North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Michael Dossett <phainopepla@yahoo.com>]

I would be skeptical but you might be surprised.  I have not seen hardiness 
ratings from any reliable sources for Chester Thornless that go any lower 
than 4b.  There are some "no name" places on the internet selling it that 
claim zone 3, but I wonder where they get their information or if they are 
just being optimistic as conventional wisdom for Chester Thornless is zone 5. 
 Perhaps they are just talking about the crown of the plant rather than the 
canes (which don't bear until the second year).  The release info on it says 
"It is well adapted south of a line extending from western Maryland, through 
central Ohio, to Kansas City, Missouri in the eastern United States and to 
portions of the West Coast of the United States."  Having said that I know 
people have had good experiences with it growing it north of that line.

Having said that, you might be surprised as often things do go a bit lower, 
particularly with the right care (e.g. mulching/burying canes which could be 
hard given it's erect nature, hardening off, etc.) and in the right spot.  I 
would also be concerned about length of season as it is quite late and may 
not be able to ripen a good crop in short season areas even if the canes were 
hardy.

Michael

Michael Dossett
Corvallis, Oregon
www.Mdossettphoto.com
phainopepla@yahoo.com


--- On Mon, 11/29/10, Sarah Kehler Ewing <skkewing@yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: Sarah Kehler Ewing <skkewing@yahoo.com>
> Subject: [NAFEX] Chester Thornless Blackberry
> To: "NAFEX" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Monday, November 29, 2010, 4:08 PM
> I'm wondering if anyone out there
> grows or is familiar with the Chester Thornless Blackberry
> and has any first hand info to share.  
> 
> The Canadian company, T & T Seeds is offering it this
> year and they claim it is zone 2/3 hardy.  The old T
> & T Seeds was always a reliable and reputable company,
> but I'm not so sure if their new management gets that same
> endorsement from me anymore. Last year they sold me Silver
> Maples labeled as Sugar Maples and the year before they
> argued with me (during a phone call to their tree expert)
> that there was no difference between seedlings and grafts
> from the famous Edmonton Capilano apricot.  
> 
> www.ttseeds.com
> 
> Sarah 
> zone 3
> Edmonton, AB
> 
> 
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