North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

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

mIEKAL asked:

  "Is Illinois Everbearing hardy for you & have you gotten fruit?"


   I have alot of zone 4 - 5 plants here in USDA zone 3, supposedly now 
zone 4.  My Mulberries have only withstood -30 so far with no damage.  I 
have seen -45 here 15 years ago and expect it again, so I'll, eventually, 
learn just how much cold they can handle.  Yes, I do get fruit.  I planted 
Illinois Everbearing and Morus alba.  Once the trees started fruiting, I 
wished I had planted all Illinois Everbearing because the fruit is 5 times 
larger and it tastes better than M. alba.  All of my Mulberries are female 
so parthenogenesis is the norm.
   Alot of the problem with survival here in Northcentral Minnesota is due 
to the wintertime's drying wind.  Humidity drops really low here during 
Winter and plants that might normally handle the cold die because the wind 
leeches their moisture.  I have a micro-climate here as my garden and 
orchard are surrounded by Pine trees.  The tops of the trees can be swaying 
wildly with only gentle gusts near the ground.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies & syrups:
www.bberryfarm.com
(877)265-6856 [Store]
(218)831-7018 [My Cell]