Our Berry Bushes!

2014 and 2015 we tried so very hard to grow blueberries here in Northern Utah - its hard going but several people have successfully managed it - I however, was not one of them.
Last year we gave up, pulled them out and planted a few small black berries, hoping they would come up in the spring. Out of the four we planted in the fall three came up - barely.
Two are still struggling to grow - a few leaves on each one so I am sure that in a few years they will be wonderful.
However they cost just under 7.00 dollars each and these HUGE beautiful plants were only 2.00 more!
So we splurged! 4 Blackberry's and 6 Raspberries!

The left side - dark leaf is the thorn-less blackberries. They are under chicken wire until they are firmly established since they connect with the main kid yard, dog yard and occasional chicken meandering area.
The upper back garden we planted raspberries two different kinds one ever-bearing and the other with thorns - this planting has a two fold purpose we are using it as a separating fence to keep the neighbor kids from hoping over the back garden wall and into our garden.
While they did stop when we asked them to - this is just a sweet reminder as to why they don't want to be running through my garden.

Now raising berries - any berries in Utah is hard. This is no joke. They don't like the climate (too hot) and they hate the soil.
Again my coffee addiction come in handy - berries LOVE used coffee grounds, old stale coffee (no cream/sugar ect but left over from the pot) I pour straight on them.
One of my two little ones had been struggling to survive - I poured some coffee on it and two days later I had leaves!
We are working very hard to get them established before the summer heat - I LOVE blackberry pie!
My grandmother made the best pies in the world! (She also lived in Washington state)

This is another fingers crossed, working hard to get them to make it, project. So far they are growing and taking off beautifully! While it looks like a few of them are thinking about producing some fruit, that isn't a concern for us this first year - we want them to grow, thrive and bounce back next spring!
If I can get them to do that, they will make it long term!