bramble production small farm center farm science review september 18, 2007

1. Bramble ProductionSmall Farm CenterFarm Science Review September 18, 2007 Maurus Brown, Ph.D. Small Fruit Crops Specialist OSU South Centers 1864 Shyville Rd. Piketon, OH 45661 Phone: 740-289-2071, Ext. 123 Email: brown.989@cfaes.osu.edu

3. Bramble Production Business Plan Cover letter Executive summary Current status and potential growth of industry Summary of bramble operations Production description Production influences and risk assessment Marketing analysis Production budget Financial investment Tax liability Transfer of ownership and administration Summary

4. Bramble Production Marketing Variety availability (consumer preferences) Sell quality, fresh fruit (short term storage) Pick-Your-Own (PYO) vs Pre-pick (labor issues) Roadside, farmers market, and coop market Sell in see-through container Price - fair market value Logo and name branding Build good relationships with customers

5. Bramble Production Site Selection Location – plant away from trees, buildings, etc. Sunlight – plants need full sun (>8hours/day) Air Drainage – avoid frost areas Air Movement – help to dry plants, reduce disease Soil Structure – clay, silt and sand (clay drains poorly) Soil Drainage – plants do not like wet feet

6. Bramble Production Field Preparation Deep till soil Tile field to promote good internal drainage Add compost, if practical, as needed Dig holes 2-3 times the size of the roots Soil test to determine the macro and micro nutrient levels Amend soil with appropriate fertilizer applications Lime requirements are based on soil pH and buffer pH.

7. Bramble Production Raspberry growth Perennial herbaceous shrubs Biennial 1st year primocanes, 2nd year floricanes Primocanes develop from roots (young plants) and basal buds (mature) Trailing and semi-erect (black); erect (red) Thorny (black, purple and red) and thornless (some red varieties)

8. Bramble Production Raspberry fruiting Perfect flowers; blackberry (fruiting shoot), red raspberry (fruiting lateral) Receptacle (torus); raspberry fruit separates from torus when mature Fruit = drupelet (aggregate fruit); round (black); round and conical (red) Pyrene (seed); seedy (black), fewer seeds (red)

9. Bramble Production Blackberry growth and fruiting Perennial herbaceous shrubs Biennial 1st year primocanes, 2nd year floricanes Trailing, semi-erect, and erect canes Thorny and thornless Perfect flowers, racemose and cymose Druplet = Aggregate fruit – united pistils

10. Bramble Production Blackberry Varieties (Erect Growth Habit) Brazos Cherokee Cheyenne Comanche Darrow Humble Shawnee Choctaw Illini Hardy Navaho Arapaho Prime Jim – Primocane fruiting Prime Jan – Primocane fruiting

11. Bramble Production Blackberry Varieties (Semi-erect Growth Habit) Triple Crown Black Satin Chester Thornless Dirksen Thornless Flint Georgia Thornless Hull Thornless Smoothstem Thornfree

12. Bramble Production Blackberry Varieties (Trailing Growth Habit - Dewberry) Boysen Chehalem Fordagrand Gem Lincoln Logan Logan Marion Oklawaha

13. Bramble Production Raspberry Varieties Summer Red Algonquin Balder Boyne Canby Chilocotin Chilliwack Encore Festival Haida Hilton Raspberry Varieties Summer Red K81-6 Killarney Latham Lauren Liberty Madawaska Newburgh Nordic Nova

14. Bramble Production Raspberry Varieties Purple Amethyst Brandywine Clyde Estate Royalty Success Raspberry Varieties Summer Yellow Honey Queen Fall Yellow Anne Fallgold Golden Harvest Goldie

15. Bramble Production Raspberry Varieties Summer Red Prelude Qualicum Regency Reveille Sentry Taylor Titan Trent Tulameen Raspberry Varieties Fall Red Autumn Bliss Autumn Britten* Autumn Cascade Caroline* Heritage Polana* Ruby, Amity, Double Delight Summit, Redwing

16. Bramble Production Raspberry Varieties Black Allegheny Allen Black Hawk Bristol Cumberland Dundee Early Sweet Raspberry Varieties Black Haut Huron Jewel Logan Lowden Mac Black

17. Bramble Production Nurseries Reputable business Good quality plants Check crown and root system upon arrival Volume discount Shipping date Where and how are plants held until planted Contact OSU South Centers for nursery list

18. Bramble Production Planting Good quality plants, check crown and root system Spacing 2 ft. apart, 1ft. apart for some thornless varieties Remove all grass sod at least 2ft. from plants Deep till (if needed) Dig a hole big enough for root system Back fill with good top soil Apply complete fertilizer when finished Water in carefully

19. Bramble Production Soil and Tissue Testing Soil test Leaf tissue analysis Amend soil with a complete (or special blend) fertilizer Utilize manure several months prior to planting - Compost would be more suitable – nutrients and human health Amend with nitrogen (only) if no other nutrient elements needed Discontinue nitrogen applications by mid to late June Apply lime if soil is below pH = 5.8

20. Bramble Production Diseases

21. Bramble Production Diseases

22. Bramble Production Diseases

23. Bramble Production Diseases

24. Bramble Production Diseases

25. Bramble Production Insects

26. Bramble Production Insects

27. Bramble Production Disease and Insect Management Midwest Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide 2007 (OSU Extension Bulletin 506B2) Brambles – Production, Management and Marketing (OSU Extension Bulletin 782) Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook (OSU Extension Bulletin 861)

28. Bramble Production

29. Bramble Production

30. Bramble Production

31. Bramble Production

32. Bramble Production

33. Bramble Production Weeds Quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) Swamp Smartweed (Polygonum hydropiperoides) Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) Velvet Leaf or Butterprint (Abutilon theophrasti) Marestail or horseweed (Conyza canadensis)

34. Bramble Production Weed Control

35. Bramble Production Weed Management Grasses Broadleaves Sedges Perennial weeds Annual (Winter and Summer) weeds Pre-emergent – apply prior to weed emergence Post-emergent – apply post weed emergence Pre-harvest Index (PHI) – specific manufactured herbicides

36. Bramble Production Weed Management Herbicides – Licensed for controlling broadleaves, grasses and sedges OSU Bulletin 506B2 “Midwest Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide” Read and follow label directions Must be labeled for use around grapes Natural Approach – Non-manufactured herbicides Bark mulch Newspaper Leaf much Mechanical Approach – No chemical herbicides Pull and hoe weeds rototiller

37. Bramble Production

38. Bramble Production

39. Bramble Production Birds Use bird netting – mesh of ½” or smaller Scare devices – loud sounds – cannons Distress signals – electronic devices Deer Fencing – high fence, electric - livestock (be careful) Repellants – bar of soap, hot pepper spray (not on fruit) Sounds – loud annoying Dog and coyote hair

40. Bramble Production Irrigation Maintain adequate soil moisture during dry periods Standard drip irrigation system (pressure gauge, backflow preventer) Drip tube, t-tape, layflat Size system to meet production needs Water Source (City, Community well, Farm well) Cost benefits Maintenance issues – wildlife damage, machinery damage, filters

41. Bramble Production Harvest Variety maturation Color alone does not indicate maturity Sugar content - % SS, oBrix Multiple harvests – pick fruit as it ripens Insects – Multicolored Asian lady beetles, wasps, bees PHI = Preharvest Interval (No harvest, label restriction) Appropriate container size (avoid damaging fruit)

42. Bramble Production Pruning Why do we prune? Rejuvenate plants Remove dead, broken and diseased canes Maintain planting size and shape Enhance fruit production Improve fruit size and quality Balance crop load with vegetation

43. Bramble Production Pruning Remove broken and diseased canes Remove old, spent floricanes Promote sunlight penetration Increase air movement Allow spray penetration into canopy Tipping Primocanes Break apical dominance Promote lateral shoot growth Increase fruit production area Tip canes at 30-42 inches in height Tip lateral branches at 12-18 inches

44. Bramble Publications Brambles – Production, Management and Marketing (OSU Extension Bulletin 782) Midwest Commercial Small Fruit and Grape Spray Guide 2007 (OSU Extension Bulletin 506B2) Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook (OSU Extension Bulletin 861) Fertilizing Fruit Crops (OSU Extension Bulletin 458) Controlling Diseases and Insects in the Home Planting (OSU Extension Bulletin 780)

45. Bramble Publications Small Fruit Crop Management. 1990. (Editors) Gene J. Galletta and David G. Himelrick, Prentice Hall, Englewood, New Jersey. ISBN: 0-13-814609-8. Disease Management Guidelines for Organic Bramble Production in the Midwest (OSU Plant Pathology Department Series 92) OSU Extension Fact Sheets Ohioline: http://ohioline.osu.edu/

46. Bramble Production Review Business plan Marketing Site selection and field preparation Raspberry and blackberry growth and fruiting Varieties and nurseries Planting Soil and tissue testing Fertilizer applications Pest management Irrigation Harvest Pruning