The foothills of the Sierra Nevada have a diversity of growing regions. Throughout the region, farmers have been successful in growing many different types of agricultural commodities. This includes many types of berries.
Raspberry and Blackberry, Fruit & Nuts Research & Information Center, UC Davis
Blackberry varieties do best on sunny slopes. They should be planted 4 to 5 feet apart in rows 10 feet apart and canes trained on 4 foot high, 2 wire trellis.
Raspberry plantings do best on cool North slopes. Raspberries are planted 3 to 4 feet apart in rows. Each year after harvest, old canes are removed and new canes are wrapped around the wires.
- Recommended varieties when planting at elevations between 300 and 3500 feet:
- Blackberry- Olallie, Boysen, Thornless Everbearing Black, Smoothstem, Tay, Thornfree, and Marion.
- Raspberry- Willamette and Heritage.
Blueberries, Fruit & Nuts Research & Information Center, UC Davis
Blueberry plantings do best on cool North slopes. Blueberries do well on acid soils of the foothills and are planted 5 to 6 feet apart and do not need trellis support. Each year after harvest, old canes are removed and new canes are wrapped around the wires.
- Recommended varieties when planting at elevations between 300 and 3500 feet:
- Blueberry- Blue crop, Ray, Herbert, Jersey, Coville, Pemberton, Duke, Toro, Nelson, Olympia, and Atlantic.
- Blueberries, UC Small Farm Program
Strawberries, Fruit & Nuts Research & Information Center, UC Davis
Strawberries are planted on raised beds. Plants are set 8 to 12 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Planting is best done in late July or around the first of November.
- Recommended varieties when planting at elevations between 300 and 3500 feet:
- Strawberry- For early summer crop: Chandler, Pajaro, Sequoia, Tioga, Douglas, and Benton. For continuous summer crop: Fern, Hecker, Ozark Beauty, Selva, Tristar, and Brighton.
Pest Management
- University of California Integrated Pest Management guidelines for monitoring pests in Blueberry, Caneberries, Strawberry.
- UC ANR Book Publications: IPM in Strawberries (2nd Ed)
University of California Web Resources
- Berries in the Foothills, UCCE Placer/Nevada County
- Growing Berries, The California Garden Web
- Planning a U-Pick Operation on Your California Farm, University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
(UC SAREP)
Berry Publications
- Fresh Market Caneberry Production Manual
- Integrated Pest Management for Strawberries, 2nd Edition
- Organic Strawberry Production Manual
- Strawberry Deficiency Symptoms
Please use Promo Code PRTUM55 if ordering online. This will insure that your funds stay within the UCCE Central Sierra.