North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["M Stanton" <6ducks@fuse.net>]

With regards to over-wintering your Columbian black raspberry, the answer to
your questions are possibly, and maybe.  Without knowing the exact species,
here are some general rules.

You want to keep the root zone from drying out, but if the plant is dormant,
no transpiration is occurring, so you don't want it soggy.  

Also, remember that roots are less hardy than shoots, so even if the plant
is listed as "Hardy to zone 5", that would apply to a fully dormant plant in
soil.  The soil insulates the roots, and the roots might be a couple of
zones less hardy than the top.  Your garage may or may not provide enough
shelter.  Do you have a spare refrigerator (without produce in it) or other
cool but not cold spot?  Also, you could keep it in the garage for a month
to get some chilling, then bring it back in to grow if you have a greenhouse
or well-lit spot in your house.

Michele Stanton

<<attachment: winmail.dat>>