Hi Logician. I was just suggesting to OP - to maybe try washing the blackberries in diluted PP water to disinfect the berries before consuming. I haven't got a clue on what PP will do to those fly-larvae by spraying them but It wouldn't hurt to try it out. Maybe it'll get kill them or maybe it won't. Speaking from personal experience, spraying my plants with a weak solution of PP for a few consecutive days did get rid off powder mildew on my blueberry canes. It also got rid off earth worms and beetle grubs in my potted blueberries. I learnt of using PP from other gardeners on online forums - with no scientific studies or backups, just a bunch of home remedies suggested by online strangers. I was afraid to spray and water my plants with PP at first - thinking it might kill my blueberries. Thankfully, it didn't, PP is now my go to remedy for all ailments and treatments. I know that I shouldn't be suggesting anything without enough solid evidence and scientific backups, as it potentially could be dangerous and risky for others thinking of trying it out. PP is relatively safe as it's being used for soaking in bath. Also, it didn't harm my plants.

Wild (lowbush) blueberries cannot be 'tamed', they only can be maintained by maintaining their habitat. You know whether or not you have wild blueberry bushes: their size ranges from 2" to 12", and the flavor of the berries is incomparable. No other 'blueberry' tastes like the low-bush wild blueberry. Wild Maine blueberries are now offered frozen in grocery stores, the only brand that we personally know that offers true wild Maine berries is Wyman. If you have only a few small blueberry plants and if they haven't increased on their own they may need more acid soil. You can use acidifiers that are labeled for rhododendrons or azaleas but before doing so consult U.Maine Extension to learn what dilution you need. Also ask whether mulching and more sun may be necessary. My blueberries grow in very thin soil over granite, are in full sun away from trees but they enjoy the 'mulch' provided by weeds and other low berry plants (cranberries). Except for fog, dew, or rain they're never watered, so it appears that they enjoy quite dry conditions. Though commercial growers irrigate the barrens and maintain other cultural practices (spot burning in the spring), we do nothing at all and always have a decent crop. If your berries aren't dropping to the ground and seeding, it's possible that birds and animals are eating them. In that case you can reserve a few berries for propagating. For propagation advice, consult U.Maine Extension. http://www.extension.umaine.edu/topics/blueberries.htm The answers you seek regarding blueberry culture are in the appended text below, copied from: http://www.wildblueberries.com/about_wild_blueberries/ Wild Blueberries of Maine & Canada One of only three berries native to North America, the Wild Blueberry (vaccinium angustifolium) thrives in the glacial soils and northern climate found in the fields and barrens of Downeast Maine and Canada. Rich in antioxidants, Wild Blueberries have grown naturally for thousands of years. The Lowbush Blueberries Unlike highbush cultivated blueberries, Wild Blueberries are not planted. These lowbush blueberries are primarily spread by rhizomes or underground runners, which give rise to new roots and stems. All shoots arising from the same rhizome system have similar characteristics and are referred to as a blueberry clone. Wild Blueberry fields and barrens actually produce many different lowbush blueberry clones, which account for the variations in color and size that characterize the Wild Blueberry crop. Growing and Harvesting: Blueberry Growers Combine Tradition and Technology Naturally suited to acidic, low-fertility soils and challenging winters, Wild Blueberries are a low-input crop requiring minimal management. The berries are grown on a two-year cycle. Each year, half of a growers land is managed to encourage vegetative growth and the other half is prepared for harvest. In May, growers import a billion commercial bees to aid the native bee population in pollinating the barrens and fields. There are many bee species associated with Wild Blueberries, including bumble bees and honey bees. Native bees are exceptional pollinators and Wild Blueberry growers take care to preserve wild bees through conservation practices. The Blueberry Grower  Managing the Harvest After the harvest, which begins in late July and continues through August, the plants are pruned to the ground by mowing or burning. Wild Blueberries are harvested commercially only in Maine and Canada. The oldest commercial processing company dates back to 1874 and many of todayÂs independent, family-owned growers have been in the Wild Blueberry business for generations. Many Wild Blueberry crops are still harvested the traditional way, using hand-held berry rakes that were first invented in 1910. Whether hand raked or machine harvested, Wild Blueberries are sorted, cleaned and processed within hours of being picked, using state-of-the-art technology to reserve their flavor, quality and antioxidant capacity. From Fresh to Frozen Blueberries  Preserving Taste & Nutrition Growers use winnowing machines in the fields to remove leaves and twigs before the berries are washed and frozen. Wild Blueberries are individually quick frozen (IQF) using a method that allows for the fast preservation of taste and nutrition for millions of berries. IQF berries can remain frozen for over two years without loosing their flavor or nutritional value. Laser color sorters are also utilized to remove anything but the finest quality Wild Blueberries prior to packing. Modern Crop Management  Maintaining Healthy Land & Healthy Crops Wild Blueberry growers are strongly committed to best agricultural practices. They use sustainable management techniques to ensure healthy crops and to protect Wild Blueberry lands for future generations. Because Wild Blueberries are indigenous to Maine and Canada, they are naturally resistant to many native pests. Still, growers are challenged to minimize crop damage caused by environmental stressors such as disease, drought, insect damage and winter injury. Using Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) throughout the crop cycle, growers monitor disease and insect levels to minimize fruit destruction without harming the environment. Good luck. I hope your berries spread and flourish.

EG you are absolutely bad!!! while they are attracted to CO2, its not neccessarily because she talks to much!! "muttering: them dang men!!!> Geeze! i mean heck, talla, she talks non stop!! ohhh not a good one!! they just attack her like crazy! hmmm.....anyhow, its in the blood type, ya, that's the story, and if you eat sweets, like fruits, especially banana's, talla will have to wear mint oil i get it at sally's beauty salon, its for the massage's. and i put it on her like a lotion, they leave her alone, i also use the lavender one on her. BUT if i don't she will be outside for 10 minutes, come in, and have skeeter bites all up and down her legs, HUGE one's. over the summer she got sick because one time befor mom got me this green tea/mint one they'd just attack her like crazy, way too many bites for her. do you remember when i told ya all she would get diahreah then clear up in a few days, then get pale, then same thing, but she'd do that for a month easy. well over the summer she kept doing that too. but much more so. we are both A+ i believe. i think i read that they absolutely love B type tho. Hmmmm...... maybe we are. i'll have to check it out now. LOL hopefully i'll get my glasses tomarow! WOO HOO!!! ~Medo Here is a link that might be useful: Barehanded Totally Nutso Gardener!! **Big Grinn**

For instant gratification, you can't beat homemade salad dressings. It will probably take you longer to get the ingredients out on the counter than to actually make a dressing, and it will improve the taste of the salad as much as using a garden-fresh tomato instead of a hydroponic one! Since they're quick, inexpensive and usually keep a long time, it's definitely practical to have several on hand if everybody in your family prefers a different 'flavor'. If you have kids who won't touch a salad, try making ranch with a little less milk or buttermilk than called for so it's thicker. Tell them it's a dip, and even picky eaters can usually be coaxed into trying it with something that's raw and good for them. And I can almost guarantee that the next time you have company for dinner, somebody will say, "Ooh, your dressing is so much better than mine! What brand do you buy?" It's priceless to see the looks on their faces when you say, "Well, actually..." lol Of course, salad dressing is a small item in the grand scheme of things, even though making it should give you a lot of positive reinforcement. Ruthanna made such a good point about identifying the "big offenders" so you won't just be spittin' in the wind in your efforts to eat healthier meals. If you're a working mom juggling an insane schedule, chances are that casseroles are a mainstay, so one of the huge culprits is soup. (Cream of ______, anybody?) Learn to make a white sauce instead, seasoning it with various herbs and spices and adding different cheeses for infinite variety and insanely improved taste! It's easy as can be, I promise. Also, as so many others have said, make your own broth. There are some superb tutorials, with lots of pix, on recipezaar for chicken, vegetable and shrimp stock. (I apologize again for not figuring out links here. Just click on "Communities" at the top of the recipezaar home page, then scroll down to the French Forum.) There was an amazing post here the other day about beef broth. You have to babysit a little since it must simmer for several hours, but the 'hands on' time is minimal, and it's so simple to assemble that a 3rd grader could do it. (Well, maybe a 6th grader, since a knife is involved...) So don't be intimidated when you think "homemade broth"! It's as simple and straightforward as boiling eggs. If you never bought a can of Campbell's again, it would reduce the offending stuff in your diet to an astounding degree. Then there are all those little foil packets. Fajitas, tacos, spaghetti sauce, chili, Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix... Lots of dishes are so simple if you just sprinkle in the stuff in the little foil packet. Not great, but edible. I'm thinking the junk in those little foil packets probably is about the unhealthiest stuff you buy. If you use them often, your salt intake is off the charts. The internet is such a wonderful source for recipes for stuff like Creole/Cajun seasonings so you can reduce or eliminate the salt. Here's a recipe I found for a substitute for dry onion soup mix. Haven't tried it yet, but I plan to soon. Lipton Onion Soup Mix Sub 4 t. beef bouillon granules 8 t. dried onion flakes 1 t. onion powder 1/4 t. celery salt Mix well to blend. Can be stored for up to 6 months. Equivalent of 1 envelope dry onion soup mix. With pre-teen or teenaged children, snacks may be the single biggest problem you need to address. There is nothing in the frozen food section you can't do better and cheaper at home, using far less sodium and preservatives. But there's a big trade-off of taste vs. time. Maybe you could organize a OAMC group of moms, preparing dozens of after-school snacks to be frozen? Or just call your sister and demand that she come over to help? :) The main thing, I think, is to keep a sense of balance. Healthy is wonderful, but all of us must have our "Cheetos" in one form or another. If your family hates one of the substitutes you come up with, give it up. There are other ways to introduce healthy foods that they will enjoy. If your kids are miserable without their Oreos, preach moderation instead of denial.