If you are looking to expand your fruit garden and are looking for something interesting to grow then you may want to consider growing this interesting raspberry-like fruit. The pinkish-orange berries have a sweet and yet tart taste that is ideal for cooking a baking.
Growing Japanese wineberry:
Japanese wineberry should be treated in the same way as summer-fruiting raspberries. You can buy bare root stems in the dormant season over the winter or you can buy them as potted plants from a garden centre or plant nursery.
Plant the wineberries shallowly in well-draining soil in a sunny spot. A location against a sunny west or south facing wall will be ideal, though you should plant a small distance from any wall to get out of the rain shadow. Spread out the roots and gently firm the soil around the plants. If you want to create an ordered wineberry patch then as with raspberries you can tie in the new growth to supporting canes or wires. This makes harvest easier and keeps things looking orderly.
Like summer-fruiting raspberries, canes will grow one year and fruit the next. To keep things neat you can cut back canes to the ground once they have fruited.
A mulch beneath the plants will aid in moisture retention and keep the weeds down and you should be sure to water well during the growing season, especially once the fruits have begun to form.
Wineberries are covered in a thick layer of golden bristles and while these are not particularly sharp and so do not pose a particular hazard to gardeners, they do seem to deter birds and so you will be left with plenty of berries for yourself and will not usually have to resort to netting your plants in order to gain a yield from your crop.
If you want to propagate your plants then it is easy to obtain new plants from hardwood cuttings, which will root easily.
Wineberries are an attractive plant and add interest to the garden al year round. The emerald green leaves and stems look good on their own and then in early summer you will see the small, star-shaped, whitish pink flowers (that are self-fertile). Of course you will then have the jewel-like fruits that bridge the gap between summer-fruiting and autumn-fruiting raspberries. These are delicious picked straight from the plant or you can use them to bake or in preserves.
Why grow Japanese wineberry in the garden?
Japanese wineberries will grow well in most areas. They are a great addition to a fruit garden, orchard or the edge of a forest garden. These are attractive and provide a good yield, which makes them a great addition for those who like their gardens to be beautiful and useful.