Farkleberry is just a great name. I couldn’t tell you why, but maybe it is because “farkle” sounds vaguely like fart? I googled “Farkle” and all I could come up with was a dice game, so whatever. Another name for Farkleberry is Sparkleberry, but that just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Evolution of Farkleberries
Farkleberry is a blueberry plant that is native and grows wild in the Southeastern United States. It has edible berries for humans and birds. So, it is a native permaculturist’s dream! I mean, all blueberries are technically native to Eastern North America. However, Farkleberries are wild and uncultivated, so the difference is they have evolved without the human interreference that a creates a blueberry cultivar. This is unlike the blueberries that you can find at the grocery stores, which are all cultivars created by humans. Rather than being selected by humans for particular traits, Farkleberries have continued to evolve and adapt in the wild. Therefore, they typically have fewer issues with pests and diseases than commercially grown varieties when in their native habitat.
Blueberry Plant Propagation
This is my first time propagating farkleberries from cuttings. So, I wasn’t exactly sure what size of cutting was needed. I selected a few different sizes and will just see what works and what doesn’t. I prefer to allow native plants to grow from seeds. This way, their genes continue to adapt with each new generation. However, I kind of just want to establish a new patch with these cuttings. Afterward, I will let the animals spread the seeds from that patch for a few years.
That’s my modus operandi – plant something that I want more of, and help it along as best I can. Then, sacrifice some of the fruit and seeds to the animals to allow that type of plant to spread. Since I am into agroforestry and food foresting, I don’t mind plants cropping up in unintended spaces in the garden/forest. In fact, I believe that nature can plant a vibrant food forest much more effectively than I can. I just need to get the initial biodiversity there, and then let nature take its course over a few years.