My Tiny PlotSoft Fruit, A Gift that Keeps Giving
My Tayberries are fruiting and they are literally covered in fruit that is plump, juicy and tastes amazing. I’d like to say that they are really difficult to grow and ‘it’s been a struggle but worth it in the end.’ But really, I haven’t lifted a finger. I haven’t fed them, or watered them at all. They grow in a pot that is frankly too small. I did prune them, last summer after they fruited but that’s it.
I was boring talking to my husband about this last night. Soft fruit really is the gift that keeps giving. My Red Currants, Black Currants, Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Tayberries, Blueberries and now Pineberries take up little of my time, yet when they fruit they do so spectacularly.
I’d say the Raspberries are the easiest of a very easy bunch. I think I could cut them down with a flame-thrower and they’d still grow back in Spring and fruit prolifically in July. There’s no stopping them.
If I really were growing fruit and vegetables to feed my family I’d fill my garden with soft fruit, Potatoes and Lettuce (hmmm maybe Rhubarb and Seakale too) and sit back and watch everything grow. Maybe my diet would be a little strange but honestly, I’m getting sick of putting in all that effort for a handful of Tomatoes (and that’s in a dry year!).
Oh wow, we have just taken a delivery of a tayberry plant. Its still small and there will not be a harvest this year but after reading your post i cant wait for next year. I do like your blog, i have been reading it for a while now. Its amazing what you can fit into a small garden.
I’m trying to put as many perennials as possible on my allotment, because they’re so much easier to look after. Naturally that includes loads of soft fruit. It’s a very savvy thing to do finance wise too as fruit tends to be so much more expensive in the shops and not so ripe and tasty as anything freshly plucked from the plot.
I agree – the soft fruits are so easy to look after, and give so much back. This year we’re trying a recipe for Hedgerow Jam: redcurrants, blackberries, elderflower berries and raspberries. Can’t wait!
Another golden veg is asparagus – it does need weeding and a long ‘no eat’ period at the start but it cropped amazingly for us this year (our first cutting year) and should continue to do so for the next 10-15 years. Kids love it too…but I wonder if that’s because they can eat it with their hands?
Hmm, I’ve always wanted to try seakale – I think that’s on the list for next year now!
You’ve inspired me to write up our hedgerow jam recipe! You can put nearly anything and everything in it, but this is the original! See what you think :-) … http://www.woollygreen.com/2012/07/07/2576/
I love berries of all types but was not aware of the Tayberry. I did some research and I see that they should grow in my zone a little north of Houston, TX. On my 2013 gardening plans is a foray into the Tayberry plants. Rasberries don’t do well here but this combination for the Tayberry just might work. Thanks for the idea.
Me too! I just picked and ate my very first tayberry. It was so ripe, it disintegrated in my fingers. Each little droplet was delicious though, and now I’m fantasizing about trying to propagate another plant from this one. Wonder if they layer as well as blackberries?
I have been amazed by my raspberries this year – so many, it’s been such a pleasure. And rhubarb too is fantastic; mine has produced so much this year. The veg generally have been poor so far this year (with the honourable exception of garlic) so I think I will get some more soft fruit in for next year.
I agree – soft fruit gives us the best flavours and good harvest for the smallest amount of effort on our part.
Wow, they look great. This is my first year growing soft fruit. Unfortunately i left our redcurrant un-netted and the blackbirds enjoyed an early crop!
The Tayberry I have growing against a wall is looking good and has a few fruit on it despite it only being planted (as a single stem) this spring.
Is there a knack to pruning Tayberry’s? Something along the lines of leave this years growth and prune off last years?!?
Soft fruit is easy to grow, this year we moved the plants about and harvest has been slim but lots of growth and much revitalised plants. Dont for get the humble gooseberry, and also the uk native billberry (whinberry etc manny names for it). Garlic can be grown as a perenial and there is jeruslem artichoke, cardoons, herbs, kale , good king henry (like spinich) all can be or are perenials.