As painful as it is, year one in a new garden is all about long-term thinking. So when both the raspberries and the blueberries that we set out this spring developed flower buds...I pinched them off.

The idea is that a new perennial is better off spending its limited energy on roots and leaves rather than on fruits. So no berries from that patch until next year.

The everbearing raspberries we planted last fall, in contrast, have enjoyed a bit more time to get their feet under them. So when they bloom --- probably for the fall crop --- we'll gladly let those flowers grow. Meanwhile last fall's strawberries are already ripening. In the new few days, I expect to pick our first Ohio-grown fruit!