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- How long can I keep frozen raspberries and blackberries in my freezer?
- Why do raspberries have little hairs on them?
- Can I grow raspberries and blackberries in my garden?
- How can I get berry stains out of clothing?
- Are raspberries and blackberries pollinated by bees?
- Can I grow raspberries and blackberries plants from seed?
- How do you tell the difference between a blackberry and black raspberry?
- Why don’t raspberries grow well in the South?
- How can I identify a berry plant I have in my garden?
- Should I wash berries before I eat them?
How long can I keep frozen raspberries and blackberries in my freezer? For best quality and flavor, use home-frozen berries within 4-5 months, and if possible store them in a chest-type freezer rather than the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. Berries frozen with sugar or syrup will last longer than individually frozen berries. Find more information about freezing here.
Why do raspberries have little hairs on them? They are the remnants of the pistils, the female portion of the flower. They may help protect the fruit from insect damage. On some varieties these little hairs are more noticable than on others, and they are virtually nonexistent on blackberries.
Can I grow raspberries and blackberries in my garden? Yes, almost everywhere in North America, though not all kinds in all places. In general, raspberries require a cooler climate and blackberries a warmer one. Check with your local Extension office or other local experts for recommendations. See thehome garden resources on our website. You may want to join our “Growing Raspberries and Blackberries” Facebook group.
How can I get berry stains out of clothing? Try this: As soon as possible after the clothes are stained, and before washing, stretch the garment over the top of a large bowl or other container. Heat a kettle of water to boiling, then carefully and slowly pour the boiling water from a height of 2 to 3 feet over the stained places. Do not use this technique on clothing that is delicate or not color-fast.
A Whirlpool laundry guide recommends the following: Do not use a soap on fruit stains. It will set stains. Soak the garment immediately in cool water. Wash. If stain remains, cover area with a paste made of oxygen-type bleach, a few drops of hot water, and a few drops of ammonia. Wait 15 to 30 minutes. Wash. For old stains: sponge with white vinegar. Rinse. Repeat procedure for fresh stains.
You can also try a commercial stain remover.
Are raspberries and blackberries pollinated by bees? Most cultivars of blackberries, black raspberries, and raspberries are self-fruitful and do not require pollinizers, but honey bees and other bees are naturally attracted to caneberry fruit, and the additional pollination by bees can make the fruit larger. Wind also aids pollination. Dewberries are self-incompatible, and must be inter-planted with other types for good fruit set.
Can I grow raspberries and blackberries plants from seed? Wild brambles often are spread by birds which eat the fruit, but cultivated varieties are reproduced vegetatively by root cuttings, tip layering, or suckering. This insures that the exact same qualities of the parent plant are continued in the “daughter plants”. Plants grown from seed are variable and unpredictable. Bramble breeders wanting to control the crosses put pollen of one type into flowers of another, grow new plants from seed that develops, and then choose the best of these for fnew cultivars or further breeding.
How do you tell the difference between a blackberry and black raspberry? The most obvious difference is that a black raspberry is hollow — the core of the fruit stays on the plant when it is picked, while the core stays in a blackberry. Black raspberry fruit are also smaller, less shiny, and have a bluish waxy coating between the sections of the berry.
Why don’t raspberries grow well in the South? They just don’t tolerate the heat and the fluctuating winter temperatures. One variety, Dormanred, is suited to warmer areas, but it doesn’t have great flavor. Breeders are working to develop a heat-tolerant cultivar for the South.
How can I identify a caneberry plant I have in my garden? It’s not easy, so when you set out new plants, be sure to keep a written record somewhere safe, and not rely on any tags that came with the plants. Short of genetic matching, the best clues are appearance of fruit, plant growth habit and characteristics, and period of ripening compared to others in the same area. Take some pictures, jot down a description and ask a nurseryman, extension specialist, or experienced grower. Join our”Growing Raspberries and Blackberries” Facebook group and post your question and photos. Be sure to say where you live. Breeders are especially good at recognizing the different varieties, as they evaluate and compare hundreds of plants each year.
Should I wash berries before I eat them? Washing will remove some surface dirt and contamination, and may remove some pesticide residues or insects, if there are any. However, because of their delicate structure and many nooks and crannies, washing is not as effective on caneberries as it is on smooth and sturdy fruit such as apples. Caneberries are not washed before they are sold. Instead, wash berries just before you use or eat them. The best technique is to put them in a shallow colander and rinse them under gently flowing water. Then, drain the colander and turn them out — again gently — onto a towel to dry.
