North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Road's End Farm <organic87@frontiernet.net>]

What I have heard is that one color hosts viral diseases that will kill the other.

Maybe this isn't so in your area. (Maybe it isn't so in mine either; maybe it's just that wild blackcaps hosts diseases that will kill domestic reds -- I'm not sure. But that is the reason that I've heard.)

--Rivka
Finger Lakes NY; zone 5 mostly

On Jul 2, 2009, at 9:46 AM, Jim Fruth wrote:

> As many of you know, I sell black raspberry plants.  We've all heard of 
> frequently asked questions and the one I hear most often is, "I heard that 
> black raspberries and red raspberries shouldn't be planted close to each 
> other; why is that?"
>
> I'm still wondering.  Who could have possibly started/spread that rumor 
> and why?
>
> What I tell customers is, "If you are going to plant bird-planted 
> seedlings, you could get black/red crossed plants."  I test most of my 
> seedlings and occasionally one yields purple fruit but I can't see how that 
> might be a problem with most people.
>
> One other possibility is that cane borer infestations are less likely to 
> be noticed among reds because of the multitude of canes and could become a 
> problem in the blacks (blacks typically have fewer canes).
>
> None of my customers could tell from whom they heard the rumor or why. 
> Please; would you venture a guess?