Allotment for soft fruit

[davholla]

I love gooseberries but have little space in my small garden.  If I had half a plot and just soft fruit, gooseberries, white currants, raspberries etc, how much work would it be?

[davholla]

[ed dibbles]

Growing only soft fruit is not as work intensive as growing veg but there are still jobs that need doing.

Firstly the area around the fruit bushes need to be kept weed free. Both for maximising crops and ease of picking as well as allowing more airflow to help minimise fungal diseases. Raspberries are notoriously difficult to weed with couch and bindweed being the most problematic.

Secondly birds love soft fruit so you will need something to keep them off. Netting or a fruit cage because they will exploit any opening. The fruit is just too tempting for them.

Thirdly annual pruning to keep the plants at optimal production. This is not as difficult as it is made out as long as you follow simple rules.

So with weed supressing membrane with mulch, adequate netting and annual pruning not very much work annually at all.

[johhnyco15]

i have a 10 rod plot for fruit i would put a lot of manure on it then cover it with weed sup membrane then plant through the membrane except raspberries then id butt the membrane up with a gap of 10"plant raspberries in the gap again no weeding its really worked for me  i just covered the membrane  with chippings that are free at our site its not   necessary  it just think it looks better and the fabric doesn't rot  hope this helps

[davholla]

Growing only soft fruit is not as work intensive as growing veg but there are still jobs that need doing.

Firstly the area around the fruit bushes need to be kept weed free. Both for maximising crops and ease of picking as well as allowing more airflow to help minimise fungal diseases. Raspberries are notoriously difficult to weed with couch and bindweed being the most problematic.

Secondly birds love soft fruit so you will need something to keep them off. Netting or a fruit cage because they will exploit any opening. The fruit is just too tempting for them.

Thirdly annual pruning to keep the plants at optimal production. This is not as difficult as it is made out as long as you follow simple rules.

So with weed supressing membrane with mulch, adequate netting and annual pruning not very much work annually at all.

I can not use netting because I would get grief from my mum, can a fruit cage trap birds?  Are they difficult to make or buy?

[ancellsfarmer]

These might fit the bill
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Haxnicks-Giant-Easy-Net-Tunnel-300cm/1022757335?iid=231229731496
Other suppliers are available, or build your own. Ensure the nets are lightly buried, blackbirds just love to run under nets but then panic and forget the way out. You need 24 for a pie....