Can we talk about blackberries?

[m5allen]

I am looking for a good thornless blackberry variety for the Tampa Bay, FL area. The problem I am running into is the chill requirement (I get between 200-300 hours in my area).

But based on some research I have done, the chill requirement might be subjective. I have read people are growing Apache in zone 10. And there is someone on GardenWeb that gets a good harvest of Arapaho in Orlando.

I tried Natchez in the past but didn't get a good crop and found it wasn't very hardy. Natchez is supposed to be 400-500 chill hours. But Natchez is all they sell around here at garden centers. So maybe they do well here and it was just a fluke that I didn't get a good crop one year?

I am thinking about trying out Ouachita or Arapaho just to see if it works. They sell these bare root plants and wally world and Lowes here (along with some Rabbiteye blueberries that will never set fruit here).

I have a really good thorny variety, that I think is either a native Sawtooth or Kiowa. I love it - it is maintenance free, produces a huge crop of large berries every year. But man, that thing is thorny and my young boys like to pick berries, so I want to give them a better option.

[cis4elk]

You could maybe attempt Triple Crown, I'm not sure if you have quite enough chill hours or not. I have sent it to people in Arizona and Texas both, neither one has given me any feedback as to it not preforming well for them there. I'm not sure what their chill hours are either though.
I did a little searching on chill hour requirments for TC. Nothing solid came up, one said 400-600, another 600-800, and one said it was pretty much unkown.

[Gina]

I tried Natchez in the past but didn't get a good crop and found it wasn't very hardy. Natchez is supposed to be 400-500 chill hours. But Natchez is all they sell around here at garden centers. So maybe they do well here and it was just a fluke that I didn't get a good crop one year?

I can't address blackberries per se, but in my area many garden centers (certainly not all) really can't be trusted to sell what grows best in their area. I see blueberry varieties being sold that don't stand a chance and I feel sorry for people who buy them with such spring hope.

I used to grow Ollalie (sp?) black berries. They were great for here, but I didn't love them enough to deal with the thorns every year. The only thornless variety I tried years ago was not up to snuff.

[Darkman]

Wish I could help but I get around 500 hours so my advice would not be any good. I only grow one variety but do not know the name. I do know it is an Arkansas release that is upright and thornless. That supposedly narrows it down to three varieties.

I have heard a little bit about the Triple Crown and would like to try it. Where can it be purchased? I have not seen it in any of our nurseries or box stores.

[cis4elk]

If you don't find it by this fall let me know. I will stick a cane tip in a pot and start you one this summer. Starting them this way doesn't happen until late summer/early fall though, and we are sort of looking or a new house, but I usually start 2 or 3 each year. So if you are still in the need at that point and I have one available(because we didn't move) it's yours.

[Darkman]

Thanks I really appreciate that.

[smatthew]

Have you looked at prime ark freedom? Thornless primocane bearing blackberry, supposed to be low chill hours.

[Darkman]

As yet I haven't looked at the Primocane bearing Blackberries but probably should.

[m5allen]

Wish I could help but I get around 500 hours so my advice would not be any good. I only grow one variety but do not know the name. I do know it is an Arkansas release that is upright and thornless. That supposedly narrows it down to three varieties.

I have heard a little bit about the Triple Crown and would like to try it. Where can it be purchased? I have not seen it in any of our nurseries or box stores.

I think my local Lowes has some that are bare root. Let me know if you want me to pick some up for you.

[Darkman]

Thank you where are you located?

[m5allen]

Tampa, FL

[m5allen]

I talked to a local friend of mine who got me into growing blueberries. He said he successfully grows Natchez and Ouachita in our area. So I went and bought both of these at my local Lowes. I figure - at $6 a piece, it is not a huge investment if neither of them work out well.

[LouD]

I bought my Triple Crown blackberry plants from eBay because I couldn't find it locally anywhere. I see different vendors on eBay that have them. (I just looked) I recommend that you buy the plants and not the seeds because of possible uncontrolled cross pollination. The plants are most likely to be taken from runners that have sprouted and will stay true. The berry is absolutely delicious.

[chuckell]

http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2011/03/patented-blackberries.html

[Visceral]

Was there something else to that link regarding blackberries that I missed? All I got was that he's afraid of patented food, but not the reason why.

[chuckell]

well idon't know,i posted a discussion on the topic of patented blackberries,it is a forum,i went back and opened this link ,it opened in full for me. sorry you got nothing out of it,~

[Visceral]

Chuckell, all I'm saying is that I can't figure out why this guy won't buy patented blackberries? He never states a reason as far as I can see. Maybe I'm not viewing the page correctly on my phone.

[chuckell]

Chuckell, all I'm saying is that I can't figure out why this guy won't buy patented blackberries? He never states a reason as far as I can see. Maybe I'm not viewing the page correctly on my phone.

oh ok,yes he does say that ,i don't get it either,

[Jaylyne]

member bluemalibu from f4f had some cuttings for postage... he still might have some extra

[Sarahkt]

I have some of Blue's Triple Crown blackberry cuttings growing and they callused over and started rooting amazingly fast. In fact, I pulled one out after a week in a tree pot because it was so callused on top I wanted to make sure I hadn't potted it upside down. The ones in tree pots in the humidity bins have roots coming out of every node, even the ones above soil, and are budding out. They definitely want to grow!

m5allen, if you find the chill hour requirement will work for you where you are and would like one, let me know and I can send you one. There are a couple slower ones growing at normal humidity that are callused over but not yet rooting so would easy to drop one in an envelope.

This is the one that I checked on after ~6-7 days in a tree pot in a humidity bin. I'm not used to seeing callus like that on figs, so I checked on it to make sure it was oriented correctly. Looked like it was doing just fine in there, so I put it back! Another week or two now and those cuttings are well rooted and budding strongly.

[Sarahkt]

Also, going to keep them in pots only otherwise they would take over the entire berry patch, and then the world.

[chuckell]

i bought two tc to start out ,i burry the end of the brach tat touches the ground the limbs are actually upside down.have been doing this for years,when rooted i cut about 3-4 feet up,they look funny backwards because they are upside down,MADE NO DIFF IN PRODUCTION AT ALL ,they produce as much as a right side up plant ,i have a whole fence row of upsidedowners ~!

[m5allen]

Thanks Sarah. I would be interested in trying Triple Crown. I have some other varieties of blackberries that I have recently picked up. PM me - I can try and tip root one for your if you are interested.

[Visceral]

Does anybody have any Kiowa or Prime Ark freedom cuttings for sale?

[smatthew]

Prime Ark Freedom is under patent protection. No cuttings allowed.

[Inkfin]

Prime Ark-Freedom is being sold at Ebay, I bought a couple of them last year and waiting for the results (hopefully) this year.

[Visceral]

Thanks, I will check Ebay then instead of looking for cuttings.

[Visceral]

Ok great. That's the same seller I bought from earlier as well, so I'll give them my blackberry business I guess also. I'm gonna leave the signature for a week or so to remind myself of the real pain figs (not figging) can bring. Hah

[Sarahkt]

Ha! Oh man, that was a hilarious revelation.

[m5allen]

They were selling Prime Ark Freedom at our local Lowes (in 1 gal). I can see if they are still there and try and snag you one

[Wisner]

Does anybody have any Kiowa or Prime Ark freedom cuttings for sale?

I've bought from these folks in the past. Looks like they sell both varieties.

http://www.simmonsplantfarm.com/blackberries.html

[Visceral]

Thanks Wisner. I'd never heard of them before. I'll probably just stick with Ebay with this purchase, but I'll keep that link handy for the future.

[Sarahkt]

I can now attest to Prime Ark Freedom being a winner. My Prime Ark Freedom plant (I gave the others away as gifts, now kinda regretting that) purchased last year as a small plant has exploded in growth and the first few fruits have been ripening the last few days. Large, beautiful fruit with great flavor and sweetness! It's earned a bigger pot; going to pot up to a 15-gal instead of a 5-gal soon.

I love the absence of thorns and prolific production of huge, delicious fruit on this variety. Jam/jelly making might only be another year off!

[Bulldog]

The University of Arkansas blackberry releases can be bought online from local AR growers in the NW region of the state. They are normally $4-5 each. I have bought them from my local nursery for $3.50 each for apache, arapaho, navaho, etc.

[Bulldog]

https://www.penseberryfarm.com