10 Berries Birds Love

[spiritbird]

good article [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

If you are thinking about planting any of these here is my armchair gardeners review of those that I have experienced.
Crabapple: horrible mess under tree when over ripe fruit starts dropping. Better in a neighbour's garden.
Stags Horn Sumach: These are lovely trees, especially their autumn (fall) colours. I can't remember why we got rid of our's. Maybe it was getting too big.
Juniper: That's what they make gin from so highly recommended. Grows into a big tree.
Elder: can get quite big so plant away from buildings. Actually, around here they spread like BIG weeds.
Holly: Superb trees if a bit spiky, slow growing and you need a tree of the opposite sex nearby to get the berries.
Blackberry: Basically brambles, nasty spiky stuff which grows over the fence from next door so we can pick the berries before we cut the growth back and chuck it back over the fence. (The law here in the UK is that if you cut any overhanging branches from a tree in a neighbour's garden you must return the branches to them otherwise it is theft. Yeah right!)

[spiritbird]

Good first hand advice. I love Juniper. It's a pretty tree and can be used in decorations.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

As can the holly, very good for Christmas decorations because the berries are at their best then. We have a holly bush by our front path gateway. The bus stop is right there so the holly stops the students from falling off the wall into our garden. They still manage to leave all their rubbish though.

[kendrafitz]

We have a bunch of holly bushes around the pool. I love them and so do the wild birds. I guess I should say I love them until I step on a fallen leaf with bear feet. Ouch!!

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Welcome back Kendra, hope you had a good hols and that Rosie doesn't ignore you in a sulky fashion because you didn't take her with you.

[spiritbird]

Many berry trees and bushes have sharp leaves or stems with prickers to protect the berries. Have you ever picked raspberries?

[Lady]

Yumm, I've picked them as a child along with blackberries on a relatives farm. Sure do remember those "good old days" every time I eat one.

[Mr Peepers]

My grandparents have a farm east of the city here, they have a huge orchard of apple pear and other types of fruit trees. But one of her biggest money makers are black berries and raspberries, they have acres and acres growing which are picked and sold mostly to a company that produces jams and jellies.

We have a huge family reunion each year in August for 3 days, everyone comes pitches a tent or parks a trailer and start picking berries. The older folk prepare food and put a half a pig on a spit to cook getting ready to feed the family and friends who make this weekend so much fun while helping with harvest.

I have flown from Vancouver a few times in the last years to attend the family reunions and pick berries at this event that's how much fun it is to be a part of it.

[spiritbird]

Sounds like fun Nick. I almost always got position ivy when I picked wild berries. :pinkgrin:

[Mr Peepers]

Sounds like fun Nick. I almost always got position ivy when I picked wild berries. :pinkgrin:



Position ivy? Is this a new type of ivy that gets you when you squat or sit in an odd position? :th_biggrin:

[spiritbird]

Oh that auto spelling on kindle gets me in trouble.

[Mr Peepers]

Oh that auto spelling on kindle gets me in trouble.


:th_rofl:


Maybe PeachyDoll and Zoomermama and Lady have been using the same kindle with auto spell as well. We've had some fun spelling errors in posts that have brought some good laughs lately.