How to Grow Berries

Visit your local nursery or a reputable online vendor to purchase plants that are certified as disease-free. North Carolina State University recommends starting your berry patch with healthy, disease-free plants that you purchase from a nursery -- not plants from a neighbor, friend or another area of your garden. Starting your garden with healthy and disease-free plants is a crucial step to maintaining a healthy and disease-free berry patch in your garden. Select varieties that will flourish in your region and the growing conditions in your garden.

Test the soil in the area in which you will plant berries. All forms of berries prefer full sunlight and well-draining, acidic soil with pH levels between 5.5 and 6.5. Blueberries prefer soil with pH levels that range between 4.09 and 5.0. Raspberries and blackberries prefer pH levels between 5.6 and 6.2. Test your soil to determine the current pH -- you may need to add ground limestone or dolomitic lime to raise the pH level or ammonium sulfate-containing fertilizer to lower the pH level.

Prepare the site in which you will be planting your berries. Cultivate the planting area and add fertilizer to the soil approximately three to five days before planting. The University of Maine recommends using balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of 25 pounds for every 1,000 square feet.

Dig a hole that is approximately 1 to 2 inches deeper than the container in which you purchased the plants. Space plants according to growing instructions. Strawberry plants should be 12 to 18 inches apart, blueberries should be spaced 2.5 to 6 feet apart and raspberries/blackberries should be planted 3 to 8 feet apart.

Install a support system as necessary. Adding support for your berries will prevent plants from drooping, improve the quality of your berries, reduce disease and make it easier to harvest berries from the garden.

Add a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch to the ground to help regulate soil temperatures, discourage weed growth and retain moisture. Weed the area frequently throughout the season to keep the area clear.

Water berry plants regularly. Berry plants need 1 to 2 inches of water weekly to maximize growth.