North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@uslink.net>]

Bob,
   You must be new on the listserv.  I'm sell black raspberries bare-root 
between October 15 and April 1.  I sell the Pequot Variety which I developed 
to thrive in zone 3.  I have sold some to Alaskans in zone 2 and have 
received positive reports back.  Yes, they should serve you well in zone 5.
   You ask about culture.  Red raspberries reproduce asexually via 
underground runners.  Black raspberries RARELY send out runners preferring, 
instead, to tip-root (When the growing point hits the ground, it sprouts 
roots, becoming a new plant).  Blackberries do both, runners and 
tip-rooting.  I prune red raspberries and blackberries but do not prune 
blackberries.  I prune red raspberries down to a comfortable picking height. 
Research has indicated that red raspberries produce more berries if they are 
prevented from swaying in the wind so I restrict mine with wires along both 
sides of rows.  I trellis blackberries and black raspberries.  Pruning black 
raspberries produces larger berries and fewer that have just a few druplets 
per berry.
   As for flavor, if you were to compare a red raspberry to that of 
Koolaid, the flavor of black raspberries would compare to a fine merlot.
   Purple Raspberries..........................  Since I grow both red and 
black raspberries, bees carry pollen from one to another and, every year, I 
find a few plants of purple raspberries that the birds have planted for me. 
Purple raspberries are the offspring of a black and a red raspberry and 
exhibit characteristics of both.  I've grown several dozen to fruition and 
they've all tasted the same which I'd describe as a little like a stale 
rose' wine.  If I didn't have black raspberries, I might consider a purple 
raspberry to be delicious; then again, maybe not.
   'Tell you what........................if you buy black raspberry plants 
from me, I'll dig up a couple purple raspberry plants and send them to you 
for free.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
www.bberryfarm.com
(218)568-8483 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]


From: Bob Sorenson <natvwine@cut.net>
Subject: [NAFEX] black and purple raspberries
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <C1B7F132.DD5E%natvwine@cut.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I am considering a new planting of black and purple raspberries and wonder
if someone on the list has experience with them.
In particular can they do well in a zone 5 prone to late spring frosts?
How is the culture compared to red rasp. and blackberries?
Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR