North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[tanis cuff <tanistanis@hotmail.com>]

Blackberries in south-central WI, where buying zone 5 stuff is a gamble, some 
very nice wild blackberries exist but don't fruit every year.  I note John 
B's comment about roadsides.  I think if snowdrifts cover the canes (in road 
ditch, fencerow, etc.) this is a mulch which protects them from extreme cold, 
drying, and the occasional dormancy breaking warm spell.  We don't get this 
much snow every winter.  Soil makes a difference, or perhaps the ones 
struggling in sand are just a thornier & smaller fruited species.  And rain-- 
we had 5" above normal this summer, and brambles grew VERY well!
 
The wild blackberries are usually sweeter (sweet & musky-smokey), than the 
wild black raspberries (more zippy sweet-tart).  I like them both; I don't 
notice much difference in flavor of either, clone to next clone.  More flavor 
dif in both from less ripe to more ripe.    


________________________________

From: john.p.bunker@gmail.com
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:55:34 -0500
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Zone 4/3 Blackberries

Hello all,

Interesting discussion. Most - perhaps all -commercial
blackberries are not hardy enough to fruit regularly in zone 4 as far
as I can tell. Over the years we have discovered a small number of old
large-fruited cultivated varieties in central and even northern Maine.
When the blackberries are in bloom, study the roadsides and you will
be rewarded from time to time. This past season was a banner year up
this way. We find them on abandoned farm sites and as heirlooms on old
family farms. They usually no longer have a varietal name, although
most probably did so long ago. We trial them around amongst ourselves
and offer them in the catalog from time to time. While easy to
propagate in small quantities from root pieces, blackberries are not
super easy to propagate in large quantities without resorting to TC. We
have worked with Tim Nourse (Nourse Farms) in the past in that regard
and may do so again this year with one that we like very much. Check
out our catalog now and then if interested, or contact me off-list.

Best regards,
John Bunker
Fedco
trees@fedcoseeds.com
www.fedcoseeds.com
PO Box 520
Waterville ME 04903
207-873-7333