Small Fruit Varieties

Small fruit can often be more reliable in Kansas than tree fruits.  K-State Research and Extension has some excellent bulletins on production of various small fruits and I strongly encourage you to read the following bulletins: Strawberries. Grapes, Raspberries & Blackberries

Blackberries: Great variation in cold hardiness.

Shawnee - Thorny, cold-hardy, erect, canes do not require support. Medium-large, firm fruit. Highly productive; ripens over a long period of time, vigorous plant.

Arapaho - Thornless, cold-hardy, canes do not require support. Medium-size, flavorful fruit. Ripening begins with Shawnee.
Moderately productive, vigorous plant.

Apache - Thornless, cold-hardy, canes do not require support. Medium, firm, flavorful fruit. Very productive and vigorous. Ripens five days before Shawnee.

Navaho - Thornless, cold hardy, canes do not require support. Medium, firm, flavorful fruit. Ripens one week after Shawnee and continues two weeks later, moderately productive, low vigor.

Raspberries: Four types of raspberries based on fruit color: Red, Black, Yellow and Purple

Taylor - moderate winterhardiness, very fruitful and good flavor

Titan - large fruit and good winterhardiness,

Bristol - excellent cold hardiness, vigorous high yielding excellent quality

Jewell - excellent cold hardiness, very productive

Fall Gold or Goldie - both are moderate cold hardiness but good producers - somewhat late ripening

Brandywine - good cold hardiness, somewhat tart fruit but very productive

Royalty - good cold hardiness, sweeter than Brandywine, late ripening

Blueberries: Blueberries prefer acidic organic soils that are very uncommon in Kansas.  Blueberries can be a real challenge to grow and require extensive soil modification well ahead of planting..  Please refer to this bulletin and contact Chuck for more information and varieties to consider planting.

There is an out of print K-State bulletin called Currants, Gooseberries, Elderberries, Blueberries, from 1984, that contains some fairly good general production information.  Click here for a copy of that bulletin.

Currants: Red Lake and Wilder

Gooseberries: Pixwell and Welcome

Elderberries: Nova, York and Johns

Strawberries: Please refer to the strawberry bulletin for more information.

Grapes: Please refer to the grape bulletin for variety information.

Cranberries:  In Kansas?  I don't think so Toto!  Contact Chuck for more information!!