I've planted some rasberries and a few black berry varieties in my (small) back yard almost 5 years ago. After the first few years of no blossoms/berries, I assumed they weren't getting enough sun due to nearby shrubs/small trees. I cut them back so more than 6+ hours of direct sunshine. After a year or two, still no blooms. They've spread (rhysomes) quiet a bit, so they seem to be healthy. I'ver fertilized, still nothing. I was about to rip them out and when as a Colorado Master Gardener I did some research and one thing suggested was the soil ph. Knowing Colorado soils are alkaline, I thought this could be the reason (though our county CMG office raises rasberries). So I thought I try to lower the ph using aluminum sulphate using a product called "Espoma Organic Soil acidifier soil amendment. I bought a 6lb bag and pour about a cup of granules at the base of most plants to see if I could get blooms. Probably too late. . this year? So I'm going to buy a bigger bag and spread over this 8x8' area, and if that doesn't get a change, maybe cut them back in the fall and see if I can work this product more "into" the soil with a small tinged rake, and hope for the best. . next year. Since my back yard planting ares (no grass)is VERY small ~50'x20', if they don't bloom next spring, I'll rip them out to provide more space for my perennial plants.
I would like some advise if this is a good idea or is their a better course to follow. I'm not a veggie gardener, more of a blooming gardener. I want to plant seedless grapes along my 6' fence that I've mounted a trellis but it faces north and during high sun summer, the sun doesn't quite reach the bottom of the fence. Should I abandoned this idea too?
Appreciate some advice. Neither is critical to my ambitions, but would be nice to have som "produce" from my labor.
