Blackberry (bramble) ‘Tayberry’ (Rubus fruticosus) – hardy soft fruit – 15 cm pot – 50 cm tall – Pack of 2

Yes, the Loganberry (Rubus × loganobaccus) is a fully hardy fruit plant that overwinters in the ground without special protection in the vast majority of French regions. Its underground rhizomes easily withstand typical winter frosts, and new shoots grow vigorously in spring. In mountainous areas or in pots, a thick layer of dead leaves or wood chips applied to the rhizomes in November will be enough to protect the basal buds from the most severe cold.

The blackberry-raspberry is an interspecific hybrid (Rubus × loganobaccus) resulting from the cross between the raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and the cultivated blackberry (Rubus fruticosus). It combines the delicate aroma and sweetness of the raspberry with the size and juiciness of the blackberry: its elongated fruits, dark purple when ripe, are significantly larger than those of a classic raspberry. The taste is sweet with a slight hint of tartness that red fruit lovers particularly enjoy. Unlike the raspberry, the blackberry-raspberry retains its receptacle (like the blackberry) when picked.

Plant the Mûroise in autumn or spring in a sunny location, in a planting hole enriched with well-rotted compost. Space two plants 1.50 m to 2 m apart to give them enough room. Even before planting, install a sturdy support: a trellis attached to a wall or fence, wires stretched between posts at heights of 50, 100 and 150 cm, or a wooden palisade. Its flexible and vigorous stems (up to'2 m in length) must be tied regularly throughout the season to prevent any tangling.

Pruning of the Loganberry (Rubus × loganobaccus) is carried out after the summer harvest, generally between August and October. The principle is simple: using secateurs, remove entirely at ground level all the canes that have produced fruit this year (they are darker in colour and often exhausted). Carefully preserve the young, vigorous green canes of the year, train them horizontally or in a fan shape on your support, and slightly shorten their tips to encourage branching. These are the ones that will bear the next harvest.

Yes, the Mûroise can certainly be grown in a pot on a terrace or a large sunny balcony, provided that a few requirements are met. Choose a pot d'of at least 40 to 50 liters, filled w'ith a well-draining mixture of multipurpose potting soil and compost, and install a sturdy support (wall trellis or conical stake) to guide the stems. W'atering must be more frequent than'in the ground, because the potting mix dries out quickly: check the'moisture two to three times a week in summer.

The redcurrant bush begins to bear fruit as early as late spring with its pretty, highly melliferous pink and white flowers, then the berries form and ripen gradually from June to August depending on the regions and climatic conditions. The fruit is ready to pick when'it turns from bright red to a deep violet-purple and detaches easily from its receptacle. Eaten fresh, the berries are delicious as they are or in a fruit salad. They are perfect for jam (their natural pectin content makes it set easily), coulis, tarts, crumbles and smoothies.

The Mûroise f'its perfectly into an informal fruit garden or a kitchen garden-orchard alongside o'ther small fruits: raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants or blueberries share similar cultural needs and create a highly productive picking area. For ornamental associations, its white-pink spring flowers pair well with pollinator-friendly perennials such as culinary sage, lavender or c'oneflower, which attract the same pollinators and extend the visual interest of the border.