How many blueberry bushes and raspberry canes to buy?

[ralleia]

I have a gardening book that tells me how many of anything to plant per person, but it fails utterly to provide guidance on raspberries and blueberries.

Can someone recommend a reasonable number for a family of four, which includes on ravenous 7-year-old berry eater?

Planting space is not a concern. The blueberries will be a northern highbush variety, and the raspberries an everbearer.

[Goldhedge]

Google is my friend http://umaine.edu/publications/2066e/

Not sure there's a specific 'number' to plant.
Looks as if you plant a hedgerow. May as well plant a bunch
so you can put some up for winter.

[Nickelless]

Thanks for the link, Goldhedge. I'm trying to get the edge of my fenced-in back yard prepped for berry bushes around the perimeter of the yard, and this info definitely helps!

[gnome]

The raspberries will be easier to propagate than the blueberries. Assuming a limited budget, I would max the blues and start with just a couple of raspberries which you can propagate yourself later.

[Goldhedge]

If I remember correctly, 'propagation' will be the least of your worries...

Containment however, might prove to be difficult....

[gnome]

If I remember correctly, 'propagation' will be the least of your worries...

Containment however, might prove to be difficult....

Yes, with raspberry the brambles will ramble and birds will poop seeds everywhere.

[earplugs]

blueberries requie at least two plants for pollination

[ralleia]

I've decided to go off the deep end and buy one dwarf northblue (ripens mid June), one semi-dwarf northland (ripens early July), one Bluecrop (mid-July), one Jersey (late July), and one Rubel (early August). That should keep us busy and buried in blueberries. Still trying to figure out how long a row of raspberries to plant...

[Oldmansmith]

I have 30 blueberry bushes and a ton of raspberries. You can't have too many blueberries really, but keep in mind you will likely need to net them (birds go crazy over them) and it will take quite a while before you get much. Raspberries will spread and you can make new rows from the suckers you dig up. I recommend that you buy a variety that does not need staking (like "fall red" or "heritage"). There are newer and "better" everbearers like "Caroline," but you need to trellis them and that is more work than I want; I also like to make curved rows and such near my fruit trees with them.

Remember also that the blueberries want a very acid soil, and cannot tolerate ANY weeds or grass. I mulch with cardboard and then cover with pine needles. Raspberries like a more neutral Ph and more nitrogen; I lime mine every few years, and add manure.

I fill my floor freezer every year, and have them every day at breakfast. This morning I had a mix of red and black raspberries with oatmeal.

[mnmom]

If you're on a limited budget be sure to check out craigslist for someone willing to share or sell cheaply extras that they have. The town I live has a once a year plant exchange and every year without fail raspberries show up, so be sure them out as well. Some tips I have are don't plant too close to fences as you will get suckers about 10-15 feet away from the parent plant. If you are planting in rows make sure you have enough space to walk between them because you will be pulling plants from between rows in a year or two. When you plant I would also suggest setting up some form of cover for the berries so birds don't get them. My husband set pvc piping in a rectangle (6 pipes went into the ground about 2'down and 3' high. then he ran piping around using t shaped connectors and I can place nets over them) I should take a picture because I can't explain it well. With about 40 plants I get 2 gallons of berries each day for about 3 weeks with a smaller crop in late August.