I need to extend my blackberry season past Navaho. The best choices for my area seem to be Triple Crown or a primocane berry like Freedom or Prime ARK 45 where I cut the canes to the ground and only harvest the primocane fruit . The extension specialist for Blackberry in NC is a lot more positive on Prime Ark as compared with Triple Crown based on fruit quality for my situation. Any experiences from folks in southern growing areas? I need have blackberry for sale on mu U-Pick farm into mid August.
Chester is a fairly late one for me.I’m in Washington though.
Does your area get the Spotted Wing Drosophila fruit fly?I’m just curious. Brady
Brady
SWD is a big problem in NC. I have the equipment and the chemicals to control it, but small fruit was a lot easier to grow before it showed up a few years ago.
Is Chester sweet?
I planted a Chester about two years ago and while waiting for the fruit to ripen,I visited the local farmers market and bought a container.The girl selling them said they were going to be tart and they were.I felt like pulling my plant out,if that is what they taste like.
I think they picked theirs too early to sell them the last weekend of the season.I waited until the berries pulled off easily and they were good.I still have the bush and look forward to trying some more.
I might try putting small perforated baggies around each cluster to keep the SWD at bay. Brady
I plan to plant Triple Crown.