Blackberry Blues

Pathetic Harvest

It's been two weeks since my battle of the barbs in the blackberry jungle. Last week, I tried to pick some berries. There were only three or four scrawny, sour little things. I left them in a bowl on a fence post that my husband banged into it with the lawnmower, knocking the berries into the grass. It was no great loss. They didn't look all the edible anyway.

Today I went out to see if my harvest would be any better. The picture says everything. Some berries consist of only 3 to 5 kernels (or whatever they're called). Other berries are covered with a grey fuzzy mold. The leaves on one of the plants have sprouted a speckled yellow and orange fuzz. It was very discouraging. Especially since I saw blackberries for sale at the Farmer's Market yesterday that looked like what my neighbor in Colorado used to grow.

It's amazing that the Blackberries can grow at all and get any nutrients from the soil through the tangle of roots from Mugwort, Wisteria, Vinca, Honeysuckle and countless un-named plants they compete with.

The weeds are back

The other day, I saw a chart about Blackberries. It showed six types. Four of which have no thorns. Every time a Blackberry bush grabs me, I remember that chart.

Raspberry Reality

All the weeds I cleared around the Raspberry bushes in May have returned. And the canes that bore fruit last month all need to be trimmed away to make room for the new berries that are starting to bud on the new canes. But it's been so hot, I keep putting it off. I managed to clean up a small section and spred some NY Times weed mat.

A Note to Frank and Linda

The Franklinia tree is in full bloom. The blossoms are beautiful and give off a lovely melony scent. I saw a peach colored butterfly sitting on one of the flowers the other day. It was just as happy to see a flowering tree this late in the summer as I was.