Hi everyone! Regardeng BLACKBERRIES, we, on the opposie side of the pool, have the same problems of OVERWINTERING the canes and the flower buds. Admittedly I yet have no own experience as I got interested in blackberries only this fall when discovered the existance of the new thornles and prolific varieties. So I read all that was worth reading in the Russian and US internet, especially the rather high-profile specialised forums of our blackberry enthusiasts.. I discovered that throughout Russia and Kazakhstan which both have areas with very serious frosts blackberry growing in those is nevertheless quite successful. Maybe someone here would benefit from their experience same as e.g. you grow plums of Russian origin such as ptitsin and fofanoff. Apparently Blackberries can bring huge yealds in climates with very low winter temps, even downing to -40C for rather ptolonged periods. The TECHNIQUE below allows overwintering without much problem. Plus some easy principles to follow. 1. All blackberries need to be laid down and covered for the winter, preferably after the first frost when the land is frozen. To ensure that this task is easy and hassle free: 2. Choose thornless varieties only. Those with thorns are said to be hell to lay and cover. 3. In early summer watch for the new canes (primocanes) to emerge. As soon as a shoot reaches 15-20cm carefully bend it 90 degrees and secure with a metal peg. When the cane grows another 40-60cm, secure it parallel to the ground with yet another peg. After it reaches 1 m let it grow as it will but better tie to the lowest string of the trellis Which gets them out of the way. Do not tip the ends as this would increase the leaf mass. Do the bending for all the emerging primocanes. 4. In autumn at the time of first frosts when all the fruiting canes have long been cut down lay the primocanes in lines stretched along one side of the trellis. Peg them to the ground, cover with two layers of 60g/m2 thick white non-woven fabric and secure all sides to the ground with no holes. This is said to help greatly even if serious frosts come before the snow. In milder and wetter climates they also put a plastic film layer on top of the fabric, leaving however the end bits open so there is always air circulation. The advice here is to experiment as all natural circumstaces differ. 5. Take off the cover layers gradually, and completely only after all danger of frost is over. By then the canes are likely to bear some yourg leaves and side shoots, but this is ok. Raise them carefully as the canes of come varieties are brittle, and tie to the trellis. 5. Winer frosts may not be a problem for blackberries, but summers need to be warm or hot. The shorter and milder/cooler the summers, the earlier fruiting varieties should be chosen. 6. Floricane varieties like PA Freedom in cooler and shorter summer climates may very sucessfully fruit if treated in the same way as other primocanes, i.e. as above, in a two-year culture. They would be one of the earliest to perform. If you have any questions do feel free to write me, I will try to help with more information. cathpetro at gmail dot com.

I have read that in this instance that people can do two grafts. The native variety being the most hardy and strongest rooting, then a short intermediary piece which can bridge between the native and fruiting varieties. Can anyone assist? Or know someone who can? I have cut down a large native cherry and would like to graft lapins and stella to the sprouts which are sure to come up this spring. "example taken from plum/almond stone fruit grafting" - " Also (and this is where the fun starts) most fruit trees in the Prunus genus are sometimes compatible with each other: almonds, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums all are compatible for grafting, but occasionally it's complicated. For example, some plum rootstock is not compatible with peaches or nectarines; and some almonds require an intermediate step before grafting onto some plum rootstocks."

Probably ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris). I got my huge colony started by digging some up in a woods we owned years ago. Frankly, I think they're quite wonderful. In "captivity" they get huge and rather prehistoric looking. They're tough and I don't think you can kill them with a stick as long as you dig up the whole crown and a piece of the trailing root. Breaking a frond doesn't hurt. Over night in a plastic bag with a little spritz of water will be just fine.

IPM .. integrated pest management adherents would argue that using a hard core insecticide with no insect properly IDd on site ..... is some form of pollution .... i dnot know what to make of that ... being a cheap son of a gun.. i think its a waste of money ... until the bug is present .. and using it on a claimed resistant variety is getting close to loving it to death ... if it indicates other predilections to doing to much for a plant ... did you amend the planting hole.. did you throw in any fert.. have you fertd it in excess to lawn fert ... since you have one sublime lawn ... the tree would surely not need more ... i am just south of ann arbor.. z5 ... which means much further south of you.. and a zone warmer.. in theopry anyway.. lol .... my whitepire are leafed out as far as the top of your tree .. indicating to me.. your trees have flushed out extremely early this spring.... is there any chance that there has been cold damage??? ..it is possible with frost .. to affect only part of a plant ... many trees.. especially in the conifer world.. have droopy leaders like this.. and it straightens... but not my birch ... but i will watch to see if it happens.. when mine start actively growing ... frankly.. i would give it this summer to see what happens ... at least thru normal leaf out time.. and into sure warm weather ... i see no reason you would have to grind out the stump ... it should be rather easily dug out.. given its only been there 4 years ... btw.. on review.. last pic.. the bend from last year is gone??? .... if so.. im really wondering about excess nitro from lawn fert.. causing excessive fast growth .. are birch in maine this far leafed out today??? ken