Author Topic: Berries in the rain  (Read 3126 times)

Doglips

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Berries in the rain
« on: May 18, 2015, 08:31:13 AM »
Well my red raspberry crop took a hit.  We've been real wet here as of late which isn't real good for any berry, but we got hit by a hard hard rain yesterday and went outside to pick for the day, all of the red raspberries are gone, even the pink almost ready berries.  the rain appears to have knocked them all off.  That was a good chunk of my crop too, there are some left that are going to be a few days before they are ready to go but, bummer.  The yellows are behind so don't think they will be affected, not as big of a fan of the yellows but they work.  The black raspberries seem to be gone as well, not that I had that many.
The blackberries and the blueberries don't seem to have been affected but it is still a little early for them.

In a previous thread I was talking about how my Navajo blackberries were failing, well the are dead now (bad location).  But I was just talking to a local U-Pick farm and they said that a good chunk of their farm is Navajo, so apparently they will grow here, maybe just not by me.  I need to try again, Navajo is supposed to be one of the best blackberries out there.  I had a wonderful blackberry patch up north, the thorns were brutal, but wow they were good, but maybe getting stabbed made the fruit taste sweeter, or maybe that was my blood.

mrtexas

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Re: Berries in the rain
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2015, 05:23:00 PM »
Raspberries in Houston? Really? Have they survived a hot summer yet?

Caesar

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Re: Berries in the rain
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2015, 05:44:14 PM »
Got raspberries here too. Berry fan, as you can tell. They're not doing well. No flowers yet, and the oldest stems are dying off. But the plant itself seems hard to kill. Loads more coming up from the roots.

Like with the straws, I picked some heat-tolerant varieties, and have them in pots. Caroline and Black Hawk. Next time, I'm trying Autumn Britten and Allen. I know of one guy growing Navaho Blackberries here, and they're doing well. I also have R. rosifolius picked up wild from the local mountains, and it's thriving here in the lowlands (its spot is too shady to get it to fruit, though). Rosifolius tastes good, worthwhile if you can get it, but it doesn't strike well from cuttings.

Doglips

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Re: Berries in the rain
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2015, 11:23:59 AM »
Raspberries in Houston? Really? Have they survived a hot summer yet?
This was the second winter, so third year I have had them, I have three varieties of Red, this year the Canbys are the best  (sweetest) and they get the least amount of sun of the three.  I also have Encore, and Mammoth, I thought the Mammoth was really good last year, not seeing that this year.  All are thornless (Mammoth is semi).
I netted for mockingbirds this year, big help.  I'm really impressed with the jewel blacks, the heavy heavy rain, and low light is not exactly the best for sweet berries but the blacks, are really sweet.  I'm tempted to yank the blackberries and go all black raspberries, so good.  But I think if the light conditions were better the blackberries would be sweeter.
The yellows I have are just starting to come in, they have never been my favorite, frequently skin-pink colored when fully ripe ( kinda gross looking), not nearly as sexy as reds or even blacks.
All bramble-berries I have are in midday only light conditions (mostly).  They could probably handle more, I don't know if I would go all day full sun, but experiments welcome.

Caesar

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Re: Berries in the rain
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2015, 08:34:49 PM »
All bramble-berries I have are in midday only light conditions (mostly).  They could probably handle more, I don't know if I would go all day full sun, but experiments welcome.

Go for the experiments. They're tough plants. Even if they lose some top-growth, they'll likely surge up again from the roots in no time. If you don't wanna risk the whole stock, you could always try a couple of isolated plants first, maybe divide what you have by the roots or something.


I'm really impressed with the jewel blacks, the heavy heavy rain, and low light is not exactly the best for sweet berries but the blacks, are really sweet.  I'm tempted to yank the blackberries and go all black raspberries, so good.  But I think if the light conditions were better the blackberries would be sweeter.

My black hawk has been in a tiny pot since last summer. Been waiting to build my new raised bed to put them there, but I've been losing my patience. Too many obstacles preventing "instant planting gratification". Your comment here is the last straw: you make them sound really tasty! Won't be waiting on the raised bed anymore. Gonna stick 'em in the ground at the bottom of the hill. Hope they can take heavy clay and full sun. They've been tough so far, so I wouldn't doubt it. And I could always tip-layer a new one for the raised bed when I finally get it done.

Not sure how much sun Caroline can take in this climate, but I've got a bright yet shady banana patch that would probably make a good home for it. How do you dig up and divide a red raspberry anyway? Can the reds be tip-layered?

Doglips

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Re: Berries in the rain
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2015, 03:27:11 AM »
My black hawk has been in a tiny pot since last summer.

Not sure how much sun Caroline can take in this climate, but I've got a bright yet shady banana patch that would probably make a good home for it. How do you dig up and divide a red raspberry anyway? Can the reds be tip-layered?
No experiments here, prime real estate goes to others fruits.
I've heard of Black Hawk, have not had them.  You need to cut off suckers for Reds and Yellows, or from seed.  Black and Purple Raspberries and Blackberries you tip root. The Jewels I have run sideways and are always trying to tip root.  I had a volunteer blackberry patch up north, It tried to take over the planet, I didn't stop it and I barely controlled it.  I beat it back after harvest, soooo good.  I wouldn't let them run amok like that again, too tough to access the middle of the pile, thorny and mean.