Super jealous of all the blackberries, but not so much the seed ticks -ick!
In Montana in a zone 5 I was able to grow a few Kiowa. The flavor was great and the biggness and juiciness just is amazing. Did get some others to give a few berries but nothing as memorable. I tried lots of different varieties but realized getting the canes through the winter with out freezing, and then getting them through spring without rotting in the winter cover was probably more work than it was worth for more than a plant or two. I didn’t get good results from primocanes as it seemed like they only got to bearing right at the end of the season.
I’m getting plants to survive in zone 4 but not much for berries. I’ll Maybe try container culture and keep a few for leaves for tea?
many of the cold hardy blackberries sold in Canda have illni. hardy as a parent. expensive for the home grower to get them shipped here. they are lowden, ebony hardy and balsors hardy blackberry.
i tried P.A freedom here in z4. they grew awesome but had the same issues as you. was hoping the primocane crop would produce but i would have needed another month to the growing season for them to fully ripen. try Baby cakes thornless dwarf blackberries. hardy to z4. nice sized berries. canes are only 2ft. they also produce on floricanes and primocanes. and most primo. crop ripens in sept. not heavy producers but the dual crop makes up for it. i have some in the garden and some in a large pot on my deck in summer. the wife loves them. in fall i move the pot to a spot on the ground on the s. side of the house and bury it in snow to survive the winter.
I had considered getting Babycakes, but heard they don’t have great flavor. If I run across one on clearance I may try one. Nelson’s do the best here in nw Wisconsin. Darrows spread like crazy, but never get berries. I will probably mow them down next year before they become pests. I bought one Ebony King from Walmart and forgot I planted it. It had to fend for itself in former pasture last year due to an injury I had, so we will see if it survives the winter and produces any berries.
berries are small compared to other commercial blackberries but it’s very prolific. compared to store bought they are much better. considering my climate, z4, it fits the bill but if i was in a warmer zone id definitely be growing other cultivars.
Did you post pics on one of the blackberry groups on FB? if not i remember someone did last year.
I think its a good thing to have a ‘just in case’ variety for me in Z6B… could have a freak winter or spring… I will likely pick it up and give it a place.
yes i did last summer, dont remember what thread though… my wife loves them so this year im starting another patch so we dont fight over them. i could spare some shoots come early summer if your interested.
Thanks to all you blackberry posters- I digested all your reports and ordered PAF, Kiowa, Osage, Ponca and Triple Crown. Way more than I can eat myself (tiny freezer) but can taste test plus see if I can control the wild monsters TC and Kiowa.
Am unaware of any SWD here (Eastern Shore Maryland)- will find out. Don’t see any in my figs so far, assuming I’d know if they were here.
Please report on the PAF… i have not seen any good reports on Z6 and below on this one. Even Texas Prepper had issues with it in TX. Im on year 4 here in Z6B and the cold gets it every single winter and spring… i get a few berries but not many.
@krismoriah wrote: “Please report on the PAF… i have not seen any good reports on Z6 and below on this one. Even Texas Prepper had issues with it in TX. Im on year 4 here in Z6B and the cold gets it every single winter and spring… i get a few berries but not many.”
Are you saying Zone 7 is too cold for PAF? Any other growers succeeding with Prime Ark Freedom in Zone 7? If not, I’ll cancel my order for it. I totally missed this weakness in my reading.
@Blake Do you think PAF has a cold problem with Zone 7?
I found this from John Clark, PAF breeder: “there is slight risk of PAF freeze damage on flowering/fruiting in the southern parts of USDA Hardiness Zone 7, but the risk increases substantially in more northern zones.”
Nelson’s have been my only successful blackberry, and we find the flavor fine. Mine are quite erect and don’t require staking, but need critter protection in winter. They also spread, but not excessively. The thorns don’t seem to provide much protection
PAF was bred in zone 7 Arkansas so it is hardy to zone 7. However, zone 7 Arkansas and zone 7 New England are two different stories. Thus the limitation of relying on USDA hardiness zones as a ‘map of what grows where’.
Summer high temps, winter lows, humidity, fluctuations in winter weather and spring freezes all effect blackberries. I’m in zone 6b and it does fine so far, but performance has been so-so in the last few years of trials. It has potential but is still experimental.
One, maybe the major issue with PAF is that the primocane crop will fail if summer temps go into the 90s. The immature berries or flowers will drop. That will prove an issue in places like TX and the South with very hot summers when it blooms around June/July. It happened here a few years ago during an intensely hot drought period in August.
They’ve also released Prime Ark Traveler which may perform better, but I have not tested it. They say the berries are firmer and better for marketing/shipping.
Excellent information Blake, thanks. We easily get into the 90’s here in July so PAF is looking more and more iffy. I’m getting up in years and less interested in trialing “long-shots” than I used to be. I might plant one as a test.
i could spare some shoots come early summer if your interested.