Berries are a fantastic asset to any garden. If you want a good crop of fruit but don’t want to deal with a whole tree, berries are for you. Can you grow berries in zone 8 though? Zone 8 berry care is a careful balancing act between summers that get too hot and winters that do not get cold enough. Keep reading to learn more about growing berries in zone 8 and how to select zone 8 berries.
Can You Grow Berries in Zone 8?
While some berries are more suited to cooler climates, the plants are very widespread and as a rule very forgiving of broad temperature ranges. If you want to grow a berry, chances are good that there are at least some varieties that will work for you. Many berry plants are more than cold hardy enough for zone 8 winters. The problem with zone 8 berries tends to be, in fact, a lack of cold. Many fruiting plants need a certain number of “chill hours,” or hours below 45 degrees F. (7 C.) in order to produce fruit. When you’re selecting berries for zone 8, it’s important to make sure you have enough chill hours for your particular variety to fruit.
Popular Berries for Zone 8 Gardens
Here are some of the most popular berry plants and the varieties that are most suited to zone 8 gardens. Blackberries – Blackberry bushes are very well adapted to warm climates. Some varieties with low chill hour requirements are Arapaho, Kiowa, Ouachita, and Rosborough. Raspberries – Dormanred is the best adapted raspberry to zone 8, but Heritage may perform well too. Strawberries – Grown as perennials from zones 5 through 8, both the common strawberry and its smaller cousin the wild strawberry perform well in zone 8. Blueberries – Blueberry bushes that have low chill hour requirements include Georgia Dawn, Palmetto, and Rebel.