I really like this thread, as I am especially interested in blackberry flavor. Ouchita - planted as a large specimen in 2014. Vigorous, upright grower, throwing canes 10' in the air. It is also suckering like crazy, up to 10' feet away, which I view as a plus. Earliest fruit for me this year, mid June and is finishing now, with no more unripe berries left on the bush. I may be harvesting early, but I find this one quite sour. Chester - planted in 2014, only the roots survived an early frost. It recovered extremely well and is another vigorous grower. It has been tip-rooting and I have about four new plants out of that. The fruit is ripening in the last week of June and I expect to continue through the first few weeks of July, based on the unripe berries on the plant. These harvest sweet than Ouchita. Neither have much flavor beyond sweet / sour. I planted Black Satin and Apache this year on a hill in partial shade, we'll see how they do. Apache's first cane bore a lot of fruit this year, nothing outstanding in the flavor department.

Zen, Being the scientist I am, I went on google scholar to find out what I could about the use of Glomus Intradices in tomatoes. I found a publication that you might be interested in. All I could obtain was the abstract. The peer reviewed scientific study was published in the journal Biological Control, vol 5, issue 3. The title of the publication is "Biological Control of Fusarium Crown and Root Rot of Tomato in Florida Using Trichoderma harzianum and Glomus intraradices." I could not get the full text version, but I can post the abstract: "Field experiments were conducted to evaluate commercial formulations of two beneficial fungi, Trichoderma harzianum and Glomus intraradices, for the control of Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici. Tomato seeds cv. "Sunny" were planted into soil nonamended or amended with the biocontrol agents, the former treatment serving as the control. After 6-7 weeks, plants were transplanted into beds fumigated with methyl bromide-chloropicrin in commercial tomato fields with a previous history of Fusarium crown and root rot. Disease incidence and severity were recorded at harvest maturity. Large and extra-large fruits (greater than or equal to 6.27 cm) also were harvested, counted, and weighed at maturity. Total marketable fruit yield was also determined. Compared to the controls, significant decreases in disease incidence were obtained with treatments of T. harzianum (1993), G. intraradices (1991), and T. harzianum + G. intraradices (both years). Significant decreases in disease severity were obtained with the treatments of T. harzianum (1993), G. intraradices (1991), and T. harzianum + G. intraradices (1993). Yields of large and extra-large fruit or total marketable yield were not significantly different over the controls. These data suggest that commercial biological control agents may be effective in reducing Fusarium crown and root rot and that further evaluation of these agents is justified." From that I take it that if fusarium wilt is a concern for you in tomatoes, that you could find significant resistance by using this Glomus Intradices laced product. Makes me go mmmm.

Jim Kohut describes Morden 9703 (S16) - A recently introduced (and as of yet unnamed) hybrid from Eastern Europe, this is undoubtedly the hardiest green table grape you'll find. Produces absolutely enormous clusters of large green grapes that are incredible for fresh eating, especially if left to ripen on the vine into fall - these will rival any table grapes you'll find in the store! Hard to find in the trade. Marginally hardy in zone 3 - may need some winter protection." Make it Green garden center lists it, whether it is what they say it is is another matter. The front here would be Prairie Star but I was busy and the vines co mingled together...I did trim a few times but the wet summer created a lot of vigor. The clusters look good but I will have to follow the cordons back as they should not be colouring. If they are they would most likely would be the Frontenac if the clusters continue to change colour. There was no die back anywhere but this was an unusually mild winter. Probably could be described as a zone 4 rating. Frontenac on the left.

Gary, the longan is one fruit I did not much care for while in Thailand. They were quite bland and more "musky"...to me. Of course my wife and mother-in-law thought I was crazy. I've tasted Eggo's and his was more sweet than what I've had in Thailand. As for the humidity in Thailand? It's been awfully humid everywhere I've been. Not real sure about the cooler northern regions but have to imagine it's humid everywhere. So I too believe that they shouldn't be affected by humidity or they wouldn't be growing as well as they do in Florida. Humidity was one of my concerns for my lychee but that can't be either. The tree once thrived in the humidity. It still seems to be on the decline by-the-way. Real bummer. I may just dig it out and put it in a container and see what happens. If anyone thinks of a magic bullet, please let me know! Going to try a compost tea today or does anyone believe I should put it in a container as soon as possible?