Fruit Nursery
- Fruit plants are available at River Berry Farm during our farm stand season, Mother’s Day through Halloween, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Not available for purchase on-line.)
- The farm stand is self-serve from July 4th to Halloween, so if you would like support in picking out your plants during this period, please email us a week or so ahead, to set up an appointment: riverberryfarm@gmail.com.
- Though we will try to keep this list updated, some items may be sold out upon your arrival. Sorry, no reservations; it’s first come, first serve.
BLUEBERRY PLANTS _____
Must have two varieties flowering at similar times for pollination. All of our blueberry varieties are disease resistant and hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained, acidic soils and full sun, but can handle partial sun. Blueberries should be pruned every winter to remove dead and weak wood. The following link provides a great description on how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow blueberries.
Here’s a link to Growing Blueberries from the University of Minnesota Extension.
Bluecrop Blueberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Large, light blue with classic blueberry flavor, mild sweet with some tartness.
Use: Fresh, baking, freezing and preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 7 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May.
Fruit Time: Early August.
Light: Full Sun, can handle part sun, but best production in full.
Soils: Well-drained and acidic.
Height: 3′ – 5′.
Spacing: Can plant as close as 2.5′ for a hedge or up to 6′ if want to want to grow them more individually. Rows should be 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Bluecrop is a popular commercial cultivar due to it’s high-yielding and good flavor, sure to please.
Blueray Blueberry:
Fruit Color and Taste: Large, dark blue, mild-sweet, great quality flavor.
Use: Fresh, baking, freezing and preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 7 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May.
Fruit Time: Early August.
Light: Full Sun, can handle part sun, but best production in full.
Soils: Well-drained and acidic.
Height: 4′ – 6′.
Spacing: Can plant as close as 2.5′ for a hedge or up to 6′ if want to want to grow them more individually. Rows should be 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Blueray is an excellent mid-season, productive, somewhat open-branching blueberry.
Patriot Blueberry:
Fruit Color and Taste: Good blue with large, tart, great-eating berries.
Use: Fresh, baking, freezing and preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 7 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May (earlier culitvar).
Fruit Time: Late July.
Light: Full Sun, can handle part sun, but best production in full.
Soils: Well-drained, though Patriot is considered more tolerant of heavier soils than most blueberries, acidic.
Height: 3′ – 5′.
Spacing: Can plant as close as 2.5′ for a hedge or up to 6′ if want to want to grow them more individually. Rows should be 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Patriot is the earliest producing blueberry, offering large, great flavored berries.
Northland Blueberry:
Fruit Color and Taste: Dark blue, medium size, mild, but flavorful.
Use: Fresh, baking, freezing and preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 7 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May.
Fruit Time: Early August.
Light: Full Sun, can handle part sun, but best production in full.
Soils: Well-drained and acidic.
Height: 4′ – 7′, tallest cultivar we sell.
Spacing: Can plant as close as 2.5′ for a hedge or up to 6′ if want to want to grow them more individually. Rows should be 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Northland is the tallest and most winter-hardy of the blueberries we offer.
HONEYBERRY (HASKAP) PLANTS ______
Must have two varieties flowering at similar times for pollination. Honeyberries are a tangy, tart/sweet small blue fruit, larger but not as sweet as a blueberry, full of antioxidants. Some say they’re an acquired tastes, while others just love them. All of our honeyberry varieties are disease resistant and hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained, acidic soils and full sun, but can handle partial sun, if not full shade. Honeyberries should be pruned every 2 -3 years to remove dead and wood. The following link provides a great description on how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow honeyberries.
Here’s a link to Growing Honeyberries (Haskaps) from the University of Saskatchewan.
Berry Blue (Czech 17) Honeyberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Dark blue, cylindrical fruit with a crisp sweet/tart flavor.
Use: Desserts, juice, preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: April.
Fruit Time: June.
Light: Full sun to part shade, possibly full shade, but less productive.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 5”-7′.
Spacing: 4′ – 5′
Notes: Berry Blue, also known as Czech 17, Honeyberry is an older, tried and true variety, that is not as sweet as some of the newer varieties, but, really none of the honeyberries are very sweet and are great in desserts and preserves where sugar is added. Berry Blue has great production.
Tundra Honeyberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Dark blue, large, cylindrical fruit, sweet with a tang.
Use: Fresh, desserts, juice, preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 2 – 7 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: April.
Fruit Time: May-June.
Light: Full sun to part shade, possibly full shade, but less productive.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 4′ – 5′
Spacing: 3′ – 4′
Notes: Tundra is a compact honeyberry introduced by the Univ. of Saskatchewan, producing large and prolific amounts of fairly sweet fruit. Honeyberries are more tart than blueberries but can be eaten fresh, with a pucker, and are an excellent source of antioxidants and Vitamin C.
RASPBERRY PLANTS ______
Raspberries are self-fruitful, so unlike most fruit plants, you do not need two different varieties for cross-pollination. Our raspberries are hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained soils and full sun, but can handle partial sun.
Raspberries are biennial, meaning each cane lives for two (2) years and the root system will produce new canes. There are two (2) different growing types of raspberries: summer-bearing and fall-bearing; see descriptions below.
Here’s a link to Growing Raspberries from the University of Minnesota Extension.
Trellis to support your raspberries helps provide support and ease of picking. Place uprights every 15′ – 20′ and wire or twine horizontal support at 3′ above ground and about 2′ apart. Image from the University of Maryland Extension. You may want another support line of wire or twine a foot lower to keep growing canes in line.
SUMMER-BEARING RASPBERRIES
Summer-bearing raspberries require a little more care in pruning than fall-bearing. They produce berries on the two year old canes which ten die and should be pruned just after harvest season. Cut to the ground any canes (branches) that have produced fruit and thin the remaining branches to 4 or 5 canes. Click on the University of Minnesota link above for a description on how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow raspberries.
Nova Raspberry:
Fruit Color and Taste: Bright red, medium to large fruit that is sweet and slightly tart with good rich flavor.
Use: Fresh, freezing, jams, baking, good keeping – relative to most raspberries which really need to be eaten or dealt with on day of picking.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May.
Fruit Time: July – August. Nice extended ripening period.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 5′ – 6′
Spacing: 2.5′ apart and rows 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Nova is a very hardy, dependable, large producing raspberry with good rich flavor.
Prelude Raspberry:
Fruit Color and Taste: Red, medium to large size with great flavor.
Use: Fresh, freezing, jams, baking.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: Early May.
Fruit Time: July – early August.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 4′ – 6′
Spacing: 2.5′ apart and rows 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Prelude is one of the earliest ripening raspberries, very hardy and vigorous.
FALL-BEARING RASPBERRY
Fall-bearing raspberry are easier to prune than summer-bearing. They produce fruit on the canes that emerge that spring. In early April, mow or cut all the canes (branches) right to the base. Click on the University of Minnesota link at the start of the raspberry section, for a description on how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow raspberries.
Anne: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Yellow, large, very sweet, excellent fruit.
Use: Fresh, freezing, jams, baking.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: July – August.
Fruit Time: Late August – frost
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 4′ – 6′.
Spacing: 2.5′ apart and rows 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Anne Raspberry is one of the sweetest fall-baring raspberries available, surprising some with their yellow color.
Himbo Top Raspberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Bright red, extremely large, good flavor.
Use: Not as firm as some, so best for fresh eating. Can use for baking, jams and freezing if processing within the day.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: Early-July – August.
Fruit Time: Early September.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 5′ – 7′
Spacing: 2.5′ apart and rows 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Himbo Top is a very productive, vigorous and disease-resistant fall-bearing raspberry producing extremely large, good flavored fruit.
Joan J Raspberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Deep red, large and everything you want in that raspberry flavor.
Use: Fresh, freezing, jams, baking.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: July – August.
Fruit Time: Late-August – frost.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 4′ – 6′.
Spacing: 2.5′ apart and rows 8′ – 10′ apart.
Notes: Joan J is a high-yielding, thornless, early-fall-bearing raspberry producing good flavored, easy to pick, long-lasting (for a raspberry) berries.
ELDERBERRY PLANTS _____
Must have two varieties flowering at similar times for pollination, though the variety, Marge, which is cross between an American and European elderberry, can be self-fruitful. Elderberry fruit is rather tart and unpalatable to some when eaten fresh, and please don’t as seeds are toxic as is the flesh when not ripe. BUT, elderberries are incredibly rich in antioxidants and most everyone could enjoy syrups and preserves with the added spice, honey and/or sugar. We can attest to the amazing flu-sympton reduction benefits of elderberry syrup. Beware: much of the elderberry plant is toxic to humans, even the seeds, if eaten raw.
All of our elderberry varieties are disease resistant and hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained, acidic soils and full sun, but can handle partial sun. Elderberry are fast growing and prone to suckering. The following link provides a great description on how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow elderberries.
Here’s a link to Growing Elderberries from University of New Hampshire Extension.
And here’s a link to an easy Elderberry Syrup Recipe from Allrecipe. (Do be sure to strain).
Bob Gordon Elderberry
Fruit Color and Taste: Dark purple black, tart/sweet, considered sweeter and larger than most other Elderberry cultivars.
Use: Syrups, preserve baking, wine.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 9 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: June – July.
Fruit Time: Late July – August.
Light: Full Sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 6′ – 8′.
Spacing: 6′ – 8′.
Notes: Bob Gordon is a high-yielding elderberry with drooping fruit which can help reduce the bird pressure (though it’s nice to share!). Do not eat the berries raw as the seeds of all elderberries are toxic and can accumulate if ingesting larger amounts.
Marge Elderberry Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Dark purple black, tart/sweet, often considered the most productive and is self-fertile
Use: Syrups, preserve baking, wine.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 10 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: June – July.
Fruit Time: August – September.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 7′ – 10′ (taller than most elderberries, and a vigorous grower.)
Spacing: 6′ – 8′.
Notes: Marge is a very productive with large fruit heads, self-fruitful, meaning it does not need a pollinator partner though one can increase yield some. So if, you only have room for one, go with Marge. Do not eat the berries raw as the seeds of all elderberries are toxic and can accumulate if ingesting larger amounts.
Nova Elderberry
Fruit Color and Taste: Dark purple black, tart/sweet.
Use: Syrups, preserve baking, wine.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: June – July.
Fruit Time: August – September.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 6′ – 7′
Spacing: 6′ – 8′.
Notes: Nova Elderberry is considered self-fruitful but will produce more with a pollinator partner. The plant is on the smaller size, for an elderberry and the plants are very productive. Do not eat the berries raw as the seeds of all elderberries are toxic and can accumulate if ingesting larger amounts.
CURRANT PLANTS _____
Currants are self-fruitful, so unlike most fruit plants, you do not need two different varieties for cross-pollination. Our currants are hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained soils and full to partial sun. Prune currents in late winter to maintain an open canopy. The following link provides a description of how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow currents.
Here’s a link to Growing Currants and Gooseberries from the University of Minnesota Extension.
Red Lake Currants:
Fruit Color and Taste: Large, juicy, red, considered one of the best red currants, which run tart.
Use: Great for preserves, baking, dry for your scones!!, can be eaten fresh but …it is a currant, so it runs tart, great for the birds too!.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 7 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: April – May
Fruit Time: Late May – June.
Light: Full to part sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 3′ – 5′
Spacing: 4′ – 6′, closer for a hedge.
Notes: Red Lake is a tasty currant, great for processing and eating fresh, though tart. Can be a nice ornamental hedge that feeds you and the wildlife.
Black Consort Currants:
Fruit Color and Taste: Black, large, musky sweet-tart.
Use: Great for preserves, baking,…it is a currant, so it runs tart, great for the birds too!.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: April – May
Fruit Time: April – May.
Light: Full to part sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 3′ – 5′
Spacing: 6′.
Notes: Black Consort Currant is an old and much loved variety producing clusters of sweet-tart musky flavored berries, very high in Vitamin C and offering great orange-red fall leaves.
GOOSEBERRY PLANTS _____
Gooseberries are self-fruitful, so unlike most fruit plants, you do not need two different varieties for cross-pollination. Our gooseberries are hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained soils and full to partial sun. Prune gooseberries in late winter to maintain an open canopy. The following link provides a description of how to prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow gooseberries.
Here’s a link to Growing Currants and Gooseberries from the University of Minnesota Extension.
Hinnomaki Red Gooseberry:
Fruit Color and Taste: Large fruit with deep red, crisp tangy skin and sweet flesh.
Use: Fresh, baking and preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May
Fruit Time: Late July – Early August
Light: Can handle full sun, but fine with part sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 3′ – 5′
Spacing: 3′
Notes: Hinnomaki Red is somewhat unique in its color, and maybe a little sweeter flesh taste. Gooseberries are a unique flavor and so worth adding to your nursery. You will get better production with annual pruning, in the winter, removing the oldest branches. My experience is the somewhat thorny plants are not particularly attractive in the fall and winter, so maybe not front and center, where you want a nice view.
Pixwell Gooseberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Medium size, maintain green, then take on a slight pinkish tint when fully ripe.
Use: Fresh, baking and preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 6 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May – June.
Fruit Time: Late July – Early August
Light: Full sun to part sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 3′ – 4′.
Spacing: 3′
Notes: Pixwell is an old and trusted variety, with good flavor and production. Gooseberries are a unique flavor and so worth adding to your nursery. You will get better production with annual pruning, in the winter, removing the oldest branches. My experience is the somewhat thorny plants are not particularly attractive in the fall and winter, so maybe not front and center, where you want a nice view.
GRAPE PLANTS
These grape varieties are self-fruitful, so unlike most fruit plants, you do not need two different varieties for cross-pollination. Our grapes are hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained soils and full sun. Grapes are great for growing on a fence, trellis or arbor and need to be pruned to increase production. Beware, grapes are vigorous; you will have a huge tangle if you do not prune aggressively each year.
Click on the link below for tips on how to train and prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow grapes.
Here’s a link to Growing Grapes from the University of Minnesota Extension.
Here’s an image of a simple grape trellis, but really, you can train your grapes onto most anything you can attach the vine to. Grape plants can live a long time, so need a durable trellis:
Image from Whizbangtrellis.blogspot.
Bluebell Grape:
Fruit Color and Taste: Excellent, large, old-time, dark blue/purple grape, resembles Concord grape but is much hardier for our cold northern VT climate. Bluebell grape has seeds.
Use: Fresh, preserves, juice.
Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: April-May.
Fruit Time: September.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained, acidic.
Height: 8′ – 10′.
Spacing: 6′ – 8′, rows 6′ – 9′ apart.
Notes: Bluebell is a great, hardy, Concord-like, sweet grape, well-suited for growing in Vermont. Select a durable structure and enjoys years and years of grapes. Do follow the pruning recommendations for best quality and yield.
Somerset Seedless Grape: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Red/pink, small berries with wonderful sweet grape flavor.
Use: Fresh, preserves, juice.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8, Somerset is the hardiest seedless variety. USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: April – May
Fruit Time: September.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained, acidic.
Height: 4′ – 6′.
Spacing: 6′ – 8′, rows 6′ – 9′ apart.
Notes: Somerset is a great, red, medium size, seedless grape, the most well-suited seedless grape for growing in Vermont. Select a durable structure and enjoys years and years of grapes. Do follow the pruning recommendations for best quality and yield.
HARDY KIWI FRUIT
Hardy kiwi vines are borderline hardy in our northwest corner of Vermont, but if you have a nice warm microclimate and provide a good trellis, you may just be in for a real treat! You need at least one male plant for every six female plants to get production.
Click on the link below for tips on how to train and prune along with lots of great, easy to follow suggestions on how to grow Hardy Kiwi Fruit.
Here’s a link to Growing Kiwi from the University of Minnesota Extension.
Anna Kiwi: (needs a male pollinator, we offer Meader)
Fruit Color and Taste: Anna is one of the most hardy and best producers of bite-sized kiwi, offering tangy sweet, pineapple-like flavor with light green flesh.
Use: Fresh (can freeze, bake, preserve too, but likely not the quantity you’d want at one time).
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: June
Fruit Time: August-September.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained.
Height: 15′- 20′
Spacing: 15′ in row on trellis or any strong structure such as a pergola or fence.
Notes: Anna is a great hardy vining kiwi that needs to be grown on a supporting structure and requires a single male pollinator plant (we offer Meader).
STRAWBERRY PLANTS:
Strawberries are self-fruitful, so unlike most fruit plants, you do not need two different varieties for cross-pollination. Our strawberries are hardy for our growing zone. Best fruit production in well-drained soils and full to partial sun. Day-neutral strawberries are great for all season production of small amounts while June-bearing strawberries are great for large production over a couple of weeks.
Though strawberries are perennial, meaning they will continue to grow for years, we find the best production is on the second year’s growth, so a good idea is to have three parallel beds: one for planting this year, one for what you planted last year and will be picking from this year, and one fallow for planting next year. Mow the plants to 2″-3″ in August and mulch heavily with straw in late November. Click on the link below for lots of helpful, easy to follow guidelines on how to grow strawberries.
Here’s a link to Growing Strawberries from the University of Minnesota Extension.
DAY-NEUTRAL __
Day-neutral strawberries produce a moderate amount throughout the summer and become more productive in the fall; great for a snack, but probably not so great for the quantities you would want for jam or freezing.
Seascape Strawberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Red, productive, large, juicy and considered, by many, to be the best flavored ever-bearing.
Use: Fresh (can freeze, bake, preserve too, but likely not the quantity you’d want at one time).
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May – August
Fruit Time: A little at a time from late June – early fall.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well-drained (or in raised bed).
Height: 6″
Spacing: 12″ – 18″ in the row, 4′ between rows.
Notes: Seascape strawberry is what we plant in our strawberry hanging baskets, which produce a few berries at a time throughout the summer and early fall. The fruit is large, sweet and juicy and always a treat.
JUNE-BEARING ____________
These are the kind we sell as pick-your-own on the farm; they produce large volumes in late June through early July, then are done for the year.
Jewel Strawberry: Sold Out
Fruit Color and Taste: Jewels are one of our most favorite, large
Use: Fresh, freezing, baking, preserves.
Hardiness Zone: 4 – 8 USDA Zone Map.
Flower Time: May – June
Fruit Time: Intense fruiting for about weeks in late June – early July.
Light: Full sun.
Soils: Well drained.
Height: 6″
Spacing: 12″ – 18″ in the row, 4′ between rows.
Notes: Jewel strawberry is one of most favorite varieties we grow for pick-your-own. They are reliably productive with great juicy, sweet flavor.