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shadygarden_co

Has anyone tried to grow black raspberries?

shadygarden_CO
17 years ago

My landscape contractor planted Cumberland black raspberries instead of the Heritage reds I asked for. I discovered this too late. Anyway, when I called the landscape company to complain, the woman answering the phone wasn't very sympathetic and said that she grew both red and black in her garden in Kiowa. (I'm in Denver). She said that you just need to mulch the black more over the winter.

I know CSU extension does not recommend black raspberries here in Colorado, but I am so tired of dealing with the contractor as it took them four weeks, with me working alongside for several days, instead of one, as they had promised, to do the work. Also, I am kind of a chicken and just don't want to complain any more. If anyone has any advice, I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks,

Marlene

Comments (9)

  • singcharlene
    17 years ago

    Sorry I don't have any answers for you as I too could use some advice about black raspberries.

    I bought five raspberry plants about a month ago thinking they were all red raspberries but when I got home realized I had grabbed one black by mistake and was too lazy to take it back.

    I haven't even planted them yet; they are still in the nursery containers. I've been keeping them well watered until we plant probably this weekend. Funny thing is that right now the black rasperry is covered in raspberries in comparison to the other bushes.

  • shadygarden_CO
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Singcharlene, I hope we get some information on the black raspberries, but I did read on the Fruits forum, where I also posted a message, that you should not plant blacks too close to reds. You might want to look on that forum.

  • lady_gouldian
    17 years ago

    I had good success with cumberland black raspberries for several years in Utah County by giving them a little afternoon shade (planting them on the east side of a cedar fence) and plenty of water. However, the sprinkler head that was supposed to be watering them got stuck 2 years ago. I wasn't paying attention, and they didn't survive.

    We're warmer in the winter here than you are, but black raspberries grow wild in ohio, so I doubt the cold is the problem. It is probably the summer heat and low humidity that makes them "not recommended" for the Rockys.
    Black and red raspberries are closely related but have distinctly different tasting fruit (I honestly prefer the taste of black raspberries to red.) They will cross-pollinate, like cantaloupe and watermelon, so you donÂt want to plant them too close unless you want to experiment with some odd tasting berries.

  • singcharlene
    17 years ago

    Thanks Lady Gouldian,

    My son has eaten berries off the red and black and he said the black taste "like candy".

    Just by chance, I planted the black raspberry on the east side of our fence although it's not solid but does offer some shade relief. I was going to pile some leaves on it end of season. It's about thirty feet from the reds with a strawberry and flower/bulb patch in between, hope that's far enough.

    Charlene

  • nowrot
    17 years ago

    We grow yellow raspberries called 'fall gold'. They are sweet like candy and they were growing like crazy. Mine prefer the west side of our fence, full sun, then afternoon shade. The neighbor next to it put poison on them r/t the roots coming into her rose bush,(oops) so I moved them to the east fence. 2 yrs now and they still don't grow as well as that west fence. I had so many, I dug up and passed them around to the neighbors and my folks.

  • singcharlene
    17 years ago

    Thanks nowrot...

    Bummer about your neighbor and the poison. I guess rose gardeners work hard at their gardens and are protective.

    Raspberries are new to me. The 'Heritage' bushes (&the one black variety mentioned above) look great and have new healthy canes on them.

    I'd like to try the 'fall gold' raspberries. I will order and plant bare root in the spring.

    That's good advice about the west direction of planting although there's not much I can do about it as my fencing is deer fencing so I don't know how much shade they'll get in the afternoon. I am lining two sides of the vegetable garden with raspberries (south & west).

    Happy gardening!

  • jsipe_gettysburg_edu
    13 years ago

    Black Rasp are entirely different than red or gold and generally need much more care. I am in PA and they do grow wild, but those conditions cannot be duplicated very well in a home garden. I grow my blacks in full sun, but they do need lots of water, 1 - 2 inches per week. I have soaker hoses and use them if we are not getting enough rain. They also like well drained soil. In addition to water, the other keys are prunning and trellising. Ours bear the last two weeks of June. After bearing, cut out all woody stems that gave fruit. They will no longer produce. If you are going to fertilize, now is the time. As new plants grow, train them to some sort of trellis. I use aluminum wash line between metal fence stakes. Allow them to grow to about 4 feet and prune. Side branches will come out. These will also produce berries. they can be pruned as well. Keep the soil weeded and mulched with a neutral or slightly acidic mulch. Black rasp grow on a two year cycle. So, within two seasons you should have an abundance of berries. I have about 30 foot row and have gotten 20 quarts.

    Red and gold are considered everbearing. Here in Pa we get and early harvest, albeit light in July. Then from late August until a freeze, we get berries. Again, they like water. Pruning is less demanding here. Just cut out dead stems and cut off the heads that have produced berries. These things will spread like weeds. Enjoy.

  • chadgregory_hotmail_com
    12 years ago

    I have just harvested my first batch of Black Raspberries. So far they have been very low maintenance. I just need to prune the branches to promote lateral growth (they get tall quite quickly).

    I agree that they taste like candy. Very similar to Nerds candy.

  • bob_in_colorado
    12 years ago

    I grow the reds (Heritage and Latham), Gold (Anne), purple(Royalty), and the black (Jewel).

    The black are by far, the most tender and sensitive.

    I've mixed the varieties all together. When I got them, I thought they'd all look very dramatic together. They don't fruit at the same time tho.

    I've found the secret to blacks is to not disturb the plants at the beginning. Let them do their thing and you'll prosper.

    If anyone can tell me why my thimbleberry canes keep dying over the winter I'd be grateful. The grow new canes every year, but the canes die.