# May Showers Bring June.....



## trc65 (Jun 10, 2019)

Strawberries!

This a portion of the 6 gallons of strawberries I picked this morning. Already made 5 batches of jam, given 2 1/2 gallons away, and still have a refrigerator full that need to be stemmed and frozen. Too many already, and this was the first big picking.

All this was from a bed I established last spring with only 25 plants!

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 3


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## ripjack13 (Jun 10, 2019)

Oh yummy.
I have a patch on the side of my house that are just starting to get berries now. I can't wait to eat some....

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Jun 10, 2019)

That's cool! I keep meaning to plant some and try it out. Tony

Reactions: Like 2


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## trc65 (Jun 10, 2019)

Tony, you should get some planted. Till, fertilize and plant. Keep the weeds down for a year and next spring you'll have more than you can eat or want to pick.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Jun 11, 2019)

Yep- easy to grow but watch out- the ones in stores will taste like cardboard ever after....

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## kweinert (Jun 11, 2019)

To me, strawberries are so-so. Now, if you had a raspberry patch . . . 

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you had a bountiful year - it's always nice when your work pays off and you can enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Reactions: Like 1


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## trc65 (Jun 11, 2019)

Ken, do you prefer red or black raspberries? I've got patches of both, 
although my favorite is the wild black raspberries I pick out of the timber.

Won't have near the volume of raspberries as strawberries, but will get plenty to freeze and make jam, depending on how bad Japanese beetles are this year.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## kweinert (Jun 11, 2019)

trc65 said:


> Ken, do you prefer red or black raspberries? I've got patches of both,
> although my favorite is the wild black raspberries I pick out of the timber.
> 
> Won't have near the volume of raspberries as strawberries, but will get plenty to freeze and make jam, depending on how bad Japanese beetles are this year.



Red for me. Mind you, I won't turn down the black ones :)


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## ripjack13 (Jun 11, 2019)

This is my little patch on the side of my house....

Reactions: Like 3


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## ripjack13 (Jun 11, 2019)

And the wife is planting a couple rhubarb plants.
Mmmm...strawberry rhubarb pie coming up....

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Tony (Jun 11, 2019)

Never have seen black raspberries, interesting.


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## Mr. Peet (Jun 11, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> And the wife is planting a couple rhubarb plants.
> Mmmm...strawberry rhubarb pie coming up....


 
Good luck with that. Rabbits and coons keep eating our Strawberries.


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## trc65 (Jun 11, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> And the wife is planting a couple rhubarb plants.
> Mmmm...strawberry rhubarb pie coming up....



Rhubarb is already in the freezer waiting a visit from my nephew and his family in July. Only pie he likes, rhubarb/strawberry.




Tony said:


> Never have seen black raspberries, interesting.



Wild black raspberries were the only type I knew growing up. Would find a couple of handfulls as a kid and have Mom help me make mini pies for myself. Don't grow as large as the red berries, but I much prefer the flavor of the black. 



Mr. Peet said:


> Good luck with that. Rabbits and coons keep eating our Strawberries.



When needed, I use electric fence at 2", 6" and at 12" to keep the varmints out. Also keeps the coons out of the sweetcorn. Love hearing the screech of coons and even rabbits when they touch the hot wire for the first time.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Funny 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 12, 2019)

We have some around here that everyone calls red raspberries but I have always called wineberries. Really sweet and make good jelly.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1


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## Tony (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> We have some around here that everyone calls red raspberries but I have always called wineberries. Really sweet and make good jelly.
> 
> View attachment 167307



We have similar ones here, but ours are darker, we call them blackberries. Very tasty.


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 12, 2019)

1st pic- blackberries 
2nd pic- black raspberry 
3rd pic- wineberries
4th pic- red raspberries

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Informative 2


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 12, 2019)

I can't hardly find black raspberries anymore. Almost never see the reds here. Wineberries and blackberries are plentiful. Also have some wild blueberries around. Good mulberry trees close by. Found a few paw-paw trees too but other than eating them raw, I cant find anything to make with them. Made some paw-paw ice cream and it wasn't good!


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## Tony (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> I can't hardly find black raspberries anymore. Almost never see the reds here. Wineberries and blackberries are plentiful. Also have some wild blueberries around. Good mulberry trees close by. Found a few paw-paw trees too but other than eating them raw, I cant find anything to make with them. Made some paw-paw ice cream and it wasn't good!



Never heard of Paw Paw.


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)

Tony said:


> We have similar ones here, but ours are darker, we call them blackberries. Very tasty.



We have some around here that are big n red. We call them apples....

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)




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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 12, 2019)

1st pic what they look like on tree
2nd what they look like when they drop
Drop when they're ripe 
3rd insides
Taste like a cross between mango and banana with a custard texture

Reactions: Way Cool 2 | Informative 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)

Send me some seeds!

Could you make a smoothie out of em instead of ice cream? With some alcohol mixed in.....


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> 1st pic what they look like on tree
> 2nd what they look like when they drop
> Drop when they're ripe
> 3rd insides
> ...



@Mr. Peet may know what those are?


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 12, 2019)

Hmmm...probably. I read online that said you need seeds from two trees from different places to produce fruit. The guy that has these said "don't listen to that bat guana you read. All these trees 4
(4 in his yard) came from fruit from one tree. 
The tree is loaded this year. I can send you some seeds if you really want some.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Hmmm...probably. I read online that said you need seeds from two trees from different places to produce fruit. The guy that has these said "don't listen to that bat guana you read. All these trees 4
> (4 in his yard) came from fruit from one tree.
> The tree is loaded this year. I can send you some seeds if you really want some.



Oh yes, please.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wildthings (Jun 12, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> Send me some seeds!
> 
> Could you make a smoothie out of em instead of ice cream? With some alcohol mixed in.....


Drink the alcohol first then you can make whatever you want out of the paw paws!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Tony (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Hmmm...probably. I read online that said you need seeds from two trees from different places to produce fruit. The guy that has these said "don't listen to that bat guana you read. All these trees 4
> (4 in his yard) came from fruit from one tree.
> The tree is loaded this year. I can send you some seeds if you really want some.



Some fruit trees you need a Male and Female tree to produce fruit as I understand. Bees transfer pollen from one to another to produce it. That may be BS that I've heard, but for what it's worth...

Reactions: Like 1 | +Karma 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)

Tony said:


> you need a Male and Female tree



How can you tell the difference? Lift a leaf and see if there a dangler underneath?

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## trc65 (Jun 12, 2019)

Neat looking fruit. I've thought about getting some pawpaw, but not done so yet. Never tried any...

Pawpaw are not pollinated by bees, but rather beetles and flies, so the trees need to be fairly close together.

If you were to buy pawpaw trees, you would need two different varieties for fruit production. The trees are not self fertile and as commercial varieties are clones of each other, two varieties are needed. When it comes to seeds however, nature being what it is, they would be genetically similar, but not identical. I don't know how much genetic diversity is needed for them to be cross fertile, but would guess it would be ok from seeds from same tree, but would definitely want seeds from different fruits on the tree, not seeds from one fruit.

BTW, there are several nurseries that sell pawpaw trees and you could still probably get some this year if you wanted.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## trc65 (Jun 12, 2019)

To back up a couple of posts, I've never heard of or seen the wineberries, had to look them up. They are an Asian species of raspberry introduced as an ornamental and for potential as breeding stock with domestic berries. 

Just in case anyone else was wondering.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Hmmm...probably. I read online that said you need seeds from two trees from different places to produce fruit. The guy that has these said "don't listen to that bat guana you read. All these trees 4
> (4 in his yard) came from fruit from one tree.
> The tree is loaded this year. I can send you some seeds if you really want some.


I sent ya a text


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## Mr. Peet (Jun 12, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Hmmm...probably. I read online that said you need seeds from two trees from different places to produce fruit. The guy that has these said "don't listen to that bat guana you read. All these trees 4
> (4 in his yard) came from fruit from one tree.
> The tree is loaded this year. I can send you some seeds if you really want some.



They need cross-pollination. Each seed within the fruit are not identical, so if 4 grow, there will be some variability. In his case, enough to get good gene flow from tree to tree to have such fruiting.


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## Mr. Peet (Jun 12, 2019)

trc65 said:


> To back up a couple of posts, I've never heard of or seen the wineberries, had to look them up. They are an Asian species of raspberry introduced as an ornamental and for potential as breeding stock with domestic berries.
> 
> Just in case anyone else was wondering.



They are listed as invasive species in several states...

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Mr. Peet (Jun 12, 2019)

trc65 said:


> Neat looking fruit. I've thought about getting some pawpaw, but not done so yet. Never tried any...
> 
> Pawpaw are not pollinated by bees, but rather beetles and flies, so the trees need to be fairly close together.
> 
> ...



I missed this post and wasted time saying similar. Jokes on me...

Reactions: Like 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Jun 13, 2019)

Didn't get a text.


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## Wildthings (Jun 13, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> Didn't get a text.


me either


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## Tony (Jun 13, 2019)

Wildthings said:


> me either



Heck, I texted you a month ago and still haven't got a response.....


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## Wildthings (Jun 13, 2019)

Tony said:


> Heck, I texted you a month ago and still haven't got a response.....


A month? answer would be no


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## ripjack13 (Jun 13, 2019)

Wildthings said:


> me either



How bout now?


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## ripjack13 (Jun 13, 2019)



Reactions: Like 1


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## Tony (Jun 14, 2019)

Wildthings said:


> A month? answer would be no



Well, that sucks.


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jun 14, 2019)

@Tony was that the awesome piece of mesquite you were talking about for @Wildthings ?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Tony (Jun 14, 2019)

Bigdrowdy1 said:


> @Tony was that the awesome piece of mesquite you were talking about for @Wildthings ?



I was going to give it to him at SWAT but he doesn't want to join us.


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## Wildthings (Jun 14, 2019)

Tony said:


> I was going to give it to him at SWAT but he doesn't want to join us.



OH I wanna join y'all but


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## ripjack13 (Jun 14, 2019)

Wildthings said:


> OH I wanna join y'all but

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wildthings (Jun 14, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


>


Don't you have work to do!!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Tony (Jun 14, 2019)

Wildthings said:


> OH I wanna join y'all but



You're retired, it's not like you have to work.


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