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Red huckleberry?

 
Kevin Max
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Hi
I've got a 15 year-old western red cedar stump that seems to now be decomposed enough that I think it might serve as a good nursery for some red huckleberry (which grows out of western red cedar in the wild). I'd like to get my hands on some red huckleberry seeds to try to get them to root into this stump. The stump is about 2.5 feet across and 3 feet tall, located on a slight incline and gets a fair amount of sun. Zone 8b. I've thought about a hugel mound but it isn't in a location where I want a huge mound (aesthetics).
1. Does this seem feasible?
2. Any other ideas on other local edible berries or plants that might take well to this old stump?
3. Any ideas on where to get red huckleberry (Portland, OR area)?
Thanks!
 
Stacy Witscher
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One Green World has red huckleberry plants for sale, as well as other natives. They are in Portland, OR.
 
D Nikolls
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15 years is not super old; maybe some judicious hacked out pockets with a small amount of soil would help your huckles?

I think I would just go for a walk in the woods, as far as sourcing goes!

The red huckleberries are definitely the first takers on the cedar stumps, but wild blueberries/blue huckleberry, salal, and crabapple might have some luck in a few more years?
 
Nicole Alderman
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I get red huckles growing out of newer stumps, I also have them sprouting in the soil under cedars if there's enough needles/rotting wood pieces there.

Salal and Oregon grape also grow in the old stumps.  Blackcap raspberries, red elderberry and trailing blackberries and salmonberries will all grow at the base of said stumps.  

If you plant huckleberry seeds--or starts--get some soil chunks of wood from where there's already huckleberries growing. It will really help the plant survive. Huckleberries need the fungal networks to do well. I found the same soil that my red huckles sprout wild in, also helps the blue huckleberry, mountain huckleberry, wild blueberry, and cascade huckleberry do well.

Check to see if your local conservation district has a plant sale. I know the various counties in Washington do. Just search your county name and "conservation district plant sale." They usually sell native plants in tiny little plugs, for really affordable.
 
Kevin Max
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Thanks Nicole that's great advice!
 
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