Friendly advice from fellow farmers

Friends are the best. Especially the ones that really love plants and gardening too. Last week two friends wrote to me with some thoughts/solutions to issues I discussed on the blog, and I think the insights are worth sharing.

Lets start with my ongoing berry issues:

Bayan, a budding urban gardener in Washington D.C. (and way more into research than I am) said he just planted a couple of berry bushes himself in front of his rented apartment. Here’s what he said:

“A few tips I have heard along the way about berries. They like a lot of sun. They like acidic soil, and generally they like to have more than one of their buddies around to pollinate with. It’s a lonely life for a berry bush.”

I admit I was pretty rash with the blackberry planting. I think it is in acidic soil because I put it in the same pot that the blueberry bush used to live in. But now I’m wishing I’d bought her some friends. I’ll have to see if I can find any at the farmer’s market.

As for the second tip, my friend Gwen has diagnosed my poor sugar snap pea issue as “powdery mildew.” She had a similar problem with some beans last year. Luckily she had a solution too: Break off the messed up leaves, and if necessary, even pull an entire plant. Mine were too far gone by the time I got her note, but maybe next year I won’t give up on them so fast.

Thanks guys!

PS: If I don’t find a fellow blackberry plant to help polinate my current one I think might rip her out and plant the grapevine I’ve been dreaming of for over a year. There’s a guy at the farmers’ market who is selling California grapes. TEMPTING!

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