15 Easy to Grow Berries You Should Consider

by Jennifer Poindexter

Would you like to grow fruit around your home? Are you confused about which fruits to grow and where?

One of the easiest fruits to grow are berries. There are many varieties, but most are simple to grow and care for.

Not to mention, berries can be grown in container gardens or added as part of an edible landscape. If you’re looking for inspiration, you’ve come to the right place.

I’ll share which berries are easiest to grow, which planting zones they grow in, and some of their basic growing conditions. Here are some of the easiest berries to grow that might deserve your consideration.

1. Strawberries

Strawberries are versatile plants. They can be grown in containers, hanging baskets, in the ground, or in raised beds. They don’t require a lot of space, either.

These berries need well-draining soil that’s also rich in nutrients. Strawberries also prefer full sun. If you live in planting zones five through eight, strawberries can be grown as perennials. If you live in any other planting zone, they must be grown as an annual.

2. Blueberries

We grow blueberries around our property, and they are one of my favorite types of berries. There’s something about the taste of homegrown blueberries. They’re much more flavorful than those I typically purchase at a store.

If you’d like to grow delicious blueberries around your home, be sure to plant them in acidic soil that’s also well-draining. Blueberries prefer full to partial sunlight. Depending upon the type of blueberry bush you plant will depend on the hardiness. The lower to the ground, the hardier the bush is in colder planting zones. There are varieties for planting zones three through seven.

3. Blackberries

Blackberries are another plant we grow around our property. They’re easy to care for and taste wonderful during harvest season. These plants like sandy soil that’s also rich in nutrients.

However, the soil must be well-draining. Be sure to plant blackberries where they’ll receive full sunlight. There are some varieties which do well in colder climates but almost every type of blackberry is hardy in planting zones eight and nine.

4. Aronia Berries

If you need a forgiving berry plant, the Aronia berry is for you. These berries can grow in any type of soil and have strong roots which retain moisture. Therefore, they can also survive periods of drought. The only thing this plant does need in a growing location is full sun as the sunlight encourages more blooms.

Aronia berries are hardy in planting zones four through seven. These berries are a great source for making jams, jellies, juice, tea, and wine. If you’d like a forgiving berry (that’s also useful), you should consider growing Aronia berries.

5. Huckleberries

You may have thought huckleberries were only famous thanks to their inclusion in the famous line of Tombstone. In reality, huckleberries have been a fan favorite for generations as these berries are great for adding into baked goods.

Huckleberries need acidic soil, a shaded growing location, and consistently damp soil. They’re also hardy in planting zones four through eight. If you’d like a different variety of berry growing around your home, consider growing huckleberries.

6. Elderberries

Elderberries are becoming a popular berry in many parts of the world. The reason being is people take elderberry syrup each flu season to boost their immune systems. If you’d like to grow your own elderberries, you can in your own backyard.

These berries grow best in areas with full sun. Their roots aren’t very deep. Therefore, they need to grow in well-draining soil but watered consistently to ensure the plant doesn’t dry out. You can grow elderberries around your home as a perennial in planting zones three through seven.

7. Boysenberries

The first time I ever heard of boysenberries was in a Christmas song. As I grew up, I was thrilled to know these berries not only exist, but they’re delicious! Boysenberries remind me of elongated blackberries.

They prefer to grow in full sun and well-draining, nutrient dense soil. You can use these berries for making jam or turn them into juice. Plus, they’re hardy in planting zones five through nine.

8. Raspberries

Raspberries come in different varieties. Some produce in the spring and some in the fall. Many gardeners agree that the kind which bear fruit in the fall are easiest to grow.

If you’d like to grow these tart and colorful berries around your home, be sure to plant them in well-draining soil. They should also be provided full sun. Raspberries are a versatile plant. For this reason, they’re hardy in planting zones three through nine.

9. Gooseberries

Do you like making unique homemade jams or jellies? You should consider growing gooseberries as they’re great for these purposes. Some gardeners get tired of the same old flavors in their foods and begin growing tasty fruits that are different from some of the old favorites we’ve all grown to love.

If you fall under this category, be sure to plant gooseberries in the right growing conditions. These berries are hardy in planting zones three through eight. They like full sun and nutrient dense dirt that’s well-draining.

10. Loganberries

Loganberries tend to resemble blackberries. They grow to be full and dark colored when they’re ready to harvest. Yet, they taste more like a raspberry. These fruits are wonderful to eat fresh when they’re fully ripe.

However, when they are still in their earlier stages, they are good for making jam. If this sounds interesting to you, consider adding them to your garden. They grow well in planting zones six through ten, love full sun, and prefer well-draining soil.

11. Serviceberry

Serviceberries are a wonderful addition to have around your home. They make tasty cobblers, delicious baked goods, and can even be used in homemade ice cream.

When you’re deciding which berries to add to your landscape, don’t overlook the serviceberry. They do well in planting zones four and higher. Plus, they can handle partial shade. These berries need acidic soil that’s well-draining, too.

12. Currants

It’s hard to get bored when growing currants because they come in so many varieties. You can grow black, red, or white currants. They make excellent pies, jellies, and ice cream.

If you’d like to grow this fruit around your home, be sure to plant them in the right conditions for your area. These plants prefer to stay cool. If temperatures reach the mid-80’s they’ll start losing their foliage.

Therefore, it’s best to plant in full sun to partial sun depending upon your planting zone. These plants also prefer well-draining but moist soil. You can grow currants if you live in planting zones three through nine.

13. Cranberries

You might think I’m crazy for stating that cranberries are easy berries to grow around your home. Don’t they grow in water? The short answer is not always.

Cranberries can be grown in soil and in your backyard under the right conditions. First, they must be planted in acidic soil. Then you must live where the plants have an opportunity to have a dormant period. These plants typically do the best in planting zones four through seven. If you live in these areas and have the right type of soil, cranberries could be a great addition to your yard or garden area.

14. Wonderberry

Wonderberries can be used in many of the same ways as most other berries. They’re great for baking and also make delicious homemade jams or jellies. However, you won’t want to eat these berries raw as they have a less than desirable flavor.

If you live in a warmer climate, these berries could be a great choice for you as they can’t handle frost. Yet, if you live where you receive frost, wonderberries can still be grown as an annual or moved indoors over the colder months. Be sure to provide these berries with full sunlight and well-draining soil. Aside from these necessities, wonderberries are extremely low maintenance.

15. Wineberries

Wineberries are another useful fruit to have around. Though they aren’t durable, once picked, you can freeze them to make your harvest last longer. When ready to use the berries, they make great wine, jams, or desserts.

You can grow these berries as perennials in planting zones four through eight. Be sure to plant them in nutritious soil that’s well-draining and in full sun.

This concludes our roundup of easy to grow berries perfect for many yards or garden areas. Hopefully, this list has inspired you to consider growing an edible landscape.

Berries aren’t complicated to grow, most are low-maintenance, and they have a variety of uses. If you’d like to begin growing different fruits around your home, start with berries, and see how much flavor can be added to your life.

More About Growing Berries

https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1304/html

https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-raspberries-home-garden

Bulletin #2066, Growing Raspberries and Blackberries