The Backyard Berry Book: A Hands-On Guide to Growing Berries, Brambles, and Vine Fruit in the Home Garden [Paperback]

Stella Otto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995

Here's hands-on advice from a professional horticulturist and experienced fruit grower to help gardeners create an edible landscape. The Backyard Berry Book provided all the information that backyard gardeners need to grow strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, lingonberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, and kiwi fruit. Includes details on soil nutrition and testing; disease, pest, weed, and bird control; and trellis design. A trouble-shooting section and Seasonal Activity Calendar will help ensure success.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the late 20th century, unfortunately, berries are seen primarily in the supermarket at certain times of year, and while this is welcome, it used to be that everyone had a few berry bushes in the backyard: some currants, some gooseberries and a few rhubarb plants. Stella Otto explains how to bring this tradition back and raise lush crops of berries and fruit with pointers on soil nutrition, plant nutrients and mulching that will make your home-grown berries the envy of folks who only see them in the supermarket. This mouth-watering book will get you going.

From Booklist

Otto focuses on what she calls small fruit, fruit that does not grow on trees but as a cultivated, perennial crop on small plants, canes, bushes, or vines--strawberries, rhubarbs, brambles (raspberries and blackberries), blueberries, lingonberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, and kiwi fruit. She begins with a chapter on site selection and preparation, continuing with chapters on plant selection and propagation; berry botany; soil nutrition, photosynthesis, and water; pest control; and diseases. Chapters detailing the growing of these small fruits complete the book, along with troubleshooting questions and answers, a seasonal activity calendar, and a glossary. George Cohen

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Ottographics (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963452061
• ISBN-13: 978-0963452061
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author of the 1994 Benjamin Franklin Award winner, The BackYard Orchardist, Stella Otto has more than sixteen years of hands-on experience in fruit growing. As a horticultural instructor, consultant, and fruit farm owner she has repeatedly faced the questions presented in the Backyard Berry Book and offers practical, realistic solutions.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource, October 14, 2003

By 

Heather Degeorge "book-ie monster" (North Plainfield, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Backyard Berry Book: A Hands-On Guide to Growing Berries, Brambles, and Vine Fruit in the Home Garden (Paperback)

While I occasionally found the lack of something I felt to be important (like what HEIGHT should my blackberry trellis be?!) I found this to be, overall, and invaluable resource in understanding exactly what the differences were in berries, pitfalls of growing (and harvesting), pruning, diseases, caveats and just setting the growers expectations (so you're neither disappointed or overwhelmed by your results). I haven't found another book that covers the subject so well on such a variety of berries (including grapes, lingonberries and currants). It's written in a way that takes the ABSOLUTE NOVICE into a really good understanding--well above the norm. While it left a handful of details for you to seek out (and truly, not many and not hard to find) I would buy it again and again. It has made a difference in my garden.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Berry Growing Basics for Beginners, January 21, 2006

By 

Robert A. Williams "libertarian" (Oberlin, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Backyard Berry Book: A Hands-On Guide to Growing Berries, Brambles, and Vine Fruit in the Home Garden (Paperback)

Stella Otto uses plain language and ample illustrations to cover the basics of growing small fruit. Her book contains separate chapters for strawberries, blueberries, brambles, grapes, kiwis, gooseberries, currants, lingonberries and even rhubarb in the backyard garden. The coverage of varieties of each fruit and varietal differences is good, which is why each fruit requires a chapter.

First the fundamentals of growing small fruit are surveyed, including site selection, stock selection, methods of propagation, berry botany, soil nutrition, pH, irrigation, and other cultural practices. Then pest control is discussed including organic versus non-organic controls and Integrated Pest Management techniques that reduce the need for chemical controls. Lastly there are charts, resource lists, and trouble-shooting guides provided in the reference section of this book.

Well worth consulting before planning your berry patch!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great, June 14, 2006

By 

A Reader (Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Backyard Berry Book: A Hands-On Guide to Growing Berries, Brambles, and Vine Fruit in the Home Garden (Paperback)

This book offers rather generic information on growing a variety of fruits, most of which will be old lore to experienced gardeners. While it would be difficult to be comprehensive with regard to varieties of given fruits, more attention could have been given to them. Also, more specific information on individual fruits and varieties would have been welcome, particularly with regard to site preparation and pruning. The illustrations are poorly drawn and thus not particularly useful.