Best Berries to grow for Young Kids.

7 years ago

I have two 4x8 ft beds against a car port. Each gets full-sun from sunrise till about 2pm. One contains alpine strawberries which my daughter LOVES, she eats them like candy. My other bed currently holds wildflowers, however, I would love to grow more berries for her to pick and eat. Any suggestions? Preferably thornless, sense she is still relatively young. She understands thorns hurt, but I would rather her feel fearless in picking. I have thought about just dividing my alpines and planting identical beds, but I would rather have more variety. I have thought about blueberries, loganberries, or blackberries with pruning. Mainly I wondering what would be best for the given space and sun exposure? Thanks.

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Comments (8)

Greenhorn2
7 years ago
well just food for thought, try and buy some Thornless Raspberries n' Blackberries so as not to discourage youngsters from picking berries if that's ur goal.
Trinacria
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank You. That's kind of what I was thinking. Yeah, these will be for the youngsters to pick, most will probably go hand to mouth lol.
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catfishhoward
7 years ago
Fall gold raspberries are my favorite so far they have no bitter or tart taste at all, all of my friends love them and the thorns are not that bad and the berries seem to grow under the leaves which make it harder for all the birds to find.

I prefer loganberries over blackberries have a taste between blackberries and raspberries with just a little tartness, there thornless and they have long vines, the blackberries i have don't taste like the ones I buy form the store they are really tart for me so I'll have more loganberries in the future.

I also like the dwarf everbearing mulberry and dwarf everbearing fig trees, they grow fast and some can fruit in the 1st year, you can train there lateral branches when they are young along a fence or wall and still have room in front of them for some fall gold raspberry plants or they have some thornless red raspberries as well, I have a Canby raspberry but haven't tried a berry yet.
Jason (Zone 10b, San Diego)
7 years ago
Blackberries can be invasive as they will often spread more than you wish. Blueberries could be a very good choice, depending on the variety they can be a smallish to tall bush. If you can provide your location and zone, I'm sure someone can help with a variety that is appropriate for your location.
User
7 years ago
You might look into the "Pink Lemonade" blueberry. I don't grow it but a friend does- in a container-and likes it. Very lovely berries and pretty plant...Tastes is different from blue berries but very delicious.
Kevin Reilly
7 years ago
I have a 20 month old son, he loves all the berries we grow, blackberry, raspberry, mulberry, blueberry, strawberry. Variety is the spice of life. I would do a mix of those (get a dwarf mulberry bush not a full size tree for a small space like that)
Trinacria
Original Author
7 years ago
Great ideas!!! Thank You for all the feedback. I am in Nashville, TN. Zone 7a.
Trinacria
Original Author
7 years ago
The Dwarf Mulberry idea is very interesting. Looking online, I am seeing many conflicting hardiness zone recommendations. Some say zone 5+ others 7+. Any experience in the Nashville, Middle TN area. Would it be something I would need to cover or would it so winter damage?

Best Berries to grow for Young Kids.

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Greenhorn2

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Best Berries to grow for Young Kids.

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Jason (Zone 10b, San Diego)

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