[NAFEX] Chester Thornless Blackberry

Michele Stanton 6ducks at gmail.com
Mon Nov 29 21:13:55 EST 2010


Sarah,
Chester Thornless is grown commercially on a small scale in Ohio.  It is
thought to be a little hardier than Triple Crown or the Arkansas thornless
cultivars-- but zone 5 is probably as hardy as you should expect, unless
perhaps you're willing to cover the canes, etc., and engage in some serious
winter protection.
Blackberry canes in Ohio can suffer cold damage at temps under 0 F, and
under -10 F you are probably going to lose a significant portion of the next
season's crop.  Part of the problem is that most blackberries do not need
more than 600 or so chill hours, and thus may try to break dormancy during a
January warm spell--and then are not fully dormant for the next polar
express.

Michele in SW Ohio, zone 6a





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