GARDENER'S READING ROOM
Edibles

An Abundance of Berries

Each year’s selection of berries changes slightly, but Sky Nursery always makes sure to carry lots of old favorites, plus a few new varieties. This season, we’ll see a handful of hybrids that we haven’t seen for awhile.

For 2011 Sky will be offering over 20 cultivars of blueberries and 10 cultivars of raspberries. Our selection of blackberries will be especially impressive this year with 11 cultivars on-hand, including five thornless types. In addition to three red and two black currants, we’ll also carry two highly desirable white-fruiting types: ‘White Imperial’ and ‘Primus’. When it comes to berries, we can’t forget strawberries. You’ll be hard-pressed to choose among the 20-plus different types we will have available. Bareroot strawberries are offered in economical one-gallon containers, with 15 roots per each sawdust-packed pot.

February is the height of berry season at Sky — come in now for a flavorful harvest this summer!

‘Rubel’ BLUEBERRY These famously sweet berries are small, dark and high in antioxidants.		‘Polaris’ BLUEBERRY An introduction from Minnesota that is a heavy producer with excellent aroma and flavor.		‘Puget Reliance’ STRAWBERRY A June bearer known for high yields of large berries.
‘Anne’ RASPBERRY An everbearer that yields beautiful and flavorful lemon-yellow fruits.		‘Autumn Britten’ RASPBERRY A “sister seedling” of ‘Autumn Bliss’ but with firmer fruit and greater production.		‘Albion’ STRAWBERRY A day-neutral type with excellent flavor and disease resistance.
‘Loch Ness’ BLACKBERRY This thornless, Scottish import boasts monstrously large berries with a rich, tart flavor. Plus, the rigidity of the canes mean that staking isn’t required!		‘Olallie’ BLACKBERRY New this season, ‘Ollalie’ is a cross between black loganberry and youngberry, which in turn is a hybrid of blackberry and dewberry.		‘White Imperial’ CURRANT Considered to have the richest flavor of all currants, this heirloom variety is extremely hardy and known for early ripening.

By Judy Boersema
Skylights Spring 2011, Vol 26, No. 1

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