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  • Blackberry Varieties

    Unfortunatly we do not get many blackberries growing wild near me so I've decided i'm going to grow my own. I've got plenty of space & a few walls where I can put some trellising. Whats the best variety to buy as there's quite a big choice, any idea's please?
    Last edited by Volty; 22-07-2011, 03:54 PM.

  • #2
    Ah, well, now there's a question.......

    Even wild ones vary. I don't really think that there's any real "best".

    Hence I think its just a case of working through the description of what you think might taste the best, or something unusual.

    I recently got 5 "American black raspberries" (more specifically 4 x Rubus Occidentalis and 1 Rubus Leucodermis, eastern and western respectively). The nursery is in Newport and stocks some amazing if unusual berries (the Japanese wine berries sound excellent). I'LL look out the link and post it (using smartphone ATM).
    Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

    Some blog ramblings

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    • #3
      So, here's the link that I got my black raspberries from, though the site says that they've only got Blackcap/Rubus Leucodermis ones at the moment.

      I'd guess that you just have to do what I did and hit google for it. As you can see, the place I found was a "specialist nursery". I'd guess that you can find something/somewhere similar if you wanted specifically blackberry/bramble - probably somewhere that will explain enough about the varieties so you can get some and plant them up.

      Don't forget, whatever you do get, some of them are absolutely rampant in growth. I currently have wild brambles coming under a wall and also through a couple of cracks in some concrete paving (undesirable hence they're dieing back as I sprayed them)......
      Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

      Some blog ramblings

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      • #4
        Hi Volty - from my neck of the woods - I got fed up of fighting locals for the hedgerows so planted some myself this year - bought 3 'Waldo' thornless from B&Q, of which only 1 has really established itself, and even that poorly. - bought a 'Chester' thornless form Ashridge Trees, which seems to be doing well and has even fruited in the first year (excellent co. for any fruit trees etc, really healthy plants) - but the best varieties by far are the 'wild' ones which birds sitting on the fences have pooped into the garden. Historically cut back or treated as weeds, but now treasured and wired up for support. They say the wild varieties may be thorny but give the best fruit. I have canes 15 feet or more - mind boggles what fruit they may bare next year.

        However, we have always had a loganberry in the garden against the garage, and despite 20 yrs of neglect it is the most resilient of plants, and the fruit is far more bug and disease free than blackberries. I have heard great things of Loganberry wine, and again can't wait for next years crop on the newly tended and trained canes. I have the thorny variety, and birds seem to leave them alone, which is more than can be said for a lot of fruit in the garden, including blackberries.

        But, if I had the space I would look at getting a plant or 2 of the Boysenberry variety - they are another Blackberry cross with raspberry and apparently the Loganberry (which is weird as the Loganberry is a Blackberry/Raspberry cross) - but the Boysenberry seems incredibly hardy, huge fruit, and they taste like Blackberry's. In fact next year, if I stumble over one, I will definitely find it a home.

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        • #5
          It seems you have beaten me too it. I was going to say large fruiting and thornless.

          This Boysenberry variety sounds v good. I will have a lookout. We have some wild blackberry. that I could easily replace. Nice one.
          Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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          • #6
            Well, I also have 2 "mystery berry" plants in planters, they were given to us about 2 or 3 years ago. This year they've gone ballistic (as I understand would be expected, given this years weather conditions).

            All I can say, is that they produce, mainly, quite large, dark berries of a "bramble" type, almost as large as the farmed Blackberries that are grown in Kenya and sold by most of the supermarkets, plus the stems of the plants are thornless.

            The fruit has a very light flavour, yet quite sweet when ripe.

            I've been wondering what kind they are, so any hints or tips to ID them would be great.

            regards

            jtfb
            Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

            Some blog ramblings

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            • #7
              Thanks for all the replies, some very interesting comments. I'm going to order a few of these. They sound ideal & seem to produce large fruit, no thorns.

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