Galaxy a few days earlier than Eclipse… and Twilight is latest.
I wonder just how early they would be here in TN.
I need them to be ripe and done by first week in July.
I may have to try Galaxy myself.
Hmmm… problem… found a very detailed document … that said…
Marion and Black Diamond reached 50% ripe fruit 21-23 days ahead of Galaxy.
And Galaxy is the early one of the 3.
Not going to work for me.
Chad Finn developed Colombian giant and star as well. both have great reviews and early berries. Chester still has the biggest crops of the thornless ones.
@steveb4 … the Columbia series berries…
Columbia Sunrise is the earliest…
50% ripe early July (in Oregon)…
Which to me translates to early June.
I have sure considered it…and may try it yet.
But if you look at the EMCO CAL document details… they say… cold hardy to 14f.
They may not be tufenuf for even my location ???
.i havent seen that one but another scientific publication from OR stated hardy to -17f and one green world states its z5 hardy as well. ive bought alot from them over the years and their zone ratings are spot on or the plants are even more cold hardy than what they rate them. mines put on about 7ft of growth. i guess i will see. let you know how they do next summer.
I’ve heard Columbia Giant is tart if eaten fresh. Very good when baked.
i like the tart more acidic fruit anyway so that sounds about perfect for me.
I think in the 70’s Chester was at around 30lb per plant. Apache and Ouachita would probably beat that under ideal conditions… 15 foot canes with 12 foot laterals and those laterals having 6 feet or so and those laterals having laterals… that would take a long perfect growing season to achieve…
I think Doyle’s has THE highest yields and so does Black Satin…but both are unedible.
Chad Finn was legendary in breeding blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries etc… if not for him there wouldnt have been a Prime Jim or Prime Jan…which led to many other creations as well.
For everyone that wants an early ripening big tasty berry thats thorny and trailing… Silvan.
Not for sale anywhere that i know of in the US. Bred in Australia and has parents of marion and boysenberry.
I have 6 plants in the ground… will know more about them in 2024.
Sold almost exclusively in Australia but also to commercial growers in Oregon as they have very high yields and easy to pick as well as marketable.
Siskiyou is another impossible to get variety. Similar to Silvan. High yields, excellent berry. I hope to get some plants this fall on a trade… otherwise doubtful to find them.
@steveb4 … OGW has tweaked the info on their website on the Columbia series blackberries…
Perhaps more accurate info now ???
Columbia Star +5F. Zone 7-10
Columbia Giant -10F Zone 5-8
Columbia Sunrise -10F Zone 6-8.
I think that Star is supposed to be the best tasting of the 3… but perhaps now they know it is not as cold hardy as Giant and Sunrise.
No thorns… my birds would like them.
removed by author.
OGW has tayberry… but did not see silvan.
OGW no longer has Obsidian… they used to not long ago.
It is thorny… which I would prefer, but evidently not the majority… all the thorny blackberries seem to be disappearing from nursery offerings.
Thats why i have collected every thorny one that has been offered for sale.
I think i will have the only known repository of thorny blackberries… which nobody wants…or cares about anymore.
I’m looing for the same info in my climate
One publication indicates those varieties were tested in NC but I have not been able to get the results.
I was told it was too soon to draw any conclusions for my climate. When I asked about first impressions I did not get a response I planted 2 of each last year in the spring. My local extension person gave them to me but did not know much about them. All plants are growing well. I got just a few fruits but not enough too see when they ripened they tasted. Should have some good information by next July.
EDIT Lots of info on soluble solids and acid content on a bunch of varieties in article. Also some ripening information on how Eclipse compared to other popular varieties in Oregon where it seems to ripen with Von.
I am going to add Tayberry next spring… and possibly a Columbia Sunrise & Star… just to see how that goes.
I would love to have Silvan and Obsidian to try out here. If you ever get some of those and can propagate them … keep me in mind. I will be glad to trade something or purchase.
Loganberries do so well here, I bet some of those other trailing varieties would too.
I should have Silvan next fall if everything goes right. Also should have Phenomenal berry which is kind of like Boysenberry…(Burbank tried to outdo the Boysenberry).
I have a private blackberry plant going now… its 2-3X vigor of triple crown… i got to try 4 berries and they were the best blackberries i think ive ever had…big and sweet with a smidgen of tart. Its thornless and semi-erect but does not act like a semi-erect… it will not stand up on its own at all. Canes grow out of control and the laterals grow even faster. It should fruit before July and go all the way until almost frost. You could space these at 8 feet and have a full hedge…its a fantastic plant. I will go more into the history etc once it fruits and i can get some good pics. Its not from the US. I wouldnt mind sending a couple of plants to hobbyists that live in different climates. I know it does good here and NY…but other than that nobody knows. It will take a very good trellis and lots and lots of tying and lots of tipping… No issues at all on health…leaves are beautiful and canes are thick. None of this sounds right because we dont have anything like this here… not sure if people will like it or hate it because of the maintenance.
From the same source i have a fantastic purple raspberry and some thorned blackberries and 2 red raspberries. Nothing like anything ive seen on vigor. He gave me a strawberry plant as well that is insane. Its an everbearing and only puts out a few runners so i dont know how we are going to propagate it. The leaves are bigger than all of my others and the berries are super good even though this is their first year.
I have a black raspberry and two yellows from him also…but they are babies and i wont know about them until next year.
Here is some advice abt columbia star… it has had root issues in humid places…
Wow…
In snowy climates you can go beyond the zone recommendation with trailing varieties. It never gets that cold under snow cover but you have to cover them late fall before it gets too cold. I was able to winter Tayberry at my z4 location but lost 90% of the Black Pearl (relative of Marion) canes. The lowers took too long to start flowering but they did make it.
