Collection: Soft Fruit Bushes and Canes

In short, lots! Soft fruit bushes that can be grown here in the UK include aggregate fruits like raspberries, blackberries and hybrid berries (such as loganberries, tayberries, wineberries and boysenberries). On top of that, there are the members of the Ribes genus, like gooseberries and currants, as well as blueberries, grapes and strawberries!

Fortunately, nearly all soft fruit plants are nice and easy to grow, but there are a couple we’d recommend as being particularly beginner-friendly or low-maintenance. Autumn-fruiting raspberries, for instance, are a little easier to grow than summer-fruiting raspberries, in that they’re typically smaller, less vigorous and have simpler pruning requirements. Strawberries are also straightforward to grow, and can also be grown in containers and hanging baskets. Blackcurrants would be our other pick; they require little by way of pruning, can generally tolerate a bit of shade and will reward you with big yields.

Soft fruit bushes are normally pretty unfussy when it comes to their preferred conditions. Best fruiting tends to occur in a sunny, sheltered position, though some plants (like blackcurrants and blackberries) are also able to tolerate a bit of shade. Moist, well-drained soil is the order of the day; if your soil’s a bit on the heavy side with poor drainage, then amend with some perlite, horticultural grit or well-rotted compost. Blueberries are the only soft fruits that require something a little different: they need acidic (or ericaceous) soil. This makes them ideal for planting in raised beds or alongside other acid-loving plants like rhododendrons and azaleas.

You want a loamy soil, if possible, one that has good drainage but that retains some moisture. A good bit of fertility can be helpful, too, so digging in some compost can be beneficial. Check out our soil guide for more information on identifying what kind of soil you have. For blueberries, which like acidic soil, your best bet is to plant them separately in containers or a raised bed, but if you really want to plant them alongside your other non-ericaceous plants, then you can add pine needles, coffee grounds or an ammonium-based fertiliser.

You should feed your soft fruit bushes during early spring, before the growing season kicks off. A slow-release general-purpose fertiliser will work for most soft fruits. Once fertilised, you can also add a layer of mulch around the plant(s) to help retain moisture and suppress the growth of weeds.

Potted soft fruit plants can be planted at any time of the year, provided that the ground isn’t frozen. If you purchase a bare root soft fruit plant, this will need to go into the ground during the plant’s dormant period (from November to March).