Please note: this section is new and will be expanded as new information is added.
(These are brief summary instructions. Detailed instructions for growing most of our fruits can be found at our supplier's website: http://www.noursefarms.com/Assets/plantingGuide.pdf and for grapes at: http://www.starkbros.com/access?action=getggchapternarrative&CategoryKey=4&ChapterKey=5
Strawberries:
Select a well drained, sunny site and prepare the area by removing all weeds. Dig in 0.5 – 1.0 lb of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet or amend the area with compost. The pH should be approximately 6.5 Space plants 12”-18” apart and plant in rows 3’-4’ apart. Water well after planting and weekly thereafter in the absence of rain. Cover plants with straw or mulch in winter to protect the crowns; remove in spring.
Rhubarb:
Select a well drained, sunny site and prepare the area by removing all weeds. Dig in 0.5 – 1.0 lb of 10-10-10 per 100 square feet or amend the area with compost. The pH should be approximately 6.5 Space plants 12”-18” apart and plant in rows 3’-4’ apart. Water well after planting and weekly thereafter in the absence of rain. Cover plants with straw or mulch in winter to protect the crowns; remove in spring.
Blueberries:
Select a well drained sunny site and prepare the area by removing all weeds. Adjust pH before planting to 4.5-4.8 with sulfur. Set plants out 4’-5’ apart and keep well watered until established. Use at least two bluberry varieties for better cross pollination. In following years add 2 oz ammonium sulfate at bloom time and 1 oz a month later, applying in a ring around the plant. Mulch to control weeds.
Raspberries/Blackberries:
Select a well drained sunny site and prepare the area by removing all weeds. Dig in 0.5-0.75 lb 10-10-10 per 100 square feet or amend the area with compost. The pH should be 6.0-6.5. Space plants approximately 24” apart for raspberries, 3’-4’ for blackberries. Water thoroughly after planting, and make sure plants receive at least 1” of water per week. Mulch to control weeds. Plants may need the support of a trellis.
Asparagus:
Select a well drained sunny site and prepare the area by removing all weeds. Dig in 5lb 10-10-10 per 100 square feet. The soil pH should be 7.0-7.2 so lime may be necessary to raise the pH. Asparagus plants are planted in shallow 8” furrows approximately 12” apart. Keep well watered the first year. As the spears grow up, gradually fill in the trench with a mix of half compost/half soil until level with the surrounding soil. In August of the first year, add another 1 lb 10-10-10 per 100 square feet and work into the top 2” of soil. Mulch to control weeds. In following years add 2 lb 10-10-10 per 100 square feet in early spring and again following harvest. Do not harvest asparagus the first year. The second year, you can harvest lightly for 7-10 days; the third year harvest for 4 weeks, and the fourth year for the full 8 week season.
Grapes:
Select a well drained sunny site and prepare the area by removing all weeds. Dig a hole large enough for the roots to spread out and fill ¾ full with compost. Finish filling in the hole and soak well. Space plants 6’ apart on a trellis. Prune back to 2 or 3 bud leaving only the strongest new cane. Stake the first year and pinch back all side shoots to two leaves each. During the second year begin training the new vine on the trellis, forming a double “T”: select the four best side canes and on each cane select a good pencil size stem as the fruiting cane, trimming it back to keep about 8-10 buds. Near the base of each of these fruting canes leave a stubby stem with 2 buds to form next year’s fruiting canes. All other canes are pruned away.
Dig a hole about twice as large as necessary to accommodate the root mass. Add a few shovels of compost to the planting soil when filling in; or, use fertilizer tablets pushed into the soil at the bottom of the hole (use 1 tablet of 12-12-12 fertilizer for seedlings and transplants; 2 tablets for plants 6” tall or larger; and 1 tablet for every ½ inch diameter for trees). It is very important to keep your new shrub or tree well watered during the establishment period. Add 2-3 inches of mulch around the base of the tree out to the dripline, without touching the trunk. Mulching will make it unnecessary to mow or use line cutters near your tree, which can do serious damage. Do not heap mulch up around the trunk of the tree; this will eventually lead to its death.
Most herbs prefer full sun and well drained soil. Plant basically as for perennials.
It is difficult to find a general rule of thumb for perennials as there are so many types that one set of cultural instructions won’t apply for all! As a general rule, dig a hole about twice as large as necessary to accommodate the root mass, and add a few trowels of compost to the soil when filling in. Make sure you account for the mature size of your plant. Keep the general preferences of your perennials in mind when selecting a site (sun, shade, wet, dry or average soil). Even perennials that prefer dry soil will need to be kept watered until well established.
There are several excellent online sources which provide cultural conditions for specific types of plants: