May 16, 2013
This spring, we did not have to cover our blueberries because of a frost. Typically, here in NC, we have a very warm week or so in March. This will make our 30-some blueberry bushes bloom as well as our other fruit trees. Then, in April, we will have one or five nights of freezing weather and we’ll have to go cover everything. It is also extremely windy so half of the covers won’t stay on, regardless of how many clothes pins we use to keep them in place. This results in mild to great losses in fruit production.
This year, winter stuck around quite a bit longer than normal so there was not as much fluctuation in temperatures. It was nice not having to cover the fruiting plants but what is even nicer is how prolific they are looking right now!
My next conundrum is how to keep the kids off of them. I would like to be able to harvest & freeze enough to not have to buy any frozen blueberries throughout the year. We eat them in smoothies, in our oatmeal and in our cereal. We also LOVE blueberry jam but I’m not sure we’ll have enough to do all of that.
The question is…how do I keep the kids from stealing my blueberries?! Do I give them each a bush and let them eat from their bush but not touch any other bush? (I can see my 2yo stealing blueberries from other bushes) Do I tell them for every one they pick, they have to put one in the bowl to keep? What I would like to do, of course, is just make them stay away so I can make sure everything is harvested properly…is that too controlly? Whatcha think?
I mentioned in my previous post that the chickens are free ranging now. Not the whole day because we’re not outside the whole day but about half of the day. The dog pesters them now and again but she listens to us pretty well when we tell her not to chase them. She has a good temperament and is pretty quick to learn and obey…me.
I’ve trained her to not chase the chickens (she’ll just sit there as they free range around her) and to lay next to me while I work in the garden (not meander and get into trouble). The next big thing is to teach her our property lines so we don’t have to crate her when we leave the house – so we don’t have to worry about her wandering off.
The kids don’t know how to handle her – she’s just a puppy so she wants to play but she plays by biting their shorts and pulling them down – they’ll learn or she will learn. I’m sure it will get better one day 🙂
Next, I’ll have an update about my poor, pitiful beans, my corn, and lots of my greenhouse transplants.
I’m linking up to Simple Lives Thursday.
Gardening Without... 