequently in containers because nutrients tend to wash out through the soil as they drain.
Also Read: Growing Raspberries in Containers
Pruning
It may be difficult to clip prickly vines, so put on sturdy gloves. Prune primo canes that produce fruit the following year sparingly; only cut floricane to the ground in the autumn. Trim the floricane to the ground, leaving the primo canes, and then thin each bush’s primo canes to a maximum of seven.
Maintenance is beneficial to vines even when they are growing. Naturally, it’s preferable to take out any broken canes as you proceed. To encourage new growth, trim the tips of the primo canes. If you want to control the spread of your boysenberry plant, cut off suckers as soon as they appear.
Propagation
Boysenberries are quickly multiplied through cuttings. To assist you, follow the transplanting procedure outlined in this article’s Planting section. You can plant in beds where the canes will form roots, or you can plant in containers. This is the main method that a nursery would employ to encourage boysenberries to take root.
Every boysenberry plant tries to reproduce itself by sending forth tiny suckers that grow from twisted roots that encircle the entire plant. They also grow from lengthy rhizomes that are left in the ground. In the spring, divide these roots among numerous plants. For a division to result in a viable root, at least one primo cane is required.
Harvesting and Storing
In certain zones, growers harvest boysenberries in May. Others harvest berries in August and July. This article will teach you how to harvest and store the boysenberry plant’s fruit, regardless of the month you choose to harvest.
Harvesting
Boysenberries are quite delicate when fresh, which is why they are rarely available in markets. Because of its delicate nature, you should harvest your fruit carefully to avoid damaging it.
It is possible to harvest boysenberries by gently plucking them from the plant, being cautious not to crush them, and putting them in a tray or basket. Boysenberries have delicate skin, so avoid piling too many on top of each other since they tend to bruise easily. Store them cold until needed.
After placing them gently in a sieve, rinse them with water. After that, remove the colander and let the boysenberries air dry. Make use of paper towels.
Storing
It’s ideal to consume fresh boysenberries immediately. Before they begin to deteriorate, they won’t endure more than a few days at best. Freeze them to retain their flavour for use in winter pies and preserves for longer-term storage.
Dehydrating boysenberries can extend their shelf life to five years. Keeps for a year, jams included. Freeze-drying them could be the most effective long-term storage method. If properly stored, frozen boysenberries can last up to 15 years.
Troubleshooting Boysenberry Plants
Boysenberries and blackberries share certain similarities despite their differences. If you give them the proper care, they will continue to produce berries for you for many years. These are some of the problems that you may run into when cultivating them.
Growing Problems
Boysenberries will wilt and cease to produce if stored in a heated environment above 85 degrees for a lengthy period. An aid for this would be a shade cloth.
To prevent problems from getting worse, however, certain places that experience temperature swings will require additional assistance in the form of cautious positioning, adequate sunlight, and close observation.
Placing your boysenberries in a shaded region will typically result in insufficient light. Plants that do not develop drupes are one sign that this is the case. When growing brambles, such as boysenberries and blackberries, try to avoid putting them near trees or under the shadow of structures.
Pests
Birds have a fondness for berries. Boysenberries and blackberries are no different. To stop birds from reaching the berries and eating them all, cover your plants with netting.
Birds may become distracted by old CDs or glittery tape wrapped around the branches of your berry plants. Giving birds water to quench their thirst is another tactic for distracting them. Keep a close check on them.
Aphids may congregate in your boysenberry plants and start sucking sap from the leaves, causing leaf curl. Every seven to ten days, use insecticidal soap to eradicate them from your plant. Neem oil is also an effective remedy. If there are large outbreaks, think about using an organic pyrethrum spray.
Leaf rollers begin as larvae on your plants and grow into moths. By adding helpful nematodes to the soil, overwintering larvae will not emerge in the spring. Spraying your plant with Bacillus thuringiensis is an efficient way to stop larvae from spreading.
Diseases
Cane and leaf rusts caused by fungi have the potential to dry up and break the plant entirely. Cut off any damaged material that you find, and then treat the remaining plant parts with a fungicide that either contains sulphur or copper. Furthermore, to prevent rusting, use fungicides that include sulphur or copper beforehand.
Anthracnose can show up as purple spots on leaves or canes. Additionally, several bio fungicides are effective against anthracnose. To avoid anthracnose, give your plants regular applications of neem oil sprays, check that they have enough airflow, and water them from the base up. Stay away from useless foliar sprays.
FAQ
Which climate is native to boysenberries?
Boysenberries thrive best in areas with moderate temperatures. Nonetheless, they can withstand harsh winters if they receive the right care.
Do plants that have berries spread?
Yes! They want to spread out by exploiting the suckers that emerge from their rhizomes. These are movable and eradicable.
Do boysenberries reproduce by themselves?
Yes, but with additional help from pollinators, they yield more.