Strawberries

Strawberries are short-lived herbaceous perennials, producing for 2 to 3 years. Plant in an open, sunny position in raised beds; a good airflow will reduce fungal diseases. Strawberries prefer a well-drained soil, rich in humus. Dig in lots of organic matter, compost, animal manure or blood and bone, about a month before planting.

Commercially strawberries are replanted every year to maintain a high fruit production. This also saves the commercial grower from the time consuming problem of dealing with runners. For the home gardener it is best to treat strawberries as a short-lived perennial of 2-3 years. Runners provide an opportunity to grow more strawberry plants but also adversely affect strawberry fruit production. Pinching off runners early in the season will improve fruit production. The runners, if left, also tend to overcrowd the bed so that in the 2nd year the original strawberry bed is too crowded to be very productive at all. Due to this fruit, the strawberry suppliers are benefited much.

In addition to being consumed fresh, strawberries can be frozen, made into preserves as well as dried and used in such things as cereal bars. Strawberries are a popular addition to dairy products, as in strawberry flavored ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies and yogurts. Strawberry pie is also popular.

Cosmetically, they are supposedly used for whitening teeth. They can be crushed and made into an exfoliant for skin.

Blackberry

The blackberry is an aggregate fruit that is composed of many smaller fruits called drupes. Blackberries are red and hard when they are immature and turn black and shiny when they ripen. Blackberry - "Rubus spp." is the best approximation to a scientific name, considering that blackberry may be the most taxonomically complex of any fruit crop.

They blossom with fragrant white flowers in the spring. Blackberry bushes are located throughout all of the UK and are also found in many other countries including North America. They produce the best berries when located in the full sun, however you can find them located in shady areas also. Blackberry and raspberry plants may be difficult to tell apart; however, blackberry leaves are light green in color on the underside, while raspberries have silvery undersides.

Blackberries are exceptional among other Rubus berries for their numerous, large seeds not always preferred by consumers. They contain rich amounts of omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and -6 fats (linoleic acid), protein, dietary fiber, carotenoids, ellagitannins and ellagic acid.

There are two types of blackberries, erect and trailing. The primary difference is the growth habit of their canes. Erect blackberry fruit types of list have stiff, arching canes that are somewhat self-supporting. Trailing blackberries, also called dewberries in the East, have canes that are not self-supporting.