Our marionberry trellis resembled a thicket of brambles before I began pruning this week. These luscious berries are favorites during August, and I’ve written about them here and here. Their upkeep includes cutting away spent floricanes and pruning first-year primocanes to manageable levels. The left side shows my progress, reducing each clump down to 5-7 canes, while the right shows work remaining.
Summer harvest will be especially welcome this year. Last summer I made and served so many berry crisps that I ran out of energy and berries to make jam. The pantry is sadly void of marionberry jam, and I need to remedy that!
The raspberry trellis also needed pruning. While weeding the area beneath the canes I discovered a new patch of young stinging nettles. Thankfully, thick leather gloves protected my hands. Looking close, their needle-like thorns are clearly visible.
Gardens at Coppertop 
Oh, I do envy you those nettles. They’d make such a nourishing meal – if not in ravioli, then in an omelette. By the way, I kept poking my cursor at the shotweed below the nettles, trying to pull it out. Your weed blog has been tremendously helpful and I regularly consult it.
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I love the idea of weeding by cursor — if only! So glad the weed post has assisted you, Sabine. Enjoy today’s reprieve from rain. 😉
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