I had the same problem with arapaho and navaho. I ended up pulling them and putting in triple crown. Even with T.C. the druplets need to be very plump before you pick them for them to be sweet.

I'll have to try making jam out of Royalty next year. They are pretty mediocre for fresh eating. Since the problem is a lack of tartness/flavor, I had assumed that it would make even more boring jam. But, they are very productive and finish just before SWD starts to hit. Triple Crown are great, but the 2nd half gets hit by SWD for me. I'm not sure how it would be in Virginia (faster berries, and faster SWD?). I have a potted Marion, which gave me a handful of sweet flavorful berries. But, as it is fully trailing and thorny, I imagine it would be fairly high maintenance, similar to Boysenberry. Speaking of Boysenberry, I've had professionally made jams from it which were very good. I'd love to produce enough to make my own. When the spring is long and warm (2013, I think), they were great right off the bush, probably the best, extremely flavorful, berry I've had. But this past year they weren't all that good- pretty sour to eat fresh. They are also a lot of work to tie up (sharp thorns too), so I'm not sure how long I'll keep growing them.

Berries will be somewhat different each year depending upon how much rain and heat that you get. I believe blackberries are tarter than 'tame' raspberries. Wild berries are usually more 'intense' or concentrated taste than the tame or domesticated berries, but the wild ones will survive better than the tame ones. Marla

I knew this name sounded familiar... Marion Berry : marionberry : and then who could forget Marion Barry : LOL (-: