We're thinking strongly of starting organic gardening. We've read a lot of information regarding vegetable plants but nothing on fruit. Please help us to know how to organically grow and maintain strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

Thank you.

Whoa, that's a big topic. Might be too much for this board. You mayhaps should pick up Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, or Google for advice on each topic. Look up the ATTRA website specifically. It's generally for farmers, but the research and advice is top notch.
And good luck.

Strawberries & raspberries are easy! You just plant them and watch them grow and multiply! I have not done anything special for mine. I am putting in blueberries this year - I have to build the lasagna beds this fall.

Do get that book - it is the organic gardening bible and another good one is the Backyard Berry Book by Stella Otto .

Yummy berries in your future - have fun!

Hi! And welcome to the forum.

If you look above the message area you'll find the word 'Search'; click on it to search the forum for messages on the subject of your choice.

Also, look at the header at the top of the page...under Organic Gardening is a row of words. The 4th one is Archives--click on that to search for articles from OG magazine on the subject of your choice.

Definitely read up on the plants you like before getting them.

I've been growing strawberries and blueberries for a couple years now...still trying to work the kinks out of my own garden but I can give you a couple hints.

Strawberries WILL multiply like rabbits. They send out a stem called a runner that will develop baby plants on it. These will develop roots and grow and can be transplanted to other places. BUT--the plants I have all sent out runners all over the place and quickly matted together into a huge tangle. Air couldn't circulate among the plants so mold and fungus got all the fruit this year. I was loaded down with too many projects as usual and should've 'pinched back' the runners after the first 'daughter' plant formed. Pinching the tip of the runner would've stopped it from growning any longer and the plant would've put all it's energy into forming fruit and a single large healthy daughter. I'll be spacing my plants better this year, in a single row at the edge of the larger beds, to make it easier to keep track of the runners.

Blueberries have shallow roots and need mulch to help keep the ground cool and damp in hot dry weather. They also like acidic soil (most plants do, but blueberries like it a little more acidic than most).