North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@uslink.net>]

Charlie,
   There are a great many plants that will thrive under pine trees where 
some sunlight filters through.  Pick a plant that has large leaves. 
Large-leaved plants have evolved to collect what sunlight they can in 
competitive situations.  Some folks plant pumpkins and squash in their corn 
fields.  They would produce more fruits when planted by themselves but, by 
planting with corn, space is saved.  I used to plant squash under my Red 
Pines and I would get one, sometimes two, fruits per vine.  Out in the open, 
those same squash produce two to three times as many fruits.
   A couple of years ago, I found a relatively large-leaved species of wild 
blackberry growing in an Oak and Poplar forest.  I planted it under my Red 
Pines.  The plants near the edge bear alot but the inner plants produce too. 
Best of all, I don't have to till it every year; the tiller was constantly 
hanging up on the pine roots.  Nowadays I get a crop with almost no work.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
www.bberryfarm.com
(218)568-8483 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]

Under two red pines, in the front of the house, unwanted seedlings appear of
winged euonymous, prunus serotina, and especially maples.

It's a pain pulling the little seedlings.  Even more frustrating is nothing
useful is growing in space that's obviously fertile and sunny enough to
encourage the growth of these seedlings, rather rapid growth I might add.  I 
tried
Sparkle variety strawberries and they survive but do not thrive.

So I'm looking for suggestions what might be tried there to get some use out
of the space.  Gobo Burdock? Soloman's Seal?  American ginseng?  I tried
onions with no result too.  Eleagnus Umbellata [Autumn Olive]?  Some herb?
Witch-hazel?  Garlic?  Beach Plum  [Prunus maritima}?   Raspberries? 
Somebody come
up with something, please!
Charlie Paradise, Massachusetts USA