Field and Garden: Consider planting juneberries

“Do you like juneberry pie with or without rhubarb in it?” asked my friend as we bounced across a pasture in his pickup truck.

It’s funny he should ask, I thought to myself, because that question is a matter of debate within my family.

“I like juneberry pie with rhubarb,” I said, and then added, “I prefer it without ice cream. A good pie doesn’t need any help.”

The juneberries ripened early this year, and my friend and I both had picked some of the crop.

Juneberries grow in many parts of North America, and depending on location, you may hear them referred to as Saskatoons, serviceberry or shadbush.

I recently discovered an NDSU publication which refers to juneberries as a “poor man’s blueberry.” I think the name doesn’t give juneberries the respect they are due.

Studies show that juneberries have nearly twice the protein, three times the iron and seven times the calcium of blueberries.

However, I’m not thinking about nutritional value when I eat juneberries. I eat them because they taste good. In my opinion, they are more flavorful than blueberries.

Blueberries don’t grow well in North Dakota. Our soils are too alkaline, our winters are too cold and our climate is too dry.

In contrast, juneberries thrive in many parts of our state. They are most productive when grown in full sun, but they can adapt to partial shade. They prefer soil pH in the range of 5.5 to 7.0, but they can tolerate pH as high as 8.0.

Juneberry enthusiasts have worked for more than a century to improve the yield and quality of cultivated juneberries. Some recommended cultivars for our area are ‘Martin,’ ‘Thiessen’ and ‘JB30.’

If you’d like more information about establishing juneberries in your yard or orchard, please contact me in the Extension office (652-2581, [email protected]).

I was recently asked this question:

Q: How can I control codling moths in my apple tree?

Codling moth larvae tunnel through apples to the core where they eat the seeds. After the larvae mature, they tunnel out of the fruit and then drop to the ground where they spin a cocoon.

The larvae of codling moths transition from white to pink and may reach half an inch in length. Adult male moths are grayish-brown with copper-colored tips.

There are two keys for controlling this pest. One key is sanitation. Pick up and throw away all fallen apples throughout the growing season and after harvest.

If codling moths are present in your area, then sanitation will not be enough.

The recommendation is to hang in your tree a sticky trap containing artificial female pheromones to lure in male moths. If you capture male moths this is an indication that you’ll need to spray.

The best time to spray is when most or all of the petals have fallen from the apple blossoms. Do not treat before this as the sprays will be ineffective and will also kill pollinating bees. Spray again seven to ten days later.

Chemicals that control codling moth include spinosyn, carbaryl, esfenvalerate and malathion.