Overwintering Raspberries and Blueberries on Balcony

[Bill U.]

Hi everyone,

I finally moved into an apartment that has a balcony= grow space! I would love to do some raspberries (I was thinking Heritage) and maybe a blueberry bush (Top Hat and/or Bluecrop/Blueray) in containers. But thinking ahead before I buy any of them, does anyone have suggestions to overwinter them on the balcony? I'm in Chicago (Zone 5) where winters can get pretty brutal with wind and snow.

Would just keeping one of those foam rose bush covers over them work? Would it help to bubble wrap the pots for extra insulation to help prevent total freezing? Or bubble wrap the pot AND cover with the foam?
Unfortunately I don't have a garage to put them in, nor do I think my landlord would be happy if I dug them into the landscape for the winter! I really want to try growing some of my own fruit and figured these were good starter plants for a limited-space.

Thanks for the help!

[camille1585]

My mother has a house and yard (in France, in the hills west of Lyon), but as the soil is poor and rocky, I planted her blueberry plants in pots. They've been there for 10 years, and have survived numerous stretches of frigid winter temps over the years, the lowest temps being in the 0-15F range.

What I make her do to prepare for winter: Remove saucers from under the pots, and move pots to a spot protected from rain/snow. If she puts any protection, it's around the pots themselves during the coldest weather. A potful of dry soil will resist freezing temps much better than wet, which is why she has them in a sheltered spot.I think raspberry plants would be no different.

So I think that if you covered them through the worst of the winter, and sheltered them from rain if possible, they'd be fine. If they do get covered in snow, that would not be bad; snow is excellent insulation against the cold!

If you do buy blueberries, you need at least 2 plants for good pollination. They are self pollinating to an extent, but give much more and larger berries when cross-pollinated. Raspberries on the other hand are self pollinating.

For container culture of blueberries, Tophat or a similarly compact variety (like Sunshine Blue) might be a better choice. Bluecrop gets really large, so may not be well suited for a balcony over time, depending on the space you have (giant containers needed once they mature). Containers should be preferably wider than they are high (roots are superficial), but those can be hard to find.

[Dollythehun]

Fiskars used to make an extruded poly foam series of pots that might help. They had good insulating properties. Otherwise, Camille is quite accurate.

[Subrosa]

Another possibility would be to source some native lowbush blueberries, Vaccinium angustifolium. The fruit isn't as big but it packs a wallop in the flavor department. Plus the plants are hardy (in the ground at least) to zone 2 which is -50°F. If they're sheltered from moisture and wind as Camille mentioned there would be no problem.

[Bill U.]

Thank you for all the info, Camille! So if I understand you correctly, huddling them against the building (getting most of the way out of rain and snow) and possibly covering them (for the compact varieties) should help them survive the winter?

I was also reading some posts that suggest subtracting 2 zones from my current zone to allow for being in pots, so I think that Top Hat and Sunshine Blue would still work (some websites list them as zone 3), while being compact on the balcony. The raspberries, I intend to grow Heritage or Caroline, which are also zone 3 rated.

For the blueberry pots, would either of these work for the compact bushes? Or the raspberries? :

Hydroponics Organic 10 Gal. Round Nursery Pots (37.85 L / 1.33 cu. ft.) (5-Pack)-VHPP1000-5 - The Home Depot

Napa 16 in. Kentucky Walnut Resin Wine Barrel Planter-HD1312-037 - The Home Depot

[fooferdoggie]

I don’t know think there is too much of issue as long as you get ponta in the right zone. Raspberry’s don’t like to get dry at all so Plan in watering often. Even one day of dry will cause die back

[Dollythehun]

Camille's mom is still ground level. It makes a difference that you are up in the air. Colder. Weight of the pot is important. Go to a big garden center ,( not a big box) and and to look at insulating, lightweight, outdoor planters. They will be made of done kind of foam and thick, but light. If looks matter to you, I wouldn't want to look at black plastic planters all winter. Weight matters too as you're on a balcony and you will have other plants and parties out there. I'd rather not hear about your balcony collapse on WGN. What you want to do is possible if you do you homework...lots of rooftop gardeners in Chicago. Learn from them.

[orchidsarefun]

Also take a look at strawberries - the plants are cheap enough that if they don't overwinter ( they should ), no big deal. Will also fruit in first year. And a Cape Gooseberry. Easy to grow and is a perennial if overwintered in a sunny spot indoors. Exotic tasting and unique.

[Leafmite]

Top Hat blueberry is hardy in a pot here in Ohio, exposed to all the elements, even during the coldest winters. I have had one for about seven years in a pot and I have never covered it.

Raspberries...I haven't tried them in a pot but I doubt you will find them to be a problem.

I would advise keeping the berry bushes in your apartment the first spring until all danger of frost has passed. Many are grown that first winter in warm greenhouses (as they were cuttings the previous summer) and are not hardened off for that first spring.

[Bill U.]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Camille's mom is still ground level. It makes a difference that you are up in the air. Colder. Weight of the pot is important. Go to a big garden center ,(not a big box) and and to look at insulating, lightweight, outdoor planters. They will be made of done kind of foam and thick, but light. If looks matter to you, I wouldn't want to look at black plastic planters all winter. Weight matters too as you're on a balcony and you will have other plants and parties out there.

Great point, Dolly! I will have to investigate to find some of these more insulating-type planters!

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

Also take a look at strawberries - the plants are cheap enough that if they don't overwinter ( they should ), no big deal. Will also fruit in first year. And a Cape Gooseberry. Easy to grow and is a perennial if overwintered in a sunny spot indoors. Exotic tasting and unique.

I was definitely thinking of adding some strawberries as well! They are such cheap plants (thank goodness) that I definitely want to try my hand at those as well.

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Top Hat blueberry is hardy in a pot here in Ohio, exposed to all the elements, even during the coldest winters. I have had one for about seven years in a pot and I have never covered it.

That is very encouraging to hear! I would much rather things survive with minimal babying, or even with some babying than trying to replace them all the time! you also have a good point with the cuttings not being hardened off- I didn't even think of that.

You guys are awesome for all of the info! That, and you're also wonderful enablers to the plant addiction to add more and push the limits