dewberries, will tolerate less than
Make the red & yellow types of ever bearing
optimum soil and drought
raspberries a single-crop without trellising or
conditions. Try and use a fast
selective pruning.
draining loamy soil. An inch of
water a week during the actual
Do this and your harvest will be hugely bountiful.
growing season is ideal, either from
rain or your watering hose.
Space the plants about 2 ½ feet apart and let them
fill in a 1 ½ foot-wide hedgerow.
Apply a deep organic mulch at the
beginning of the season which will
Each year cut off the canes at ground level in late
keep the soil moist while
winter while they are dormant.
discouraging weeds. These roots are
‘Heritage’, a much loved ever bearing red
shallow so if you cultivate to rid
raspberry, adapts well to this method.
your area of weeds you may
damage them. To help here, in the
Whatever you choose make sure your crop is one
spring, peel back the mulch and
that ripens before frost sets in
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spread a shovelful of rotted manure over the ground around each plant. Always replace and renew the mulch each year. That’s it!
Is your Bramble Sick?
There are viral diseases that can cause premature aging (less produce) and a rapid decline in your plants. Insects are the little critters responsible for these viral episodes and there’s not much you can do about it. But if you purchase certified virus-free plants at least you’re a bit ahead of the bugs. Certified stock costs more, but there’s more at stake here than just dollars and cents. You’ll save time and frustration - and I put a premium on that!
Though you’ll find that brambles do get their share of fungal diseases and insects, many can be handles by simple, good sanitation. Get rid of any sick looking canes, and don’t compost them; burn them or put them out to the trash bin. If you notice any wild cousins forming in your garden get rid of them as well, they can carry insects and spread other pests too. It’s best to place red raspberries at least 300 feet from black ones. Insects like to carry diseases from the heartier reds to the more susceptible blacks. Also blacks are very contagious to a virus called verticillium wilt, and for that reason should be kept away from tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, asparagus, strawberries, or other raspberries that have grown in a particular location in years past.
Currants and Gooseberries
Growing currants and gooseberries couldn’t be easier. Trouble free
and needing very little care, they are great for weekend gardeners that
want to remember the days when grandmother’s kitchen overflowed
with the aroma of gooseberry pie and currant jelly.
You can practically ignore these fruits until harvest. They are hard to
find at most markets, so they make ideal fruits for the backyard personal garden. They are very hardy and do very well in the colder climate zones (up to Zone 3) in the far north.
You’ll find that each offers fruits of a sparkling color, translucent berries that are a delight to the eye as well as the palate.
Be aware that some states have actually outlawed the growing of gooseberries and
currants because they can carry a fungus (white pine blister rust) that directly attacks pine trees. Check with your local county agricultural extension service before making a purchase. Even if growing currants is legal in your state, you may want to plant them away from pines that are around your property. There are rust resistant varieties available and those are the ones you should purchase.
Currants may be red, black, or white. When they are fully ripe they have a tart, sweet taste and can be eaten right from your hand, but traditionally go into the production of The Weekend Gardener by Victor K. Pryles
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jelly products. They look so beautiful you may actually hesitate before eating them.
White currants are actually yellow and are cultivated from the red currants.
Black currants are a prized European fruit that is not so well known in the States. They have a strong musky taste, and though some people take an instant dislike to their flavor— they remain a rare commodity. Individual berries are fairly small so when you pick them it’s best to save some frustration and grab an entire cluster. Don’t bother with the stems either, when making jelly because they’ll get caught in the cheesecloth as you strain them.
Gooseberries are much larger than currants, almost as big as a grape, and have dark striped skin that is usually yellow-green, purple or red. Although they are tart to the taste before ripeness, once fully cultivated these cultivars turn sweet. Gooseberries make fine pies, cobblers and tarts.
Caring For Currants and Gooseberries
Filtered shade is a very good friend to both gooseberries and currants, especially if you experience hot summers. Space the plants about 5 feet apart, in rows 7 or 8 feet apart.
They grow best in soil that is fertile and deeply mulched, yet they seem to tolerate both heavy and sandy soil as long as you keep it wetted down. Use rotted manure or compost each spring as a mulch and you’ll see that is all the nutrition these easy-care fruits need!
Prune out older stems at ground level each year always removing canes that are four years old while leaving behind the more productive younger canes. Even if you slip up on the pruning these fruits are very forgiving, however, by doing this four year cycle of pruning you will allay the possibility of fungal diseases.
Red currants and gooseberries are what is called ‘self-fertile’ and may require cross pollination and therefore don’t always provide a good crop of fruit. A mature plant will produce 2 to 3 quarts of berries each harvest, gooseberries 3 to 4 quarts, so you only need a few to get plenty of pies and jellies each year.
A Fruity Conclusion
As a weekender you can choose from many kinds of fruits for your garden, but as has been stressed throughout this book you want to find ways to sharply cut down on care and maintenance.
Some good tips, and simple steps you can take include:
Select plants carefully. Purchase only those cultivars that are best for your garden and climate.
Look for disease and insect resistant varieties.
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Remember harvesting isn’t all joy and expectation. It requires work, too. Fruits are perishable and you must pick them on time, in season, and when ripeness has been
achieved.
Prepare the soil with careful attention before you plant
Fruit trees require tons of man-hours and that’s one reason I didn’t mention them here.
The plant varieties take much less care and are far more forgiving of the weekend gardener that ‘just doesn’t have the time’.
But Oh! The taste and variety of
home grown fruits (and
vegetables) are such a true
Problem: Fruit trees require too much pruning
marvel that once you grow your
and pest control.
own, your life (and dinner table)
Quick Fix: Choose low-maintenance berry
will never be the same!
bushes instead. Try fruit plants that need less
pruning or can double as landscape plants.
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Chapter 6: Natural Landscapes
When we encounter a natural landscape of mountain range, woodland
waterfall or deep forested valleys with wildflower meadows - it can
take our breath away. We are transported to a place of relaxation and
contemplation within ourselves. The repast enjoyed by such scenes
are enough to make the most work-adverse weekend gardener aspire
to greatness with nature.
In a corner of your very own property you can have an island retreat of wildflowers, a glowing, bubbly brook to wind around your mind, walkways that beckon you to explore and help you forget the mundane and commonplace.. Homemade versions of natural
landscapes by necessity must be on a smaller scale than in wild nature, of course. Our grassy meadows and woodland wildflower walks must be placed in scale to how much
real estate we have to work with. But the imaginative gardener can use the landscape gardens mentioned in this chapter to make ideal sweeps of beauty that will be the envy of all who view them.
As always, we must find a way to make them low-maintenance. And you’ll be happy to know that nothing is easier than a natural landscape to care for. After all, you are dealing, for the most part, with indigenous plantings that will live very well when left to Mother Nature to tend. After all, She made not only the plot your working in, the conditions that cause this garden to flourish, but the plants themselves.
They can become really un-demanding as part of your overall plan for a backyard paradise. Whether planted with only naturalized or native plants, or with a combination of the two, or by adding some exotics that are well adapted to your site, full color and joy can be found in a natural landscape. Gardens that really imitate nature offer low-maintenance alternatives for gardeners that want to bring a touch of natural beauty, but require little attention after the initial efforts to establish your backyard landscape.
A Few Basic Principles
Keep these key basics in mind and apply them to making a successful naturalistic
landscape. The natural landscape garden will require work, even though the slick gardening magazines, filled with spectacular photos of wildflowers spewed across a gorgeous natural meadow setting, complete with sketchy instructions on how to
accomplish such a marvel, may cause you to think that this kind of effort is unnecessary; the truth is the effort goes directly into the beginning set-up of your garden. Naturalistic gardens are less work intensive than the manicured variety, especially once they are established, but proper soil preparation, planting, watering and weeding are essential at the onset. Only when you successfully nurture your natural setting through its infant stage will you later be able to sit back and enjoy it as it easily maintains itself. The objective is to arrange plants in a design that matches nature itself and using plants with growing conditions that match the site you have to work in.
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Select native plants - wildflowers, grasses, ferns, trees, shrubs, and vines— that are indigenous to your part of the
country and naturally adapted to
conditions in your garden setting.
The following definitions will help you choose
Native plants, as expected, thrive in
the types of wildflowers that can be useful to a
their natural environment, and there
weekend natural landscape plan:
is no need for chemical fertilizers,
pesticides and forced watering.
Native Plants - herbaceous flowers, ferns,
Native plants and wildflowers will
grasses, shrubs, trees, and vines that originated in
survive in your landscape only
a specific geographical area and grow there
when they are planted in a situation
naturally.
that truly mimics their natural
habitat. Plant a Texas bluebonnet in
Naturalized Plants - Plants introduced to an area
upstate New York and it will die; a
by an outside agent but now grow in the wild
woodland wildflower in a sunny
without assistance.
meadow and you get the same dire
Wildflowers - herbaceous flowers of field and
result.
forest.
If you want to remain a happy
weekender, don’t fall into the trap
Forbs - Wildflowers that are not grasses.
of trying to create a particular
Warm Season Grasses - Grass that grows slowly
condition where they don’t exist
during cool weather, grows in summer, and goes
naturally - like turning an acid
dormant during winter.
woodland where the conditions are
naturally alkaline. Go with Mother
Cool Season Grasses - Grass that goes dormant
Nature - not against her!
during the heat of summer, many times turning
brown, with growth in cool spring and fall, often
remaining green in winter.
Native Or Natural?
Weeds - Any plant that is not wanted technically
speaking. One that can overgrow areas rapidly
When selecting plants for a
and are thought of as unsightly and aggressive.
naturalistic landscape sooner or
later the question of plant origin
Indigenous Plants - Plants that grow naturally in
comes up. Many common
a particular area and are from that area.
American roadside wildflowers are
actually European natives that came
Exotics - Non-native plants brought to cultivation
over with the Colonists, others
from another geographical area, usually another
hitchhiked along as weed seed
continent or markedly different habitat.
contained in the actual crop seed.
Cultivated Plants - These plants are grown on
Some purists believe these
purpose by gardeners and farmers for beauty or
naturalized plants have no place in a
economic worth. Cultivated plants are often
true naturalized garden. Only plants
exotics and incapable of existing without human
that are actually native to the region
care.
are accepted by these folks.
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I disagree and see this view as a bit rigid, and consider the immigrant plants as full citizens now which deserve equal plots of ground of their own; right next to their home grown brothers and sisters.
Regardless of this rather arcane discussion, a weekender is best served by any naturalized plant or native variety that thrives within the direct confines of the habitat you live in now.
Your Woodland Garden - A Shaded Paradise
In a few short seasons you can have a lovely shaded area. Let’s imagine an already wooded corner of your current property of about 50 feet by 50 feet with an old oak, a few tall red maples, four black cherries, a couple of dogwoods and an undergrowth of
sassafras saplings. If they grow in a grove like setting together their branches are not widespread, creating a woodland effect in a relatively small area.
But that is just an imaginary setting. You will need to see if your property contains areas like this that are already filled in indigenous plants, flowers, trees, shrubs and vines that you can convert into a more cultivated area for a naturalistic garden area. So it’s time to look your property over again and choose an area that is conducive to some energetic development and creative shaping.
Don’t be too eager to jump in and start planting. Evaluate the site and see what it already has to offer. You might even take a preliminary nature walk through your area state parks, national forests or other local sites to see what is bountiful around you. A forest’s elevation, exposure, native soil type, and the amount of rainfall all influence what grows where you live. I like to get on my hands and knees and actually feel the soil, observe its moisture content. Pay close attention to it because that’s what you must have in your own backyard garden for this wooded garden to thrive.
On your nature walk look at where and what kind of tall trees there are; the under story of small trees and shrubs. Look at the forest floor and the kind of wildflowers, ferns, ground covers and rotting branches and logs that are about. Notice how the flowers are grouped; are they single patches or do they run wild in a large mass? Take a look at the way the plants are distributed because you want to eventually attempt a garden that resembles these natural formations.
Look all around you. Let the scene soak in and start to imagine how you can take what you see into your beautiful backyard natural garden area. Look carefully at the forest light that is hitting the plants and wildflowers. How shaded is it? Can that effect be created in your backyard. Compare your selected site to what you find on your nature walk; only then can you have an effortless garden that will be a joy to construct and will be low-maintenance later on.
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Check The Soil pH And Other Considerations
As you select plants for your wooded natural landscape, you’ll find native plants and wildflowers that tolerate a wide range of soil pH are available; there are others that are very particular about pH. Test your soil before you begin planting, and only then should you select appropriate plants. A range between 5.0 and 6.0 will support the widest assortment of plants.
Shady spots underneath trees can often be surprisingly dry, because the trees’ surface roots take most of the water content and nutrients. Beneath these greedy roots, especially with maples and ashes, you should avoid starting a woodland garden. You’ll know if dry, root clogged soil is a problem because the ground feels hard and compacted; you’ll have trouble making a hole with a trowel. Speaking of digging, don’t be shy about digging a hole deep enough to allow you to see and remove any roots that are an inch or less in diameter, which you will replace with compost. This larger hole will allow shrubs enough growing room to become established before tree roots return. Grow your woodland
garden only when you can scoop up the topsoil with your hands, or you can add humus, compost, or shredded leaves as cover before you plant.
Shaded Areas
Did you know there are many kinds of shade? Oh yes - from heavy, light and partial to diffused, filtered, or half shade - it can get confusing. I find it much simpler to consider instead how the shade we are looking at is created in the woodland setting. Shadows cast from overhead branches fall on the forest floor, throwing into shadow. The density of the shadow depends on the density of those branches. If you’re in a forested area with a lot of evergreens, the thickly needled branches of those trees can keep the forest floor in pretty dense shadow year round. Then there are the streams of light that cause shade to reach the floor all through winter from late spring through fall mixed with lighted areas, especially in the Northeast. Other forests cause a mix of evergreen and deciduous, creating light that varies widely throughout the forest.
Why all this talk about shade? Because most wildflowers prosper in a forest area that produces more light than shade. You will usually be working with trees in your natural setting and the shade they produce can make the difference in where you plant your flowers, flowering shrubs and other plants. This is another reason to take that nature walk we mentioned a moment ago. By trying to re-create circumstances you find in the wild you’ll achieve more success in your backyard.
Choosing Your Site
I hope you are lucky enough to have a lot of property to work with; an acre or more for a natural landscape. If there are a group of trees already on the property, so much the better. You can work around these existing elements to create a wonderful garden area.
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If this isn’t your situation, don’t despair. Just look for a group of trees that you can use.
Trees native to your region are preferable and it helps if they are spaced so their canopies meet and intermingle a bit. Deep rooted species are best, with roots that go deep and avoid robbing the upper soil of moisture.
No trees or not enough? Then woodland plants under the branches of a single tree, if it’s large enough, can work wonders for a new garden area. You can also work in shade
provided on the north or east side of your house, as long as the soil suits the plants.
I must say though, the very best is a grove of trees (3 or more) to create the effect of a woodland and provide the shade needed.
Let’s Spark Up The Soil
Look over your grove. If it has been neglected clear out the unwanted undergrowth. If you are one of the exceptional home owners that has a grove that is too cared for — my, what a surprise - you may need to work at returning it to a more natural state before planting. In this case the soil is probably compacted and dry and it’s also robbed of nutrients which makes it unwelcoming to woodland plants.
To get your soil to its woodland equivalent layer put chopped-up leaves and twigs over the soil. Chop them to the size of a half-dollar and spread them several inches deep beneath the tree boughs. You should sprinkle the leaves with some compost to activate moisture. Repeat this every year until the leaves have rotted into a fine humus.
Earthworms will then start appearing and will loosen the subsoil for you. Nice little helpers! Only when you have a loose soil such as this can you begin installing your woodland masterpiece.
Those tall, high branched deciduous trees like just the right amount of light for woodland species. You can prune off low-hanging branches (below 20 feet) but no higher, unless it is completely overgrown in which case you will probably have to hire an arborist to thin up high (but not too much, okay?) What you wish to achieve is a dappled light, not too dark or gloomy. You may have to thin your grove of trees every few years to maintain this light to shade balance.
Let’s Get Some Woodland Plants
Serious gardeners have made this enterprise a major hobby, with loads of time to devote and enjoy germinating seed for woodland plants. But weekenders like us seldom have the time or wish for that particular challenge. We are left with purchasing plants for the woodland garden. Let’s always look for nursery propagated plants. Ones that are well adapted to the light conditions in our particular area.
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Those plants that do well in low light (as in a coniferous forest) and acid soil should not be planted under a deciduous tree. Likewise, those that call for a deciduous environment need plenty of light, at least part of the year; locate them under deciduous trees or on the edge of a shady area where they can get some bright light (but not direct). Finally, plants that are native to a mixed forest may have their own special peccadillos, you may find one or another under the conifers or the beeches.
A Word Of Caution
Never, under any circumstances, do a large scale turning over of soil in a woodland environment. We are not dealing with an annual flower garden or vegetable garden here; this is a naturalized woodland enclave and cultivating destroys the soil layering and most damaging of all, can destroy the rooting system of your trees. Remember, your trees are the one thing you must keep healthy to even have a woodland effect.
Only dig planting holes for shrubs and small plants, but again, do not excavate large areas. Also, don’t cut out tree roots over an inch in diameter either. If you must, simply plant elsewhere.
Finally, in way of caution, never install plants of any kind, flowers, shrubs, groundcover in bare ground, like you might in a flower bed. Forest plants always have some loose covering of humus or decaying organic matter over their roots. So you create the same effect. Always! You can also use some leaf mold topped with chopped up leaves around newly planted plants.
Let’s Place Our Plants Now
It is always best to place woodland plants in loose groups or masses, just as in a traditional flower border - but don’t over do it. Be sure too, to locate plants individually or in small groups as you would likely find them in nature