Need help in Growing Berries

We haven't figured out how to get a good crop of berries-stawberries & raspberries- in our new area yet. Which is dry and hot. I know strawberries need moisture and mulch, can anyone think of other things that might help? Or a variety that might work best? I've got to buy all new plants this year.

Drip tape and a good mulching job.

The folks at the country store here said to plant in raised beds with a mix of 1/2 peat moss, and 1/2 compost, nothing else. That's what we did and they grew like crazy. We picked off all blooms the first summer instead of letting them fruit. So this summer we should get our first crop of strawberries. Crossing our fingers and dreaming of shortcake :-D

Peggie K is absolutely right. This will help them do great and spread like wildfire! I am curious though, PeggieK, why did you pick off all the blooms the first summer? Was that to make them spread faster?

As for raspberries or blackberries or in your area, probably ollalieberries (sp?) are a great variety to try. I would even take a look by some railroad tracks or tributaries and see what is growing wild. I got some excellent cuttings that did fabulously from a wild bunch by the river when I lived in Sacramento (a very hot place in the summer!)

I added a lot of peat moss [Indiana grown] to my bed. They grow like crazy. I believe it helps to keep the soil more moist. Strawberries have shallow roots.

Here in the upper desert of Calif. I have had a hard time growing blueberries until I found out that I was growing the wrong kind. Our local Lowes gets bare root ones everyspring and sells them at a really great price buts that's because they die. I have found some varieties of blueberries that are specific to Calif. and bought them last summer and they have survived almost one whole year now. Those varieties are "Misty", "Oneal", "Southmoon", and "Sharpblue". We have extremes in weather here. Winters get down in the lower 20's with some snow days and summers get up to about 110. I had "Latham" raspberries but they aren't looking too good. I'm not sure if they made it through this winter yet. Strawberries are new to me this year and I'm trying "Aromas". I have a "Siskiyou" blackberry that has done ok so far but the "Ebony King" blackberries died. The boysenberries tag just said "Rubus ursinus var. loganobaccus" and they are doing good also. So those are my berry adventures here in the Calif. desert to be continued....
-Juli

Since you are WA. have you checked with Raintree Nursery? They have a really great website and since they are also in Wa. they would hopefully be knowledgable about what would grow in your area. Here's the link.
http://www.raintreenursery.com/ Also check them out in Garden Watchdog here on DG's. http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/105/
-Juli

Juli64, great mind must think alike.:) I did think of Raintree nursery, even sent them an email asking them. They did reply and so will be looking to order what they suggested. Thanks all and I will be taking all your advise about peat etc. Off to the nursery I go today. Wish me luck.

Sagewood.

Nourse farms has wonderful berries. They are also very helpful.

Oops, didn't mean to take so long to reply, sorry.

We picked off all the blooms from strawberry plants the first summer in an effort to let the plants spend their energy getting established instead of making small berries. They established well and made runners. Hopefully we will get a good crop this summer.