Posts Tagged: blackberry
Berries, Now Is the Time.
By Susanne von Rosenberg, UC Master Gardener of Napa County One of the...
Strawberries (davies-designs-studio-unsplash)
Blackberries (berkeleywellness.com)
Colors of raspberries (seriouseats.com)
Look for certfied disease free nursery stock (laspilitas.com)
Thornless blackberry (pinterest.com)
Thornless varieties are available (PerfectGarden.com)
Triple Crown thornless blackberry (anoregoncottage.com)
Nova raspberry, widely available from many nurseries (johnnyseeds.com)
Showing black raspberries and blackberries (tasteofhome.com)
Pruning berry canes--this is an illustration. A complete guide can be found at The California Garden Web website. (foodstorageandsurvival.com)
Caneberries (anoregoncottage.com)
Organic herbicide effects on Himalayan blackberry: only short-term control, but also avoided damage to willow
Valerie Eviner is a Professor of Ecosystem Management and Restoration in the Department of Plant...
Black Friday: Bumble Bees and Blackberries
"Black Friday" means different things to each of us, but when I think of "Black Friday," I think of...
A bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on a blackberry blossom in Berkeley. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Taking flight, the yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, seeks another blackberry blossom in Berkeley. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Summer time and the livin is eatin.
Summer—it's a time for swimming, BBQs, camping, and eating invasive species
Last week during California Invasive Species Action Week (June 2 – June 10), we highlighted several pests, but there are many more invasive species out there. Now that you know about them, share your knowledge of invasive species with others. And no matter what your summer plans, here are some things YOU can do about invasive species from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Department of Food and Agriculture.
YOU: I'M TRAVELLING TO AMAZING PLACES
- Learn what plants and animals you could bring into California.
- Don't pack a pest! Declare all food and agricultural items from other states or countries.
- Find out which species are threats to California.
- Learn about California's invasive plants.
- Avoid spreading forest pests: buy your firewood where you burn it.
YOU: I'LL BE WORKING IN MY GARDEN
- Remove invasive plants from your property.
- Select native or non-invasive plants for your garden.
- Use only certified weed-free forage, hay, seed, mulch, soil, and gravel.
- Learn alternatives to releasing unwanted fish, aquatic plants, and other pets.
- Monitor plants and trees for symptoms of infestations and disease.
- Learn about California's invasive plants.
- Have you spotted an invasive species? Tell us where by reporting your sighting.
YOU: I'LL BE NEAR THE WATER OR ON A BOAT
- Join the statewide citizen science effort to monitor for quagga mussels.
- Join the iNaturalist project, California Nerodia Watch, and help us find Nerodia watersnakes.
- Make sure to Clean, Drain, and Dry (PDF) your boat after each outing.
- Learn alternatives to releasing unwanted fish, aquatic plants, and other pets.
- Visit your favorite local, state, or national park, ecological reserve, recreational area, or nature center and ask about their volunteer programs.
- Learn about California's invasive plants.
- Have you spotted an invasive species? Tell us where by reporting your sighting.
YOU: I'LL BE OUT AND ABOUT CAMPING, HIKING, OR RIDING HORSES
- Use only certified weed-free forage, hay, seed, mulch, soil, and gravel.
- Avoid spreading forest pests: buy your firewood where you burn it.
- Prevent the spread of plant pathogens that damage and kill California's native plants and trees.
- Learn about California's invasive plants.
- Visit your favorite local, state, or national park, ecological reserve, recreational area, or nature center and ask about their volunteer programs.
- Have you spotted an invasive species? Tell us where by reporting your sighting.
YOU: I'LL DEFINITELY CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT INVASIVES
- Get to know your local invaders.
- Learn about California's invasive plants.
- Find out which species are threats to California.
- Learn alternatives to releasing unwanted fish, aquatic plants, and other pets.
- Eat them. Yum. Check out these websites to find out who is edible and how to prepare them.
- Invasive-eats.com (California-specific)
- Invasivore.org (under construction but hopefully back soon)
- EatTheWeeds.com
- EatTheInvaders.org
If you missed it this year, help in the fight next year by learning and participating during California Invasive Species Action Week.
himalayan blackberry
brown garden snail
fennel
Blackberries Got "Spots"?
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Home Gardener from the
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
With White Drupelet Disorder
Help Desk Response: Thanks for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk with your question about the “white spots” on your blackberries.
What you see happening on the fruit of your blackberry vine is an abiotic disorder (damage not caused by insects or disease) called “White Drupelet”. A “drupelet" is the individual seed on fruits like blackberries and raspberries (the “bump”).
White Drupelet will appear as a tan-to-white discoloration on the drupelets of caneberry fruit, and it can effect one drupelet or many. As you have described, the drupelet's often appear brown and hard at first, then become soft and take on a tan-to-white coloration.
This disorder happens when there is a sharp increase in the heat and a drop in humidity, often caused by wind. This is exactly the weather pattern we have had lately -- lots of wind with high heat and low humidity. Although this condition is weather related, the actual cause of the “whitening” is UV radiation. Ordinarily, cool, humid air scatters and absorbs UV radiation, while hot, dry air has the opposite effect and allows more direct UV rays to reach the fruit. You may be observing this condition more in the canopy of the vine, or on the berries exposed to the sun, while the fruit tucked in under the leaves lower on the vine may be unaffected. When the heat subsides, and the humidity increases the condition will correct itself. The berries are safe to eat but you will want to remove the damaged part of the fruit. This UC Pest Note provides some more detailed information on White Drupelet disease: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/r71800111.html.
There is some debate about shade cloth being used to protect the vines but we found no conclusive scientific information indicating that shade cloth will prevent this condition.
If you were to experiment using shade cloth you must be careful to leave a good space between the shade cloth and the vine for proper air circulation or the shade cloth will just exacerbate the problem, creating more of a greenhouse effect rather than a shade structure.
Note: If you were to see the pale colored drupelets ONLY on the back side of the fruit (away from the sun) this could be caused by thrips, red mites or stinkbugs. More information on growing caneberries can be found searching for “caneberries” at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/GENERAL/search.html
Thanks for contacting the Master Gardener Program with your question. If we can be of further help, don't hesitate to contact us.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (BHD)
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 (//ucanr.edu/blogs/CCMGBlog/).
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