Autumn Berries

[Retsum]

Have you noticed how prolific the rowan berries are this year. I don't recall seeing them in such abundance.

[5eulbdog7]

Hi Retsun, down here in the three towns area there are glorious showings of rowans, elderberries, cotoneasters and fruit trees full of fruit. Yesterday from the living room window i watched a woodpigeon filling his crop with elderberries and also found a cushy's egg recently hatched from a nest in one of the leylandis. The blackies are gorging themselves on the fantastic crop of blackberries. Foxes too love blackberries and this was very evident in my walk in the I.C.I. on Sunday. I don't know if the young woodies will survive as we are losing our daylight hours. I can remember my parents referring to kittens being born at this time of year as blackberry kittens and that they were weak and wouldn't do. I think we can say that the seasons are no longer as distinct as they were but does this great crop of berries indicate another hard winter?

[Vivc113]

There are also hawthorne berries. I brought a big bunch of them back to the house a couple of weeks ago.

[morag]

Hi Retsun, down here in the three towns area there are glorious showings of rowans, elderberries, cotoneasters and fruit trees full of fruit. Yesterday from the living room window i watched a woodpigeon filling his crop with elderberries and also found a cushy's egg recently hatched from a nest in one of the leylandis. The blackies are gorging themselves on the fantastic crop of blackberries. Foxes too love blackberries and this was very evident in my walk in the I.C.I. on Sunday. I don't know if the young woodies will survive as we are losing our daylight hours. I can remember my parents referring to kittens being born at this time of year as blackberry kittens and that they were weak and wouldn't do. I think we can say that the seasons are no longer as distinct as they were but does this great crop of berries indicate another hard winter?

Bill, in my own garden in the past I've noticed a 'last hurrah' when a fruit tree that had been looking poorly suddenly produced a bumper crop..then died. I know they don't live forever. I have a problem with ground squirrels, well, not really a problem as I find them amusing and bold, but they burrow and no doubt have done in several of my plants, little blighters!

[morag]

Rowans were probably my favourite, don't think they'd grow here or even if I could get one, but a similar looking tree is Brazilian pepper, got them growing all over and didn't plant a one, thanks, birdies!

[Vivc113]

Bringing hawthorne berries into the house keeps evil from your door apparently, so let's all collect berries.

However, if you bring the first flowering of the hawthorne into the house (in May = white flowers), it means your mother will die.

[5eulbdog7]

Bringing hawthorne berries into the house keeps evil from your door apparently, so let's all collect berries.

However, if you bring the first flowering of the hawthorne into the house (in May = white flowers), it means your mother will die.

Whoever thought that one up is in need of treatment.I myself am not affected by this nonsense. I purchased a two headed dragon (ornamental) whilst in China which is supposed to keep evil spirits out of the house. It is in the dining room facing south keeping me safe. I must plant a rowan tree to keep the witches away though maybe i would like to meet one.

[5eulbdog7]

Hi Retsun, down here in the three towns area there are glorious showings of rowans, elderberries, cotoneasters and fruit trees full of fruit. Yesterday from the living room window i watched a woodpigeon filling his crop with elderberries and also found a cushy's egg recently hatched from a nest in one of the leylandis. The blackies are gorging themselves on the fantastic crop of blackberries. Foxes too love blackberries and this was very evident in my walk in the I.C.I. on Sunday. I don't know if the young woodies will survive as we are losing our daylight hours. I can remember my parents referring to kittens being born at this time of year as blackberry kittens and that they were weak and wouldn't do. I think we can say that the seasons are no longer as distinct as they were but does this great crop of berries indicate another hard winter?

Bill, in my own garden in the past I've noticed a 'last hurrah' when a fruit tree that had been looking poorly suddenly produced a bumper crop..then died. I know they don't live forever. I have a problem with ground squirrels, well, not really a problem as I find them amusing and bold, but they burrow and no doubt have done in several of my plants, little blighters!

Morag that's interesting, there is a theory if a plant sense its on the way out it will produce more flowers or fruit so as to continue the species. I know that with some cactus if you withhold water they produce more flowers. We get the grey squirrel here and they look kind of like a rat and are considered vermin.

[little plum]

Retsum, on my last visit to the river I couldn't believe the abundance of fruit and berries. Recently I watched the programme " countryfile" on tv, this phenomenon is happening up and down the country and it was classed as a " mast" year. There are several theories as to why we have this every so often and I dont intend to go into this, but giving the fact that farmers are reporting bumper crops, do you think that the price of bread will go down.