Free Blackberry Plants thanks to our trip to Seattle

in #gardening6 years ago

The Pacific Northwest is COVERED in Blackberry plants!


From the Pacific ocean all the way to midway up the Cascades is a spreading mass of Blackberry plants. Everywhere you turn you will find more and more and more. The first time we used an off ramp from the freeway, years back, I noticed the massive mounds lining the roadway. The plants are honestly everywhere.

For years I have been wanting to stop somewhere and get a bunch of cuttings or starts from the wild, huge, thick masses of vines. Every time until now I have chosen not to stop, opting for continuing driving and not impeding my momentum. But FINALLY I got my rectal-cranial-inversion fixed and I made sure to stop for plants.

Exit 17 on the I90 is in central Issaquah. As I was taking the exit I saw many plants along the freeway and some parking lots with access to them. As I drove around though I found the perfect place to pick my plants from. THIS road is a one way street and has the East Lake Sammamish Trail paralleling it. Zero traffic, a place to pull off the street, and plenty of plants to pick.

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I ended up getting 29 plants put in pots this morning. 24 of the plants were pulled from the ground with pieces of the rooting stem still attached which should give the plants a very good chance of putting off roots sooner. 5 of the plants are just cuttings so they were trimmed down a bit and then coated really well with Rootone rooting hormone. I am super duper stoked to have them potted up and I look forward to seeing them put off new growth and new roots.

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My potting soil is pretty killer stuff. My old chicken coop and chicken yard have sat for a few years now and the soil/composted chicken poo is no longer hot and is super full of nutrients. After a good dousing of water and a chance to drain, all the pots will be moved to a shaded area for a few weeks until they show growth at which time I will put them into the sun.

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I figure they get to stay in pots and then get over wintered before being planted next spring. The time will also give me a chance to get their future planting location ready with compost and irrigation.

Check out my blog @flemingfarm

For more information about our farm:
Fleming Family Farm
FLEMING FAMILY FARM, LLC
Sustainable & Organic Methods | Heirloom Produce
All images are original works of Fleming Family Farm unless otherwise notated and credited.

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I need to get cuttings from some elderberry bushes around here! Thanks for reminding me!

And you just reminded me I need to still get cuttings for @papa-pepper as well. I even have branches that I have been eyeing to cut. Tomorrow will be cool so I will do it then and can mail right away.


This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.

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