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Guess what's growing in my very own backyard

16 years ago

Raspberries! Lovely, sweet, red raspberries. We moved recently and the previous owner told us about the bushes. They are bearing fruit and I'm totally enjoying them. I made this raspberry chocolate chunk ice cream with them. I'm already planning on making Ann T's scones with them. Any other ideas on how to use them would be appreciated!

Tracey

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Comments (12)

happylady1957
16 years ago
Oh, those berries are beautiful! Will you need to place netting on the bushes to protect them from the birds?
cotehele
16 years ago
Birds didn't have a chance to get ours, the dog ate them right off the bush. :)
Raspberries are so good fresh, we didn't cook or bake them. Fresh raspberry pie was wonderful!
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Ok, I'm not sure I am reading your diagrams correctly so bear with me if I'm way off base. But it appears to me you are wasting a lot of space with so many paths, and overly narrow paths at that, just to have so many different beds. So my first question would be why so many beds? More beds is not necessarily more productive or more useful than fewer but bigger beds would be. Is the E-W directional placement of the beds what is limiting you? If so, then that isn't any sort of absolute "law". Lots of gardeners use N-S beds quite successfully and they can be easy to compensate for the direction by arranging plantings and crop rotation. And it would appear that in your case using a N-S orientation would allow for a much more effective use of space. 3' or 4' wide beds that could be 12, 14, or even 18 feet long. For example using Version 7 diagram, one 3x14 foot long bed could abutt up to the patio edge on one side and you'd have a 3' path between it and the green tree band on the east. Follow m? 1' wide paths are basically useless for any practical purposes and 2' paths aren't much better. You'll live to regret those narrow spaces. So on the south side, if you feel you MUST run E-w then combine some of those many tiny beds into fewer larger ones OR make 2 N-S beds that are 4'x-24' long with 3 foot wide paths all around. Much less wasted space, more growing space, essentially the same amount of fill required, and I would argue more attractive than having a bunch of tiny little beds crammed together. Make sense? Dave
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mustangs81
16 years ago
No fair!!! Too hot here to grow beauties like that. I love raspberries so I have to pay a fortune for fresh.
kayjones
16 years ago
Dew berries are ripening here in my area - YUM! I keep lots in my freezer for a taste of summer all year long.
caliloo
16 years ago
Love those beautiful red beauties! No suggestions beyond eating them warm in the sunshine by the handful. Enjoy every bit!

Alexa
annie1992
16 years ago
Oh yum, I love raspberries. You could make that Christine Ferber jam with chocolate and raspberries, it would be yummy on scones.

I make raspberry syrup for ice cream or pancakes, but my favorite way to eat them is right off the canes. Mother likes raspberry pie and I make her raspberry mousse sometimes.

Annie
wizardnm
16 years ago
Tracey, those look absolutely beautiful. I just looked at my wild black raspberries last night....hard and green, but they're coming.

Enjoy!!!

Nancy
lowspark
16 years ago
Wow! Beautiful! I'll be right over to help you use them up.
dgkritch
16 years ago
Quick! They aren't any good!

Send them to me and I'll take care of them.......LOL!

Boy, jam, jelly, syrup, frozen whole, scones, muffins, thumbprint cookies all come to mind right away!

Eat as many as you can fresh, then make other stuff.

Deanna
leel
16 years ago
I love raspberries, but I really thought you were going to say pot!
Tracey_OH
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the ideas! I'm enjoying the raspberries so much. Last night I found some divine looking pie/tart recipes on Epicurious so I think I know what my next project will be :) And Leel, NO lol....

Tracey
User
16 years ago
Oh Tracey, your ice cream looks so creamy and delicious and I love the raspberry close-up.

Ann

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