Monthly Archives: October 2016

Berries” Inupiat Traditions

Posted on October 2, 2016 by | Leave a comment

Good video from the UA Museum Ethnobotany collection on berries as food and medicine. Ethnobotany

Leave a comment

Posted in Ethnobotany, Health

Bumble bees learn which flowers have most pollen

Posted on October 2, 2016 by | Leave a comment

The Leonard Lab at The University of Nevada Reno has been conducting some neat experiments on pollination.  Here is a link to a write up of one study showing bumble bee recognition of flower color in association with pollen rewards.  They are such smart creatures! Bumble bee learning

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Pollination, Pollinators

Black currant ban

Posted on October 2, 2016 by | Leave a comment

Growing black currants were banned in the early 1900s in the US due to their status as an alternate host in white pine blister rust.  “The federal ban on growing currants was shifted to jurisdiction of individual states in 1966, and was lifted in New York State in 2003 through the efforts of horticulturist Greg Quinn”  (Wikipedia)  Due to the creation of resistant cultivars they have been released from the ban in certain states.  I wondered why black currants are not well known around the states, however are popular in areas of Europe.  This ban removed this berry from our grasp for many years!  Here is an article about its new status in NY as of 2003 and its growing popularity:   http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2006/07/welcome-back-black-currants-forbidden-fruit-making-ny-comeback.

Leave a comment

Posted in Currants (Ribes)

Vertical Farming with Strawberries

Posted on October 1, 2016 by | Leave a comment
    This is an interesting article about an innovative, Japanese company, Ichigo, whose vertical strawberry farm, shows technological promise for boutique, urban strawberry production and possible franchise-able business opportunities. While novel, its implications on small-scale, indoor, photosynthetic, food production facilities remain far more interesting than the $5.00 per berry price tag
Koga, Hiroki. 2016. How a Japanese Vertical Farm is Growing Strawberries using LED for the First Time. Available online: Strawberries. Accessed: 29 September 2016
Comments:

Leave a comment

Posted in Greenhouse Cultivation, Strawberries (Fragaria)

Mulching and lingonberries

Posted on October 1, 2016 by | Leave a comment
 I’ve often been curious about mulch suitability for a certain crop. Over a three year period, Mr. Gustavsson, investigates the effect of the application of a variety of mulches to standardized blocks of cultivated lingonberry. Annual, average fruit weight and yield as well as accumulated plant growth and fungal infection susceptibility, were factors used to compare mulch types. Not surprising, as it common in native environments, peat moss, appeared to be the most beneficial mulch for lingonberries in areas not susceptible to late spring frost. Surprisingly, however, is that black plastic foil was found to be the second most beneficial. CZ Anchorage
 Gustavsson, B. A. 1999. Effects of Mulching on Fruit Yield, Accumulated Plant Growth, and Fungal Attack in Cultivated Lingonberry, cv. Sanna, Vaccinium vitus-idaea L. Gartenbauwissenschaft, 64 (2). S: 65-69.
Available online: Lingonberries    Accessed: 29 September 2016
 

Leave a comment

Posted in Garden Farm Culture, Lingonberry, Lowbush cranberry, (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), Uncategorized

Fall flowering in lingonberries

Posted on October 1, 2016 by | Leave a comment

Occasionally, native plants, wildflowers, berries and others, bloom in fall. I have seen it on high bush cranberries, red osier dogwood, willows. wild iris, wild roses and more. This year it is lingonberries. I have noticed a lot of flowers appearing at the same time as berry harvesting. Considering the season, this second bloom is not surprising. Spring warm temperatures came early, and in my garden, Oct 1, the temperatures reached 60F! Despite the cool, rainy summer, the lingonberry grew, bloomed, matured fruit, and went dormant. The dormancy period is very short for lingonberries- about 4 weeks of chilling temperatures (40F or lower). With the long season, it is no surprise that flower buds broke dormancy and started to bloom again. Of course, it is wasted genes. No fruit will form. This fall flowering definitely impacts next season’s flowering and fruiting.

img_0963

Leave a comment

Posted in Ecology, Lingonberry, Lowbush cranberry, (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)