The best laid plans.......

[Rusty]

Last year I planted 3 Arapaho blackberries along the outside of my dogs yard fence. They really took hold and put out lots of new canes last year. This year those canes were just full to overflowing with berries and I have watched with bated breath as they slowly ripened. I have had visions of the luscious blackberry jam I was gonna make from them every time I look at them. I even bought some special "quilted" jars just for my special first-time-ever jam.

Last night, after weeks of waiting and watching, I decided they finally looked perfect for picking, so this morning at first light I hunted up my biggest plastic pail and whisked myself out to my bushes to harvest my "gems".

And found exactly SIX blackberries.

Apparently I am not the only one who has been watching them ripen. I found deer tracks all along the fence line.

 

[vfem]

Oh gee!!!

This happens with the wild blueberries my mother has on her property line. Every year she TRIES to beat the birds to them as she watches them ripen. Her big lesson.... cover with netting once you count the green things starting become berries!!!

I'm so sorry.

 

[Greenthumb18]

Sorry to hear about that Rusty, you should definely put up a deer resistance structure around the bushes. I always thought that with berry bushes the pest problem would be minimum because of the thorns, i know that coons hate thorns on plants.
Maybe you should plant a variety that fruits in the fall.

Good luck !!!!! i'm sure you'll get to make your first jam soon.