Today’s chores- Blackberry bushes

Today we added 6 blackberry bushes to the lanscape.  On a routine visit to WalMart, we wound through the garden department looking for bloodmeal (read more about in the Gadgets department). I also happened to pick up more gloves, a metal trowel, two 50-foot soaker hoses, and a set of red onions.  Anyway, we bought 3 Darrow Blackberry bushes and 3 Ebony King Blackberries.  My grandson’s favorite fruit is “finger-berries,” which are blackberries, so planting my own will save me about $5000 a year.  Thereabouts.

I know they grow here because I have a friend whose south-facing hill  is covered with fruit.  I tried ten years ago to plant some shoots from her garden, but for some reason they didn’t make it.   This time, I am ready.  The Minion dug the holes.  I mixed planting mix, compost and soil, and planted the blackberries.  We considered digging up the resident mountain mahogany, but while the top growth is pathetic, the roots are impressive.  The Minion capitulated, and we moved 3 feet to the left.