Where to order?

[missysid]

I would like to start a few black berry, blue berry (maybe), and raspberry bushes here in central IL. Where is the best place to order them from? Also does anyone have a variety they would recommend?

Thanks
Mel

[chicky momma]

Mel,

I've had good luck with Fedco out of Maine, we live in Michigan. They have all of the above. Lisa

[Callieslamb]

http://www.noursefarms.com/
All kinds of berries and fruits. They were very good to work with for me - I haven't had to buy new for a few years now.

I like heritage raspberry - a basic/always does well plant - plus at the end of the season the canes can all be cut to the ground and no over-wintering worries. I like jewel black raspberry. Great harvest size. I have Tifblue blueberries and woodard - no berries yet. My favorite red raspberry is Caroline, but I am not sure it is good as far north as you are.

After tending the raspberries, I really enjoy my thornless blackberries. I think I have prime Jim an Prime Jan from Stark Bros. No harvest yet - too young. I think thornless are supposed to be less hardy.

[Mr. Green Jeans]

Check out the plants on Ebay. There are quite a few big nurseries on there these days, and you can get some very nice plants very cheap. I buy off of there quite often, and I am very happy with the plants I get in the mail.

[missysid]

Thanks everyone. So it would be ok to plant them this fall and just cut the leads to the ground right? Should I leave about 3-4 inches of stem from the top of the mulch or cut level with the top layer of mulch? Thanks

[Callieslamb]

on what you want to do. summer bearers need canes one year before they will produce fruit - like black raspberries. I would leave their canes without cutting back. For reds, I like to leave a stub the first year so I can see where they were planted and cut it back very early in the spring. I mulched around some red raspberries one year and some didn't grow (they were replaced) so be careful to pull that mulch back in the spring.