This looks like a bumper year for my Container-Raised Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries. Let me show you what the first harvest looks like from these thornless Primocane blackberries. Obviously, the berries forming now are from Floricanes (last year's canes). Sooooo, with that in mind, I STILL have the SUMMER crop that will come from the Primocanes that are growing RIGHT NOW! Again, this might be a record crop for me since I've had these Prime Ark Freedom blackberries. I'll also explain how I FREEZE my blackberries so they are not in a big clump when they come out of the freezer. They freeze (and come out) as individual berries, so they are much easier to use in recipes. Let me know how YOUR berries are doing, what variety you are raising, and what zone you are in! I finally found 10-20-10 Fertilizer like I use (35lbs) on Amazon. Here's the Link: amzn.to/44u8Xay Here are some fertilizers (in smaller quantities), that would work great on Blackberries: 15-20-10- amzn.to/4bs9exi 10-30-20- amzn.to/44xqkHJ 10-30-20- amzn.to/3ULPijl 10-30-20 (Liquid)- amzn.to/3ygpx1A Thanks, and Take care! alan As a member of the Amazon Associate Program, I earn from qualifying purchases
Please do a video on pruning after plants are done fruiting. I've got maybe one more picking and leaves are looking a little tired, etc. Just normal stuff after fruiting
Our Prime Ark Freedoms are doing great this last week or so! We just have 1, but it has several canes. … we’ve probably picked almost enough for 2 cobblers. (But we gave away most of them to people who stopped to comment on how huge our berries are.) I stuck a few in our freezer today after watching your video.
I am here in Pensacola, Florida. I have around 12 Primark freedom. In the ground and we Just picked 15 quarts of blackberries yesterday and the first year canes have just reached 7.5’ and a couple at 8’. This is an amazing blackberry bush can’t say the same for my triple crown.
That is what i am growing, Triple Crown and Prime ark freedom. I believe the pruning has a lot to do with the following year’s production because i am having many more than last year.
Oh wow! That’s great. You might want to try to prune those back a little bit. That will force them to make lateral branches. That’s where most of the berries come from is the lateral branches or canes.
I'm a bit behind you here in Arkansas. I have 5 Prime Ark Freedom plants in containers that I planted last year and they have tons of blooms and berries. None are even turning yellow yet but I look at them every day and smile... I hope the berries are as big as yours..
You are my mentor in blackberry growing. I also propagated some cuttings last year following your instructions with great success. I have harvested some berries from them this year already. I will plant them out in the fall.
My prime ark freedoms look just like yours, have picked about 8 gallons so far from 20 plants. Still have some red berries on the vines. You have taught me everything I know about blackberry growing!
Ohh wow...I'm envious you already have ripe berries. Mine are just now finishing blooming here in west Kentucky. Guess they'll be ready in about 40 days...can't wait to pick me some!!!
Nice, mine are just starting to make flowers here in Pa. I lost my first Fall crop to frost, so this will be my first harvest of Prime-Ark. Can't wait!
@@BIGALTX what surprised me with the Freedom is I have a lot of suckers coming up a good 3 feet out side the trellis in just one year. None of my florican varieties do that.
I ignored my blackberries last year and it shows but this year I have been taking care of them and it shows. I built a trellis and have cut the top off my primocanes and they are looking great. No ripe berries yet here in north Georgia but the plants are loaded with berries. Thanks for your informative videos.
My Prime Ark Freedoms are loaded and almost finished producing as we have reached 90 degrees here in south Louisiana. Had a bumper crop but I water them about every other day as we have been in an extended drought. New canes are sprouting everywhere also. Thanks for all your useful tips and info.
Wowzers Alan, these look sooo good! This is our 1st year of a real good crop, they are a bit smaller, however we are sooo excited. We have the Prime Ark Freedom And Ouchitah and I'm thinking we'll start harvesting this week or next... they are all Red and some starting to turn... Thanks for all your help! Blessings ❤
Your channel is one of the reasons I felt compelled to finally get a couple of blackberry plants after years of growing the smaller, but amazing tasting black raspberries. It's too cold here in Michigan for the Prime Ark varieties to overwinter, so I went with what I could find on sale at Home Depot (Black Satin & Chester). The plants are small, but big enough to have produced several flower buds now, so we should be able to sample some fruit this year. I would want a prolific variety & also one with superior taste/sweetness so I'm eager to find out how the 2 varieties we have now compare to each other.
Been picking for 3 weeks with the main crop coming right now. In 9a Tucson. PrimeArk Freedom, planted in 2021. Touch and go the first year. The heat. I put shade over them.
Great video. I have on your recommendation planted 5 bushes 2 years ago and this year I am getting a bumper crop😊. I love your videos they are informative and on point. Keep them coming.
I ordered 2 Prime Ark Freedom blackberry plants yesterday. You always have a positive comment about the blackberry. Hopefully next year I'll have some berries.
My Prime Ark Freedoms did great this year. I have already brewed up 3 gallons of berry wine and have 5 qts of juice ready to make jelly, cooked to large cobblers, and still have 5-6 gallons in the freezer. I am hoping to have another 2 to 4 gallons on the vine. I picked one today that was missed a couple days (extra ripe) and it tasted like wine on the vine...
I live near Chicago and my Freedom canes all get lost over winter, sometimes a couple may survive if they are laying on the ground. But they bounce back every year. I have the PrimeArk Traveler, and they survive better in the cold winters.
I am in zone 9b southeast Louisiana and my Prime Ark Freedom started ripening up a little more than 2 weeks ago. My ponca started ripening up about 4 days ago. But it is still making blooms so i have from bud to fruit. Lol.
I'm in 9b SE La too. My Arkansas Prime Traveler is two weeks behind Freedom. Traveler sends roots into the soil and spread prolifically. One has covered 8' fence. Freedom grows upright.
Lookin' good, alan! My Poncas are just starting to form this year's crop; but there are a LOT of them. Everything is still green though. My Natchez and Navajos still have blooms on them.
I've been focused on currants the past couple of years. They are established now. I am ready for blackberry project. The only question I have is, how will wild blackberries effect these blackberries. They look awesome this year. Thank you for sharing. I can reference your videos on growing blackberries. I can't wait to grow blackberries myself.
I don’t think wild blackberries have any effect whatsoever on cultivated blackberries. I have a lot of blackberries around me too. These cultivated varieties are self pollinating, so there should not be any cross-pollination.
South Florida (zone 11A) here. My Prime-Ark 45 is still producing prolifically but continues to taste bland. I pulled all the stakes out and put a large tomato cage over it. Needed my wife's help with that but it was well worth the effort. I'm going to do the same with my Freedom and Crimson Night Raspberry bush (successfully grew it to fruit). My Freedom is almost two years older but is smaller than my 45 and is just starting to flower. I'll give the 45 another year to see if they'll sweeten up and if not, out they'll go. Maybe I'll try the Traveler. I don't think Poncas will grow well here. Thanks for all your videos. They compelled me to try growing blackberries in containers among all my mangoes, avocadoes, and citrus.
Starkbros Black gems primacanes blackberries doing great first full yr green berries now its loaded, I have another 30' row of different types osage, sweetie pie, and travelers on a V trellis at 2 ft apart doubled planting its looking like a hedge now produces tons of berries. Looking forward to picking. Thanks for all the tips and tricks on the blackberries laterals it really made the difference.
thank superphos for all those berries. I took your advice on the superphos and I have a huge amount of tomato, pepper and squash blooms. Beware there are both 0-15-0 and 0-45-0.
I have gotten over a gallon size bag off the one I have so far. And the ponca is ripening up as well. I got a half of a butter bowl off it the other day.
Over the past year I've planted over 40 varieties of blackberries and raspberries, and I have to say that the flavor of PaF hasn't really impressed me. Most of my other blackberries haven't ripened yet, but of the ones that have, Obsidian have tasted outstanding and I plan on growing those from now on
I probably won’t do a “yield“ video because I just don’t weigh my berries. But I will keep that in mind. I’ll try to get an idea of how they compare and report it in a video.
I don't recall from your prior videos, but do you tip any laterals that get long? If so, what results do you have? Louisiana here with an awesome crop in my freedom and traveler coming in
Yes I do... BUT... not always... Here's what I started doing on my Primocanes (PAFs): ua-cam.com/video/yRy41bYQGOw/v-deo.html A LOT more summer production if you let the new canes (or laterals) terminate and fruit. Once it turns real hot (95 or so) they will stop blooming/fruiting.
My area has really built up residentially over the years so we don’t see very many deer. I’m sure deer would love berries and the leaves of the plants, but I don’t have any problems with them. A hot wire surrounding your berry patch would probably deter any Invading deer,
I had about 70% pollination of my prime ark freedoms this spring. Have u ever experienced this? There were 1-2 wind storms right after flowering. Could this have done it? Any thoughts?
They are called Wicking Tubs and are about 18-20 gallons. Here's how to get them: ua-cam.com/video/SlAOl995SaQ/v-deo.html Here's how to make them: ua-cam.com/video/9guNoWP8_ls/v-deo.html Here's my "Hybrid" tub: ua-cam.com/video/radHBan7-BI/v-deo.html Hope that helps, alan
Really, the best time to plant that far south would be inNovember or December. You could possibly plant them now, but you would have to make sure they have water because it’s gonna get hot soon. Worth a shot.
I got six prima cane ark freedom blackberries going here in California's central coast. Sandy soil. One grew to 74 inches and I took 20 inches off. Will 10-20-10 work for me? What about bone meal? so far no berries, a few blossoms. This is May 9, 2024.
I really don’t do anything special for birds. However, you can hang CDs or DVDs up from some wires and let them twirl in the breeze. The light reflections off the DVDs can scared the birds off a little bit. Mainly, I just try to plant enough for me and them. I guess 😊
hey my Tx fried. Blackberries remind me of my old Buddy Larry Hall RIP, up here in Brainerd, MN! I know that's living in the past. I liked that guy. We get good wild red raspberries! That's fun! Don't forget, when the cook shows eating what he cooked we appreciate that! So is you tasting blackberries! What it's like eating a blackberry! Envious and -Save America!!!
No. I wish they did. That would be a lot easier to go ahead and pick them when they are red. But no… They will not ripen any more once they are picked. I meant to say that in the video and forgot. Hopefully I will remember to do that in the next video.
No, but I have some poultry shavings that I might put on this year. They worked wonders on my onions, and I think they would be great for blackberries too. As long as I don’t overdo it.
This looks like a bumper year for my Container-Raised Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries. Let me show you what the first harvest looks like from these thornless Primocane blackberries. Obviously, the berries forming now are from Floricanes (last year's canes). Sooooo, with that in mind, I STILL have the SUMMER crop that will come from the Primocanes that are growing RIGHT NOW!
Again, this might be a record crop for me since I've had these Prime Ark Freedom blackberries.
I'll also explain how I FREEZE my blackberries so they are not in a big clump when they come out of the freezer. They freeze (and come out) as individual berries, so they are much easier to use in recipes.
Let me know how YOUR berries are doing, what variety you are raising, and what zone you are in!
I finally found 10-20-10 Fertilizer like I use (35lbs) on Amazon.
Here's the Link: amzn.to/44u8Xay
Here are some fertilizers (in smaller quantities), that would work great on Blackberries:
15-20-10- amzn.to/4bs9exi
10-30-20- amzn.to/44xqkHJ
10-30-20- amzn.to/3ULPijl
10-30-20 (Liquid)- amzn.to/3ygpx1A
Thanks, and Take care!
alan
As a member of the Amazon Associate Program, I earn from qualifying purchases
Please do a video on pruning after plants are done fruiting. I've got maybe one more picking and leaves are looking a little tired, etc. Just normal stuff after fruiting
@@EastTexasLivin ua-cam.com/video/4pTBRe4z83c/v-deo.html
Learned a lot about blackberries from this channel thank you very much and God bless you
@@michaeldiluca Thanks for the kind words... and God Bless you too !
Our Prime Ark Freedoms are doing great this last week or so! We just have 1, but it has several canes. … we’ve probably picked almost enough for 2 cobblers. (But we gave away most of them to people who stopped to comment on how huge our berries are.) I stuck a few in our freezer today after watching your video.
Hahaha.
Note to self:
Complement gardeners on their produce and they will give you free stuff.
👍🏻😎
Glad the PAF’s are working out for you! 👍🏻
Hahaha.
Note to self:
Complement gardeners on their produce and they will give you free stuff.
👍🏻😎
Glad the PAF’s are working out for you! 👍🏻
I am here in Pensacola, Florida. I have around 12 Primark freedom. In the ground and we Just picked 15 quarts of blackberries yesterday and the first year canes have just reached 7.5’ and a couple at 8’. This is an amazing blackberry bush can’t say the same for my triple crown.
That is what i am growing, Triple Crown and Prime ark freedom. I believe the pruning has a lot to do with the following year’s production because i am having many more than last year.
what's wrong with your Triple Crown?
Oh wow!
That’s great.
You might want to try to prune those back a little bit. That will force them to make lateral branches. That’s where most of the berries come from is the lateral branches or canes.
Hello neighbor! I’m in cantonment and my prime ark are doing good too!
I'm a bit behind you here in Arkansas. I have 5 Prime Ark Freedom plants in containers that I planted last year and they have tons of blooms and berries. None are even turning yellow yet but I look at them every day and smile... I hope the berries are as big as yours..
Make sure you fertilize them. 😊
You are my mentor in blackberry growing. I also propagated some cuttings last year following your instructions with great success. I have harvested some berries from them this year already. I will plant them out in the fall.
Great job!
Glad I could help 😊
My prime ark freedoms look just like yours, have picked about 8 gallons so far from 20 plants. Still have some red berries on the vines. You have taught me everything I know about blackberry growing!
So glad you’re having a great harvest, and so glad to have been of help to you. 👍🏻😊
Good results Alan, what a crop!
Thanks 👍
Beautiful, bumper crop ❤
Thanks so much!
Ohh wow...I'm envious you already have ripe berries. Mine are just now finishing blooming here in west Kentucky. Guess they'll be ready in about 40 days...can't wait to pick me some!!!
Have patience 😊
Nice, mine are just starting to make flowers here in Pa. I lost my first Fall crop to frost, so this will be my first harvest of Prime-Ark. Can't wait!
Good luck!
Let me know how they turn out!
@@BIGALTX what surprised me with the Freedom is I have a lot of suckers coming up a good 3 feet out side the trellis in just one year. None of my florican varieties do that.
@@VonFej61 They are very prolific. They reproduce themselves like rabbits.
That's one of the reasons I'm in containers...
I got the triple crown thornless that are popping off this year. Bet thing for chainlink fence loving them.
Nice!😊
Been growing Columbia Giants. Big berries. On 8 plants this year I harvested 33 lbs. in Vancouver Washington.
Wow, that’s a huge harvest! Congratulations… 👍🏻
I ignored my blackberries last year and it shows but this year I have been taking care of them and it shows. I built a trellis and have cut the top off my primocanes and they are looking great. No ripe berries yet here in north Georgia but the plants are loaded with berries. Thanks for your informative videos.
Glad it looks like you’re going to get a crop this year. Happy to help 😊
My Prime Ark Freedoms are loaded and almost finished producing as we have reached 90 degrees here in south Louisiana. Had a bumper crop but I water them about every other day as we have been in an extended drought. New canes are sprouting everywhere also. Thanks for all your useful tips and info.
Glad to share it.
We are inundated with rain for the last two or three weeks. No drought insight 😊
I have had the Prime Ark Freedom for 3 years. I am in Ohio so they are just now in full bloom. I love them.
Good to know you can raise them that far north.
Wowzers Alan, these look sooo good! This is our 1st year of a real good crop, they are a bit smaller, however we are sooo excited.
We have the Prime Ark Freedom And Ouchitah and I'm thinking we'll start harvesting this week or next... they are all Red and some starting to turn...
Thanks for all your help!
Blessings ❤
Sounds like you’re going to have a good crop. Glad I could help.
Your channel is one of the reasons I felt compelled to finally get a couple of blackberry plants after years of growing the smaller, but amazing tasting black raspberries. It's too cold here in Michigan for the Prime Ark varieties to overwinter, so I went with what I could find on sale at Home Depot (Black Satin & Chester). The plants are small, but big enough to have produced several flower buds now, so we should be able to sample some fruit this year. I would want a prolific variety & also one with superior taste/sweetness so I'm eager to find out how the 2 varieties we have now compare to each other.
Sounds like you have a plan. I hope they do well for you.
Been picking for 3 weeks with the main crop coming right now. In 9a Tucson. PrimeArk Freedom, planted in 2021. Touch and go the first year. The heat. I put shade over them.
Good to know… Thanks
Great video. I have on your recommendation planted 5 bushes 2 years ago and this year I am getting a bumper crop😊. I love your videos they are informative and on point. Keep them coming.
That is awesome!
Thanks for the kind words 😊
Hey TP2, do you have any fig trees? If you do, can you do a vid on it? Always enjoy your videos. 👍
I have a ton of fig trees. I’ve done several videos on them, but will do one soon. I think I have five or six different varieties.
I ordered 2 Prime Ark Freedom blackberry plants yesterday. You always have a positive comment about the blackberry. Hopefully next year I'll have some berries.
Right now, they are my favorite. They’re not as sweet as other varieties, but they are very prolific.
@@BIGALTXI have received my blackberries. I have my wicking tubs built. I'm looking for your planting instructions.
@@tlnelson7598 ua-cam.com/video/G-ms6GTbeVs/v-deo.html
Super great looking blacks ! Congratulations and enjoy they are my top three fruits.
👍🏻😎
My Prime Ark Freedoms did great this year. I have already brewed up 3 gallons of berry wine and have 5 qts of juice ready to make jelly, cooked to large cobblers, and still have 5-6 gallons in the freezer. I am hoping to have another 2 to 4 gallons on the vine. I picked one today that was missed a couple days (extra ripe) and it tasted like wine on the vine...
Ha ha ha… Yes, if you let them go too long, they do get a bit fermented 😊 👍🏻
Looking great mine just forming
Great!👍🏻
I live near Chicago and my Freedom canes all get lost over winter, sometimes a couple may survive if they are laying on the ground. But they bounce back every year. I have the PrimeArk Traveler, and they survive better in the cold winters.
That’s the good thing about a primocane. If they die back in cold climates, they will always produce a summer crop from their new canes.
I am in zone 9b southeast Louisiana and my Prime Ark Freedom started ripening up a little more than 2 weeks ago. My ponca started ripening up about 4 days ago. But it is still making blooms so i have from bud to fruit. Lol.
I'm in 9b SE La too. My Arkansas Prime Traveler is two weeks behind Freedom. Traveler sends roots into the soil and spread prolifically. One has covered 8' fence. Freedom grows upright.
@@nolagirlhomestead yea my freedom is growing up right as well. But its so full of berries it needs support. Lol.
That’s a great problem to have. 👍🏻😊
Lookin' good, alan! My Poncas are just starting to form this year's crop; but there are a LOT of them. Everything is still green though. My Natchez and Navajos still have blooms on them.
Looks like my Ponca berries may start to ripen in about a week or so. There are going to be a lot of them 😀
My Freedoms are loaded Naples Tx . Picked 3 gallons this week. I have the Traveler also but they are smaller and not as much vigor
Good to know. I tried travelers several years ago and was just not impressed.
Just stared getting a few berries I bought because of your videos
Well, I’m glad I could help you on your journey 😊
Berries looking good!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks for visiting
Here around Valdosta Georgia my Prime Ark Freedoms are loaded . The primocanes are even blooming at the tips of the ones I missed tipping .
NICE!! 👍🏻😎
I cut back hard in Feb. and fertilized and I am having a bumper crop this year , but it is year 2 for these Prime Ark Freedom canes !
Nice… enjoy! 😊
Grayson County, green berries not close yet. Had deer tipping my bushes
Had to look up varieties,arapaho,Ouachita and Natchez. Still envy yours😉
Thanks, hope yours do well.
I've been focused on currants the past couple of years. They are established now. I am ready for blackberry project.
The only question I have is, how will wild blackberries effect these blackberries.
They look awesome this year. Thank you for sharing. I can reference your videos on growing blackberries. I can't wait to grow blackberries myself.
I don’t think wild blackberries have any effect whatsoever on cultivated blackberries.
I have a lot of blackberries around me too.
These cultivated varieties are self pollinating, so there should not be any cross-pollination.
South Florida (zone 11A) here. My Prime-Ark 45 is still producing prolifically but continues to taste bland. I pulled all the stakes out and put a large tomato cage over it. Needed my wife's help with that but it was well worth the effort. I'm going to do the same with my Freedom and Crimson Night Raspberry bush (successfully grew it to fruit). My Freedom is almost two years older but is smaller than my 45 and is just starting to flower. I'll give the 45 another year to see if they'll sweeten up and if not, out they'll go. Maybe I'll try the Traveler. I don't think Poncas will grow well here. Thanks for all your videos. They compelled me to try growing blackberries in containers among all my mangoes, avocadoes, and citrus.
I tried to traveler, but did not care for it. Your results may be different.
@@BIGALTX Not sweet enough? Berries too small?
@@user-su5du9ln8r Just not vibrant. Didn't live... I don't think I ever got any fruit. These were in the ground when I was having gopher problems, etc
I freeze mine,, then in winter cook them for juice, seive out seeds, then freeze juice in canning jars to make jelly at my leisure.
Sounds great!
Starkbros Black gems primacanes blackberries doing great first full yr green berries now its loaded, I have another 30' row of different types osage, sweetie pie, and travelers on a V trellis at 2 ft apart doubled planting its looking like a hedge now produces tons of berries. Looking forward to picking. Thanks for all the tips and tricks on the blackberries laterals it really made the difference.
Well, I’m so glad I could help. And glad that you are loving your blackberries 😊 👍🏻
thank superphos for all those berries. I took your advice on the superphos and I have a huge amount of tomato, pepper and squash blooms. Beware there are both 0-15-0 and 0-45-0.
Good to know, thanks!
I have gotten over a gallon size bag off the one I have so far. And the ponca is ripening up as well. I got a half of a butter bowl off it the other day.
Nice!!👍🏻 😊
I’m jealous I don’t have any yet. Gonna start me some more and those dang prime ark 45’s are getting yanked out. Them thorns have done made up my mind
Thorns are the devil. 👍🏻😎
Our Ouachita are starting to turn red here in Polk County TX.
I have one Quachita plant and it’s probably going to start ripening in a week or so.
It is loaded.
I soak mine in salt water because it causes the worms to come out of the berries.Salt water also helps the worms to come out of olives, also.
Thanks for the tip!
You should get a freeze dryer for your black berries
Thanks.
I’ve thought about it 👍🏻😎
Over the past year I've planted over 40 varieties of blackberries and raspberries, and I have to say that the flavor of PaF hasn't really impressed me. Most of my other blackberries haven't ripened yet, but of the ones that have, Obsidian have tasted outstanding and I plan on growing those from now on
Very true, the freedom berries aren’t near as flavorful as some of the other varieties. But they make up for it in production… In my opinion.
I add sugar! Good for jams and pies.
Lose flavor in hybridization
My first year growing blackberry and i might get me a few berries this year. Im in zone 6a
I hope so. It will spur you on to continue 😀
Love my blackberry plants. Been picking like crazy. HOW DO YOU NOT LOSE YOURS TO BIRDS? I HAVE TO NET MINE
Oh… The birds are on them for sure. I think it’s just because I plant so much more than I need. I let the birds have their share, I guess.
You should do a comparison of fruit yield with one Ponca and one PAF. If the yield is the same then the Ponca would be my choice of the two to plant.
I probably won’t do a “yield“ video because I just don’t weigh my berries. But I will keep that in mind.
I’ll try to get an idea of how they compare and report it in a video.
Mine aren’t near that filled out but there’s lot of berries on them
foodsaver makes a vacuum seal quart/1/2gal bag that is perfect for this - no straw no guess work
Agreed. I love my food saver 😊 👍🏻
I don't recall from your prior videos, but do you tip any laterals that get long? If so, what results do you have? Louisiana here with an awesome crop in my freedom and traveler coming in
Yes I do... BUT... not always...
Here's what I started doing on my Primocanes (PAFs):
ua-cam.com/video/yRy41bYQGOw/v-deo.html
A LOT more summer production if you let the new canes (or laterals) terminate and fruit.
Once it turns real hot (95 or so) they will stop blooming/fruiting.
I planted four a couple weeks ago. Should I wait to fertilize or should I go ahead and do it?
Freshly planted berry plants need very little fertilizer. If you give them any… Don’t go crazy. Maybe a tablespoon, but not too close to the plant.
@texasprepper2 do you have any issues with deer or other animals getting into your berries and eating them?
My area has really built up residentially over the years so we don’t see very many deer.
I’m sure deer would love berries and the leaves of the plants, but I don’t have any problems with them.
A hot wire surrounding your berry patch would probably deter any Invading deer,
I had about 70% pollination of my prime ark freedoms this spring. Have u ever experienced this? There were 1-2 wind storms right after flowering. Could this have done it? Any thoughts?
Yes, windstorms can keep the bees away. I think that is what happened to a few of mine, but most of them pollinated really well.
What sort of buckets are you using for your blackberries?
They are called Wicking Tubs and are about 18-20 gallons.
Here's how to get them: ua-cam.com/video/SlAOl995SaQ/v-deo.html
Here's how to make them: ua-cam.com/video/9guNoWP8_ls/v-deo.html
Here's my "Hybrid" tub: ua-cam.com/video/radHBan7-BI/v-deo.html
Hope that helps,
alan
When is the best time to plant these in Texas? I'm on the Gulf Coast.
Really, the best time to plant that far south would be inNovember or December. You could possibly plant them now, but you would have to make sure they have water because it’s gonna get hot soon. Worth a shot.
I got six prima cane ark freedom blackberries going here in California's central coast. Sandy soil. One grew to 74 inches and I took 20 inches off. Will 10-20-10 work for me? What about bone meal? so far no berries, a few blossoms. This is May 9, 2024.
I think 10 - 20-10 will work great for you. Look below the video.
I have a link to it on Amazon if you can’t find it locally.
I don’t put seeds in my cobbler because my Nannie taught me to make it and she had dentures that the seeds would get under
I love my prime ark freedom blackberries and they are all in wicking tubs also
My wife can’t deal with the seeds either. They mess with her stomach somewhat.
How do you address birds and other pests in your patches?
I’m worried the birds will get my harvest
I really don’t do anything special for birds.
However, you can hang CDs or DVDs up from some wires and let them twirl in the breeze. The light reflections off the DVDs can scared the birds off a little bit.
Mainly, I just try to plant enough for me and them. I guess 😊
hey my Tx fried. Blackberries remind me of my old Buddy Larry Hall RIP, up here in Brainerd, MN! I know that's living in the past. I liked that guy. We get good wild red raspberries! That's fun! Don't forget, when the cook shows eating what he cooked we appreciate that! So is you tasting blackberries! What it's like eating a blackberry! Envious and -Save America!!!
Yes, I miss old Larry too. He was a wealth of information on container gardening.
Is it bad to fertilize them while they are producing.
I don’t think so.
I do it every year.
Just don’t overdo it
If you pick them early, will they ripen like a tomato?
No
No.
I wish they did.
That would be a lot easier to go ahead and pick them when they are red.
But no… They will not ripen any more once they are picked.
I meant to say that in the video and forgot. Hopefully I will remember to do that in the next video.
I almost have enough for a cobbler
The birds get mine if I leave them on there too long
Nice!👍🏻
Have you ever put Manure on your Blackberries?
No, but I have some poultry shavings that I might put on this year. They worked wonders on my onions, and I think they would be great for blackberries too. As long as I don’t overdo it.
Do you have a problem with white druplets on your berries
Sure, everybody does. My theory is that when it turns white or lighter in color it’s because an insect sucked the juice out of that druplet.
Go flat from bugs sucking juice. Im growing in cloth, 30gallon pots and i have new canes coming out of the ground as well as the pots.
Yep… Those roots will penetrate a bag and go into the ground.