How to Grow Berries and Currants

This is a comprehensive illustrated guide to a wide range of delicious soft fruits with information on their origins and nutritional values. It features step-by-step instructions for preparing the soil, cultivation and care, and propagation techniques. It includes expert advice on training, supporting and pruning fruit bushes, and harvesting and storing your crops. It offers helpful hints on how to avoid pests and diseases, and what to do when problems occur. In this kitchen garden handbook, the most popular soft fruits are illustrated with useful information on their origins, growing habits, nutritional content and culinary uses. The second section gives key advice on soil preparation, essential tools, propagation and protecting your fruit bushes. The techniques described include training and supporting fruit bushes, pruning, sheltering plants from the weather and harvesting and storing fruit crops. The section on practical cultivation tells you how to grow all types of berries and currants, whether you have a large kitchen garden, a small garden plot with some space in the borders, or room for a few containers. A must for the novice grower, this book also provides reliable information for the experienced gardener who wants to experiment with new varieties.