Home Gardening Advice from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa Cunty

Client's Request:  I have 2 different berry bushes in my backyard. One berry bush is a thornless blackberry and the other an olallieberry, and they are 2 years old. I am quite confused as to how to prune them. Can you explain the fruiting canes, the old canes, the canes for next crop of berries, etc. None of the informative videos I've reviewed make anything any clearer.

MGCC's Help Desk Response:  Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program's Help Desk with your questions about pruning your berries.

Pruning berry canes yearly encourages more fruit production and makes cultivation easier. Both of your berry bushes are considered to be grown and pruned as “blackberries”. We agree that pruning blackberries can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you understand how they grow and get the plants trellised and trained, the task will become much easier for you!
 
There are two names for a blackberry cane, depending on whether the cane is in its first or second year of growth:
Primocanes: First ­year of growth: most­ types­ produce no fruit on these canes.
Floricanes: Second year of growth; these canes produce flowers and fruit and­ then ­die.
When to Prune  With blackberries, primocanes create new stems, while floricanes produce flowers and after pollination, blackberries. It's important to know the difference because each type of cane is pruned at a different time of year and at a different point in the plant's growth cycle.

How to tell the difference? Just look carefully at the canes. Primocanes don't produce flowers or fruit and may have a flush of new growth at the tip, they may also tend to grow on the ground. Floricanes produce blossoms in the spring and berries in early to midsummer. Prune primocanes or stems without fruit and berries in June and July, but wait to prune the floricanes until after berries are picked. Another helpful hint for identifying the type of cane is that the floricanes will have remnants of bloom/berry clusters.

How Much to Prune  When pruning blackberries, cut the primocanes down to about 48 inches, measuring from the ground up to the tip of the cane. Shoots develop off the main stem. These are called lateral shoots. They jut out to the sides. You can prune these back to around 18 inches towards the end of the summer. Floricanes are pruned differently. After all the fruit is harvested, wait until the end of the summer or into the early fall. Prune branches that bore fruit down to the ground, or at least as far down as you can reach comfortably.

Here is an excellent video on blackberry care and pruning from Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply:
http://www.groworganic.com/blackberryolallieeach.html

Here are additional helpful links from UC sources about blackberry care:
http://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/files/27140.pdf
http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Berries/Blackberries/

Good luck with your pruning project!  Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
... and apologies for the blog title... I just couldn't help myself... editor

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SLH)

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Note: The  UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions.  Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA  94523. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog  (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/). 

Home Gardening Advice from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County

Client's Request: I have several roses in my garden that seem to bloom forever and well into late Fall/Winter. I'm confused on when to prune them compared to others that stopped blooming a month ago or so and are already going dormant. Would you provide me some guidance on when to prune these late blooming roses?

MGCC' Help Desk Response:  Thank you for contacting the UC master Gardener Program Help Desk with your questions about pruning your roses that are acting like it is springtime in November!

As we discussed earlier today on the phone, in our mild climate, it is not unusual for some roses to bloom well into November and even December, so you should not prune those roses until later in winter. UC's article on rose care says that in most of California, pruning should be done in winter before buds swell, although it may be delayed where late spring frosts are common. So, as discussed, enjoy your roses until they go dormant within the next couple of months and then prune!

Here is the link to the full UC article on rose care:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7465.html

Also, Sunset magazine says that repeat-blooming roses are usually pruned just before dormancy ends in late winter or early spring. Roses that bloom only once a season are traditionally pruned just after the bloom period ends; strong new growth produced after bloom will bear flowers the following spring.

If you have additional questions, please let us know!

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SLH)

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Note: The  UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions.  Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA  94523. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog  (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/). 

Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program Contra Costa County
 
Gardener's Request:  I'm a new homeowner with a garden with clay soil apparently and trees that are now dropping leaves. How do I garden with clay soil and what should I do with the dropping tree leaves – use them in the gardening and how or disposing of them in my green bin?

MGCC's Help Desk Response:  Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardeners Program's Help Desk with your questions about gardening in clay soil, and whether to remove leaves from the landscape or incorporate them into the existing soil.

First, about gardening in your clay soil:

Your clay is made up of air, water, organic materials, and minerals. The balance of these ingredients determines your soil type. Clay soils are those that are often rich with nutrients, and renowned for their water retention capabilities, but can become compacted over time, creating a less hospitable environment for plants. This link provides information from UC Davis discussing how to work with your clay soil to get the best results. http://vric.ucdavis.edu/pdf/soil_managingclay.pdf

One of the most essential components to gardening in clay soil is creating good tilth (i.e., ability to grow plants, especially from seed). This is accomplished by carefully adding organic matter such as manure, compost, and/or planting cover crops to your existing soil. This article by a Marin County master gardener discusses the many ways that you can improve the tilth of a clay soil with organic matter. http://www.marinij.com/article/NO/20160304/FEATURES/160309921

Use of fallen tree leaves in the garden:

In regards to your question about whether to remove, or use, fallen leaves in the landscape there are a few things to consider. As a rule, it's is best to disturb your soil as little as possible, so the addition of non-diseased fallen leaves into your landscape can be beneficial, as they will act as an organic mulch conserving moisture, retaining even soil temperatures, adding nutrients, and improving soil tilth over time. To not impede air circulation and water flow in the landscape, it is recommend that you shred the leaves before using them, and as with any mulch, apply it 3-4 inches thick, leaving 2-3 inches from the trunks of trees and shrubs. This will also create a less friendly environment for plant diseases. As with any organic mulch, the leaves will break down over time and need to be replaced. If attractiveness is an issue, here is an article that discusses different types of mulch. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/mulches.html

Thank you for submitting your questions, and I wish you luck in your gardening decisions.

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa (JJM)

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Note: The  UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions.  Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA  94523. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog  (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/). 

Help for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County 

Client Request: I have several eucalyptus trees on my property. They shed a lot of leaves. I'd like to use the leaves for mulch and possibly compost, but when I research these uses, I get confusing and/or contrary guidance. My request: Can I use eucalyptus leaves/cuttings as mulch and/or compost in the home garden?

Help Desk Response:  We understand your frustration with the information you're finding on the use of eucalyptus leaves as mulch. In doing the research on your question, I too, found a lot of conflicting information. The Master Gardener Program is under the umbrella of the University of California so the information that follows is all based upon scientific research.

Eucalyptus Toxicity
While it is true that eucalyptus leaves do have some toxicity, the research shows that well composted eucalyptus leaves pose no problem when used as a mulch or when mixed at appropriate quantities into a growing medium. The research also concluded that fresh eucalyptus leaves were shown to be a good weed suppressant when applied to a depth of 4 inches (10cm).
 
Following are two articles by James Downer & Ben Faber on the subject of eucalyptus mulch and eucalyptus compost.  
http://ceventura.ucanr.edu/newsletters/Volume_23_No129817.pdf
and
http://slosson.ucdavis.edu/newsletters/Downer_199429100.pdf

Composting
The University of California research concluded that, when handled properly, eucalyptus is safe for use in compost (i.e., incorporated into the growing medium). The toxicity of the eucalyptus are rendered harmless by the composting process, especially if you are working a hot compost pile. (See http://vric.ucdavis.edu/pdf/compost_rapidcompost.pdf)

When composting eucalyptus, the leaves are considered green plant material and will constitute the nitrogen part of the composting process. To effectively use eucalyptus clippings or leaves, you will want to mix them thoroughly with carbon-based materials such as newspaper, cardboard or other dry leaves or plant material. 

The University researchers suggest, if you still have concerns, that you consider composting eucalyptus in a separate hot compost pile, keeping the pile well moistened and turning it often to keep the mix hot over a longer period of time.

Once the eucalyptus is well composted you can do a germination test to test for toxicity by using the compost as a medium to start 10-12 fast growing seeds such as radishes. If a majority of the seeds germinate, the eucalyptus toxicity can be considered neutralized by the composting process.

If you want to use fresh eucalyptus leaves in your landscape, the conclusion suggests to favor using them on the woody landscape plants in the home garden setting.

I hope this gives you the information you were looking for and sets your mind at ease.

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (BHD)

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Note: The  UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions.  Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA  94523. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/ MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog  (http://ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/).