Ohio is a surprisingly good climate for raising berries. Here are three types of berries you can grow in your own backyard, and what you need for each.
Strawberries
Light: Full sun
When to plant: You should set the roots in a deep trench, vertically. Plant in the spring, while the soil is fairly dry. You should put soil over the roots, but over only half of the crown.
How much room: Different for different types. Everbearing strawberries should be 8-12 inches apart, with 2.5 to 3 feet between rows. June-bearing strawberries should be 1-2 feet apart, with 3 to 4 feet between rows; each row of June-bearing strawberries should be 1.5 to 2 feet wide.
How much water: You should not let the soil stay soggy for strawberries. Between mid-June and mid-August, they need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week.
Blueberries
Light: Full sun
When to plant: You can plant dormant blueberries in the spring, with a hole for each root system that is two to three times larger than the current roots. Add a gallon of sphagnum moss or peat moss to the hole.
How much room: Put at least four feet of space between each set of highbush blueberries
How much water: While blossoming, attend closely so that they do not wilt. Once the blueberry bushes are mature, make sure they receive one inch of water each week, whether from rain or irrigation.
Raspberries
Light: Full sun
When to plant: You should plant raspberries in the early spring, with a hole for the root mass that is 1.5 times larger than the current root mass.
How much room: Different raspberry bushes require different spacing. All of them call for 10 feet between rows. For purple raspberries, three feet between plants, and do not use a trellis. For black raspberries, 2.5 feet between plants, and plant linear with a low trellis. Red and yellow raspberries call for just two feet between plants, and you should plant in a hedgerow on a low trellis.
How much water: These call for 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week. Water more during blossoming.
