Yuppers. I'm growing Prime Jim this season. Pretty darned hardy. It was leaving out nicely, sending out some nice side canes when it was ravaged by either a rabbit or a rat right back down to a single cane with no leaves. Traps came out, and we surrounded it with 3' high hardware cloth. That was about 4 weeks ago, and it is again, leaving out very nicely. Amazing, I thought it was a goner. I know both Prime Jim and Prime Jan should do well here. I would certainly email the U of Ark to see if Prime Ark will also grow. I'm also trying Chester to see if it does well. Now, if we could just get a thornless, pime cane bearing blackberry that was sweet and juicy, we'd be in business!

Patty S.

Ok, so it is your first season with them. Keep us posted on how they do, especially during any hot stretches.

I planted the three varieties I've asked about last month so I'll do the same....

I'm not sure how the high temperatures and/or drought (irrigate?) will impact them, but at least you should have a long enough season to get some good production. My Prime Jan were still flowering, with lots of green berries when I got the first hard frost in November last year (SW CT, zone 6/7).

I'll defintely report back on how my Prime Jim does. And Bob for us in S. California, blooming in November will mean fruit for us in January! Yumm!! We pretty much have 12 months worth of "season".

Patty S.

Yeah Zone 10 is nice isn't it Patty? You have any tropical fruit growing? San Jose is 8b/9 but we still can grow citrus, avocados, and have a pretty long season so I can't complain.

Right now just a very small Valencia Pride Mango, a Guava of unknown variety and a White Sapote that is not looking so swell. It will most likely not make it, so I'll be replacing it. I am going to try to grow some Dragon Fruit, Cherimoya and a Payaya, just haven't had the chance to pick these up, yet. Have 6 different Pomogranates which I just planted, and are VERY happy in their location. And yes, zone 10 is a dream :-) We're just enough inland (6 miles) to be out of the marine layer for the most part, but we don't get the blistering heat inland. Vista is known as having "the best weather in the United States". They're not kidding ;-)

Patty S.

Very nice! I would suggest a Passionfruit (Frederick) as well. They put out great flowers and very tasty fruit. Have you ever checked out California Rare Fruit Growers site?

Here is a link that might be useful: California Rare Fruit Growers

Yes, I'm a CRFG member :-) I have a Passaflora vine growing down in the lower part of my yard, just not sure if it's a producing vine (variety unknown). Love the flowers, they are so pretty. It really got zapped this year from the several nights below 32 we had. It's come back, though, so I'll have to see if I have fruit from it this year. I could probably add a second vine a little further down the fenceline, and have them both grow behind my fruit trees I will be planting along the fence, too. Would be a pretty backdrop.

Patty S.