Black Raspberry (Rubus Occidentalis) Pruning

Black raspberries! These tasty, prolific and pesky berries have been growing through my neighbor's (these are the same neighbors with the quince tree) fence for years, and in the past year I persuaded my mother to stop cutting them back. During the early summer when that decision was made, their growth was slow. It wasn't until I turned my back for a minute (I swear, a whole minute), the were out of control! There are many a story about black raspberries wreaking havoc on people's yards, and I was determined to not let that happen to mine.

(Blackberries before the pruning)

It may not look like much, but the canes were starting to reach outward and spread low as opposed to a more structured and vertical growth that I desired. So, I put on my leather gloves, pruners, and got in there. I'm not entirely sure if what I did was 'by the book', but it worked well for me. (Blackberries after the pruning) It does look like I took a lot out, however I am confident that they will grow back next season, and hopefully I will be able to maintain some kind of order. Also, I saved the roots, washed them and they are currently drying in my basement. I am coming to understand that they have certain medicinal qualities, although I am not in the position to speak confidently about their uses at this time. Above is the ball of raspberry roots after I rinsed them off. That is not a single root system, but many roots from the smaller canes all bundled together. After they are thoroughly dried, I plan on cutting them into more uniform sizes, and storing in mason jars.

December Sheet Mulching

Winter is coming and freezing temperatures are creeping in. I decided to try and finish my sheet mulching around my trees and shrubs (almost done). Sheet mulching is a no-dig garden method that builds soil quickly in layers. Some gardeners may know it as "lasagna gardening". Instead of piling organic matter into piles for composting, the organic matter is laid out into to the garden beds to compost in place. My finished sheet mulched beds took about 6 months to break down fully, becoming a beautifully rich loam. Freshly sheet mulched beds, if done well, can be home to very productive plants. Tomatoes and cucurbits sure do love it.
Here is a step-by-step process for quick sheet mulching. The process is forgiving, so if everything is not perfect, don't worry.
Step 1
Moisten and loosen soil in the future garden beds. I use a digging fork and loosen as deep as possible. Many soils are compacted, and could use the extra help before the worms come in to devour the mulch. This is a bare root beach plum (Prunus maritima) I planted in October. Tree roots typically spread 1 1/2 times the crown diameter or more, so on this future 6 foot tree I will sheet mulch to at least the diameter of the mature crown.

Step 2
Spread soil amendments on the sod around the future garden beds. Knowing your soil is very important in this step, so contact your local garden store or garden association to get a soil test if you haven't already gotten one.
Step 3
Place sheets of cardboard or several layers of newspaper on top of the sod, and moisten it. This layer will act as a light barrier to smother out grass and weeds. Eventually the sod will rot and become humus, feeding the plants. This is a 1 year old gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) cutting I planted in October.

Step 4
Add organic matter, about 6-12 inches, and spread evenly. I like to spread down some composted manure first, and then bulk organic matter. Fall is a great time to acquire organic matter, and my strategy is to mow the grass and fallen leaves together to make a finer textured C/N mix. The ideal C:N ratio is around 25:1. Spoiled hay is also a great bulk organic matter source.

Step 5
Top the pile off with evenly spread finished compost or topsoil, about 1-2 inches and add mulch. Remember to always mulch, so cover the pile with leaves, straw, woodchips, etc.

Fall is a great time to sheet mulch and mulch in general. Trees' and other woody plants' roots are very active in the fall when the plants go dormant. Mulching before winter allows the roots more time to grow and build up reserves for the long winter. This is especially important in newly planted plants whose roots are not yet well established. Winter soil erosion is also common, so mulching will ensure that all your hard work stays in place.

More Lacto Fermentation: Kim Chi