Is it a bad idea to plant raspberry bushes on public land?
June 15, 2020 11:15 AM Subscribe
There's a power field nearby that is mostly grassy field but has a wooded ravine going through it. What would the downsides be of me planting some raspberry bushes along the edge of the ravine and field?
When I'm out hiking it's always a highlight to stumble upon a wild raspberry or blackberry bush and get to eat a couple. I'd like to intentionally introduce some to the area. The power field is huge and the ravine is pretty big too so a couple of plants aren't going to be noticeable and really they'd probably just blend in with the sumac. Ideally they'd spread a bit themselves and turn into a patch.
The power field is 100-150m wide and goes east-west for many kilometres. There's a recreational path that goes through it for walking/jogging/cycling. There's also a small allotment garden in one area but otherwise it's just grass. In our area it crosses a ravine and the ravine parts are the only interruption to the endless grass.
Lots of people along the power field will grow stuff in the 5m or so field directly behind their backyard and treat it as extra backyard space, not just growing stuff but even installing planters and the like. I think that's a better use then just leaving it as grass and it seems like the power company doesn't mind either.
The downsides I'm thinking of is if it would somehow disturb the plants or animals that are in the ravine or if they were poisonous for them. Raspberries are native to the area so I'd think they'd be OK but there's a lot that I don't know so I'd like to make sure that this idea I have isn't going to cause more harm than good. I'm not worried about the bushes getting cut down by the power company if they're in the way or if other people eat all the raspberries (ie it's not going to be "my" patch).
I'd also be open for other things to plant in the area that aren't going to cause trouble.
When I'm out hiking it's always a highlight to stumble upon a wild raspberry or blackberry bush and get to eat a couple. I'd like to intentionally introduce some to the area. The power field is huge and the ravine is pretty big too so a couple of plants aren't going to be noticeable and really they'd probably just blend in with the sumac. Ideally they'd spread a bit themselves and turn into a patch.
The power field is 100-150m wide and goes east-west for many kilometres. There's a recreational path that goes through it for walking/jogging/cycling. There's also a small allotment garden in one area but otherwise it's just grass. In our area it crosses a ravine and the ravine parts are the only interruption to the endless grass.
Lots of people along the power field will grow stuff in the 5m or so field directly behind their backyard and treat it as extra backyard space, not just growing stuff but even installing planters and the like. I think that's a better use then just leaving it as grass and it seems like the power company doesn't mind either.
The downsides I'm thinking of is if it would somehow disturb the plants or animals that are in the ravine or if they were poisonous for them. Raspberries are native to the area so I'd think they'd be OK but there's a lot that I don't know so I'd like to make sure that this idea I have isn't going to cause more harm than good. I'm not worried about the bushes getting cut down by the power company if they're in the way or if other people eat all the raspberries (ie it's not going to be "my" patch).
I'd also be open for other things to plant in the area that aren't going to cause trouble.
There will be part of the hydro corridor - typically (but not always limited to) the area under the lines and various access routes - that are rights of way for the power company. Anything growing in that area will be torn up. Raspberries also tend to go from "charming little forage find" to "JAGGY FRUIT DEATH THICKET" very quickly, so may not be ideal.
posted by scruss at 11:32 AM on June 15, 2020 [15 favorites]
posted by scruss at 11:32 AM on June 15, 2020 [15 favorites]
One thing I'll say is that raspberries spread really well. Are you going to keep them contained, or are you going to annoy your neighbours? Are you also making plans to keep it from coming right up against the path? I have a trail race that I do most Octobers, and I remember the one section that has raspberries that grow right up to the trail. I remember, because despite my trying to take precautions they'll always draw some blood.
(on preview Jaggy Fruit Death Thicket indeed)
posted by nobeagle at 11:35 AM on June 15, 2020 [3 favorites]
(on preview Jaggy Fruit Death Thicket indeed)
posted by nobeagle at 11:35 AM on June 15, 2020 [3 favorites]
Does the power company (or their subcontractor) spray the field periodically for weed control? Unless you know it isn't getting sprayed with anything toxic, I'd wouldn't plant edible plants.
posted by Dip Flash at 11:46 AM on June 15, 2020 [24 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 11:46 AM on June 15, 2020 [24 favorites]
Is there a foraging group in your area? They'll probably be able to give you the best-informed advice about being safe and responsible when doing things like this.
"Guerilla gardening" has a bit of a bad name because many of the people who engage in it don't educate themselves first about what they're planting and where. Thank you for thinking about these issues before deciding whether to do them!
posted by Lexica at 12:07 PM on June 15, 2020 [9 favorites]
"Guerilla gardening" has a bit of a bad name because many of the people who engage in it don't educate themselves first about what they're planting and where. Thank you for thinking about these issues before deciding whether to do them!
posted by Lexica at 12:07 PM on June 15, 2020 [9 favorites]
As long as you verify they aren't invasive, I'd go for it. The power company planted the cheapest thing possible, and they don't care about aesthetics or anything else beyond the bare minimum. Maybe the company they pay to mow will cut them down or they won't grow due to lack of water, but I'd say as long as you are ok with those risks, plant away.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:14 PM on June 15, 2020
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:14 PM on June 15, 2020
Wild blueberries are a non-thorny alternative. They grew naturally in the hydro cuts near my childhood home (a little north of you), though I'm not sure if they're considered invasive so that's definitely something to look up first. I'm also not sure how feasible it is to buy wild blueberry plants, since the plants I've seen for sale are usually the much larger commercial variety.
posted by randomnity at 12:16 PM on June 15, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by randomnity at 12:16 PM on June 15, 2020 [3 favorites]
The downsides are that they will probably get sprayed with herbicides or pesticides, and mown down intermittently. Neither of those things will hurt the bushes much, they are tenacious, but it might make you sad. The upsides are that they will grow forever, make birds and animals happy, and make you happy to see them grow. I'd do it - just not expect good foraging or get too emotionally attached.
posted by epanalepsis at 12:19 PM on June 15, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by epanalepsis at 12:19 PM on June 15, 2020 [2 favorites]
I'm currently loosing the battle against raspberries in my garden. They spread everywhere and take over the whole lot unless you cut them back regularly. Concrete doesn't stop them - they tunnel under the concrete path and send shoots meters away.
They are also hard to remove by hand even when they are young shoots on account of their spikey leaves and stems.
Not sure if all varieties are like this, but I would make some enquiries first & maybe plant with some textile underlay or something for containing them just in case.
posted by doggod at 12:23 PM on June 15, 2020
They are also hard to remove by hand even when they are young shoots on account of their spikey leaves and stems.
Not sure if all varieties are like this, but I would make some enquiries first & maybe plant with some textile underlay or something for containing them just in case.
posted by doggod at 12:23 PM on June 15, 2020
Somebody did this in the park near my house, near a line of trees. It was great for a couple of seasons, especially once the city stopped spraying herbicides, and then they became the jaggy fruit death thicket, and then a vine took over that they were susceptible to where before I think it would not have gotten a foothold so they vanished and then the vine killed some trees which were holding the clay ravine/cliff walls up, and then the walls of the ravine collapsed and we lost a path between two parks, now you have to go around some houses to pick up the path again.
In summary: What Lexica said.
posted by warriorqueen at 1:15 PM on June 15, 2020 [11 favorites]
In summary: What Lexica said.
posted by warriorqueen at 1:15 PM on June 15, 2020 [11 favorites]
Response by poster: I wasn't thinking of anything too close to the path because that area would all be mowed or cut down for sure. More places like this (imgur link) where they would be beside some established trees in areas where most people aren't going to be going. I was figuring that the maintenance crews with their large mowers would keep the plants from spreading too far. So maybe the raspberry plants would spread in a line along the trees and bushes because anything that spread out wide would be mowed. I'm wondering now how a line of raspberry plants would affect animals coming in and out of the trees.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:35 PM on June 15, 2020
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:35 PM on June 15, 2020
Spotted wing drosophila has been spreading (link). We have them in Illinois now. Unlike most fruit flies that only lay eggs in rotting fruit, these lay eggs in unripe fruit which hatch as the fruit ripens. If this is a problem where you live it might interfere with getting fruit from the raspberries.
posted by mai at 3:19 PM on June 15, 2020
posted by mai at 3:19 PM on June 15, 2020
Response by poster: Hey, those are the insects from that strawberry video!
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:44 PM on June 15, 2020
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 3:44 PM on June 15, 2020
Another vote for plant something else - raspberries are just fine while contained, then promptly become a nightmare. And unlike equally resilient bamboo, they also poke you. Can't you plant native flowers or something?
posted by aspersioncast at 11:34 AM on June 16, 2020
posted by aspersioncast at 11:34 AM on June 16, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by suelac at 11:27 AM on June 15, 2020 [15 favorites]