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greenchief
- Full Member
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:34 am
- Location: Manitoulin Island, ON
is it possible to harvest wild blueberry seed?
would it be possible to harvest seed from wild blueberries that I see in the woods?
Yes. Unless you own the property where they are growing, however, or have permission to remove plants from the area, I recommend taking only the berries, not the entire bush. (Where I live, the law requires that you have permits to remove plants from public property.)
You have to remove the pulp from the berries, and you also have to give them a cold period, before planting them. They usually grow quite easily, as long as you provide the proper growing conditions, such as soil with the proper pH, correct light exposure and moisture, etc.
The University of Maine Extension Service has provided an article with detailed instructions, which you can find [url=https://umaine.edu/blueberries/factsheets/home-garden/growing-blueberries-from-seed/]here[/url].
Good luck to you!
You have to remove the pulp from the berries, and you also have to give them a cold period, before planting them. They usually grow quite easily, as long as you provide the proper growing conditions, such as soil with the proper pH, correct light exposure and moisture, etc.
The University of Maine Extension Service has provided an article with detailed instructions, which you can find [url=https://umaine.edu/blueberries/factsheets/home-garden/growing-blueberries-from-seed/]here[/url].
Good luck to you!
Alot of farmers want to get rid of them and will allow you to take them for the asking! Some places they need thinned bad and ask the owners and they will not mind a few plants! I get mine across form my girls garage where they grow wild and we cut the grass there and no one ever bothers us! The soil is terrible where they grow! Lots of ash dumps in Pa. where they grow wild!
Well, then, you have received permission.
Where I live, plants in the public forests are considered public property, and removing them without a permit is against the law, just like poaching animals is against the law. I try to be careful never to suggest possibly unlawful activities to our members.
Many of the wild blueberry thickets are "managed" by Native American tribes and are considered to be their property. I remember once when I was camping in the Gifford-Pinchot forest up in Washington, coming across a large thicket of huckleberries and wanting to pick some for our breakfast. The friend I was camping with had been the Forest Ranger in that area, and advised me that the huckleberry fields there belonged to the Indian tribes and were managed and picked by them. The sale of the huckleberries was an important source of income for the tribes, and it was against the law for anyone else to pick the berries.
I just think it's wise for people to make sure they have permission, before they remove plants from an area that doesn't belong to them.
Where I live, plants in the public forests are considered public property, and removing them without a permit is against the law, just like poaching animals is against the law. I try to be careful never to suggest possibly unlawful activities to our members.
Many of the wild blueberry thickets are "managed" by Native American tribes and are considered to be their property. I remember once when I was camping in the Gifford-Pinchot forest up in Washington, coming across a large thicket of huckleberries and wanting to pick some for our breakfast. The friend I was camping with had been the Forest Ranger in that area, and advised me that the huckleberry fields there belonged to the Indian tribes and were managed and picked by them. The sale of the huckleberries was an important source of income for the tribes, and it was against the law for anyone else to pick the berries.
I just think it's wise for people to make sure they have permission, before they remove plants from an area that doesn't belong to them.
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thanrose
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 716
- Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:01 am
- Location: Jacksonville, FLZone 9A
Definitely a good reminder, Kisal. Here in Florida any foraging on public land is illegal. I've been on sanctioned digs with Native Plants people and I've dug and foraged on private land where I've gotten permission, but I've also had rangers and strangers question me with a bit more than curiosity when I've been down on my hands and knees with a loupe and field guide and no more than dirty hands.
We are a good bit more uptight in the US about foraging or digging than in many other countries. Some of my online foraging friends freely admit they travel their acreage with defense both legal and projectile in mind.
Having said that, I'll add what I know about transplanting Vaccinium spp. They are colony forming plants. Dig up several together with as much root mat as possible to transport. Plant in well drained acid soil. You may still lose a few, but improve your chances of success with a larger group. Taking one small one is like removing a kitten before weaning.
Don't know whether it was illegal per se a half century ago when I transplanted so much from wild lands, but that's how I did it. Okay, with my ma and gramps, but still...
We are a good bit more uptight in the US about foraging or digging than in many other countries. Some of my online foraging friends freely admit they travel their acreage with defense both legal and projectile in mind.
Having said that, I'll add what I know about transplanting Vaccinium spp. They are colony forming plants. Dig up several together with as much root mat as possible to transport. Plant in well drained acid soil. You may still lose a few, but improve your chances of success with a larger group. Taking one small one is like removing a kitten before weaning.
Don't know whether it was illegal per se a half century ago when I transplanted so much from wild lands, but that's how I did it. Okay, with my ma and gramps, but still...
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greenchief
- Full Member
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:34 am
- Location: Manitoulin Island, ON
the property I pick is native land... and it is within my community in north western ontario... I no longer live there but I visit very often... the area I pick also belongs to my family(hunting grounds) so ill be okay... my grandmother would like to have blueberries closer to the house because getting to the wild bushes is getting difficult for her.. I do not wish to remove entire plants just seeds from the berries.. ..... I'm sorry if I gave anyone bad ideas I only meant to ask for help... thank you all for the responses... this site is awesome...
I didn't mean to imply that I thought you were doing anything wrong, but many people, including non-members, read the posts on our forums. For that reason, I routinely recommend that people be sure they're within the law, before removing plants from land that is not their own.
I'll take care of the other post for you.
I'll take care of the other post for you.
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greenchief
- Full Member
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:34 am
- Location: Manitoulin Island, ON
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greenheirloom
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:45 pm
- Location: Arkansas
Ahh now that was a good article from U of Maine. Thanks! Good reading there.Kisal wrote:Yes. Unless you own the property where they are growing, however, or have permission to remove plants from the area, I recommend taking only the berries, not the entire bush. (Where I live, the law requires that you have permits to remove plants from public property.)
You have to remove the pulp from the berries, and you also have to give them a cold period, before planting them. They usually grow quite easily, as long as you provide the proper growing conditions, such as soil with the proper pH, correct light exposure and moisture, etc.
The University of Maine Extension Service has provided an article with detailed instructions, which you can find [url=https://umaine.edu/blueberries/factsheets/home-garden/growing-blueberries-from-seed/]here[/url].
Good luck to you!
