tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post491479523221448259..comments2024-03-24T11:10:13.186-04:00Comments on The Gardening Me: A Fruity Look at 2017Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-51090003398704387422017-05-30T08:44:25.200-04:002017-05-30T08:44:25.200-04:00I filled the raised bed with peat moss and compost...I filled the raised bed with peat moss and compost. Since they are shallow rooted, I thought that would be enough - unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-2525247959246253462017-05-29T13:55:33.965-04:002017-05-29T13:55:33.965-04:00Good luck with your blueberry patch, I gave up try...Good luck with your blueberry patch, I gave up trying to grow them and rip up the whole bed few years ago as no matter how much I try to amend the alkaline soil in the patch it just was never enough.norma changhttp://gardentowok.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-29097607632005993892017-05-28T11:12:55.479-04:002017-05-28T11:12:55.479-04:00I can't wait to try my first berry - hopefully...I can't wait to try my first berry - hopefully the varieties I have are the good tasting ones!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-68808456822032746912017-05-27T20:17:17.381-04:002017-05-27T20:17:17.381-04:00I had to look up what a haskap was. Sounds interes...I had to look up what a haskap was. Sounds interesting, I didn't know there were edible honeysuckle berries. The article I found said haskaps can taste like a cross between blueberry and raspberry,though if it's a bad crop they can taste like tonic water. Jasonhttp://gardeninacity.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-3288970239870025472017-05-27T10:21:38.184-04:002017-05-27T10:21:38.184-04:00Trying to grow blueberries in a pot or large conta...Trying to grow blueberries in a pot or large container is certainly something to consider. I would have to sink the pot into the ground, though, as otherwise it would probably not survive our winters with all the freezing and thawing. Yes, pinching off the strawberry flowers is hard, but next year we will both reap the yummy benefits :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-42312841337983212232017-05-26T21:30:14.661-04:002017-05-26T21:30:14.661-04:00I planted everbearing strawberries this spring and...I planted everbearing strawberries this spring and have to pick the blossoms off until August. Always so hard to do! Maybe you could try your blueberry plants in large pots and that would take care of the soil problem. Mine did not do well at the other house and they were in the ground. Toying with the idea of two pots here with them in. Nancy Cozy Thyme Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933769393226611441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-9416692748850428142017-05-26T10:00:41.179-04:002017-05-26T10:00:41.179-04:00Ugh - you said it! And a couple of them spread vi...Ugh - you said it! And a couple of them spread via rhizomes (bindweed and yarrow) so those are particularly problematic in the berry patch. Hopefully I can at least get them under control with the edging so that they don't compete with the canes.<br /><br />Oh, that's so sad about your strawberries and especially the fig tree. It's always something when you are growing fruit. Unfortunately, so many of the diseases are not curable but if you catch it early enough, sometimes you can keep it from taking over, at least until you get another tree established.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-29452867977503047112017-05-26T09:53:34.313-04:002017-05-26T09:53:34.313-04:00I think that blackberries spread a lot here too, b...I think that blackberries spread a lot here too, but with the two drought-ish summers since we first planted them in 2015 and weed/grass competition, they really struggled. We have had some good rains this spring - too much, in fact! - so I'm hoping that gives them a good boost. Unfortunately, it will also give the grass/weeds a boost so I had better get to the patch sooner rather than later.<br /><br />And such wonderful memories with your granddad - to be cherished.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-33140704944910936462017-05-26T09:48:37.171-04:002017-05-26T09:48:37.171-04:00If the blueberries don't work out, I may try a...If the blueberries don't work out, I may try again in a few years, planting them in pots and burying the pots, that type of thing.<br /><br />I'm very excited to get some cherries this year, after going without last summer. Better get that netting on soon, though :) Ha, ha - have fun pitting :)<br />Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-14965092366246077142017-05-26T09:41:23.787-04:002017-05-26T09:41:23.787-04:00Fingers crossed that I do get some fruits and some...Fingers crossed that I do get some fruits and something else doesn't get to them first!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-85419163813512375792017-05-26T09:40:56.589-04:002017-05-26T09:40:56.589-04:00That is so true, Jo - while there is the odd veget...That is so true, Jo - while there is the odd vegetable that is challenging, it seems as if every fruit is susceptible to a myriad of issues. And since most take several years to get established, it's especially disheartening when you don't get any fruit after all that waiting/anticipation.<br /><br />On the bright side, I've had good luck with strawberries so far and the raspberry plants don't seem to be diseased so that's a blessing.<br /><br />How exciting - the possibility of apples! My trees are still in flower but it won't be long before I find out whether any fruit has set. Perhaps we will both be lucky and enjoy some delicious, freshly picked apples this year :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-78046195318252973552017-05-26T09:25:08.709-04:002017-05-26T09:25:08.709-04:00Yum - ripe blackberries! I've not heard of Ol...Yum - ripe blackberries! I've not heard of Olallie but with it's minimal care, they sure sound like the perfect fruit. Well, except for the mockingbird bit - maybe netting is in order so that you can enjoy some too!<br /><br />The variety I'm growing is called "Black Satin" which is supposed to suit our area and be thornless - not sure about the thornless bit as the canes I planted definitely had thorns so wasn't very impressed by that. Even in Ontario blackberries are supposed to have a tendency to spread - I think my problems have more to do with lack of care than the variety...bad me!! I planted the canes in 2015 and they didn't have a chance to get established before they were hit by weed/grass competition and drought.<br /><br />I remember when I first planted them, I was paranoid about how close I got to one of the veg bed areas - well, guess I didn't have to worry about THAT! I'm hoping that once I clean them up and add some drip irrigation, things will pick up. At the very least, I would like to get some good growth this year - maybe even an actual blackberry!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-40179690209115479822017-05-26T09:18:26.027-04:002017-05-26T09:18:26.027-04:00I didn't realize you had so many fruit trees. ...I didn't realize you had so many fruit trees. Looks fantastic. We lost our strawberries last year from the drought. I am going to replant them this fall (too late to do it now). We also lost our big fig tree from beetle damage. So I feel like we are starting over with all our fruiting plants. Our blueberries are looking okay but we had a late season frost which damaged some of the fruit set. I am looking forward to reading more about your berries. But you have lots of weeding to do :( <br />Karin / Southern Meadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06514989784715204223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-83544286534743549932017-05-26T08:57:54.046-04:002017-05-26T08:57:54.046-04:00Fruits are never a certainty for us either. Bluebe...Fruits are never a certainty for us either. Blueberries are a challenge for us here for sure. We've replanted several this year in hopes of finding more that do well here. Half are doing quite well, but the other half not so much. Our cherries have struggled to give us a meager amount. So today we are going to an orchard where they will have LOTS of sweet and tart cherries. The afternoon should be 'the pits' to say the least! ;-)Dave @ HappyAcreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03441364543023807886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-45052088731302411742017-05-26T06:52:53.238-04:002017-05-26T06:52:53.238-04:00Co-incidentally I published a fruit post today. I ...Co-incidentally I published a fruit post today. I have never thought of blackberries as being easy to damage. When we took our plot it was covered in bramble and various other above head high oerennial weeds. It took some taming and we still come across roots. When I was a child I used to go for walks with my granddad and pick wild blackberries from the hedgerows. Maybe our climate just suits them.Sue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-2295249131703897282017-05-25T16:44:32.496-04:002017-05-25T16:44:32.496-04:00Wow, so interesting with the science of growing fr...Wow, so interesting with the science of growing fruit. Trees are such a long term investment but it's great that you'll get some new apple and plum varieties this year.Phuonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07658691564062044986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-55831892402646179512017-05-25T12:55:29.393-04:002017-05-25T12:55:29.393-04:00I think I need to say that the blackberries are ri...I think I need to say that the blackberries are ripe now and They can become weeds very quickly if given enough water. In the forest they grow next to streams in the shade of large deciduous trees. I wonder if you can find a variety especially adapted to your climate (cold winters, hot summers)? (I bet you already have!)Jane Stronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05016381279699618539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-58043884717012827792017-05-25T12:49:23.962-04:002017-05-25T12:49:23.962-04:00I've always found that fruit growing is very h...I've always found that fruit growing is very hit and miss, even more so than veg growing. Fruit seems to be a law unto itself and will produce fruit if it feels like doing so. My little plum tree had leaf curl last year and it didn't produce one single blossom this year so I'll be without fruit a second year there, whereas both my little apple trees are laden with tiny fruit, fingers crossed that they don't all drop off and that some survive. I grow my three small blueberry bushes in containers, they did really well last year but it looks as though only one will produce a decent harvest this year, the flowers on the other two are sparse. The thing I do miss from my allotment are strawberries, you look to have a good size bed planted up there so you should be picking plenty for your needs when they do start producing.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17436932004631816039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-8466234412705866352017-05-25T12:36:40.707-04:002017-05-25T12:36:40.707-04:00Hi, Margaret! I'm wondering what variety of bl...Hi, Margaret! I'm wondering what variety of blackberries you have?<br /><br />They do very well out here in the West with our hot, dry summers and alkaline, clay soil. You've no doubt heard of Knott's Berry Farm? Mr. Knott developed some excellent berries for our location. My favorite is Olallie. I don't do anything for them (no irrigation, no fertilizer, a bit of pruning to remove the ugly primocanes in fall). They come back every spring. Then the mockingbirds get to them before I do. Jane Stronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05016381279699618539noreply@blogger.com