Boysenberry Harvest 2023

I never know what I'm doing when I try to grow produce.  I plant something that I'm reasonably sure can survive in my climate, generally over-water it, and am thrilled when something edible happens.

In all the years I've had the boysenberry bramble, I think this has been its most productive year.  I only trim it back every other year, and this was one that I let it grow.  I might have used blueberry fertilizer on it after the blueberry bushes died.  But really, I'm attributing this harvest to getting double the average annual rainfall this winter.

The bush was gorgeous when it bloomed, and the vast majority of the blossoms became fruit.  I went out every couple of days with one hand covered in a suede glove to protect it from thorns and harvested at least a dozen berries.  They went in the fridge in a blackberry clamshell I had saved for this purpose.

Once a week, or when the box was full, I washed, dried, and froze the berries.  Minus one or two that I tested for product quality.  This is the step I have missed in the past, when I would just throw a few in yogurt before they could spoil.  You can definitely save up berries in the freezer.  Think of the huge array of frozen fruit at the market.

The snails and birds did take their share, mostly around the front edge.  All those thorns prevented worse damage, as they are designed to do.  I came out of a berry-picking session bleeding more than once.  I have no clue what these berries will eventually become, but I now have over three quarts of boysenberries to enjoy.