Tangwystl Cottage - Berry bed time
I'd also previously been given a large plant, which had produced several berries but didn't really like where it was situated in a container.
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(fyi: Botanical genus - Rubus)
Fun fact: Raspberry derives its name from raspise, "a sweet rose-colored wine" (mid-15th century), from the Anglo-Latin vinum raspeys, or from raspoie, meaning "thicket", of Germanic origin. The name may have been influenced by its appearance as having a rough surface related to Old English rasp or "rough berry". source
The clearing of a weedy, hitherto unused patch of ground begins ...
I broke down some wooden pallets and worked the garden size around the slats. The beds ended up being 3 foot wide (with a 2 foot path in between them, perfect for the wheelbarrow), and 9 foot long.
I know the wood I've used isn't a long-term solution, but at least it gets things started. I used wood blocks to join the slats and just nailed everything together.
This mixed-berry bed shown wasn't quite so long as it had to fit in a gap.
This will be the Raspberry bed.
I am considering putting layers of cardboard down in the pathways, then topping with something like the river sand I can collect for free, to suppress the weeds.
I later added some other plants to the space, not realising just how well the Raspberries would take off! Down the left I planted Strawberries, and to the right I planted some rainbow Chard.
To the left are two rows of the purple peas I wrote about a while back, and to the right is a row of Mung beans (the experiment of growing them failed but I will try again!). I also added flowers and other companion plants to encourage bees and discourage bad bugs.
I also added windbreak along the side because sometimes the sou'wester can be fierce!
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You can read up on the health benefits of the red Raspberries here, and even the leaves are useful - especially to pregnant females (of more than just the human species). :)
(extra tags: #harvest #garden #organicgardening #organic #selfsufficiency #photography #newzealand)
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Can you do bird netting with pipes or they not strong enough?
Any kind of berries are insane I think. We grew some blackberries down the side of the house and past a certain stage it's now a mission to keep the damn thing contained, it's trying to take over! XD
mmmmmm blackberry jelly! My nana used to make the best stuff, and from wild blackberry bushes near her house.
I can well imagine just how much they'd grow around your house. I've bought a few thornless canes because those blighters are vicious otherwise.
fun fact: raspberries and blackberries don't like each other!
I should investigate how much some pvc piping costs, tbh. I've seen structures made from it (thanks Pinterest) so I know its possible. But I do prefer working with wood so we'll see.
Such willpower! If I was growing raspberries, and had picked a handful, they wouldn't survive to the back door, let alone the freezer. My "favouritest" fruit ever.
lol, the thought of the jam outweighed the desire to scoff! Maybe this year I'll have enough to do both :D
My garden-crack of choice is fresh peas .... ;)
OMG, fresh peas, straight out of the garden, straight out of the pod, nom, nom, nom.
hahahahaha