You wake up one morning and find that modern society has collapsed. No electricity, no running water, no corner store to pick up eggs and milk. Your community comes together to create a self-sustaining compound, relying on your collective skills and available resources to survive. Food becomes a primary concern. Is it feasible to grow berries in this post-apocalyptic scenario? What are the easiest and most productive berries for an off-grid homestead?
Benefits of Growing Berries Off-Grid
Fresh berries provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients that support health and wellbeing. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and elderberries grow successfully in many regions of the northern United States. Unlike tree fruits, berry bushes and vines start producing fruit in their first or second year, offering a faster return on your efforts. As perennials, they will continue producing for 10-20 years with proper care.
If space allows, focus on self-pollinating varieties that produce male and female flowers on the same plant. This ensures pollination and fruit production without relying on bees or other external pollinators. Gooseberries and currants fall into this category, along with many blackberries and raspberries. Blueberries, elderberries, and some blackberry varieties need cross-pollination between plants to set fruit.
Once established, berry plants require little maintenance besides annual pruning and protection from birds and other wildlife. They tolerate poor soil and extended cold better than most other fruits. With well-drained soil amended with compost and a site with sun exposure, you can expect productive harvests even in harsh northern climates.
Best Berries for Ease of Growth
Raspberries and Blackberries
Raspberries and blackberries produce abundant fruit on biennial canes that live for two years. After fruiting, canes die back while new canes emerge from the roots. Expect harvests in summer and fall. Prune old canes close to the ground after fruiting. Trellising helps manage their enthusiastic growth habit.
Gooseberries and Currants
Gooseberry and currant bushes reliably produce copious clusters of berries in summer. They tolerate most soils with adequate drainage and propagate easily from cuttings. Gooseberries offer larger fruit size for fresh eating, while tiny currants excel for preserves, baking and wine. White pine blister rust is a concern with currants in some regions. Check local restrictions before planting.
Elderberries
Elderberries grow wild across much of the country. The large shrubs produce abundant small berries perfect for juice, syrups and immune-boosting remedies. Plants propagate readily from cuttings. While elderberry prefers moist soil, established plants tolerate drought and poor conditions. Clusters of sweet-scented flowers give way to dark purple fruit in early fall.
Strawberries
Strawberries send out runners that form new baby plants, making them easy to propagate. Plant them in spring for juicy berries the following summer. Established matted rows continue producing for years with annual renovation. Day-neutral varieties extend the harvest season into fall. Strawberries grow successfully in containers, raised beds or garden soil.
Other Berries to Consider
Blueberries, juneberries, sand cherries and bush cherries offer regional options for northern climates. Blueberries require highly acidic soil, while the others tolerate a wider pH range. Salmonberries and wild blackberries produce well on sites with partial shade and rich soil. Jostaberries, a complex gooseberry-blackcurrant hybrid, offers larger fruit size and thornless stems.
Where winters remain extremely cold, focus on the most hardy shrubs – currants, gooseberries, jostaberries, honeyberries, sand cherries, bush cherries, lingonberries, blueberries and haskaps. Elderberries, aronia berries, seaberries, and even some figs can survive with reliable snow cover. Protect all fruiting wood from harsh winter winds.
Growing Support
Install trellising for blackberries, raspberries, grapes and hardy kiwi. Sturdy posts with wire support keep plants tidy, prevent rooting at tips, improve air circulation and make harvest easier. You can also trellis cucamelons, melons, passionfruit and hardy vines.
Amend soil with aged compost or manure before planting. Mulch annually to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Irrigate when rainfall is inadequate during the growing season. Consider fabric row covers to protect plants and fruit from birds. Netting also works to keep birds and animals away.
Transplanting Berry Bushes for Faster Fruit Production
Focusing on raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, several key steps will help ensure successful transplantation of mature berry bushes:
Site Preparation
Prepare the new planting area in advance by amending the soil with aged compost or manure and digging holes wider and deeper than each bush’s root ball. Leave ample space between plants and rows for air circulation and harvesting.
Bush Selection
Select healthy suckers or shoots at least 12-24 inches from the mother plant to retain an intact root system. Avoid disease-prone plants. Evaluate canes for signs of growth and cut back any dead wood.
Transplanting Technique
Carefully dig up bushes trying to keep roots intact. Use a tarp or basket to move larger plants.Plant at the same depth as original location. Backfill with native soil and water thoroughly.
Aftercare
Provide consistent water for transplant recovery, cutting back tops to reduce demand. Mulch to retain moisture. Avoid transplant shock by moving in early spring or late fall when bushes are dormant.
With proper technique, even mature 8-10 year old blueberry and blackberry bushes can successfully establish and produce abundant fruit in their new location.
Cloning Berry Bushes for Expanded Production
Cloning offers a cost-effective way to rapidly expand your berry crop once you have a few established bushes.
For raspberries and blackberries, simply bend the tips of first-year canes to the ground and cover with soil. These will root and can be separated the following year. You can also take dormant hardwood cuttings in fall or early spring.
Blueberries root readily from softwood cuttings of new growth taken in spring. Dip cuttings in rooting hormone before inserting in potting soil or a propagation system. Maintain high humidity as they root over 4-8 weeks.
An automated cloning system like SmartClone delivers stronger, uniform plantlets at a large scale. It controls lighting, humidity and nutrients for optimal root development. Precision robotics makes the process efficient and economical, But requires electricity or grid access.
For small-scale cloning, homemade aeroponic or hydroponic set ups work well for blueberries, raspberries and other berries. Cuttings taken in spring root quickest when conditions closely match the parent plant. Record details to refine your propagation techniques.
With consistent success cloning from existing bushes, you can rapidly expand berry production across your homestead.
Bottom Line
Growing small fruits, berries and unusual edibles expands food production and provides essential nutrition for the homestead. Their perennial nature and modest input needs make them a wise investment for off-grid food security. Even in challenging climates, you can harvest armloads of ripe berries for fresh eating, preserving and homemade wine. The health and morale boost makes berries worth the effort for any northern homestead.
Citations:
[1] https://practicalselfreliance.com/hardy-permaculture-plants/
[2] https://growingspaces.com/off-grid-gardening/
[3] https://www.self-reliance.com/2018/04/fruits-for-the-far-north/
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ullSVM2J7I4
[5] https://practicalselfreliance.com/salmonberry/
[6] https://www.offgridweb.com/survival/survival-garden-fruits-of-your-labor/
[7] https://www.westonnurseries.com/two-invasive-vines-with-colorful-berries/
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuVSn4wC1eY
[9] https://www.offthegridnews.com/food/how-to-grow-berry-bushes/
[10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twY0NTi5cmk
[11] https://vegogarden.com/blogs/academy/9-best-climbing-fruits-to-grow-on-a-trellis
[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MrnVlQ87dA
[13] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV4Qy29K4lg
[14] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LeVA1HeA8k
[15] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6eScW6IiKY
[16] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvlVFdANLxE
[17] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7mkF2ixUqU
[18] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIZc2ftJ0Yg
[19] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxmUThSLNfY
[20] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1iJFvKdFto
[21] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOZ_KjTah0E
[22] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXD_1Bwe7M
[23] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=780A_mnWzko
[24] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEuCvb1NNAw
[25] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLd53EIpY5Y
