Accomplishments

[sinisterdevices]

Rough shelf for storing canned goods in the basement: Built
Circular, three-tier strawberry bed: Built, filled with dirt, filled with (some of the) strawberries
Terraced bed: Fence posts dug in, wall installed, bed just needs dirt and plants. (and the replacement of one fence post, more fool me)
Retaining wall for vegetable beds: Built
Mice: Multiplying, despite ongoing culling efforts :/
Rear bumper: Cracked in four places
Lessons learned: Don't back over the massive lawnmower, you idiot!
(lawnmower: Not even scratched)

Comments

[clarentine]

With the blackberries, keeping the canes from tip-rooting (either by espaliering or just pruning them back) will do the trick. They are clump growers, so you don't have the issue you have with the raspberries...which really do want to take over the world. I don't have much experience with those. All the growing manuals, however, say to prune out, at ground level, a certain percentage of the older canes every year. Wearing heavy armor, needless to say. >:-) I guess I'll be finding out. My folks are planning to send us home with a care package of more raspberry plants when we go out there this summer.