Planning for 2007-black/rasp--berries?

vancom · #1 05/29/06, 11:54 AM

We live in Middle TN and we want to plant blackberries and raspberries. I have seen posts re thornless blackberries so we will likely skip those but I am wondering about other kinds of blackberries.

Other questions is whether it is too hot here to go raspberries--I always thought that they were grown in cooler climates--we are in Zone 6b with lots of humidity and very little truly cold weather.

Anyone have any ideas or comments?? Soil, temp/humidity, planting time, etc. Thanks!

Vanessa

Dahc · #2 05/29/06, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vancom

We live in Middle TN and we want to plant blackberries and raspberries. I have seen posts re thornless blackberries so we will likely skip those but I am wondering about other kinds of blackberries.

Other questions is whether it is too hot here to go raspberries--I always thought that they were grown in cooler climates--we are in Zone 6b with lots of humidity and very little truly cold weather.

Anyone have any ideas or comments?? Soil, temp/humidity, planting time, etc. Thanks!

Vanessa

I'm in 8b and I have raspberries. It takes a lot of water to get good fruit of them though. I'm not happy with them because of very low yields.

Are you saying you want to skip the thornless blackberries or that you just don't need info on them? I have Navaho and cherokee thornless blackberries and I have huge harvests from the individual plants. They would be a good investment if you were going to take care of them. I'll post a pic of the berries about to come in later.

If you get either of these, you can put them in the ground now. There's still some time left but there wont be any substancial harvest this year. Put them in well drained soil and keep it moist for a month or so. If you have some seasoned manure, it does amazing things for them...lol. Much better than miracle-gro or any other chemical fertilizer.

vancom · #3 05/29/06, 02:47 PM

I have heard negative things about thornless but you seem to be bucking the trend re yield. We are flexible about thorns--just want enough to satisfy our berry needs and they can be flexible.

You think we are too far south for raspberries--could be why your yield is low. I don't mind the water (esp. if the well is hooked up by then for the stock and the garden.

We have a nice sunny spot in mind that is grassy right now. We will wait until fall (if you can plant either blac or rasp then) or spring, and clear the area, till in some mautured goat manure straw and see what we can make work.

Thanks for any other comments you may want to share.

Vanessa

Dahc · #4 05/29/06, 03:19 PM

If you get ahold of some established plants you can plant them in the fall but the ones sold by the bigger companies like parks or gurneys will be shipped as bareroot plants. I don't know if I would plant them in fall. I would do it soon or wait until spring so they had some root growth before winter. I don't actually "know" that it would be bad, but in my limited knowledge, I would want them to have some growth before winter.

I would also think that there would be a number of different raspberries that would do very well in 6b. Mine didn't get taken care of and I had to remove 4' tall weeds from around them. They are clear now but that could have hurt their yield too. They have also outgrown their area and I am thinking of getting rid of them before they grab a big hunk of my property and I have to fight to get it back.

vancom · #5 05/29/06, 05:27 PM

if you want to get rid of them can you wait until Spring and then send them my way?? Seriously, I am not sure if that would work but it might be fun to try. Maybe you can take hedge trimmers and cut it short and then dig it up--I live south of Nashville and a road trip is always a possibility, or you can put them in a box and ship them overnight--think that might work??

I do know that one must be vigilent once they get started or they can take over the world. I do have goats so worse comes to worse, they'd save me!

Vanessa

MELOC · #6 05/29/06, 05:38 PM

i live on the pa and md border, the ole' mason dixon line. being just west of gettysburg, the maps say i am 6b but also shows a spur of 7 and 6a.

i have native blackberries and black raspberries. i bet either would grow for you. i only have one bit of advice...focus on ventilation. keep the plants spaced well apart and trimmed well. at fruiting time, be sure not to water from the top. i have seen my black raspberries ALL turn to powdery mildew in two days because of a poorly timed rain and days of humidity. if it looks like it is time to harvest...HARVEST WHILE YOU CAN. it is easy to miss a spot of moldy berries that will ruin many more.

go for it!

Dahc · #7 05/29/06, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vancom

if you want to get rid of them can you wait until Spring and then send them my way?? Seriously, I am not sure if that would work but it might be fun to try. Maybe you can take hedge trimmers and cut it short and then dig it up--I live south of Nashville and a road trip is always a possibility, or you can put them in a box and ship them overnight--think that might work??

I do know that one must be vigilent once they get started or they can take over the world. I do have goats so worse comes to worse, they'd save me!

Vanessa

I PM'ed you. If I were to send them, I would want to do it sooner than spring... Like maybe this week.