Cooking with berries is the perfect way to enjoy desserts without so much added sugar. Berries do contain natural sugar, but they also have the fiber and nutrients that can offset the carbohydrates.
This category on berries includes delicious recipes, as well as tutorials on growing your own berries at home.
Blueberries are the main crop I grow to sell at the Minnesota farmers markets. I planted 600 blueberry plants in 1998 and made sure they had every advantage. Fortunately we are located in a rural area surrounded by wetlands and woodland, so we have always had the advantage of a strong pollination source in bees. …
Quick Summary: Raspberry sweetness depends on variety, full sun, proper pruning, and harvesting at peak ripeness. Summer-bearing varieties like Tulameen and Cascade Delight tend to be very sweet. For everbearing, Anne (yellow) and Caroline are excellent choices. Read time: 10 min | Experience level: Beginner to intermediate Jump to: Sweetest Varieties | Summer Varieties vs …
Blueberry plants grown in containers will thrive in the summer but in many climates they will need a little extra care in winter to prevent their roots from freezing. Find out how to protect a potted blueberry bush in winter, whether you’re overwintering it indoors or outdoors! Jump to: Hardiness Considerations | Outdoor Care | …
Quick Summary: Strawberry sweetness depends on variety, potassium fertilizer, full sun, and harvesting at peak ripeness. June-bearing varieties like Earliglow and Honeoye tend to be sweetest, but day-neutrals like Albion and Seascape also deliver excellent flavor. Read time: 10 min | Experience level: Beginner to intermediate Jump to: Sweetest Varieties | How To Grow | …
If you bought some blueberries at the supermarket that turned out not to be quite as ripe as you hoped, or if you picked your home-grown berries a little too early, they’ll likely be too sour to eat as they are. Luckily, there are still various tasty recipes you can make with them! Let’s have …
Blueberries were the crop I started with back in 1998 when I decided to become a farmer. 20+ years later I’m still growing those same 600 blueberry plants at my farm, HeathGlen Organic Farm. Since I sell at the farmers’ markets I get a lot of questions and comments about blueberries, some enlightening and some …
Blueberries were the very first specialty crop I grew for the St. Paul Farmers’ Market back in 1998. I planted 600 blueberry plants on our 23 acres at HeathGlen farm and paid special attention to which varieties or growing conditions yielded the sweetest berries. This guide covers which cultivars tend toward sweetness, how to fertilize …
Blueberries don’t ripen after picking, and if you harvest them too early, you will get sour berries that will never sweeten up. I grow 600 blueberry plants at HeathGlen Organic Farm for the farmers’ markets, and have found that the single biggest factor in sweetness is picking at the right time. The key indicator is …
Blueberries were the first crop I planted back in 1998 when I decided to become a farmer. Over the years I was able to figure out their best growing conditions and the variables that led to the most prolific harvest. One of the growing conditions I noticed was which companion plants actually help and which …
Quick Summary: Grow blueberries in wide pots (at least 20 inches) with acidic soil (half peat, half potting mix). Choose half-high varieties for cold climates (Polaris, Northland, Chippewa). Plant at least two different varieties for cross-pollination and larger harvests. Full sun (6+ hours) is essential. Expect a few handfuls the first year, increasing to about …
HeathGlen Organic Farm is in Minnesota, which is in Zone 4-5, and every year I need to overwinter a number of the plants I grow in pots. I always bring in the potted blueberries, strawberries, bay trees, and perennial herbs, as container-grown plants are more vulnerable than those in the ground since they have very …
Guide for the beginner on growing strawberries at home, whether in a container, raised bed, or in the garden