How Long to Yield on a Berry Bush

Raspberries

• There are several different types of raspberries, including red, black, purple and yellow. It takes at least two years to establish raspberry bushes, but once they are established, they continue to produce fruit for several years if they receive good care. Red raspberries produce larger berries and tolerate cold better than other varieties. Black raspberries are less tolerant of the cold and produce smaller berries. Purple raspberries are hybrids of black and red raspberries. Some raspberry cultivars may bear fruit twice a year, while others produce a single crop, usually early in the summer.

Blueberries

• Blueberries are a slow-growing fruit. They require soil that is acidic and well-drained, and they produce more fruit in a sunny location than in a shady location, according to the University of Minnesota. During the first two years, flowers should be removed to encourage vegetative growth. It can take six years or longer before blueberry bushes yield fruit, but healthy plants can live 30 years or more.

Strawberries

• Strawberries yield fruit relatively quickly. During the first year, strawberries may produce as much as a quart of fruit. Certain types of strawberry plants may not bear fruit until the season after they are planted. The amount of fruit each plant yields usually declines during the second or third year, so replanting every three or four years is necessary for continuous production.

Other Berries

• A wide variety of other berries are grown grown in the home garden, and their time to yield can vary widely. Some berries are grown to make jam, jellies or wine. Others are grown to be baked into desserts, such as pies. Chokeberry bushes are an example of berries that are grown for jams or wine. The bushes are usually productive in the second year. Mulberry bushes produce a berry that can be used in pie or eaten as dried fruit. If grown from seed, mulberry bushes can take as long as 10 years to yield. Blackberries do best in warm climates and usually produce fruit the first year.