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Post by pugs on Apr 10, 2009 19:10:52 GMT -5
Well, I killed several pots of mint. Spearment, peppermint, horsemint, curly mint, you name it, I've most likely killed it.
And I've got a lovely slow growing patch of comfrey coming along nicely, right where I don't want it. It is a named variety, but I've long since lost the tag. It is in bloom now and I'll try and get pictures to post. I mowed most of it down last Sunday.
Pugs
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 17, 2009 14:50:29 GMT -5
::laughing:: You are one dangerous gardener! I've never known anyone that could kill mint! Mowing down stuff is Mike's forte, he has slaughtered 3 perfectly good pecan trees that way. ;o)
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Post by grunt on Apr 17, 2009 18:26:21 GMT -5
Pugs, if you have chemical lawn fertilizer, just over fertilize the comfrey a lot, and it should kill it. Urea fertilizer would be even better, but most people don't have it. Urea can even take care of blackberry vines, if you cut the vine to slightly below ground level, and dump a handful of urea on it.
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Post by pugs on Apr 17, 2009 18:42:43 GMT -5
Grunt,
Does that work with the Himalayan blackberry?
Pugs
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 17, 2009 19:54:24 GMT -5
Himalayan blackberry? What is a Himalayan blackberry? Is it related to the Herastandin blackberry?
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Post by grungy on Apr 17, 2009 21:20:04 GMT -5
It works on the "wild" west coast blackberries and I have yet so see any growing plant that it doesn't work on. Hopefully it will work on your Himalayan blackberry.
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Post by pugs on Apr 17, 2009 23:38:21 GMT -5
The Himalayan blackberry is a blackberry, that legend has, Luther Burbank (one of my hero's) imported from the Eurasian continent, which escaped and went wild everywhere up and down the Pacific Coastline. It is big, takes over, hard to kill and is the main flower source for honey on the West coast of the U. S. I'll post a picture of it tomorrow.
I can't remember exactly the area it is native to, but it doesn't grow as big there nor is a as much a pest there as it is here. Also, since the raspberry, blackberry, loganberry, marionberry crops are so important to Oregon, the ag dept has never looked for a pest to import to kill the Himalayan blackberry as it would most likely also kill the cultivated crops.
Pugs
p.s. Have I mentioned I'm a lousy speller? Spell check doesn't always help, since it doesn't find the correctly spelled wrong words. Ugh. I think the brain surgery 6 years ago made it worse.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 18, 2009 7:33:46 GMT -5
I found a TON of stuff on them on the web last night. Cracks me up because I never realized what they were when I lived in California. Can't tell you my poor opinion of people who would pay $3+ for a pint of berries that could be had for the few minutes it took to go out an pick them! I'm quite familiar with all the good patches in the south bay area! When my Mom found out that I was digging up wild canes to put in our garden last year she nearly freaked warning me about the way they took over in their back yard in Oakland where the neighbors next door had failed to tame them.
My opinion is a lot like it is for the kudzu, it only gets away from you if you don't bother to manage it. We would have a HORRIBLE weed problem here if we didn't pull weeds. Thing is, we get out an pull weeds, mow weeds, whatever we need to do to contain the weeds. Like kids, we are the adults and we are in control.
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Post by paquebot on Apr 21, 2009 16:41:14 GMT -5
It may surprise some that mints have a number of diseases which affect it. With some, there is nothing that can be done except to never grow mint in that ground again. Locally, there some mint growers who previously grew it in Michigan. They came to Wisconsin and contracted a lot of suitable damp land for it. The industry was short-lived as diseases again caused them to move on to find clean ground.
Martin
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Post by canadamike on Apr 21, 2009 18:49:41 GMT -5
So, if that blackberry is so big and is considered a pest, can I deduce it is bad tasting?
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Apr 21, 2009 20:55:15 GMT -5
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Post by canadamike on Apr 21, 2009 21:27:05 GMT -5
I just looked up the H. Blackberry. Sweeter and better tasting heh!
Suits me just fine...
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Post by pugs on Apr 21, 2009 21:34:57 GMT -5
Michel,
I'll make you some blackberry jelly this summer and then you can decide how it tastes. I doubt I could get some to you fresh, by mail.
Pugs
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Post by grunt on Apr 22, 2009 1:57:35 GMT -5
I prefer the ones that can't maul you when you try to pick them. We have Chester Thornless, and I have never tasted finer. I still wince every time I reach into the plant to pick berries. Some pain based survival mechanisms just won't quit.  |
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 22, 2009 7:40:17 GMT -5
When in California, my girlfriend and I had blackberry picking kits. Long sleeves and heavy pants, thick gloves and cheap curtain rods with the end bent to make hooks for pulling down loaded branches just out of reach.
The fruit was EXCELLENT! Trouble was folks just let them go wild and didn't bother to tame them. Yea they were tough customers, we were just tougher ;o) They made outstanding jam and cobblers. I have a Kitchen Aid mixer and my friend had the mill attachment so we would mill the seeds out and we used the seed mash to make blackberry soju (Korean liquor).
Pugs, I add about a pinch of cinnamon to every 10 lbs of berries when I make jam. Give it a shot, I think you'll be surprised!
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