At the bottom of my garden I have (no, not fairies) a shady spot, on the
North-facing side of my garden wall. The wall has ivy all over it, which
cascades off it like a green waterfall, but there is no ivy on this
particular patch of wall. There is also nothing growing in the soil at the
bottom of this patch of wall - not that anything has ever been planted
there, to my knowledge. It's almost like a space has been 'cosmically'
reserved there for something - which is what I hope to discover.

What I was wondering, is:- is there a type of edible berry bush that would
like it in this shady patch? I'm trying to get some more fruits going, I
have my new raspberry cane in a pot, I have a blueberry bush (well I thought
I had two, but one isn't looking too lively), a few alpine strawberry
plants, and I have an apple and a pear tree too. I'm getting a red grape
vine on the weekend, if all goes according to plan. I have a herb garden,
and the rest of the garden is bulbs and flowers and stuff.

I'm hoping to get together enough fruits to have a go at making wine at some
stage, so another berry bush would be good - but it would have to be one
which is OK in the shade.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Andrew

"Andy Hunt" wrote in
news:KEq3c.3641$54.2267@newsfe1-win:

I'm hoping to get together enough fruits to have a go at making wine
at some stage, so another berry bush would be good - but it would have
to be one which is OK in the shade.

Elder might manage it, if there is space, and you can harvest either the
flowers or the berries, according to taste.

Alternatively, rhubarb isn't a berry, but you can make wine and pies from
it, and it is very tolerant of almost any position as long as you feed it
well and don't let it completely dry out.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

I'm hoping to get together enough fruits to have a go at making wine
at some stage, so another berry bush would be good - but it would have
to be one which is OK in the shade.

Elder might manage it, if there is space, and you can harvest either the
flowers or the berries, according to taste.

Alternatively, rhubarb isn't a berry, but you can make wine and pies from
it, and it is very tolerant of almost any position as long as you feed it
well and don't let it completely dry out.

Thanks Victoria, I might have a go at the elder, it is a reasonably sized
patch so it should be OK - and the more berries/flowers the better, as far
as I am concerned. And if it grows out from the wall in a big bush, it will
catch some of the sunlight anyway - my garden is a real sun-trap and gets
very warm.

I'm a little unfamiliar with this stuff, and a friend told me that rhubarb
can be a little bit difficult for a novice like me. So I shall take the
advice of my 'elders' . . . !

Andrew

I'm hoping to get together enough fruits to have a go at making wine
at some stage, so another berry bush would be good - but it would have
to be one which is OK in the shade.

Elder might manage it, if there is space, and you can harvest either the
flowers or the berries, according to taste.

Alternatively, rhubarb isn't a berry, but you can make wine and pies from
it, and it is very tolerant of almost any position as long as you feed it
well and don't let it completely dry out.

Thanks Victoria, I might have a go at the elder, it is a reasonably sized
patch so it should be OK - and the more berries/flowers the better, as far
as I am concerned. And if it grows out from the wall in a big bush, it will
catch some of the sunlight anyway - my garden is a real sun-trap and gets
very warm.

I'm a little unfamiliar with this stuff, and a friend told me that rhubarb
can be a little bit difficult for a novice like me. So I shall take the
advice of my 'elders' . . . !

Andrew

"Andy Hunt" wrote in
news:iwB3c.3731$54.1@newsfe1-win:

I'm a little unfamiliar with this stuff, and a friend told me that
rhubarb can be a little bit difficult for a novice like me. So I shall
take the advice of my 'elders' . . . !

!!!

rhubarb difficult to grow???

Where on earth is your garden, the Sahara? ;-)

Rhubarb is about the easiest edible plant for an ordinary English garden.
You plant it, you stick some compost on, and then a bit later, you eat it.
If it gets very dry indeed you might want to water it.

If you are capable of growing raspberries & blueberries in a pot, you are
certainly over the 'rhubarb threshold'.

I think your friend might mean that *forcing* rhubarb is a bit complicated
- that involves sticking a pot over the top to encourage the stems to get
long and tender, and I'm told can weaken the plant.

But you don't have to do this: unforced rhubarb is very good and easy.

Victoria

I think your friend might mean that *forcing* rhubarb is a bit complicated
- that involves sticking a pot over the top to encourage the stems to get
long and tender, and I'm told can weaken the plant.

But you don't have to do this: unforced rhubarb is very good and easy.

Ahhh . . . well this guy does tend to make 'mountains out of molehills'. I
think it is an attempt to acquire an air of 'knowledgeability' (spelling?) .
.. . or maybe it's just pure 'rhubarb'!

Rhubarb is a nice big plant too, isn't it. Maybe I will go for rhubarb
instead! (In any case, can you actually get elder plants from shops, or is
it just a case of going out and getting some elderberries and sticking them
in the ground? :-)

Thanks again!

Andrew

I think your friend might mean that *forcing* rhubarb is a bit complicated
- that involves sticking a pot over the top to encourage the stems to get
long and tender, and I'm told can weaken the plant.

But you don't have to do this: unforced rhubarb is very good and easy.

Ahhh . . . well this guy does tend to make 'mountains out of molehills'. I
think it is an attempt to acquire an air of 'knowledgeability' (spelling?) .
.. . or maybe it's just pure 'rhubarb'!

Rhubarb is a nice big plant too, isn't it. Maybe I will go for rhubarb
instead! (In any case, can you actually get elder plants from shops, or is
it just a case of going out and getting some elderberries and sticking them
in the ground? :-)

Thanks again!

Andrew

I think your friend might mean that *forcing* rhubarb is a bit complicated
- that involves sticking a pot over the top to encourage the stems to get
long and tender, and I'm told can weaken the plant.

But you don't have to do this: unforced rhubarb is very good and easy.

Ahhh . . . well this guy does tend to make 'mountains out of molehills'. I
think it is an attempt to acquire an air of 'knowledgeability' (spelling?) .
.. . or maybe it's just pure 'rhubarb'!

Rhubarb is a nice big plant too, isn't it. Maybe I will go for rhubarb
instead! (In any case, can you actually get elder plants from shops, or is
it just a case of going out and getting some elderberries and sticking them
in the ground? :-)

Thanks again!

Andrew

The message . 24
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

Alternatively, rhubarb isn't a berry, but you can make wine and pies from
it, and it is very tolerant of almost any position as long as you feed it
well and don't let it completely dry out.

My advice would be not to make wine out of it. It attacks the joints of
anyone with arthritis, rheumatism, etc.

If you do make wine with rhubarb, it is best to remove the acid with
powdered chalk and when clear, decant the juice, then replace the acid
with citric acid or some other fruit acid.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message . 24
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

Alternatively, rhubarb isn't a berry, but you can make wine and pies from
it, and it is very tolerant of almost any position as long as you feed it
well and don't let it completely dry out.

My advice would be not to make wine out of it. It attacks the joints of
anyone with arthritis, rheumatism, etc.

If you do make wine with rhubarb, it is best to remove the acid with
powdered chalk and when clear, decant the juice, then replace the acid
with citric acid or some other fruit acid.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In article KEq3c.3641$54.2267@newsfe1-win,
(Andy Hunt) wrote:

. There is also nothing growing in the soil at the
bottom of this patch of wall

Not even weeds? My guess is it's very dry and whatever you put in there
will need serious watering.

What I was wondering, is:- is there a type of edible berry bush that
would like it in this shady patch?

Blackberries would survive.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

In article KEq3c.3641$54.2267@newsfe1-win,
(Andy Hunt) wrote:

. There is also nothing growing in the soil at the
bottom of this patch of wall

Not even weeds? My guess is it's very dry and whatever you put in there
will need serious watering.

What I was wondering, is:- is there a type of edible berry bush that
would like it in this shady patch?

Blackberries would survive.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

The message . 24
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

Alternatively, rhubarb isn't a berry, but you can make wine and pies from
it, and it is very tolerant of almost any position as long as you feed it
well and don't let it completely dry out.

My advice would be not to make wine out of it. It attacks the joints of
anyone with arthritis, rheumatism, etc.

If you do make wine with rhubarb, it is best to remove the acid with
powdered chalk and when clear, decant the juice, then replace the acid
with citric acid or some other fruit acid.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In article KEq3c.3641$54.2267@newsfe1-win,
(Andy Hunt) wrote:

. There is also nothing growing in the soil at the
bottom of this patch of wall

Not even weeds? My guess is it's very dry and whatever you put in there
will need serious watering.

What I was wondering, is:- is there a type of edible berry bush that
would like it in this shady patch?

Blackberries would survive.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

I think your friend might mean that *forcing* rhubarb is a bit complicated
- that involves sticking a pot over the top to encourage the stems to get
long and tender, and I'm told can weaken the plant.

But you don't have to do this: unforced rhubarb is very good and easy.

Ahhh . . . well this guy does tend to make 'mountains out of molehills'. I
think it is an attempt to acquire an air of 'knowledgeability' (spelling?) .
.. . or maybe it's just pure 'rhubarb'!

Rhubarb is a nice big plant too, isn't it. Maybe I will go for rhubarb
instead! (In any case, can you actually get elder plants from shops, or is
it just a case of going out and getting some elderberries and sticking them
in the ground? :-)

Thanks again!

Andrew