North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

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

Mark Angermayer wrote, "I understand thornless varieties wouldn't survive 
your cold."


Mark,
   I have tried several thornless blackberries and, while many of them will 
survive my Winters, Their fruit wants to ripen in October, usually after the 
killing frosts.
   There is one exception, Doyle, a trailing type, ripens in September and, 
in normal years, I can get up to half a crop in before a frost.  Trouble is, 
it can't handle even light frost whereas the other varieties that I 
experimented with seemed unaffected by light frost.  In order to get Doyle 
through the Winter, I need to weight down all primocanes so they get covered 
with snow.

   I'm probably re-'inventing the wheel' here.  I harvest several hundred 
pounds of blackberries annually and I wonder if there might be an easier way 
than the way I grow them.  The only blackberry plants I've ever seen in 
anyone's garden here in North Central Minnesota have been wild types that 
someone was trying to get rid of.  It sure would be nice to be able to trade 
notes with someone.

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