#ClimateDiary #climatechange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateChangeGardening #gardening
I went hiking yesterday on a trail that is lined with wild serviceberries.
No serviceberries. 0. It looks like all the trees aborted the fruit before ripening as there is no trace of anything this year.
My rooted cutting aborted its fruit but I didn’t think anything of it since it’s only 20cm tall. But all the wild trees? WTF
The only thing I found were some dried fruit that looked like it came from last year.
I did manage to collect some black highbush blueberry and wild blueberry for seed saving.
I saved the black blueberry last year and cold-stratified them outside by just burying the berries in pots and only one came up. This year I’m saving the seeds in the fridge in moist vermiculite to see if it works better.
Pic: top left is domesticated blueberry from my garden, top right is black highbush blueberry and bottom is wild blueberry.
In case anyone was wondering, black highbush blueberry (right off the bush) tastes like store-bought raspberries with a slight tang that is reminiscent of sumac.
I sat them overnight on the counter bc I was too tired to save seeds yesterday and today they taste more like blueberry icecream/cream with raspberry swirl.
Wild blueberries taste like blueberries ought to taste, like you expect a blueberry to taste. More flavor and less tart, but more seedy than store-bought.
@jblue sometimes I've find a wild blueberry that has a definite hint of garlic. It's not bad but is quite surprising. Have you ever encountered that? Seems like they were darker and glossier and a low growing bush above 3000'. We also have one that is a bright dusty blue that has a more typical flavor.
This is on the West Coast for reference.
@intrepidhero garlic is pretty wild for a change in taste. But I wouldn’t be surprised. Peppers/grapes/coffee can change radically in taste and intensity depending on altitude. I haven’t encountered much variation with blueberries but I have had wild maypops that taste like lime and broccoli.
The other Vaccinium we have locally (south east coast) is dearberry and those are terrible, mealy, barely hint of blueberry, more bird food than anything.
@BrahmaBelarusian I have a really good blueberry that tastes better than all of the other varieties. It’s very big and round, almost a sphere. It’s not as heavy bearing but worth it for the taste.
I don’t know the name but here is a picture for reference.
@TheGreatLlama I’m ok with it taking years. I’m going for native species diversity and making my space as similar to what the local nature reserves have as possible.
With Vacciniums, not all cuttings take and then not every rooted cutting survives its first winter. Don’t feel bad. ❤️
@jblue
Oh, I definitely think there's plenty of value in maintaining as wide a gene pool as possible. I think we're on the same page.
I suspect my issue with the cuttings has mostly been timing. I think I've taken most of them too late in the year. The survivor was taken back in late February or early March. I probably just need to get an earlier start.
J blue
Brian Davis
Malka Beth
The Great Llama 