North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["tanis cuff" <tanistanis@hotmail.com>]

Wow.  Thanks for inventing that wheel.  I might have sent you some plants if 
here the blackberry performance didn't appear to rely so much on soil, 
microclimate, luck, etc.

I'm afraid to plant blackberries, because they are the most vigorously 
spreading monster.  Big arching canes AND root-suckers.  Then include the 
usual thorns, and I'd much rather grow something else!

Sorry about the marsh-hay mulch suggestion; yes, just removing "most" of 
this in the spring would be too time-consuming.  Pine needles might be a 
little better, but not much.

tc, s.WI, z4/5, various soils in the neighborhood therefore different berry 
performances


----Original Message Follows----
From: Jim Fruth >
To: <nafex>
Subject: [NAFEX] Growing Blackberries in the North
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 08:15:08 -0600

    I tried most of the catalog varieties of blackberries and, of those 
that
would survive zone 3 winters (with or without winter protection), the
berries were still green when the first freezes occurred. I said "most"....

....My trials are nearly over and it looks like I'll be growing two 
varieties.  One
of those is worthless in even a half-day's sun, preferring regular but scant
light.  It isn't a great producer but it thrives under low light conditions
where little else will.  The other is (obviously?) one of the parents of
Doyle's blackberry because it produces copious amounts of fruits though
smaller that those of Doyle's claims.  It can produce fifty or more berries
on a short branch; it didn't produce like that in the wild.  And, best of
all, it needs no winter protection.  I'll need another year's evaluation
before I make any further claims about it.
    Before I embarked on my blackberry trials I begged nursery people to
sell me wild plants that grow in their area - for whatever reason(s), all
refused....