Author Topic: Pumpin' Dirt (Read 1273 times)

jvs · « **on:** April 04, 2005, 11:47:06 AM »

Today turned out to be a nice day compared to the weekend, so I decided to get out and move some of my Berry plants around a little.

I have some Thornless Blackberrys and some Elderberry Plants that I use for home made wine and Jelly and they were originally in a place that didn't turn out to be the best, they grew bigger than I expected.

So.......this morning I got my shovel and started pumpin' dirt and moved them to more desirable places. Looks like I will eventually end up with twice as many Blackberry plants that I orginally set because they rooted where the canes touched the ground. The Elderberrys can be cut and stuck in the ground for more plants in the spring.

Tomorrow and Wednesday are supposed to be in the 60's and 70's, so hopefully I can get more done. The members down south are lucky as they probably have their gardens planted by now.

jvs · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2005, 02:31:36 PM »

TM7,

I don't grow any blueberrys yet. I do have a friend who has some in his yard and two years ago he started taking cuttings from his bushes to start new plants. His failure rate is around 90%. His is experimenting with different procedures to get new plants but nothing works too good so far. Three years ago I gave him cuttings from my Elderberry plants which did good for him last year.

High bush blueberrys grow wild in the Pocono Swamps and other wetlands. Low bush blueberrys grow wild on the Pocono Mtns. If I had to make a choice of what kind of wild blueberrys to pick, I'd take the low bush because the mosquitos are murder when the high bush are in season.

I have an old pine tree that is on it's last legs and when it's time to take it down I will probably plant blueberrys where the tree was. Blueberrys take a very acidic soil. If I plant them where the tree was, it will probably be easier to sweeten the soil quicker than making neutral soil acidic.

Blueberrys are a slow growing bush, but when they finally take hold, they produce well. Expensive to start ($7 to $8 per bush) but productive with the right soil.

JPSaxMan · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2005, 03:20:46 PM »

Since we're on the topic of blueberries I gotta ask.

We've had wild bushells of blueberrys on our hill for years. Until recently they had quite a bounty. Then two-three years ago the crop just died off. Like overnight. I just assumed that the bushes were being choked out of exisistence with all the underbrush. Is there anything else that could cause this?

jvs · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2005, 04:07:43 PM »

I would check the ph of the soil first. Blueberrys need between 4.0 and 5.5. From reading about them, Blueberrys also require well drained soil and lots of direct sunlight. Plus they like airflow between the bushes. The lack of any of these can stunt a Blueberry plant.

Pa has a huge problem with acid rain from the coal buring power plant smokestacks in other states. It isn't just the Blueberrys that are suffering, it's the whole forest ecosystem. If the ph dipped below 4.0, it could cause a problem. If for some reason the ph is above 6, Blueberrys leaves will turn yellow and eventually die.

More than likely, trees are shading the plants or the soil may have changed enough that blueberrys, wild or otherwise, wont grow. You can contact your County Extension Agent. I am positive he will have an answer.

JPSaxMan · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2005, 05:24:47 PM »

Yea

I've been noticing our acid rain problem is becoming quite a problem. But this isn't an ecosystem forum so I won't go there :roll:

Thanx half_inch

jvs · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2005, 10:42:43 PM »

Let me know what you find out, if you decide to look into it further.

And even though this isn't an enviornmental forum, acid rain affects everything you do outside, so I wouldn't have a problem discussing it here as it pertains to what happens in your yard or surroundings.

Btw, Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana will be reducing the 1,000 ft smokestack output shortly.

JPSaxMan · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2005, 01:46:06 AM »

Well, the thoughts I were having on acid rain were ones pertaining to the hydrology system (fish, aqua plants, etc). It seems that around here the acid rain dumps excessive amounts of toxins into the water every single year.

I remember listening to an old science teacher lecturing to his class once. He told the class that if they really wanted to they could go outside in the spring right after the thaw and take a pH level of the stream. Then compare that to one 2-3 months down the road. The first one taken will most likely have a lower pH due to the fact that the streams have an 'acid spike'-simply put throughout the winter all the exhaust and aerosol and etc will be held within the snow. First thaw, it all goes right into the streams :shock: .

Some of these toxins within the streams and waterways is mercury (I think that also comes from the powerplants with the coal, doesn't it?). There have been numerous advisories against the mercury depositions, and Field and Stream posted an article not long ago about how we should limit our consumption within all bodies of water b/c of the fact that mercury goes to other places besides the advised ones found in your fishing summary.

Well, there's my rant on acid rain. Hope it wasn't off topic.

jvs · « **Reply #7 on:** April 09, 2005, 05:15:01 AM »

Your Science Teacher only touched on the surface of the problem. Even though auto exhaust and aerosol cans may have an effect on Ozone, Coal Burning Power Plants to the West and South-West have a much larger responsibility for the Acid rain which falls on us here.

The Federal Gov't has just clamped down on the biggest Poluters by making them put Scrubbers on their smoke stacks, which should reduce much of the problem. The 1000 ft Smoke stacks which emit sulfer wastes by the thousands of tons per year to the States miles away and downwind are going to be cleaned up before those wastes go up the flue. Even those States with the Furnaces and the Generator Operators agree that something needs to be done.

It would be near impossible to discuss problems with a Flower or Vegetable Garden, A Orchard or a Lawn without taking into consideration possible enviornmental problems, including acid rain.

It isn't just this State, it is every State east of those smokestacks that has a Forest regeneration problem. If the forests can't do it, how can your favorite growing plot be any different?

Most years there is a Liming program in place on the ground to counteract Mother Natures way of cleaning her atmosphere.

All of which would NOT be needed if this country would go Nuclear Power Generation. This is the price we pay for believing that anything with 'Nuclear' in it is bad.