I KNOW I've seen posts before, but I'll be durned if I can find them again. Where is a good place to buy blackberry plants? I'd like Arapaho, if possible. Also, elderberry plants?? I've written out a list of all the fruit trees, etc., that I want to buy this year along with how much it will cost. As I earn the extra spending money, I cross off a tree. It makes doing extra work more rewarding -- the goal is in sight.
Send me a big SASE and I'll send you all my wild ones! Seriously, where I am in the PNW, I like Raintree Nursery because they are local and cater their selection to the local growing zone. While I don't think blackberries ever met a climate they don't like, you might want to check and see what grows best in your area. I think most of the larger nurseries (mail order) sell blackberries; same for elderberries but you might run into some restrictions on what can ship where. Try these for starters (found on other threads): http://www.gardenwatchdog.com/ and http://www.mailordergardening.com.
CC, ask around from some of the oldtimers about how the wild blackberries have been producing the last few years before you go to the trouble of trying to grow any. I live in Mississippi and our wild berries have failed to produce a healthy crop for long time. I think there's some kind of new virus responsible and I believe it was intentionally introduced into the enviroment to try and eradicate or control brambles. I found information a while back that this was done in Australia but have not been able to confirm that in the US, I do know that this disease is something new and I can't find a discription in the books that I've looked at. The first year canes will look perfectly healthy but in the second year after they put on fruit, the leaves will start to brown up and die back and the fruit will not mature. This is a very strange disease, I've asked the county agent about this but he doesn't know as much as I do about it, called it orange rust but that's not what this is. If this is a virus there is not anything you can do to prevent it, this is just another example of man trying to outsmart mother nature and it has backfired. I'm glad to see you are interested in growing Elderberries, this is one of the most beneficial and ignored plants we have in my opinion. I was told growing up that Elderberries were poison and we never used them but three years ago I learned what a great plant this was when I drank some Elderberry juice for the Flu, this is the best remedy for cold or Flu that I've ever found, its also one of the best antioxidants. You can find this plant growing wild just about anywhere, look around a little and find the ones with the largest berries and try to pick the ones where the berries ripen at the same time, this makes for easier picking. The only caution with this plant is the stems, be sure and discard all stems. I pick the berrries and mix 3 cups berries with 2 cups water and simmer for about 10 minutes, strain out the seed, pour into jars and can, this is mighty fine in the dead of winter when you feel a cold coming on. Here is some info on Elderberries. http://www.wtv-zone.com/WolfDogCircle/Herbs/elder1.html
I have some of the best blackberries ever growing on my fence. My papa bought some a few years ago and I took 2 starters off of it and planted them under the fence. Watered them, forgot about them for a while, then the deer plucked them to the ground 2 or 3 times, I accidently cut one about 3 inches tall with the lawn mower yet they thrived. This will be thier 3rd year, and they really took off last year and have covered the fence, they will have some berries this year. They are a vine type, not bush. My papa said they are not exactly blackberries, but they look and taste like them, he can't remember what they are called. They are a little bigger, and have a slightly better taste, they have thorns. Papa keeps them under control by mowing around the area they are planted, otherwise they could take over the place. I will send you some plants for free if you will pay shipping. I don't know how many are out there, but the vines layed down in a few places and took root. The reason they are free is that I have never shipped plants before and I can't say for sure they would make it, though I have never seen one die, lol. If you want some, you can pm me.
Whew! After looking up all of the ones I could think of, I'm scared to buy from any of them! So many negative responses. I checked out Henry Fields, Gurneys, Mellingers.... all ones that sounded familiar. Maybe I'll just wait and buy from Lowes? Heelpin, thanks for the info on elderberries. I grew up with an elderberry bush outside the back door of my grandmother's home. She taught me to make jelly and can the juice. I don't think we ever used it for medicinal reasons, but if she had known about them, I'm sure we would have! (That 50-year-old bottle of whiskey in the back of the closet was her "medicinal uses") It died out about 15-20 years ago for some reason.... heard it was a blight, or something. I was jogging last fall, though, on a state-owned trail and saw TONS of elderberries! I would have 'snitched' some if I had something to put them in! Anyway....seeing them again made me hungry for elderberry jelly and I decided I'd find a way to grow my own again. Chris
I should have all kinds of Wild Blackberries I orderd 25 plants last year,their doing good.Elderberries make good Pie to. big rockpile
i ordered some blackberry plants this fall from simmons nursery, in arkansas. i ordered 100 thornless berries and they sent about 120. their prices were very good and arrived in good condition. i don't work or sell from them. the plants looked great. of course i don't know if they are going to live, this is my first time at fall planting. randy
