Market Farming

[cross-r-ranch AT juno.com]

Jill - dunno if it's too late, though I wouldn't think so if you are
growing from already established bare roots as I've done.  I put in five
new ones a couple weeks ago and four of them are shooting up canes right
and left.  This in comparison to my current single black raspberry which
decided this year that of five canes, one would die, and three more would
half die....rrrrrrr.

But I've had no problems getting them to grow in buckets, tubs and the
like - it keeps them contained, they don't grow too many extra suckers
once they are rootbound and they still produce a ton of berries.  Just
make sure to drill plenty of  drainage holes in the bottom of the bucket.
 With our cats, I use the scoopable litter that comes in the 5-gal
buckets, and save the buckets for growing stuff in - the handles are
excellent for helping to move them, too!!  I drill about 9 holes in the
bottom with a 1/4 inch bit for drainage, put an inch or two of compost in
the bottom, and finish with plenty of potting soil.  Then I plant the
bareroot brambles in the bucket, and water well for about a week to
encourage a lot of early root growth - which leads also to a lot of canes
shooting up, heh!

My biggest problem is keeping the birds off the brambles, but I solved
that problem handily with trips to the local Goodwill, Salvation Army and
other thrift type stores around here - sheer curtains from the thrift
bins work great.  They are light enough not to weigh down the brambles,
but plenty thin enough to let in sun, water and air, and still keep the
birds off.  I do have to weigh them down a bit to keep them from blowing
off - usally I just tuck the ends under the edge of the bucket.  The
sheers last 2 or 3 yrs before the edges get too rotten and have to be
trimmed off, but if you're like me and don't mind a little sewing every
few years, you can trim off the rotted parts and sew the leftovers
together into a large piece again.

Heather R
cross-r-ranch AT juno.com
Get paid to read email! - Click here for more info: 
http://www.cross-r-ranch.freeservers.com/paidemail.htm
I've got so many of them, I had to make a webpage for them all!  Tips and
hints on how to make it profitable.