These plants can take a beating every year from Japanese beetles and who knows what else. Some look gorgeous, but some poor rose bushes I wonder how they make it. But they do. They can grow 2 - 6 feet per year vigorously. They take the damage that would otherwise be done to other plants and they take it on powerfully.
The roses next to the grapes are full of Japanese Beetles, but there are none on the grapes (well I think we found one). The roses next to the baby trees are taking the full assault and saving the baby trees. No matter how much they are attacked, they still are productive.
So thank you to my beat up, rag tag, hard working rose bushes! I love them so.
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| Japanese Beetles munching on Multiflora Roses |
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| Beat up Rose bush, thank you! |
In the orchard there are big areas that I've left un-mowed to see what would grow. I want to setup the different tiers of a food forest. Here is one area I"ve been working on. Near the driveway there is an Oak overstory tree that will provide leaf litter, acorns and shade from the hot summer sun. Between the tree and the driveway are wild Monarda that I use for a spicy oregano. Around the Oak are wild Raspberries. In the unmowed area coming up there is sassafras (which also take on the Japaense beetles and that I'll use for file' powder, will use their roots and leaves), then dwarf sumac which is a tall shrubby bush that I'll use for summer refreshments, a rose for a trap plant and for petals and hips, yarrow for bug spray and beneficial insects and next to that is a burn pile where the garden will go. I'll pick one Sassafras in the center and two or three Dwarf Sumac in the center, leaving the edge for wildflowers. In the burn garden I'll start a compost pile there and maybe plant ginger and leeks next year.
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| Start of a new area for a food forest |
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| Crude Drawing of photo above |
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