Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries 9.16.18

 These are some of my first Prime-Ark Freedom blackberries.  I'm very impressed with the size, juiciness, sweetness, and flavor.  I have never seen such large blackberries.

Unfortunately, the deer like eating the plants.  I'm building a better enclosure for them.  I definitely want to see how they do next year.

Planting Leyland Cyprus to Inhibit Blackberries and Stabilize Soil. 2.13.16

Leyland Cyprus Tree, Anticipating Planting.  2.13.16

This is part of the approx. 1/4 acre that I have been clearing of Himalayan blackberry.  The now - barren looking soil has been planted with grass and clover to retain soil and add nutrients.  The clover also for bee forage.  The grass and clover can be mowed repeatedly, to kill off residual bramble roots and crowns.  I have already added a pine tree and an aspen that are not visible in this photo.

At the back of the photo are massive piles of the blackberry prunings.  Behind them, and behind the trees - mostly Douglas hawthorn and some wild filberts - is the property line, then more of what is mostly Douglas hawthorn, a few maples, and some scattered blackberry brambles.  In that location, there is more shade, and the blackberries do not grow as well.  Just beyond those trees, the land slopes fairly steeply into a ravine and creek.

As discussed by Tao Orion (Beyond the War on Invasive Species) - highly recommended book - I have not used Roundup / glyphosate or other herbicides to remove the blackberries.  Which is good.  Roundup would also kill the existing trees.  They should be kept in place as long as possible for habitat and soil preservation, at least until other plants serve those roles.

Unfortunately, most of the hawthorns have reached their age span and many are falling over.  I wanted a fast growing evergreen tree to out-compete existing and new Himalayan blackberry.  Leyland cypress is controversial.  They are fast growing, 3 to 4 feet per year. At a property boundary, their highly vigorous growth can result in landowner disputes.  That will not be an issue here, because the bordering land is semi-wild, cannot be built upon or significantly altered, and my side of the boundary needs soil-holding trees.  Leyland cypress is considered a sterile hybrid of Monterey cypress and Nootka cypress, so despite great vigor, is not capable of being invasive.

The Leyland cypress will effectively shade out the Himalayan blackberry, to the north of these trees.  I'm anticipating many of the rest of the hawthorns to die and fall over, which is clearly evident with about half of the trees in this thicket.  This area does not seem to support growth of seedling hawthorns, either due to shade by larger trees and blackberries, or possible deer eating them.

Cleaning up brambles and Hawthorn Thicket. 11.29.15

Himalayan blackberries taking over natural scrub.  11.29.15

 We have 2 acres, separated by a narrow access road.  They are separate parcels that were bundled by the bank when we bought this property on short sale.  The first acre is the house, a slope, much of the orchard, and some shade trees.  The second acre is more flat, with more fruit trees, vegetable garden, wildflower meadows, and about 1/4 acre of a thicket.  Behind the thicket is a small ravine, separating us from other properties.

Much of the thicket is Douglas Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) and Himalayan blackberries.  I have also seen the name "Black Hawthorn".  Douglas Hawthorn is native, and the USDA considers it useful to stabilize slopes and prevent erosion.  According to the US Forest service, "Douglas hawthorn is an excellent soil and streambank stabilizer."  I want to keep the hawthorn healthy.

The problem here is the Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) which has taken over the area.   Himalayan blackberry is the Pacific Northwest's answer to kudzu, but with a worse attitude.  The blackberry is considered a noxious and invasive weed.  Control is not required, because they are already so widespread.  However, for restoration, removal is sometimes recommended.  According to the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, "This species spreads aggressively and has severe negative impacts to native plants, wildlife and livestock.".  My livestock consist of a herd of deer, but I get the point.

Apparently goats eat them, but deer, in their life mission to be eternally obnoxious, do not.

I can't spray with herbicides.  First, I prefer organic, and second, I don't want to damage the Hawthorns.  So it means manual removal

Himalayan blackberries are notorious for fighting back.  For an old guy with limited energy, I need to use less force and more thinking.  The brambles are difficult to remove, due to long, strong vines that interweave and have nasty thorns.  If I use pruners to remove a foot at a time, chopping them up as I go, they don't take a lot o physical strength or stamina, just persistence  and occasional cursing.  OK,  frequent cursing.

I am also taking out fallen trees, but leaving the rest.  The brambles will need continued maintenance,  to remove crowns that will represent a reservoir of renewed growth next year, until removed.  Flatter areas can be mowed with lawn mower.

Douglas Hawthorn thicket exposed and beautiful.  11.29.15

In the second photo, an uncleared bramble area is seen on the right.  The piles are chopped brambles, which will be composted.  While living, young brambles are tough, they soften to a paper-like consistency when dead, and should compost reasonably quickly.






Once exposed, these trees have a birch-like bark appearance, and the twigs are decorated with lichens.  Very nice.  It's nice spending the afternoon outside during the brisk fall and early winter weather.  I could not do this in the summer.

The blackberries are delicious, but it's hard to get to them due to the brambles.  A domesticated, thornless, tamed type would be better.

The second acre from across the access road.   The cleared hawthorn is on the left.   11.29.15

Orchard. Progress Report.

Blackberries

Feijoa / Pineapple guava

 I may need to stretch how I define "orchard".   Since the feral Himalayan blackberries are adjacent, they are included.  At some point they need to be tamed but not yet. They will be a major source of fruit this year.  They are also part of the apiary as a major source of nectar and pollen.   Not many bees on this bramble hedge.  Behind the beehive, there is another bramble hedge where the honeeybees are more active.

Grape Himrod

Grape Buffalo

 Feijoa, also called Pineapple Guava.  Apparently neither name is accurate.  This was from Tsugawa nursery last week.  Nice sized shrub.  No variety name.  That might be a mistake.  Some varieties need a pollenizer, others don't.

Cherry Montmorency

Himrod and Buffalo Grapes survived the late frost and are now growing nicely.  Probably won't be up to the top of the posts this year, but roots should be established.    These were bare root from Fred Meyer or Home Depot. There is also one from Raintree Nursery, same size.

The challenge with grapes will be how to keep rabbits and deer from eating the plants.  Currently they are in cages.

Montmorency and Surefire Cherries.  Both ripening.  Small amounts but it is nice to get some  fruit from our own place, so soon.  The Montmorency was cheating a bit - I bought it this year in bloom at Lowes.  The Montmorency was moved last summer from the Vancouver place, so survived fine and overwintered fine.

Seijo and Nikita's Gift Persimmons.  According to the Raintree catalog, these may not come out of dormancy until late summer or fall, so I feel fortunate to have some growth now.  They look fairly delicate but might be tougher than they look.  Lemon balm is planted in many of the tree circles, including by the persimmons, to reduce risk of animals chewing roots and bark, and attract pollinators.  I may not keep it there if it looks too competitive for the little trees.

Cherry Surefire

Persimmon Seijo

Persimmon Nikita's Gift