TIVO,

I am exhausted just from reading all the complicated things you've done and are concerned about. My basic approach to ANY thing in life has always been to do it as simply and cheaply as possible. There is a simple thing you can do, which will not cost you one cent, that will make Every Single One of These irrelavant.

I used generic potting soil from wal-mart, so I am not sure about the level of nutrients in the soil.

I also mixed in a little bit of coffee grounds and composted cow manure, so I probably (i just learned) inadvertently temporally reduced the amount of what ever available soluble nitrogen was available.

(I was smart enough to mix in extra perlite b/c blackberries need more drainage than most other plants.)

Any way, I have 10 newly potted blackberry plants. I was wondering if I should use Miricle-Gro Quikstart Transplant Solution (or any other brand).

Do I risk root burn if I use this before the plants have a chance to get over the shock of shipping and planting? or will it help reduce the shock as advertised?

If I leave the plants alone (except for watering of course) will it be awhile before the plants even need available NPK? Do you think the available soluable NPK already in the soil is adequate until the plants show growth?

I am also considering putting in plant food spikes (about half or less the recommended amount until growth starts) b/c of the slower release. The small amount b/c it's mostly root and small stems and the desire to "do no harm."

What do you all suggest?

Here is what I suggest: Simply put a layer of grass clippings on top of whatever soil you have in the pots. (I would have used plain old soil from my yard, which is free!)
The grass clippings will:
1. provide all the nutrients your blackberries neeed. Ive had thornless blackberries for 32 years, in the ground. The only "fertilizer" they've gotten is grass clippings- with maybe an occassional banana peel or other kitchen scrap.
2. Make any worries about fertilizer burn- simply Can't happen with them- or nutrient deficiencies a thing of the past.
3. Let you go longer between waterings, because they keep the soil much cooler and moister.
4. Prevent weeds, which can come up even in pots.

A couple of tips on using the clippings in the pots. (And later when the berries are in the ground.)
1. Don't let the clippings actually touch the stems of the berries, especially fresh clippings. All the moisture in them could rot the stems, though blackberries are just about impossible to kill.
In the pots, you can make small collars from yogurt cups or something similar to put aruond the stems.
2. Always water before you appply clippings, so they can "lock in" the moisture. This holds true in the ground, too, but is even more important in fast-drying-out pots.
Then try not to get the clippigns wet for a while, till they've dried. It wouldn't hurt your plants one bit, but they might smell a little.

Oh, I'm curious why you think blackberries "need more drainage than most other plants?" I have heavy clay soil, and they've done just fine. In fact, many people are afraid to grow blackberries, cause they are so hardy and "take over the yard." (On that, if you'd like to know a way to keep that from happening, post a question.)
Oh, I hope you didn't pay extra to get Ten plants? The way blackberries spread, believe me, One would be sufficient. Ive given away hundreds of plants to other local gardeners over the years.
Tyrell

that's are not wild black berries. Wild blackberries spread like weeds, b/c that is what they are!

The grass clippings will not make nitrogen available. Sure there is plenty of nitrogin in grass clipping, but it's the wrong kind. The compounds which contain nitrogen need to be broken down. As a matter of fact, puting organic nitrogen compounds in, will actually temporarly reduce the amount of inorganic nitrogin compounds available. It's the inorganic that are water soluable and is what plants need.

This should not be that complicated if you graduated from a good highschool. I just read a few short articles in the internet. see http://www.bostongardens.com/bostongardens/detail.cfm?id=1186&catid=14&webid=1 If we kept things too simple, we would not be even be able to share this forum together.

"This should not be that complicated if you graduated from a good highschool. I just read a few short articles in the internet. see"

Well, I not only graduated from a very good highschool, but got As in chemistry in both highschool and college. And yes, there is TONS of "information" on the net, but absolutely no assurance one word of it is accurate.

"The grass clippings will not make nitrogen available. Sure there is plenty of nitrogin in grass clipping, but it's the wrong kind. The compounds which contain nitrogen need to be broken down. As a matter of fact, puting organic nitrogen compounds in, will actually temporarly reduce the amount of inorganic nitrogin compounds available. It's the inorganic
that are water soluable and is what plants need."

I'm not sure I even understand what this is supposed to mean, but there is One Simple Way to tell if grass clippings "reduce the amount of inorganic nitrogen" to plants: Look At the Effect on the Plants!
Unless some truly bizarre condition exists in your soil, like you live at Love Canal or a nuclear waste site, your plants will Grow Like Crazy after you apply grass clippings. And the new growth will be a very healthy, dark green.
Gee, I've only been Using grass clippings since 1972, and never bought or applied one penny's worth of any other fertilizer since! How many more years must I do this to be able to know for sure that grass clippings supply all the nitrogen plants need, not to mention every other nutrient?
People can, and will, post all kinds of opinions and supposed facts on the boards. Even books often contradict one another. That's why I adopted the attitude many years ago of "I'll believe it when I Try It and see if it works."
Try the clippings and you will see your plants show not the slightest symptoms of nitrogen deficiency.

Tyrell

Whee! All this worry over feeding plants when the question that I would want to have an answer to is why the plants were still bare-root in August? Tell me which plant source shipped bare-root plants in August so I can avoid them. I know that isn't helpful now, but just might be for future reference. I'm in zone 6 and wouldn't want them shipped to me later than early to mid april.

I ordered 6 Blackberry plants through Spring Hill, and I'm still waiting for my order. Amyway, is it too late to plant them here in South Carolina?
Appreciate any additional help other than what I read.
THANX!
johnjdrake@comporium.net

It is a bit late for shipping of bare roots but some places actually have chilled storage for bareroots that are kept dormant until shipped. Your plants may not be bareroot though (ie., they may be potted or were potted and removed from pots for shipping and may be leafing out), but based on your post, that info isn't readily known. In any case, when they come in, you may want to prepare where you are going to plant them permanently and give them a couple days in the shade to acclimatize. Then plant, making sure you water them in well. You can check out the Fruits and Orchards forum for more info on care.