Beating the Blackberries (3 Pics)

Dave Rishar

Dave Rishar

Joined
Oct 25, 2004
Messages
3,178
The war is continuing. I will lose it in the end but I'm winning the battle currently.

Last weekend Cndrm was kind enough to lend a hand and we pressed on to the salmon stream at the bottom of the hill. Gentlemen, it was totally worth the effort. I always wanted to live on the water...

The stream itself, as viewed from the bank at the end of the trail:

creek.jpg


A still pool at the bend in the creek, formed years ago by a fallen tree:

pool.jpg


Is this bamboo? It looks like it but I didn't think it was native to this area. (It looks deceptively short in this pic but I'm standing five feet above it and it's still up to my waist.) Whatever it is, it was the only stand of this plant around and there will always be more blackberries. We cut around it.

bamboo.jpg


It's not technically in my backyard. I'm not sure whose backyard it's in (there aren't any houses near it on my side of it) but it's probably not in mine. If any of my neighbors have a problem with it I'll happily let the blackberries grow back and reduce their property values again. In the meantime, I'll be responsibly enjoying my new stream.

Oh, yeah. :D
 
Nice place, Dave.

It doesn't look like any bamboo I've ever seen. Are the stalks segmented?

If you have any interest in adding edible landscaping (fruit trees, berry vines (oops!), grapes, etc), there is a super nursery about 100 mi. south of you, in Morton. They also ship. I've dealt with them a lot, and have always been pleased with their service.

www.raintreenursery.com

If you decide to visit them, don't bring the blackberry pruning implements.
 
Nice pics, Dave. What all did Cndrm and you use against the blackberries? I take it the trusty 25" Kobra helped play a role in this excursion.

Bob
 
Aardvaark, the stems are indeed segmented. We've got some apple and cherry trees around here...and of course, the blackberries themselves. The problem is that anything less invasive than the blackberries would probably be overwhelmed in a year or two, and anything more invasive would be, well, a step in the wrong direction.

Bob, Cndrm used a khuk from another manufacturer; I used a variety of things. Off the top of my head, 30" siru (but not for long), Bob White's Bolo, FF, 20" siru, a khuk from another manufacturer, and a CS two handed machete.

I sold the 25" Kobra some time back as I'd technically been abusing it by using it for field work and I didn't plan on having to cut any more blackberries. Every time I pull a thorn out of my hands I kick myself again. I may have to buy another one.
 
Aardvark said:
If you have any interest in adding edible landscaping (fruit trees, berry vines (oops!), grapes, etc), there is a super nursery about 100 mi. south of you, in Morton. They also ship. I've dealt with them a lot, and have always been pleased with their service.

www.raintreenursery.com
Click to expand...

Interesting you should post this now. Red Flower and I are driving down to Morton this Saturday to visit Raintree. They have their fall apple tasting and we are going to take notes on the flavors of the various varieties that do well in this climate. They also have some cider making and preserving demos that should be interesting and a nursery tour.

I've been a customer of Raintree for some time.

Dave Rishar said:
Bob, Cndrm used a khuk from another manufacturer; I used a variety of things. Off the top of my head, 30" siru (but not for long), Bob White's Bolo, FF, 20" siru, a khuk from another manufacturer, and a CS two handed machete.
Click to expand...

Dave, you might be interested in the little review of the Udahipur in the blackberry patch I did a few years back. see http://www.himalayan-imports.com/faq/Styles2.htm
 
Howard, in your universe, what is 'a few years'? Nice looking blade.
Sure wish I could join you. You didn't mention pears, but if they have any 'seckel pears' to taste, take the opportunity. They are the best.

Dave, if guavas or kiwis will grow up there, they are definitely worth looking into. And blueberries! You have the best climate for them in the world. Think of the pancakes!
 
Aardvark said:
Howard, in your universe, what is 'a few years'? Nice looking blade.
Sure wish I could join you. You didn't mention pears, but if they have any 'seckel pears' to taste, take the opportunity. They are the best.

Dave, if guavas or kiwis will grow up there, they are definitely worth looking into. And blueberries! You have the best climate for them in the world. Think of the pancakes!
Click to expand...

I'll look for the pears. Red flower and I planted two asiatic pears from Raintree and got our first fruit off them this year. Only a few but they were very crisp and good.

I've been trying blueberries for some time and they don't seem to grow that well at my place for some strange reason. Red Flower and I planted some more a little while ago but the same old result, very slow growing and only a few berries. Guess I'll have to keep going out to pick the wild ones.

A few years? We first walked on the moon a few years ago.
 
I planted one of the 4-in-1 asian pear trees from Raintree a couple of years ago, with very good results.

If you planted those trees together, that is something to be treasured.

Funny about the blueberries. Raintree has (had?) a booklet titled "How to grow the best blueberries" that might be worth looking into. I haven't had any luck myself, but I blame that on the warm climate of Silicon Valley.

"A few years ago" was a different world, wasn't it? Better? Worse? Yes.
 
Nice pics Dave. If only they knew how far a walk it was just to get to the stream. :eek: Truly a nice, secluded little spot you've got there at the bend. The fallen tree, and small pool make it quite surene. The pics hardly do it justice, and you're not a bad photogropher.

mike
 
I didn't know that asian pears grew well around here...that's what I get for not doing my homework.

If I owned this plot of land, it would look like an orchard. I could live on those pears.

Udahipur? I've never seen one before I checked that link, Howard. Was the blade long enough to keep your hand out of the thorns?
 
Dave asked: "Is this bamboo?"

Nope !
It looks like Japanese Knotweed. It grows 8 to 10 feet tall here.
It was brought here a hundred years or more ago as an ornamental plant by some rich genius. :mad:
It has become my area's answer to kudzu ! Takes over all the road sides.
Wherever it sets root, it turns into an impenetrable carpet of worthless imitation bamboo, choking out all other plants (even crab-grass & weeds :o).
Round-up etc. only kill the top growth.
It's philosophy seems to be "Wherever Japanese Knotweed has set root, it shall not retreat 1 tendril."
(It was either this, or some similar stroke of genius, that was also the surreptitious carrier of the Japanese Beetle into America too). :grumpy:
 
Jeez, between the blackberries and the knotweed, I'm wondering whether Dave might not want to borrow a flamethrower...
 
Knotweed, huh?

I like it better than the blackberries. If it's as bad as you say that it is...well, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I'll let the two fight it out and I'll chop down the winner. The knotweed looks like it's much more fun to cut down though - no thorns.
 
It is.
I had a beautiful 25.5" 38 oz. sirupati by S.B., but it was too heavy for me to use for any length of time.
I gave it to a friend who does a lot of "clearing."
He recently volunteered, out of the blue, how NICE it is to swing it through a stand of knotweed. :D
 
Relief 9/12 said:
Just call in an air-strike & be done with it (that would be easier <but not as satisfying :D > ).
Click to expand...

calling in close air support in front of your position can be fairly satisfying when it stops the woods from throwing little chunks of metal at you. ahh, the smell of napalm and roast pork in the tranquil breezes of summer, how soon we forget
 
While youse guys are whaling away on those blackberry vines, it may be interesting to note that the lowly blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) is considered by many to be perhaps one of the most rapidly evolving plants on the planet, with some 320 micro-species (not yet fully established) due to a condition known as allopolyploidy. Allopolyploidy essentially has to do with each new generation being a hybrid that inherits more than the normal two sets of genes from the parent plants, leaving the new plant fertile but not able to cross-pollinate with either parent plant...eh voila, a new species. These new species are able to find new niches in the environment, making them unusually adaptable......what ever cataclsym occurs, a lot of blackberries are gonna be among the list of survivors. Hope you all like blackberry pie; I sure do. The red raspberry ( R. idaeus ) and the black raspberry ( R. occidentalis) do not appear to be doing the same thing. :D :D :D
 
That's very interesting. As long as they don't grow defenses like the trees obstructing my view of the inlet, then we'll be all right. These trees, (Acatia I think.-or something like that.). have what are easily 1 1/2" to 2" thorns or spikes all over them. Very nasty looking tree. Not invasive, but really nasty. Like some super species of rose on killer steroids. So as long as the blackberry bushes don't adopt these defenses, then we'll be ok. Otherwise, a 25" Siru would be the only way.

mike
 
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