I know there’s been mention here and there on black raaspberries but thought I’d like to break out the hardy ones for a thread for us cold sorts. I planted a MacBlack this year (growing like a very thorny weed) and have just ordered a Pequot Lakes Black Raspberry for spring from HBUSA (was ordering some haskaps so might as well throw in the PLBR). I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who got fruit from either of those this year what they think of them, or any other particularly hardy varieties. I know I’m on the far edge, but we had them wild when I grew up (downstate, warmer climate) and I’d like to see if I like them as much now as then.
In my search for info on the Pequot I came across this note, “black raspberries should not be planted near any other color of raspberries nor near blackberries”. Never heard that before. What do you think?
Love this time of year for imagining and dreaming. Sue
I grow black raspberries and blackberries about 30 feet apart for the last 7 or more years and have seen no ill effects. Black raspberries are very hardy in Kansas.
I suspect the heirlooms that I grow do not suffer as bad as others from the viruses. That might be important if I try to grow domestic black raspberries
Black raspberries are the most sensitive to viral infections. Many reds are completely asymptomatic and you wouldn’t even know you had a virus. Well until you planted the blacks near them. The way i see it they are the canary in the coal mine, let you know you have a problem. Bees can carry viruses from one plant to the next. The virus will be in the pollen. Aphids also carry most of them, but not all.
It is not a problem as stated I think a good idea to grow them together.Their are a good many virus species and they do not behave the same. Anyway the reason is reds often have viruses.
I don’t have any named varieties of B.R. here, but do have quite a few wild B.R.s There were none here when I bought the place, but after doing a bunch of chainsaw work and getting some sun on the forest floor…they showed up all on their own
I have Mac black , Jewel and Niwot growing at my lake property in Case county Mn zone 3 .2years so far no problems . No real test winter yet but it has got to -30 something . I suspect more blacks are hardier than reported . This is north of the town of Pequot lakes .
On planting reds , blacks and blackberries . In Case county MN. reds popup everywhere so keeping them apart is difficult or not practical . There are some local wild blackberries but the berries are small . Not sure which species but they do not seem to be the Canadian species . I have one that to me is obvisouly a crossed blackberry x red raspberry . The local reds bloom over a long period allowing overlap of bloom times . I brought one clump of wild reds home for breeding . It needs a pollinator . I found this out last spring when it bloomed . Only a few blooms and no overlap so no berries . This will change as it gets established and has the extended bloom time . I have purples planted near Jewel here no problems so far .
i have ohio treasures i got from Hattmanns. it is primocane fruiting so you can get 2 crops from them if you want not a big berry but has a good strong flavor. going to do jams as soon as i get enough berries from them. they survived 15+ days of -35f last winter with no snowline die off.
Jewel at the sub arctic zone. Im relatively new to black raspberries and this is the first year Im getting fully grown canes. Should I just leave them like this or is it necessary to provide some winter protection? Should I worry about rodents?
It didnt rain this summer and all the berries aborted. Most of the growth came during the last few weeks along with the rains and Im concerned the canes might not have hardened properly. We are dipping below freezing during the night already.
jewel isn’t hardy here. believe they’re zone 5. id lay them down and cover with some straw/ burlap just in case. leave one up to see if it gets any dieback. what growing zone you in there?
I’m at z4 but it’s not fully comparerable to what you guys have. Z4 here is sub arctic which means lower temperatures during summer-fall. We seldom go much below -30 during the winter.
I’m expecting some die back on the canes but I also have blackhawk next to the jewels which is supposed to be hardier. It was bred in Iowa where it can get cold but it’s a completely different climate to ours so it’s hard to predict which one will do better. Last year they stayed under the snowline but I guess I’d better provide some cover this time. It’s going to be an interesting year, and a moment of truth.
I lost my password here some time ago and I never reported on my black raspberries so here’s an update. (I’ll also answer any PMs I might have received.)
That year I had near complete cane death due to a very mild winter without snow. This year we had lots of snow and all the canes look unharmed. I took no chances with this Starlight black rasp and kept it potted in a cellar. It’s still very cold but the plant seems to be budding without any obvious winter injury.
