Before moving my Black Raspberry produced the sweetest fruit and required zero maintenance aside from pruning each fall.
Seven years ago, I took cuttings and tip suckers with me. The ones that made it up to camp kept their sweet flavor. Maybe it’s the soil in central pa.
But in western pa, it’s been a no flavor dud.
A monster grower, it reaches 7’ high and produces a massive amount of fruit. But the fruit has no taste. I added compost, moved them into and out of shade. I never water anything. Everything is under heavy mulch with compost.
So I guess I’m looking for something better. I have Anne yellow raspberry and Ouachita Blackberry. Was thinking about a purple raspberry like Royalty. Any suggestions on berries?
In that same vein, I’ve trialed several wine + table grapes, looking for a no spray solution. Marquette, Thompsons, Chambourcin, vegetatively did well but the fruit all shriveled up. Is there a legit grape or fruit to run up my backyard trellises?
This fruit growing stuff is hard!
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you cant go wrong with royalty. big berries and a heavy producer. i grow ohio treasure black raspberry. its productive of good tasting fruit and fruits on 1st year and 2 year old canes. very cold hardy.
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My wife will dislike this answer, but hardy kiwi might be a good option for your trellis if you are willing to put in the effort to train it and maintain it. The disclaimer there, being, that hardy kiwi is considered an invasive in Pennsylvania now due to an uncontrolled wild population on the eastern side of the state. There are a few threads on blackberries you should read through. Ponca - A new U of A blackberry achieves "pinnacle of flavor"
Additionally, if you are looking for a bulletproof berry, look at jostaberries. My thread here has a lot of good info on different lower growing plants that might fit the bill. BRING ME A SHRUBBERY! (zone 6A)
Also, since you are in western Pennsylvania, say hi in the local chat! Pittsburgh Metro Area
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I am in Northeast PA. I have found Somerset Seedless grape to be the best-tasting and most disease resistant of the varieties that I have. I think they are pretty close to no-spray. The only knock I have on them is the grapes can be very small. I gave them a dormant spray this year, but that is it. Otherwise, my Jupiter grapes have a little downy mildew (usually a lot) and my Steuben grapes have some black rot.
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I removed most of my black raspberries this year. The spikes on them are just too much to deal with. I got stabbed one too many times. I’m moving to summer bearing raspberries.
Ponca sounds very promising! Love the stuff coming out of the University of Arkansas.
Always wanted to try jostaberries. I do love gooseberries, especially hinnomaki red.
Will have to give Somerset a try. I wonder if Arandell from Cornell is also worth a shot.
I had not heard of Ohio Treasure. Bristol Black all these years. Since it’s everbearing, do you leave more canes or prune less in the fall? How does the flavor stack up?
Hinnomaki red and Jeanne are what I have started for gooseberries. I plan to add a couple more next year.
Solely based on that thread, I may try Ponca at some point if I can find room for some canes. Space is a premium over here.
yes i leave them a 2nd year and prune the tips off the primocanes after they fruit. ive only ever tried ohio treasures blacks so i cant compare. theyre very good though.