I recently bought blackeberry plants for the back yard. I have a large wild blackberry patch on top of the hill but it’s 3/4’s of a mile from the house and for a quick handful of berries it’s nice to have a small patch in the back yard.

By growing your own blackberries you will have fresh berries on hand for several weeks and  you will know exactly what chemicals on on your fruit. I use no chemicals on my plants. I believe in chemical free food whenever possible.

How to plant blackberry plants 

There are two main types of blackberries: erect and trailing. The erect variety will take less space, the trailing take more room. You will need to decide which variety to purchase according to the size of your berry patch. Purchase your blackberry plants from a reputable nursery to ensure they are certified as disease free. I also look for blackberry plants that have fewer thorns.

Next pick a planting area in your backyard garden that gets full sun. The area should also contain soil with good drainage. Poor drainage will kill the roots on your plants and slowly kill the plants.

Make sure you weed the area well when you prepare the soil for planting your blackberry plants. This will help control weeds later on.

Plan the space between blackberry plants according to the type of plant you purchase. Leave about 4 to 6 feet between erect variety plants. Trailing varieties have long canes and need 4 to 10 feet of space between each. For both varieties, leave 8 to 10 feet of space between each row of plants. To get an idea on how to properly space the plants I lay them out on the soil and make adjustments for spacing and rows.

Dig out a hole just big enough to hold the blackberry plant’s roots. Set the root system into the hole and cover securely with soil. Water the blackberry plants as soon as they are planted. This will to help set the soil over the roots and prevent air pockets in the soil. I also lay mulch between the rows to make taking care of the plants faster and easier.

Blackberry plants will benefit from being trimmed in the early spring. Pruning removes dead and diseased canes and allows more sun to get to the healthy canes and fruit.

Blackberries are rich in anti-oxidants, fun to pick in the early morning and have that great rich flavor that reminds me of summer and country living.

Tags: selecting blackberry plants, planting blackberry plants

This is National Blueberry Month!

For many years blueberries were not on my fruit list. They were rather expensive and not many people grew them in this area. But for some reason they have caught on in popularity and there are many blueberry farms in this are that offer you the option of “pick your own,” which brigs the price down.

I enjoy picking this fruit. They pick easy and store well. My favorite berry farm is on Foxhill Road in Russell, Pa. I head up early in the morning when the fog is just lifting off the hills and the temperatures are still cool. In a few hours I can easily pick 20 quarts of berries, most of which I will freeze for later use in the winter months.

For those of you who do not know, blueberries are very high in anti-oxidants and great for your health.

Below is a link to a You Tube video on this amazing fruit.

I have a lot of respect for Poison Ivy. We have both the ground poison ivy and the type that climbs up the trees.

When we fist moved to the property I knew Poison Ivy was here but it didn’t seem to affect me so I didn’t worry about it. But after having several breakouts and watching this invasive plant spread I have a new found respect for this plant and really don’t want it on the property.

Many years ago the farmer’s in this area would clear out the poison ivy patches in late fall early winter when it’s dormant (you still need to use care). When the farms started dying out and the land was not used as much the farmers stopped this fall ritual and the poison ivy is rapidly taking over more areas.

If your not sure what poison ivy looks like check out this site: http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/commonproblems/poison_ivy_identification.html

If you have ever had a case of this rash causing plant you will want to remove it from your property. A bad case of poison ivy can put you in the hospital.

The safest way to kill poison ivy is with a systemic herbicide that contains triclopyr. It usually takes several days and several applications for the vine to die. Make sure to follow the directions carefully on the package. Apply it only to the poison ivy.

Large poison ivy vines that climb up a tree or building should be cut at the bottom and treated with an herbicide. Wear gloves when cutting the vines and be sure to wash all tools and clothes thoroughly after you are finished. When I work in a bad patch I use old clothes that are ready to be retired and I actually dispose of them afterwards. Boots I wash carefully and set out to dry. The tools I wash then soak in a bleach and water mix.

I normally do not use chemicals but for poison ivy I bend the rules for large patches. For smaller patches I use red cider vinegar. It will kill the plant and not harm other plants and is friendlier to the environment.

Note: Never burn poison ivy. The smoke will carry the toxic fumes and can cause poison ivy to get into your lungs and eyes. I know someone who had this happen and believe me; you do not want to experience this problem.

If you catch poison ivy when it’s a small plant its rather easy to control. Left alone to take over trees and banks it becomes a major problem.

Tags: how to control poison ivy, how to identify poison ivy, invasive plant