Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Boysenberry is a hybrid berry bred in the 1920s in California by the horticulturist Rudolph Boysen. It is thought to be a cross between a blackberry, loganberry and raspberry and is considered part of the blackberry family. The large, purple-black fruit taste like wild blackberries but are much larger and are very easy to pick, as the stems are thornless. The fruits' short shelf life meant that the boysenberry was never grown commercially, but it's grown widely in the US and New Zealand and can be grown in the UK. The fruits can be enjoyed straight from the bush or used to make jams or puddings.
Plant boysenberry in a sunny spot in moist but well drained soil. Train on wires as you would raspberries, as a fan, or even over an arch.
Prune after harvesting in summer or autumn, by cutting the fruited canes down to the ground. When the new canes start growing the following spring and summer, tie them onto their supports. Mulch in spring with organic matter such as well rotted manure or garden compost.
Where to buy boysenberry
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