Courtesy of Terry C., Terry’s Berries, Tacoma WA
Make sure you have enough calcium in the soil. We usually apply gypsum if we don’t want to raise the pH. Berries prefer an acidic soil, 5.5 to 6.5. Blackberries and blueberries even lower. I use the Albrect method that Acres USA promotes to have a proper portion of calcium, magnesium and potassium. I get my soil tests done at A&L Labs in Portland and ask for a graphical soil analysis report. It is the cation saturation percent that is critical. And yes, modern soil scientists will say it doesn’t matter!!
Over the years, (30) I have decided that it isn’t necessarily the sun that makes berries sweet. If it is actually too warm they ripen too fast, and have less flavor so our cool, cloudy days here in the Pacific NW favor strawberries and raspberries. Too much rain/water will dilute the flavor.
