Bruce, I have a Green Gage plum tree that sat there with out even flowering for 8 years. It got huge. And then, one day in the winter when I was doing some heavy pruning, I stood before the plum tree with the chain saw running, and thought long and hard about it. Five minutes, maybe, and then my daughter ran out and hugged the grey, leafless trunk and turning her tear stained, reproachful face to me said, sobbingly: Daddy! How COULD you !?!? So, well, I didn't whack it down.

A scant 3 months later, the tree was covered with blooms, and I have been able to pick at least a gallon of wonderful plums every year, ever since.

I'm pretty sure it was the smell of burning the oil/gas mixture, or maybe the vibrations, or maybe both. And my seriousness must have come through as well.

You might be able to duplicate this plant stimulus with a weed whacker, I'm thinkin', or maybe a rototiller.

I'm beginning to wonder whether there is any weather information which can adequately characterize a growing season. There may be too many variables to a climate . . . Whither might one go for enlightenment?

Nevertheless . . . I was reading about grapes the other day. A climate with at least 2,000 annual Growing Degree Days was advised by the Cornell University horticulturalists.

Since blackberries seem almost "coastal" to me, I'm not sure where that might put them in the the growth and ripening scheme of things, relative to grape vines, for instance. Honestly, 20 years ago, I didn't even think that it was possible to grow blackberries in my neck of the woods. Then I begin gardening where a neighbor has blackberries.

Actually, he has blackberries that are INVADING my garden and he either has to get them under control or I may be taking them out myself!!

He has a new girlfriend and she is from western Washington. She shows not one lick of interest in these lovely, thornless blackberry vines. Between the 2 of them, they do a tragically inadequate job of providing water and lost a bush or 2 last year. I throw water in every direction and that may be why they are invading . . .

Bruce, I notice that the berries, which I can easily reach, have very little sweetness most years. Maybe they require a little more warmth than what can be provided for them here. Getting 2,000 GDD's worth of heat is just barely possible and I'm wondering if that may be true in your garden.

Steve

Okay then. I can either hope that global warming will hurry up and prolong my growing season, or I can resort to plant psychological abuse of these buggers to get them to sweeten up.

Thank you guys both for these helpful suggestions!

Surely someone else has tried these thornless seedless things?

Bruce