Stuff Grows Here!

Stuff does grow here!  As opposed to the mountains in Colorado, where you have to plead with any (non-native) growing thing to continue its pitiful existence, here in Oregon, stuff actually likes to grow, and you have to control it.  Weird.

My husband, upon visiting our home for the first time, told me over the phone that it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen.  We certainly are not used to so much green (and this is the driest time of year).  In addition to glorious evergreen trees hundreds of feet tall and actual lawns that have to be mowed, our property contains this amazing place:

Yes, that's right.  It's a garden.  In a sunny spot.  With a huge deer fence in place.  And an orchard.  

What?!  An orchard?!  Unheard of for us dry-landers in Colorado.  But 'tis true.  We have an apple tree, two plums, two pears, two peaches, and several mystery trees that have yet to be identified.  We also have a fig (though rumor has it that it's ornamental...bummer), some grapes, and a stand of thornless blackberries.

No, those berries above are not the thornless blackberries.  They are some of the millions of Himalayan blackberries that have invaded and grow wild all around our property.  Yes, they are a noxious weed.  Yes, they have evil thorns that try to tear you apart.  But what??  Wild fruit waiting to be plucked right outside the front door?  There's something redeeming in that.

Don't worry, native plant lovers, the Himalayan invader will be ruthlessly destroyed within my garden (especially since it's trying to choke out the much more pleasant and high-producing thornless blackberry).  But there are so many thousands of square feet of this Himalayan stuff around us that at this point, for me, resistance is futile.  Someday when the kids are a little older, and able to wield hoes and hedge trimmers with me, maybe we'll take up the battle to clear out the brambles and restore the forest floor to more native plants.  But not this fall.  Besides, I haven't even found my crock-pot yet.

What are growing conditions like where you live?  Do you have to beg the plants to grow, or hack them back to keep them under control?  If you live somewhere with Himalayan blackberries, do you have any good ideas to control them?

Posted at Home and Family Friday