Maybe I just got a bad Victory. I got mine in either late 2011 or early 2012. I didn't make a file for it, but the first photo I have is 2012. It was a really small plant when I received it. It still has only two eyes this year. I'm very disappointed in it, espescially after how well it did at the Arboretum. Mocc has one, and it looks a lot better than mine. I'm waiting to see how hers looks this year. I went back for the Curly Fries. I still don't care for it. I skipped it again and bought a Krossa Regal instead. That's certainly a classic. bk

.... Where do you live? How big is front yard? Is privacy an issue? No privacy issue. While we can access upstairs thru this door, it will primarily be used to access storage under house/ yardwork and as access between front / back of house since length is 65 feet, a long walk around. Since we need a door and could go upstairs from it, thought to make it more 'front door' looking instead of discreet door. Attached shows traffic in / out of prior house before rebuild for us / neighboring family members, all located to the left as also is the shore. Thank you again to all who helped with their opinions !! This post was edited by Jaynes123 on Thu, Jun 26, 14 at 15:08

Joe: I cannot help you on what varieties are best for North Dakota. I would refer to the suggestions by NDSU for that. They did research years ago on what varieties are best suited for North Dakota when I used to travel out there and I assume they still do. I read your comment about the catalog descriptions on all the varieties as "wonderful" and "delicious". I have found the same thing on apple descriptions. I have seen Honeycrisp apple described as "excellent for eating and cooking". Actually it is the worst apple I have ever cooked with and will never try that again. I have seen Wealthy apple described as a good eating apple too and it is not (strictly for cooking). You have to remember that nurseries want to sell what they grow so descriptions of "fruit is mushy and bland" is not going to make sales. Also flavor is very particular to the person sampling. I would not cross the street for a Tolman Sweet apple but many find it a very good apple. It should not matter where you buy a certain strawberry plant as far as plant hardiness is concerned. Hardiness is based primarily on genetics and also climatic conditions. A Sparkle strawberry plant produced in Georgia will be no less hardy than one produced in Missouri. Do order from a reputable nursery supplier however.

I am growing seedless table grapes in zone 4b/a. My plants are in 50 foot rows planted 8 feet apart, 5 plants per row. The trellis is a Geneva double curtain (2 parallel wires, 4 feet apart @ 6 feet from the ground). Rows run North – South. Due to the cold I am growing multiple trunks to have backups in case of winter kill. I have the following questions: 1) Is there a benefit to having a fewer number of trunks in that energy more easily reaches roots? Eg. 2 trunks with 1 or 2 canes each. 4 trunks with 1 cane each. 2) Is it better to have fewer long canes or more shorter canes? Eg. 2 canes, 8 feet long each or 4 canes, 4 feet long each? Total cane lenght each (mature) plant of 16 feet. 3) General advice it to trim trunk at top wire and in next year grow a cane from trunk along top wire and then either cane or spur prune. Right now my trunk has grown up to top wire AND 8 feet along the top wire. Why can’t I just leave the whole thing as one long trunk as opposed to trimming and growing a cane to replace the potion of trunk I cut off. Something to do with the canes fruiting better right? I am going to experiment with different growing options and cane vs spur pruning. Given that I have multiple trunks I will probably try both cane and spur pruning for each plant as well as laying down the trunk vs leaving trunk exposed during winter. Now onto my training questions. I have several options. As metioned it is a Geneva double curtain running north-south with a east wire and a west wire. Option A) 1 trunk growing up to east wire and growing cane 8 feet north with other trunk growing up to east wire and growing cane 8 feet south. I would alternate plants, eg the next plant in the row will grow on the west wire. Option B) 1 trunk growing up to east wire and growing cane 4 feet north with 2nd trunk growing up to east wire and growing cane 4 feet south. 3rd trunk growing up to west wire and growing cane 4 feet north with 4th trunk growing up to west wire and growing cane 4 feet south. Option C) 1 trunk growing up to east wire with 4 foot canes growing north AND south. 1 trunk growing up to west wire with 4 foot canes growing north AND south. What do you think?