Dan Nave asked, "Do Boysenberries grow in Pequot Lakes (Minnesota)? When I
Google them, they indicate hardy to zone 6."
My Boysenberries grow upright for about 8" and grow prostrate
thereafter, creeping along the ground. If I get bitterly cold temperatures
before a blanket of snow, I get no berries. If I forget to cover the base
of the plant, I get no crop the following season. But if I mulch the base
of the plants where the stems grew upright AND the snows come on time, I
reap my just reward.
When I got the plants (unnamed plants from Gurney) I planted them
adjacent to the septic tank to ensure the roots wouldn't freeze. Like other
Prunus, stem ends sometimes tip-root and that was how I learned that I could
plant them anywhere and I needn't be concerned about roots freezing. Now I
have plants thriving elsewhere.
In Spring, I pull the stems out of the grass/weeds and tie them onto a
trellis - they don't normally climb. Care must be taken when pulling them
out of the weeds because the stems bruise or kink easily and primocanes
don't heal themselves. I have learned that it is best to take the extra
time to loosen the weeds/grass before attempting to lift the stems.
The berries are HUGE! 5-6 will fill my hand. They are sweetest when
over-ripe. And carefully removing all the tip-rooted plants further reward
me when I sell the potted plants at the farmers' market.
Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Fruit Farm
4002 Davis Street
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)
[NAFEX] Zone 3 Boysenberries,
Jim Fruth, 12/13/2010