So I have been trying to grow elderberries for about 10 years now. The first bush got chewed down by the dog... the second died and the third set I had to move as they were in the way of the new high tunnel. Yesterday I went to take down the chick fence to bring grain into the coop and discovered my son had tried out the new flail mower... right over the elderberry bushes that were about 5 ft. tall. they were right at the edge of the yard where I couldn't mow so there were some weeds around them. I just mowed right up to them... he mowed right over them. :'( I was so delighted that they had a few umbellifers of berries on them this year and was expecting to get a nice harvest next year. I guess not. This is not what they looked like before the encounter with my son and the new mower. ( photo / image / picture from carolyn's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from carolyn's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from carolyn's Garden ) Well, I can say... the mower works.
Aahhh !! Gnashing teeth, glowering stare, and count to ten ten times.... And you can't scold too much for fear of dampening his initiative to help vvith the chores.... My sympathies to you... Hank
Carolyn, my sympathies. When we first got married I put little strips of brightly colored cloth on valued plants so my husband wouldn't mow them down. Now he is more expert at recognizing good vs. bad plants! May I suggest that you take Adrian's favorite shirt and make little strips of cloth to tie on plants in the line of mowing?
Thanks Hank... you are right... I was vary upset and took it out on the lawn tractor I was using with a wagon... bump bump bump over the garden at a higher than I should have speed. I said to him it was a good thing he wasn't home when I discovered it. I wouldn't have been very patient. He jumped out of the dump truck the other day when he came home to dump me a load of top soil and it wasn't where I wanted it dumped and I was screeching to get his attention. "then you dump it!" and he came in the house. It was a long day, but he is a little too short tempered when I holler... especially since I don't think I holler that much. I really appreciate his help so I try not to push him when he messes up. ( I lost quite a bit of corn..sweet and indian, when he tilled the wrong patch this past Spring... oops! there went most of what had just germinated...) Jane the only problem with using his favorite shirt? it is camouflage. He may not see it.
Oh no!! Well Carolyn, if your elderberry was doing well before it got 'trimmed', I have great faith that it will rebound with a vengeance next year. We have some growing at work and they are very resilient and the one we keep trying to kill just WON'T give up. Keeping my fingers crossed for you
thanks... but I am not being too hopeful of its recovery. I did find a small volunteer just the other day... what a treasure. It'll probably have fruit before the other two recover.
Condolences, C. What a shame...however, you may still get something out of these bushes once they have bounced back. Like you said though--it is proof that the whacker works.
My husband used to do things like that too Carolyn. It always amazed me when spring came around and most of the plants began growing again. Hopefully your elderberries will do the same.
I hope everything recovers for you. The only good thing I can say is at least he is willing to do what you ask...he just forgets the fine details.
Ah, yes! When I asked him about when he and his dad moved the bushes to this spot he had a completely blank look on his face. He doesn't remember moving them at all.
Elderberries take well to pruning so maybe in the spring they'll jump back for you. I hope so... boy. We have elderberries that grow wild around here like crazy. I haven't harvested the fruit or tried them that I know of in anything, but it's on my bucket list. I have a neighbor that has planted Black Lace and Lemony Lace together in her landscape and my goodness... from a homesteading, practical, and design WOW-factor view, this is one of the neatest combos I've ever seen. I don't think that Sambucus is used enough in cultivation for so many reasons. It's so beautiful and useful. Did I mention it's a US native? Black Lace: http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/72511 Lemony Lace: http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm/210330 (In case anyone's interested)
EC... I can only hope. I don't consider this pruning, though... it was butchering. I really am thinking there won't be any berries from these plants for a long time, if they recover.
