Blackberries in Zone 9?

[amandorky]

Yesterday, my boyfriend came home from Lowe's with a small blackberry bush, and a pineapple plant

Comments

[fourgotten]

I'm always amazed when people buy blackberry plants. Up here we can't get rid of them... We try... we try hard... but they are nearly impossible to clear out of an area for more than a year.

[amandorky]

I wish we had that issue! I grew up in NY, and often had raspberries and blueberries growing in the backyard. Not so much here in Central FL, though.

Probably should have mentioned the "central FL" part. It may be more the soil quality than the heat that deflects them.

[g_dawgmckickass]

I agree! I live in Washington and blackberries are weeds here. I also never understood buying a tiny little thing of berries in the store for $4 when you can go out to practically any road in the state and pick 8 gallons for free.

[amandorky]

Hehe, I actually have a friend who moved from here out to Portland, and she said that she felt a great vindication for finally being able to eat blackberries from the roadside instead of having to pony up $4 a container for them.

It hurts my heart that so many poeple think of them as weeds...of course, I also have a soft spot for dandelions, so go figure.

[knittingknots]

Counts the variety, but they are absolutely varieties of blackberries that are zone 9...grew up in New Orleans, where they grew wild all over the place ...but there are commercial cultivars, such as the Arapaho, which are available.

[i_beckygardens]

ditto:) In fact, my biggest problems is keeping them from eating my yard, they are very hardy here in New Orleans depending on the cultivars. Recently they are even coming up with raspberries that supposedly do well here, and rabbit eye blueberries have been successful for us.

My husband made a simple four cornered structure from leftover wood and we hung netting on it and stuck our bushes under there, they got plenty of sun and the birds couldn't get to them.

[amandorky]

I will take a look at which cultivar it is. It'd be cool if I could have fresh blackberries from the backyard.

[leeneh]

I'm amazed, too! I gladly pick the wild berries in the woods come August (my city-dwelling little nephews love them), but I wouldn't want a blackberry plant anywhere in my garden even should you pay me! :D

There are cultivars developed for hot climates, but I have no idea how you'd care for one (I'm in the European equivalence of USDA 7-ish, myself). Maybe our favourite search engine can help?

[amandorky]

Ahh yes, I guess I left out a crucial bit of information in that I am in central FL.
My original post had to do with the fact that I haven't really seen the more common berries growing wild anywhere around here; I think (and I could be wrong) the searing heat plus the "soil" present is too much for them. Will do some more searching.

[mallt]

I wish they grew here (zone 3) but the season's too short... I used to love going brambling in the UK. Apple & bramble crumble is one of my favourite desserts! Oh & don't get me started on cooking apples...