I am guessing that 2005 will be known as the year of the great berry harvest here. So far… I have picked almost 36 lbs of blackberries from 6 vines and there could be another 3 lbs on there yet. The raspberries are up to about 3/4 lb every 24 hours and haven’t even really started. This was the first year my blackberries produced so it is possible that, weather permitting and no diseases or insects we will see even more next year. I am interested to know if the raspberries will put out as many canes next year. We went from 6 last year to well over 150 this year in the same spot. I am wondering if letting so many canes grow this year will tax the root system to the point of producing fewer canes next year. I am new to the berries so there is still a lot for me to learn.
The mosquitos are terrible. We had some rain this week and they are out in full force. 90F and I am in jeans just to preserve what little blood is left in my system.
I’d love to get my hands on some of those berries, Kerry! But not if I had to brave the mosquitoes to get them.
I take 200mgs of B1 a day or I would be itching miserably. It won’t do anything for the West Nile virus that they have found not too many miles from here but at least I won’t be itching. As such I haven’t been out in the garden much the past couple of weeks.
Ugh! Mosquitoes just love me. I’m just a walking buffet for them. And now with all the West Nile virus in the area, it’s just not worth going outdoors when they are active.
Kerry, are you fertilizeing the plants? if so, how (compost, commerical fert…etc)?
Dyson,
The only thing I have put on my berries in the last two years is a generous helping of well rotted manure in the spring.