Haskap, aronia offer possibilities to gardeners

My wife and I recently spent a wonderful evening enjoying pie and ice cream with a group of friends.

While we were together, I had my first opportunity to taste haskap and aronia berries.

I understand now why haskaps are sometimes called a “better blueberry”.

Haskap berries are large and sweet. They are not only delicious straight off the vine but also good for making pie, jelly and even wine.

And unlike blueberries, haskaps thrive in our North Dakota environment.

The bushes I saw formed an attractive, 3-foot-high row that would look nice in any yard.

Aronia berries are much smaller than haskaps and more like a large juneberry.

Aronia is also well adapted to our climate, and the bushes are productive. A single two-year-old plant can produce seven or more pounds of fruit each year.

Even better, aronia berries are packed with antioxidants, which scientists say are good for our health.

The problem is that the berries don’t taste very good. They tend to be bitter. Even birds don’t like them very much.

Despite their bitterness, I’ve enjoyed aronia berries on my cereal every day this week. (My wife thinks that’s weird.)

The berries can also be mixed into yoghurt or blended with other fruit into a smoothie.

I planted three aronia bushes in my yard this spring, mainly because of their reputation as an attractive ornamental shrub.

Now that I’ve tasted the berries, I can honestly say I’m looking forward to harvest.

I wonder if my wife will give up some of her freezer space.

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Here are some of the lawn and garden questions that I’ve encountered recently:

Q. Why did the leaves on my ash tree look so awful this year?

There have been numerous reports of ash anthracnose around the state, and your tree may have been infected with the disease.

Anthracnose causes large tan or black spots on older leaves. Some leaves may be misshapen. Young leaves and shoots may fall off infected trees.

At this point in the season, there’s not much to be done about the problem.

The loss of leaves is usually not a problem for an otherwise-healthy tree. They just grow new ones.

If you are really concerned, then you might consider a light fertilization to help the tree refoliate.

The recommendation is to apply one to three pounds of nitrogen per one thousand square feet.

Q: Is it better to cage or stake tomatoes?

I’ve always used cages because they’re easy to set-up. Once the cages are in place there is nothing to do the rest of the year.

I know other gardeners prefer stakes. They claim that stakes provide better support for the plants.

The problem with staking is that it’s an ongoing process. Gardeners have to keep adding supports as the tomatoes grow.

In the end, it probably doesn’t matter which method you choose.

The main thing is to keep the fruit from touching the soil, which may result in spoilage.

If you have questions about your lawn and garden, please contact me in the Foster County Extension Office (652-2581, jeff.gale@ndsu.edu).