Yes, I agree, I have learned so much and it has definitely improved my veggies and fruit trees! Thank you so much 🙏🏼 I appreciate the detailed explanations.
@@TheMillennialGardener never. Now it makes more sense considering your occupation. I have written you many times, but your videos are tops. I continue to learn. Hope your eye is ok.
*This is exactly the type of Niche information that had me subscribe your Channel originally. Oustanding information. Your channel is totally underrated and needs double the subscribers. Don't sleep on Mllennial Gardner.*
Thank you!! I was thinking triple the subscribers 😆 I appreciate the kind words, and I’m glad you enjoy the content. Thank you for watching and for your support.
I grabbed one of these blackberries from the nursery without knowing all the details of what I'd need to prune and this info was exactly what I was looking for thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!! We got a starter plant from Sam's and it's growing wonky! The instructions just said pick the flowers and next year will have berries. Now I understand what I'm looking at and I'm grateful. I've been coming to your channel first for the last month or so when I have questions about our first garden. You have made videos for just about all of our plants. Thanks again!
I can't hit the like button enough times. How wonderful that this video comes out right as I am beginning to grow things this year. Have been thinking about blackberries for a while. This hits the spot. Thanks, buddy! Subscribed
I was literally looking at starting blue and black berry plants and this is the first video I clicked on!! So SO awesome thank you!! This is the one I'm getting FOR SURE. Since I live in Atlanta, this is gonna be perfect.
Your climate is very similar to mine. This will do well for you - probably even better than me because your summers are drier than mine. The blackberries on this variety are HUGE. I grew another variety next to this, and I must say I'm considering removing it because this one is just too good.
Found your video this morning before heading out to choose some plants for a friend, and guess what I found?!? I, obviously, bought one if these babies for myself, as well. Thanks so much!
Finally!!!!! I have sound someone in my area!! I'm in Hope Mills NC. I'm am so glad to have found you!! I just started gardening and am looking for help!
I'm glad to hear it! We're only about 90 mins apart. I've been to Fayetteville many a time. Our climates are very similar, so most of what works for me will work for you, too!
I have Arapahoe and Apache thornless varieties planted, one of each. I'm amazed at how they have grown and the production from them (soon).I planted them last year about July and moved them in September as my husband said they would need more room. He was so right! I'm in Jacksonville, NC and am praying for some rain.
Glad to hear that! Yes, it is like a desert down here in Brunswick County. I must say, I like this a lot more than a rainy pattern, though. My tomatoes have NEVER looked this good at the end of May.
Thanks for this very informative video! This is my first year growing blackberries and I just happened to choose the "prime arc" variety. Very excited!
I have PrimeArk Freedom and PrimeArk Traveler. I'm in NW Indiana and the Freedom canes are more susceptible to the cold weather. They typically don't have any canes survive winter, but they are so vigorous I still get fruit every year. The Traveler is more cold hardy and canes survive the cold. I'm going to try to let the Freedom canes drop to the ground over winter to see if they survive. Gotta pick them before the wasps come and get them. So glad I found these varieties!
LOL I ordered one as soon as you got to the 6th reason to grow it. Thanks for your post on keeping the pH around 5.5 to 5.6 for better taste. Will give that a try. I am also growing Siletz tomatoes this year thanks to your videos. They already have small tomatoes on them here in Zone 5. YAY! Tomatoes in June! Love your channel.
I’m glad to hear you’re having success with Siletz. Be sure to support it well, because it fruits so heavily, it can break its own branches. I hope you enjoy the blackberry! Thanks for watching.
You did that on Porpoise!! I like when Dale destroys his Giggle Ball .Never ever was found of most Blackberry Brambles.Never grew them because of the thorns...This AR Freedom is a winner.Hope the AR 'Steaders see this Vid Thanks for sharing
That hurt so much. I thought I had a black eye. He Sea Worlded me right in the eyeball, direct hit. You can actually hear it ricochet off my face. Thornless blackberries are where it’s at. My raspberries and tayberry are loaded with thorns, but at least they’re small. Blackberry thorns are no joke. Thanks for watching!
Just planted the Prime-Ark Traveler blackberries this spring. Unfortunately I got my order in late and Prime-Ark Freedom wasn’t available. All eight roots are off to a good start. Hoping I get similar results to yours. They look amazing!
I just received 5 Freedom blackberry plugs I'm getting ready to plant in zone 6b, Kentucky. I have very limited garden space and like the fact that these can be kept compact and still produce.. University of Arkansas recommends "tipping" the new primocane growth to promote branching, increased production and lateral branching. Great video!
That's probably a good idea, since the primocanes tend to get REALLY tall on their own. I think I have one that must be 7 feet tall. That may be something I'll do in future years to help keep the growth in check.
Love my prime ark freedoms. Recommend “topping” each cane when they get to about 3-4 feet to promote bushy lateral branches versus allowing individual canes to grow super long.
I had my first crop of Freedomberries last year. They were the second best tasting blackberries I have grown. There is a tendency for doubling of the berries if they are forming when temperatures are in the 90s F. The primocanes are usually more productive if you top them around 18 inches, early in the season. You can tell when the berries are dead-ripe when the sepals are completely dry/brown. Green on the sepals means it wants more time on the cane.
Now that I have seen how these berries grow and fruit, I will probably prune them a little differently. I didn’t prune them at all because I was unsure of their habit, but now, it makes it easier. That’s a good tip on the ripeness. This is my first time harvesting, and I’m very pleased so far!
@@Karen19820 Wild Rubus ursinus that grow along the West coast. They weigh in at 18 Brix. I found some growing wild in the yard. They are not abundant producers, and require a male plant for pollen.
Hey, I checked my blackberries today and found a few whiteflies and their "nests" on some of the tips so keep a close lookout on your plants. I'm using a neem oil + dawn liquid + water mixture to control them. It seems to be working. Good luck keeping the birds out of your fruit!
That's a good tip. I've never had any luck with neem for pest control, and in my climate, it reacts with the sun and scorches the plants. But a little spray bottle with pyrethrin works wonders.
They’re really easy to find. Lowe’s was carrying them last year for around $10, and they’re easily found online in the $10-20 range. If you have the room, I say go for it!
I am going to add these to my garden. The size of the fruit is amazing. I already get apples, strawberries, elderberries and rhubarb. Thanks for sharing.
I might have to add that plant to my list this year! My husband loves them but we were thinking raspberries first, maybe we can do both. Those huge berries were beautiful! I’d love to see an update this year on pruning and how well it produced in year 2, now that it’s established. Dale catches like Tonks 😆
The reason why I recommend this blackberry is because if you plant a Prime Ark Freedom blackberry today, you'll be eating fruit by this summer since it's a special variety that fruits on the primocanes. I do not know of any primocane-fruiting raspberries. If one exists, I'm unaware. I only know of floricane-fruiting raspberries, so it will take 2 years to get your first harvest. If you want raspberries, I suggest planting both raspberries and blackberries since this specific blackberry variety will produce right away and hold you over til the raspberries are ready next year. Does Tonks play fetch? Dale will never return. Ever. We've tried. He will catch and then play keep away only.
@@TheMillennialGardener she doesn't, though she sometimes likes to bring it back just out of reach so you have to watch her squeak it (after a good run with the toy of course). When Sirius was still with us she would fetch some because he was fetch obsessed, but now if you throw it more than a couple times she just looks at you and hides the toy (like we haven't figured out how sqeakers work). Balls and other toys that don't squeak don't interest her at all, unless it has treats inside that is, and then she loses interest as soon as they are gone.
@@SiriusScientist I know this is an old comment but I want to tell you that you have EXCELLENT names for your puppies. I hope serious is a big black one 🤣❤️
@@jenniferyoung8977 Thank you! Sirius was an enormous long haired black German shepherd (and the sweetest dog). Tonks is a border collie and crazy smart.
Growing up, we have massive amounts of blackberry bushes growing up along the border of our woods. The produced buckets full of small sweet, delicious berries mid-summer on thorny branches. It was just something I'd grown up with and took for granted, no one knows what type it was. I'm thinking maybe they were Himalayan? Based on how well they thrived 'wildly', the smaller size & how absolutely delicious they were, especially compared to anything i've bought anywhere else. For example, my grandma would make jam from them without even needing to add hardly any sugar b/c they were already super sweet. Anyway, I really wish I knew which kind they were as I've never tasted a blackberry remotely as sweet & delicious as those berries were ...
Thank you for the well inform video! I ordered mine and excited to receive it. I will be growing in containers since I am in an urban setting. What do you recommend for soil makeup?
Glad you enjoyed it! My blackberries are planted on a hill made of pure turkey compost. It provides excellent drainage yet is full of enough organic matter to hold moisture, and it’s packed with nutrients. They LOVE it. A compost hill is perfect, if you can do it. If not, well draining soil with 2-3 inches of compost and another 2-4 inches of a natural mulch works wonders.
I planted some vigor, it's almost invasive. The 2nd year canes are like tree branches and the canes that were touching the ground set roots in a few months.
I'm currently growing a thornless variety called Sweetie Pie. I set a sixteen foot cattle panel on some T post. I planted these last year and this year are loaded with berries. I can't wait till they ripen to try them. I'm also growing a thornless variety called Ponca. I'm in central Texas zone 8B.
Excellent! Given your location, it won’t be long. Hopefully, you guys aren’t getting flooded with the nonstop low pressure system that won’t leave you. We are in drought here in the Carolinas. I hope we can steal a shower or two from you.
The local weed ones here seem to grow and fruit in the same year. I chopped em all down last fall. Ate a bowl now :P This variety you are showing grows soooo big. I will have to try that one year.
Thank you. You should see him in person. Dale is so handsome it is ridiculous. He gets his own segment at the end of all my videos. He’s always a big part. If I didn’t have to work for a living, he would have his own channel!
Omg i love you already lol so i just got my first sunshine blueberry plant and my first blackberry plant. I also live in FL. Is there anything you recommend i get and use for first time growers? I also love the all organic nutrients. Im open to all and any advice that'll get me going good. Thank you for your wonderful video
Great video. My wife wanted a blackberry but we only have one extra garden bed, we have a forest yard where a lot of it is shaded. This seems perfect to fit two in there, and not waiting as long for fruits and it being so productive sounds fantastic. Question though, I am 7B north of Atlanta. We get a random night or 3 in the winter where the temp drops to 7-12 degrees, but most cold days are I'd say 30ish. Then it tends to bounce back up the next day. Do you think these need to be covered if we get a 12 degree night, or do you think they'll take the cold fine?
Prime Arc Freedom is awesome and have it growing in my yard. This is how I came across your videos, and happily subscribed to both of your channels. I was wondering if you are aware of the new thornless variety "Sweet- Ark Ponca", they say it's awesome. I thought you and others may be interested in knowing about this newest variety, and perhaps adding it to your garden, I know I will! I enjoy your videos, your great!
Thanks for subscribing. No, I have not heard of the new variety. I am pretty disappointed in my raspberry, and I'll give the plant one more season, but if it doesn't do well next year, I may remove it and replace it with another blackberry.
Thanks for this video! Lots of good information there. I just noticed my blackberries are starting to turn red this morning. I'm not sure what variety I have but they are only supposed to grow 4 to 5' tall. But they do have thorns. They do seem to fruit off of the primacanes though
I prefer summer baring that produce on 2 year old canes, they produce a lot more and generally taste better, I'm in the UK though, the blackberry plants I have (unknown variety) were growing wild outside my garden fence for at least 20 years (when I moved here), I took cuttings from them, they produce so much sweet berries and never seen any mildew/ fungus or viruses on it and no insect damage.
I got one 3-inch tall blackberry plant from the store early this year before I knew they typically only fruit on the second year. Apparently, big surprise when I saw flower buds on it last week. Guess I have the variety to give me fruits on the first year. Now it is about 5 feet tall with 7 canes in an 18” pot. I am in UP Michigan. The growing season is like 4-5 months at most. By the way, I can multiply the plant by replanting the cuttings, right?
Can you please provide an update on your BB - PAF? Have you ever thought about planting blackberries in a containers? Texas Prepper 2 has some great information on topic if interested..... I have 6 BB plants in containers, I love it.. easy and for small gardens...😊. Would like more details on maintenance of the BBS. Fungus spray, fertilizer, pruning,tipping, etc.
I'm in Seattle, and this year I will be ripping out all of my Prime Ark Freedom plants and replacing them with Columbia Star. Columbia Star is a floricane variety but the berries taste much better. It is a trailing variety, which is a growth habit I prefer as I train its primocanes on the remesh trellises I built.
Glad it was helpful! I think you'll be happy with your purchase. It may be a little late for fruit this season depending on your location, but you'll be rewarded next spring at the latest!
Your videos are the absolute best! How do you keep the birds off the blackberries? And...I have 2 of your Martinique peppers growing! They are tough to germinate and get going. Can't wait to try them!
Thank you! I don’t have a problem with birds in my area. Probably because of the way I grow. I have 3 tips to help: 1. Keep everything pruned low. Birds like being high off ground so predators can’t get them. Trellising, low-cordons and pruning things short keeps birds off, because they hate feeling vulnerable perched at ground level. Fruits high up get attacked. 2. Birds usually attack fruits for water. They get most of their food from worms and seeds. If they are pecking your fruits, they’re thirsty. Get a bird bath, keep it 20 feet away from your fruits and keep the water clean. That’ll keep the lazy birds off your fruits. 3. Add a bird feeder as a lazy food source. If you make them feel unsafe with low growing fruits, and give them an easy source or clean water and food, they’ll leave your plants alone 98% of the time. It isn’t perfect, but it’ll stop most damage.
@@TheMillennialGardener Just to add to the comment thread, if you live in an area with a lot of squirrels, do not try to appease the birds with a bird feeder. It will just attract the tree rats to your yard (they're always looking to score easy calories) and they will do far more damage to your plants than the birds ever would.
I have been growing black berries for years so far primary freedoms are my favorite variety by far. I have order some Ponca blackberries also Thornless primocanes. They are supposed to be the sweetest they have ever produced.
I've been informed about Ponca. It sounds good, but it's a floricane fruiting variety. I was hoping to find another primocane fruiter, but it seems Freedom and Traveler are the only ones widely available.
Have you noticed that the different canes look very different? The first canes are more like a runner or vine while the new growth is more upright. I got a few berries last year (first year)off the runner type stems. I didn’t know anything about how to prune so I just left them. I got a bunch off those vines this year and now those canes look like their dying. And at the same time this year the new upright canes have come up. A few got so tall they were falling over and I had to pull them up. I started noticing new blackberry clusters on the terminal ends of the lateral branches only. I checked into it and the main stems can be tipped and it will branch into lateral branches and you’ll get more berries there. Are those first running type canes done and do I need to cut them down to the ground?
Ponca is the newest release from University of Arkansas. It is hard to find, but they are saying if you like a consistently sweet variety it is the one to get. I like the traditional sweet with a little tart taste blackberry, but I'm tempted to get a Ponca for variety. I already have 5 thornless varieties that I planted this year: Navajo, Arapaho, Sweetie pie, Prime Ark Freedom and Ouachita. I haven't any production with the Prime Ark Freedom this year. All but Navajo have had decent growth but not tall growth like yours. I'm going to do a soil test to see if there is something lacking in my sandy soil. I've used plenty of arborist mulch, compost and organic fertilizer. If the soil test doesn't show anything lacking then I'll add more Holly Tone to lower the PH.
I haven't heard of this variety, but I may have to look at it. I planted a Navajo Thornless, and it did not impress me at all. I may want to replace it if it doesn't do well this next season.
I grow freedom and dozens other blackberries varieties. Freedom and Kiowa are my favorites. Kiowa are larger and the most thorny of all blackberries. Pro tip , remove the lower 3 feet of growth on the stalks. Remove all branches and leaves on the lower 3 feet.
I too love my Freedom blackberry trees. It’s so fucking dope having 18 branches stemming from a node point. No one knows these are blackberries and keep asking me what type of mulberry it is 😂😂😂
@@TheMillennialGardener The Travelers are not as large as the Freedoms but are very good sized. They are very similar plants. My leaves stayed on during the Winter as well but turned burgundy and looked great. The berries on the Travelers are smaller/normal sized,,, sweeter but less tart, and hold up to shipping a little better allegedly. I want some Freedoms to compare myself now. Lol
I put in a couple of these. I live in north GA. We get some winter nights that get down to 15 or so, very few but it happens. Do you think this will kill the primocanes? What would be the best way to protect them?
Pretty sure the lateral shoots are called "fruiting laterals" and the floricane is what you get when the primocane (usually very green) turns woody after winter. That's how it is in raspberries at least.
freedom berry is loved by the deer here in NW Pa. the 3 black gem right next to it was untouched and after them red raspberry heritage was chomped on same night. Do you leave the suckers or take the out?
9b South, 9b desert or 9b west coast? 9b west coast, blackberries should do very well. 9b South, this would probably be one of the better varieties to choose. 9b desert, I don’t have a lot of experience with.
Im 9b north central florida so very humid and buggy like your area. I have a nice squared raised garden. Looking to start some citus down one property line and so fruit on the other.
I think you’ll have better luck with the primocane fruiters. I had ripe berries in early May, so in your climate, they’ll be ripen even earlier before the humidity comes in. They’ll also likely ripen in your dry season, so sugar content will be higher (in theory). Floricane-fruiting varieties will ripen later during the rainy season, and that could be a problem for you.
Thanks! I offer fig cuttings in January during the dormant season, but that's about all. It's very difficult to package and ship live plants, so I mostly avoid it.
What are the seeds like? I usually prefer the old school wild ones for jam. The seeds are tiny, but the fruit is best in jam cuz they are pretty sour to eat from the vine.
I’ve never had wild blackberries, at least within the last 20 years, so I don’t know how these compare. These seem comparable to the seeds in blackberries from the grocery store. They’re significant and they’re definitely there, but they don’t bother me personally. If you want to make jam, I would recommend a food mill to remove the seeds.
I planted Prime Ark Freedom several years ago. It grew really well and the fruit......was just HUGE but sadly the taste was just horrible. I was really wanting to love this cultivar but after two years growing it and the taste still being horrible I had to pull it. Maybe I will give it another try in a year or two from a different seller in hopes of a better taste. Mine grew just like the one you showed, my hopes were high, maybe next time for me.
You may want to check your soil pH. What you’re describing sounds to me like the pH is off. According to the University of Florida, blackberries need a soil pH of 5.5-6.5, which is fairly acidic. If you are having issues with taste, I would bet it is either a pH issue or your soil is deficient in some kind of micronutrient. Mine taste very good, and they’re growing on top of a very well-draining, large hill of cow manure compost. edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS104#:~:text=Although%20blackberries%20do%20well%20in%20most%20soils%2C%20deep%2C,dolomitic%20lime%20with%20100%20square%20feet%20of%20soil.
I have a row of 2 blackberry varietues and raspberry shortcake. One side of the row had too high of a ph (almost 8) and the raspberry did not produce. Then I have a 2 year old thornless PimeArch 45 and thornless Marionberry. The PrimeArch has decent flavor but does not sweeten well-takes forever. The Marionberry is always tart and is best used for jams, jellies, or compote. Like apples...some varieties may be best for cooking rather than fresh eating.
How winter hardy is Prim Ark Freedom? I only ask because you said it can be grown as far north as Maine. I am in zone 6 and an experienced blackberry grower having settled on Triple Crown. The only drawback with Triple crown is that sometimes it partly winterkills. Pruning out last year's growth is not difficult at all. The old growth is easily distinguishable from current growth. Old growth is easily identified and can be removed after fruiting when it begins to yellow and fade. It's actually quite easy and one needn't wait until spring to remove the old growth. Triple Crown fruit for me is large and has a great tasting berry. The plant is deciduous here. Any blackberry will be tart if picked too soon and can happen because the berry looks fully black but is still ripening. If the berry doesn't pick with a simple tug or bend it isn't ripe and sweet but can still be picked and eaten. I noticed a lot of partially formed berries in the video. Like a lot of fruits a bit of thinning will go a long way. Fruits that are not well formed can be removed with pointed scissors, very easy to do and results is larger berries like the ones you ate from your hand. I keep seven plants under netting that is also a 30% sun screen. By far these plants do the best and there are no berries lost to birds, particularly robins, and no berries lost to sunscald. But most of the plants are out in the open. They are very fruitful but also feed the birds. I may give your variety a try. The Triple Crown are tremendously vigorous producing a prodigious amount of new growth every year. I only remove the excessive extra growth in the spring after selecting one cane per plant to retain for berry production, removing the low laterals and trimming back all laterals to about 18 inches. Generally I also need to trim the top back by a few feet so it is no more than seven feet tall. Thanks for the great video.
Great video! I love your presentations and I can only hope that I can do the same on my channel with the plants I grow! Thanks for the information filled video!
I personally enjoy the primocane fruiting varieties. They are lower maintenance, easier to prune and faster yielding than floricane varieties. I am hoping primocane fruiting types continue to expand for more options.
I have a variety called Heaven Can Wait..thornless and grows only around 4 feet tal..fruits on 2nd yr growth..easiest for me to know what to prune..last yr all the berries were rock hard though all were black and looked ready to eat..i waited and waited but fruit stayed rock hard!..it was heavy with fruit and i was so disappointed! Farmer told me it sounds like some kind of mite the gets into the flower and into the fruit..i googled it but couldnt find anything on it..can u tell me what u may know about it?
Thanks!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your support. It means a lot ❤
Within the first 3 minutes I learned more of what I needed than after an hour of skimming through other videos. Awesome 🌵
You have one of the most logical, well thought out presentation styles on RUclips. Thank you.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoy it. I am an engineer, so I think in an atypical way. I just hope I’m not too boring 😂
Yes, I agree, I have learned so much and it has definitely improved my veggies and fruit trees! Thank you so much 🙏🏼 I appreciate the detailed explanations.
@@vesperholly8285 I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks for watching my videos.
@@TheMillennialGardener never. Now it makes more sense considering your occupation. I have written you many times, but your videos are tops. I continue to learn. Hope your eye is ok.
@@TheMillennialGardener lol.... no wonder! Just brilliant delivery of info. You are a fantastic fantastic teacher. Your vids are exceptional
*This is exactly the type of Niche information that had me subscribe your Channel originally. Oustanding information. Your channel is totally underrated and needs double the subscribers. Don't sleep on Mllennial Gardner.*
Thank you!! I was thinking triple the subscribers 😆 I appreciate the kind words, and I’m glad you enjoy the content. Thank you for watching and for your support.
I agree he's a wealth of information
I grabbed one of these blackberries from the nursery without knowing all the details of what I'd need to prune and this info was exactly what I was looking for thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!! We got a starter plant from Sam's and it's growing wonky! The instructions just said pick the flowers and next year will have berries. Now I understand what I'm looking at and I'm grateful. I've been coming to your channel first for the last month or so when I have questions about our first garden. You have made videos for just about all of our plants. Thanks again!
Thank you for watching the videos. I really appreciate it! Glad they've been helpful.
I can't hit the like button enough times. How wonderful that this video comes out right as I am beginning to grow things this year. Have been thinking about blackberries for a while. This hits the spot. Thanks, buddy! Subscribed
I’m glad to hear my timing was on point! So happy you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and subbing!
I wasn't interested in blackberry at all! Now i want to grow some, and i can even get Prime Ark Freedom locally too. Another is Triple Crown.
I was literally looking at starting blue and black berry plants and this is the first video I clicked on!! So SO awesome thank you!! This is the one I'm getting FOR SURE. Since I live in Atlanta, this is gonna be perfect.
Your climate is very similar to mine. This will do well for you - probably even better than me because your summers are drier than mine. The blackberries on this variety are HUGE. I grew another variety next to this, and I must say I'm considering removing it because this one is just too good.
Thank you for the info. I’ll order the Prime-Ark Freedom variety 👍 you explained this so I could understand.
Found your video this morning before heading out to choose some plants for a friend, and guess what I found?!? I, obviously, bought one if these babies for myself, as well. Thanks so much!
This is the BEST video explaining all the details about pruning! Thank you!
Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful!
Finally!!!!! I have sound someone in my area!! I'm in Hope Mills NC. I'm am so glad to have found you!! I just started gardening and am looking for help!
I'm glad to hear it! We're only about 90 mins apart. I've been to Fayetteville many a time. Our climates are very similar, so most of what works for me will work for you, too!
I have Arapahoe and Apache thornless varieties planted, one of each. I'm amazed at how they have grown and the production from them (soon).I planted them last year about July and moved them in September as my husband said they would need more room. He was so right! I'm in Jacksonville, NC and am praying for some rain.
Glad to hear that! Yes, it is like a desert down here in Brunswick County. I must say, I like this a lot more than a rainy pattern, though. My tomatoes have NEVER looked this good at the end of May.
Thanks for this very informative video! This is my first year growing blackberries and I just happened to choose the "prime arc" variety. Very excited!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! ❤
I have PrimeArk Freedom and PrimeArk Traveler. I'm in NW Indiana and the Freedom canes are more susceptible to the cold weather. They typically don't have any canes survive winter, but they are so vigorous I still get fruit every year. The Traveler is more cold hardy and canes survive the cold. I'm going to try to let the Freedom canes drop to the ground over winter to see if they survive. Gotta pick them before the wasps come and get them. So glad I found these varieties!
I can't wait to get mine planted. I ordered the second kind you have. Thanks for the video.
Excellent! It grows very quickly. They're strong plants.
I planted 10 Nelson blackberry plants last spring, looking fwd to berries this year. I'll definitely do something like your trellis system.
Great video and thank you for the information on this awesome blackberry. Just ordered one!
Awesome! Glad it was helpful.
Thank you so much for sharing the video on blackberries . You are the best
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much for the presentation . I follow up your videos for a quite time , and they are very helpful.
Glad you like them! I really appreciate you watching.
Another great video. Very clear and informative.
Excellent information on the pruning and cane types now I feel confident to grow these. God bless Shalom
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
LOL I ordered one as soon as you got to the 6th reason to grow it. Thanks for your post on keeping the pH around 5.5 to 5.6 for better taste. Will give that a try. I am also growing Siletz tomatoes this year thanks to your videos. They already have small tomatoes on them here in Zone 5. YAY! Tomatoes in June! Love your channel.
I’m glad to hear you’re having success with Siletz. Be sure to support it well, because it fruits so heavily, it can break its own branches. I hope you enjoy the blackberry! Thanks for watching.
You did that on Porpoise!! I like when Dale destroys his Giggle Ball .Never ever was found of most Blackberry Brambles.Never grew them because of the thorns...This AR Freedom is a winner.Hope the AR 'Steaders see this Vid Thanks for sharing
That hurt so much. I thought I had a black eye. He Sea Worlded me right in the eyeball, direct hit. You can actually hear it ricochet off my face. Thornless blackberries are where it’s at. My raspberries and tayberry are loaded with thorns, but at least they’re small. Blackberry thorns are no joke. Thanks for watching!
I used a cattle panel and espaliered them. Working great!
Just planted the Prime-Ark Traveler blackberries this spring. Unfortunately I got my order in late and Prime-Ark Freedom wasn’t available. All eight roots are off to a good start. Hoping I get similar results to yours. They look amazing!
Am trying thornless triple crown black berry. Its a plant select award winner. Good for Colorado. Will keep in mind prime ark freedom. Thank you.
Thanks for watching! Best of luck with your selection.
I just received 5 Freedom blackberry plugs I'm getting ready to plant in zone 6b, Kentucky. I have very limited garden space and like the fact that these can be kept compact and still produce.. University of Arkansas recommends "tipping" the new primocane growth to promote branching, increased production and lateral branching. Great video!
That's probably a good idea, since the primocanes tend to get REALLY tall on their own. I think I have one that must be 7 feet tall. That may be something I'll do in future years to help keep the growth in check.
Love my prime ark freedoms. Recommend “topping” each cane when they get to about 3-4 feet to promote bushy lateral branches versus allowing individual canes to grow super long.
I had my first crop of Freedomberries last year. They were the second best tasting blackberries I have grown. There is a tendency for doubling of the berries if they are forming when temperatures are in the 90s F.
The primocanes are usually more productive if you top them around 18 inches, early in the season.
You can tell when the berries are dead-ripe when the sepals are completely dry/brown. Green on the sepals means it wants more time on the cane.
Now that I have seen how these berries grow and fruit, I will probably prune them a little differently. I didn’t prune them at all because I was unsure of their habit, but now, it makes it easier. That’s a good tip on the ripeness. This is my first time harvesting, and I’m very pleased so far!
Ok. What were the best tasting?
@@Karen19820 Wild Rubus ursinus that grow along the West coast. They weigh in at 18 Brix. I found some growing wild in the yard. They are not abundant producers, and require a male plant for pollen.
@@justin1730 Thanks so much. 🦋
What is your favorite blackberry?
Great video & content!!
Another awesome video, as usual!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Hey, I checked my blackberries today and found a few whiteflies and their "nests" on some of the tips so keep a close lookout on your plants. I'm using a neem oil + dawn liquid + water mixture to control them. It seems to be working. Good luck keeping the birds out of your fruit!
That's a good tip. I've never had any luck with neem for pest control, and in my climate, it reacts with the sun and scorches the plants. But a little spray bottle with pyrethrin works wonders.
Thanks for teaching about the Prime Ark Freedom blackberry. I've got Gem and I thought THEY were great, but I'm tempted by PAF. I'm near Columbia, SC.
They’re really easy to find. Lowe’s was carrying them last year for around $10, and they’re easily found online in the $10-20 range. If you have the room, I say go for it!
Really helpful presentation thanks
I am going to add these to my garden. The size of the fruit is amazing. I already get apples, strawberries, elderberries and rhubarb. Thanks for sharing.
The more the better! Thanks for watching!
Hi, how do you harvest and eat elderberries? I have heard they have to be cooked or they are poisonous?
I am definitely going to grow these. Thanks.
You won’t regret it! Thanks for watching!
I might have to add that plant to my list this year! My husband loves them but we were thinking raspberries first, maybe we can do both. Those huge berries were beautiful! I’d love to see an update this year on pruning and how well it produced in year 2, now that it’s established. Dale catches like Tonks 😆
The reason why I recommend this blackberry is because if you plant a Prime Ark Freedom blackberry today, you'll be eating fruit by this summer since it's a special variety that fruits on the primocanes. I do not know of any primocane-fruiting raspberries. If one exists, I'm unaware. I only know of floricane-fruiting raspberries, so it will take 2 years to get your first harvest. If you want raspberries, I suggest planting both raspberries and blackberries since this specific blackberry variety will produce right away and hold you over til the raspberries are ready next year. Does Tonks play fetch? Dale will never return. Ever. We've tried. He will catch and then play keep away only.
@@TheMillennialGardener she doesn't, though she sometimes likes to bring it back just out of reach so you have to watch her squeak it (after a good run with the toy of course). When Sirius was still with us she would fetch some because he was fetch obsessed, but now if you throw it more than a couple times she just looks at you and hides the toy (like we haven't figured out how sqeakers work). Balls and other toys that don't squeak don't interest her at all, unless it has treats inside that is, and then she loses interest as soon as they are gone.
@@SiriusScientist I know this is an old comment but I want to tell you that you have EXCELLENT names for your puppies. I hope serious is a big black one 🤣❤️
@@jenniferyoung8977 Thank you! Sirius was an enormous long haired black German shepherd (and the sweetest dog). Tonks is a border collie and crazy smart.
Do both, You’re not gonna live forever
Growing up, we have massive amounts of blackberry bushes growing up along the border of our woods. The produced buckets full of small sweet, delicious berries mid-summer on thorny branches. It was just something I'd grown up with and took for granted, no one knows what type it was. I'm thinking maybe they were Himalayan? Based on how well they thrived 'wildly', the smaller size & how absolutely delicious they were, especially compared to anything i've bought anywhere else. For example, my grandma would make jam from them without even needing to add hardly any sugar b/c they were already super sweet.
Anyway, I really wish I knew which kind they were as I've never tasted a blackberry remotely as sweet & delicious as those berries were ...
Does well in Southern California as well.Love your videos. Kudos
I think everything does well there 😊 From avocados to berries to peaches to tomatoes. What a great climate. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the well inform video! I ordered mine and excited to receive it. I will be growing in containers since I am in an urban setting. What do you recommend for soil makeup?
Glad you enjoyed it! My blackberries are planted on a hill made of pure turkey compost. It provides excellent drainage yet is full of enough organic matter to hold moisture, and it’s packed with nutrients. They LOVE it. A compost hill is perfect, if you can do it. If not, well draining soil with 2-3 inches of compost and another 2-4 inches of a natural mulch works wonders.
I planted some vigor, it's almost invasive. The 2nd year canes are like tree branches and the canes that were touching the ground set roots in a few months.
great just planted some
I'm currently growing a thornless variety called Sweetie Pie. I set a sixteen foot cattle panel on some T post. I planted these last year and this year are loaded with berries. I can't wait till they ripen to try them. I'm also growing a thornless variety called Ponca. I'm in central Texas zone 8B.
Excellent! Given your location, it won’t be long. Hopefully, you guys aren’t getting flooded with the nonstop low pressure system that won’t leave you. We are in drought here in the Carolinas. I hope we can steal a shower or two from you.
I live in Aransas! Hot and humid, but LOVE it! L❤ve your videos!!
The local weed ones here seem to grow and fruit in the same year. I chopped em all down last fall. Ate a bowl now :P
This variety you are showing grows soooo big. I will have to try that one year.
I am definitely getting some of these when they become available!
What a beautiful dog. He should star in every video!
Thank you. You should see him in person. Dale is so handsome it is ridiculous. He gets his own segment at the end of all my videos. He’s always a big part. If I didn’t have to work for a living, he would have his own channel!
Omg i love you already lol so i just got my first sunshine blueberry plant and my first blackberry plant. I also live in FL. Is there anything you recommend i get and use for first time growers? I also love the all organic nutrients. Im open to all and any advice that'll get me going good. Thank you for your wonderful video
I.ve never had a thornless berry that compares with the taste of our wild blackberries. I will have to try them.
Great video. My wife wanted a blackberry but we only have one extra garden bed, we have a forest yard where a lot of it is shaded. This seems perfect to fit two in there, and not waiting as long for fruits and it being so productive sounds fantastic. Question though, I am 7B north of Atlanta. We get a random night or 3 in the winter where the temp drops to 7-12 degrees, but most cold days are I'd say 30ish. Then it tends to bounce back up the next day. Do you think these need to be covered if we get a 12 degree night, or do you think they'll take the cold fine?
Prime Arc Freedom is awesome and have it growing in my yard. This is how I came across your videos, and happily subscribed to both of your channels. I was wondering if you are aware of the new thornless variety "Sweet- Ark Ponca", they say it's awesome. I thought you and others may be interested in knowing about this newest variety, and perhaps adding it to your garden, I know I will! I enjoy your videos, your great!
Thanks for subscribing. No, I have not heard of the new variety. I am pretty disappointed in my raspberry, and I'll give the plant one more season, but if it doesn't do well next year, I may remove it and replace it with another blackberry.
Just bought a ARKANSAS. I'm glad I watch your video.
Which variety? They have a few. This is Freedom.
Yea. So gonna get the prim ark freedom BlackBerry thanks and of course best to Dale
Dale says hello! I’m trying to get him into blackberries, but the texture is throwing him off. He is such a good eater 😆
YOU ARE AN AMAZING TEACHER!🌻
❤FROM DALLAS TEXAS
Thanks for watching!
Looking forward to you follow up irrigation videos!
I’ll have the next one up probably within 7-10 days. Thanks for watching!
Awesome, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video! Lots of good information there. I just noticed my blackberries are starting to turn red this morning. I'm not sure what variety I have but they are only supposed to grow 4 to 5' tall. But they do have thorns. They do seem to fruit off of the primacanes though
Could it be Prime Ark 45? That is a thorned primocane-fruiting variety. The other two Prime Ark’s (Freedom and Traveler) are thornless.
@@TheMillennialGardener I really don't remember...I think I got them from stark brothers...I'll have to see if I kept the receipt.
I’d put my money on the 45’s 😎
I prefer summer baring that produce on 2 year old canes, they produce a lot more and generally taste better, I'm in the UK though, the blackberry plants I have (unknown variety) were growing wild outside my garden fence for at least 20 years (when I moved here), I took cuttings from them, they produce so much sweet berries and never seen any mildew/ fungus or viruses on it and no insect damage.
You are awesome!!!
I got one 3-inch tall blackberry plant from the store early this year before I knew they typically only fruit on the second year. Apparently, big surprise when I saw flower buds on it last week. Guess I have the variety to give me fruits on the first year. Now it is about 5 feet tall with 7 canes in an 18” pot. I am in UP Michigan. The growing season is like 4-5 months at most. By the way, I can multiply the plant by replanting the cuttings, right?
Can you please provide an update on your BB - PAF? Have you ever thought about planting blackberries in a containers? Texas Prepper 2 has some great information on topic if interested..... I have 6 BB plants in containers, I love it.. easy and for small gardens...😊. Would like more details on maintenance of the BBS. Fungus spray, fertilizer, pruning,tipping, etc.
great job in information and movie
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it.
Sold! Ark Freedom needs to sponsor you!
I'm in Seattle, and this year I will be ripping out all of my Prime Ark Freedom plants and replacing them with Columbia Star. Columbia Star is a floricane variety but the berries taste much better. It is a trailing variety, which is a growth habit I prefer as I train its primocanes on the remesh trellises I built.
Thanks for the very informative content. A purchase was made within 5 mins of finishing the video! 😂
Glad it was helpful! I think you'll be happy with your purchase. It may be a little late for fruit this season depending on your location, but you'll be rewarded next spring at the latest!
Your videos are the absolute best! How do you keep the birds off the blackberries? And...I have 2 of your Martinique peppers growing! They are tough to germinate and get going. Can't wait to try them!
Thank you! I don’t have a problem with birds in my area. Probably because of the way I grow. I have 3 tips to help:
1. Keep everything pruned low. Birds like being high off ground so predators can’t get them. Trellising, low-cordons and pruning things short keeps birds off, because they hate feeling vulnerable perched at ground level. Fruits high up get attacked.
2. Birds usually attack fruits for water. They get most of their food from worms and seeds. If they are pecking your fruits, they’re thirsty. Get a bird bath, keep it 20 feet away from your fruits and keep the water clean. That’ll keep the lazy birds off your fruits.
3. Add a bird feeder as a lazy food source.
If you make them feel unsafe with low growing fruits, and give them an easy source or clean water and food, they’ll leave your plants alone 98% of the time. It isn’t perfect, but it’ll stop most damage.
Use bird netting.
@@TheMillennialGardener Just to add to the comment thread, if you live in an area with a lot of squirrels, do not try to appease the birds with a bird feeder. It will just attract the tree rats to your yard (they're always looking to score easy calories) and they will do far more damage to your plants than the birds ever would.
I have been growing black berries for years so far primary freedoms are my favorite variety by far.
I have order some Ponca blackberries also Thornless primocanes. They are supposed to be the sweetest they have ever produced.
I've been informed about Ponca. It sounds good, but it's a floricane fruiting variety. I was hoping to find another primocane fruiter, but it seems Freedom and Traveler are the only ones widely available.
@@TheMillennialGardener oh no the are..... Freedoms are the black berry king still then lol
I'm in the same zone as you are, can I put these in the ground now? I thought about putting one in a pot and 2 in the ground tomorrow.
Hi! How we should cut the additional branches and canes of blackberry?
Would you please do a video like this for growing grapes and muscadines in the South?
I just planted my first grape root 2 months ago, so it isn't quite at that point yet. I may be able to next year once it ages some.
Have you noticed that the different canes look very different? The first canes are more like a runner or vine while the new growth is more upright. I got a few berries last year (first year)off the runner type stems. I didn’t know anything about how to prune so I just left them. I got a bunch off those vines this year and now those canes look like their dying. And at the same time this year the new upright canes have come up. A few got so tall they were falling over and I had to pull them up. I started noticing new blackberry clusters on the terminal ends of the lateral branches only. I checked into it and the main stems can be tipped and it will branch into lateral branches and you’ll get more berries there.
Are those first running type canes done and do I need to cut them down to the ground?
Ponca is the newest release from University of Arkansas. It is hard to find, but they are saying if you like a consistently sweet variety it is the one to get. I like the traditional sweet with a little tart taste blackberry, but I'm tempted to get a Ponca for variety. I already have 5 thornless varieties that I planted this year: Navajo, Arapaho, Sweetie pie, Prime Ark Freedom and Ouachita. I haven't any production with the Prime Ark Freedom this year. All but Navajo have had decent growth but not tall growth like yours. I'm going to do a soil test to see if there is something lacking in my sandy soil. I've used plenty of arborist mulch, compost and organic fertilizer. If the soil test doesn't show anything lacking then I'll add more Holly Tone to lower the PH.
I haven't heard of this variety, but I may have to look at it. I planted a Navajo Thornless, and it did not impress me at all. I may want to replace it if it doesn't do well this next season.
Nice video. How do you keep birds from eating your berries?
I grow freedom and dozens other blackberries varieties. Freedom and Kiowa are my favorites. Kiowa are larger and the most thorny of all blackberries. Pro tip , remove the lower 3 feet of growth on the stalks. Remove all branches and leaves on the lower 3 feet.
I too love my Freedom blackberry trees. It’s so fucking dope having 18 branches stemming from a node point. No one knows these are blackberries and keep asking me what type of mulberry it is 😂😂😂
You mean 3 ft , not three inches? Just want to make sure before I prune this year
What are the reasons for planting them in hilled up or mounded up dirt rather than flat or level ground?
I have the Prime Ark Traveler.
It is amazing as well so far.
Excellent to hear! Are they large berries? These are big. Definitely larger than what I’ve gotten at the grocery store.
@@TheMillennialGardener
The Travelers are not as large as the Freedoms but are very good sized.
They are very similar plants. My leaves stayed on during the Winter as well but turned burgundy and looked great.
The berries on the Travelers are smaller/normal sized,,, sweeter but less tart, and hold up to shipping a little better allegedly.
I want some Freedoms to compare myself now. Lol
@@great0789 That's what happened to mine. They were a nice purple color. Almost wine-like. As soon as the frosts stopped, they turned green.
@@TheMillennialGardener
Yep! Sounds the same. They can look great in an otherwise dead landscape.
How can you grow the black berry sweet? What kind of fertilizer do you apply?
How do these varieties compare to the Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry? Just bought 3 small ones this year.
I put in a couple of these. I live in north GA. We get some winter nights that get down to 15 or so, very few but it happens. Do you think this will kill the primocanes? What would be the best way to protect them?
Pretty sure the lateral shoots are called "fruiting laterals" and the floricane is what you get when the primocane (usually very green) turns woody after winter. That's how it is in raspberries at least.
Thanks for watching!
My prime ark freedom rhizomes spread everywhere so I'm trying it in containers. Just a heads up.
Great!
Thanks for watching!
I’m growing them! Woo! We’ve been eating them! Yay! I picked the right ones. 🤩 I liked the name. It said Transformers Save America to me.
Glad to hear you're enjoying them. Thanks for watching!
freedom berry is loved by the deer here in NW Pa. the 3 black gem right next to it was untouched and after them red raspberry heritage was chomped on same night. Do you leave the suckers or take the out?
Great video im in 9b and looking to expand in to berries.
9b South, 9b desert or 9b west coast? 9b west coast, blackberries should do very well. 9b South, this would probably be one of the better varieties to choose. 9b desert, I don’t have a lot of experience with.
Im 9b north central florida so very humid and buggy like your area. I have a nice squared raised garden. Looking to start some citus down one property line and so fruit on the other.
I think you’ll have better luck with the primocane fruiters. I had ripe berries in early May, so in your climate, they’ll be ripen even earlier before the humidity comes in. They’ll also likely ripen in your dry season, so sugar content will be higher (in theory). Floricane-fruiting varieties will ripen later during the rainy season, and that could be a problem for you.
Great video. Do you sell cuttings or plants?
Thanks! I offer fig cuttings in January during the dormant season, but that's about all. It's very difficult to package and ship live plants, so I mostly avoid it.
What are the seeds like? I usually prefer the old school wild ones for jam. The seeds are tiny, but the fruit is best in jam cuz they are pretty sour to eat from the vine.
I’ve never had wild blackberries, at least within the last 20 years, so I don’t know how these compare. These seem comparable to the seeds in blackberries from the grocery store.
They’re significant and they’re definitely there, but they don’t bother me personally. If you want to make jam, I would recommend a food mill to remove the seeds.
These produce heavily for us on the Gulf coast and they are delicious.
Glad to hear! Hope you guys dry out, soon!!!
Can someone recommend what gallon size container is suitable for a mature black berry plant?
I planted Prime Ark Freedom several years ago. It grew really well and the fruit......was just HUGE but sadly the taste was just horrible. I was really wanting to love this cultivar but after two years growing it and the taste still being horrible I had to pull it. Maybe I will give it another try in a year or two from a different seller in hopes of a better taste. Mine grew just like the one you showed, my hopes were high, maybe next time for me.
You may want to check your soil pH. What you’re describing sounds to me like the pH is off. According to the University of Florida, blackberries need a soil pH of 5.5-6.5, which is fairly acidic.
If you are having issues with taste, I would bet it is either a pH issue or your soil is deficient in some kind of micronutrient. Mine taste very good, and they’re growing on top of a very well-draining, large hill of cow manure compost.
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS104#:~:text=Although%20blackberries%20do%20well%20in%20most%20soils%2C%20deep%2C,dolomitic%20lime%20with%20100%20square%20feet%20of%20soil.
Same issue with the taste here, in SoCal zone 8b! Thank you for your reply, Millennial Gardener! I will look at the pH.
Same here. Deep East Texas. Tons of large berries that taste horrible. My supplier said ph 6.5 to 6.8. Looking for answers.
I have a row of 2 blackberry varietues and raspberry shortcake. One side of the row had too high of a ph (almost 8) and the raspberry did not produce. Then I have a 2 year old thornless PimeArch 45 and thornless Marionberry. The PrimeArch has decent flavor but does not sweeten well-takes forever. The Marionberry is always tart and is best used for jams, jellies, or compote. Like apples...some varieties may be best for cooking rather than fresh eating.
any suggestion on where I can find them?
Where did you get your Blackberry bush? I’m in NC (East coast) as well and would love that same variety!
Cattle panels are best support for vines 😊
How winter hardy is Prim Ark Freedom? I only ask because you said it can be grown as far north as Maine. I am in zone 6 and an experienced blackberry grower having settled on Triple Crown. The only drawback with Triple crown is that sometimes it partly winterkills. Pruning out last year's growth is not difficult at all. The old growth is easily distinguishable from current growth. Old growth is easily identified and can be removed after fruiting when it begins to yellow and fade. It's actually quite easy and one needn't wait until spring to remove the old growth.
Triple Crown fruit for me is large and has a great tasting berry. The plant is deciduous here. Any blackberry will be tart if picked too soon and can happen because the berry looks fully black but is still ripening. If the berry doesn't pick with a simple tug or bend it isn't ripe and sweet but can still be picked and eaten.
I noticed a lot of partially formed berries in the video. Like a lot of fruits a bit of thinning will go a long way. Fruits that are not well formed can be removed with pointed scissors, very easy to do and results is larger berries like the ones you ate from your hand.
I keep seven plants under netting that is also a 30% sun screen. By far these plants do the best and there are no berries lost to birds, particularly robins, and no berries lost to sunscald. But most of the plants are out in the open. They are very fruitful but also feed the birds.
I may give your variety a try. The Triple Crown are tremendously vigorous producing a prodigious amount of new growth every year. I only remove the excessive extra growth in the spring after selecting one cane per plant to retain for berry production, removing the low laterals and trimming back all laterals to about 18 inches. Generally I also need to trim the top back by a few feet so it is no more than seven feet tall.
Thanks for the great video.
Will you show how you prune to make the bush as everbearing as possible yet not too out of control size wise?
I will probably make a pruning video in the fall once we get a frost.
Great video! I love your presentations and I can only hope that I can do the same on my channel with the plants I grow! Thanks for the information filled video!
I love PA Freedom but I think Ouchita is better. I bought Ponca this year so I am excited about that. My vigor production king is triple crown.
I personally enjoy the primocane fruiting varieties. They are lower maintenance, easier to prune and faster yielding than floricane varieties. I am hoping primocane fruiting types continue to expand for more options.
I have a variety called Heaven Can Wait..thornless and grows only around 4 feet tal..fruits on 2nd yr growth..easiest for me to know what to prune..last yr all the berries were rock hard though all were black and looked ready to eat..i waited and waited but fruit stayed rock hard!..it was heavy with fruit and i was so disappointed! Farmer told me it sounds like some kind of mite the gets into the flower and into the fruit..i googled it but couldnt find anything on it..can u tell me what u may know about it?
I'm sold.