Sandra: Chill hour requirements aren't set in stone. Especially in a climate like yours the only way to tell for sure is to try. Usually one can get away with higher chilling material than the numbers would indicate. To be fair to the nurseries many factors come into play. They have to list a higher number to limit liability. As they gain experience the number usually comes down, hence more than one estimate. And these low chilling plants that we are talking about are pretty adaptable. There isn't a hard number and certainly not an easily determined number that fits all situations. The timing and quality of the chilling has an effect. Those factors vary widely by location and year. There just isn't a yes or no answer, but many shades of gray.

1. I got 6 Kiowas last spring and 3 of them have very thin canes. Is this because they r still immature and should I just remove the canes this spring before they flower or go ahead and let them produce fruit? Im just not sure if u treat these plants like other fruit and let them mature before producing berries? Yes To first Question let them go ahead let fruit because there now Floricanes and don't take away from plants growth in 2012 which are primacanes. Floricanes has energy for fruiting allready so pruning will just loose fruits. Im just not sure if u treat these plants like other fruit and let them mature before producing berries? You do all pruning on Primacanes none on Floricanes until after fruiting prune hold cane from plant base. 2. I tipped the canes at about 4 ft and they only produced 1 or 2 branches and just keep growing up to 7ft. Should I cut the branches back to 18 inches or so, or just leave them be? The branches r now 3 to 4ft long. The growth change in 2012 to Dayem that plant growing on new primacane. Tip changes in south from north mountains Tiping use what called long cane practice in south because longer growing season I see V trellis in you future so hold up plants. Prune main new canes of 2012 six foot tall these fall over without V Trellis allow as grow lean onto wires this tighten wires there no need fight wire to be tight canes do that just install with slack out. Laterals use 36 inches not 18" hanging over wires this give wall berry fruits out side wire. 3. I planted them to close for comfort, 2ft apart so its a jungle in there. I also planted them next to my fence so getting behind the plants is impossible. When would be the best time to transplant them with out sacrificing a years crop from stress or that even possible? I would move half plants from fence now when new site ready mix with mature chicken litter is best out broil houses Kiowas 4 foot is tight over 8 foot loose between hedge rows 14 foot tight over 22 foot loose I've had only 4 to 6 foot alley way between Kiowa at 22 foot rows. Thin canes are from infertile soil and small crown on plants this grow out plants in one year if fertile almost impossible to grow from root cutting to thick cane in one year but after 2 years no different than big crown transplant. The reason grow long canes in South is fewer cane come up from crown like one to 3 in north mountains there 7 to 9 canes from crown so 18" applicable for lateral pruning and shorter canes at 52" top out. Just remember 2011 does not apply to practice for 2012 are 2013 after that 2014 will be same old same old etc.

For those in warmer climates worried that their fruit trees may not get enough chill, I found an excellent explanation of chill hours here: "As soon as the minimum chill requirement is reached the bud will begin growth with the next warm spell. It is the bud itself, not the trunk or roots, that must experience the chill. Researchers have determined that 'chill' involves the number of hours of exposure to temperatures below 55°F and above 33°F. (Apparently there is no chill value for time spent below 34°F.) The minimum chill requirement is the minimum number of chill hours (accumulative) that the tree must be exposed to during the winter season for proper flower bud development and subsequent fruiting. Hours spent above 60°F are subtracted. The value of chill varies with the temperature. Maximum chill is received between 36°F and 48°F. Maximum negative chill occurs above 65°F. Many authorities will explain that the year’s chill value is determined by summing up all the winter’s additions and subtractions; however that total is normally quite low. In my opinion the minimum chill requirement is like slowly adding water to a cup with a small hole in the bottom. The water is the chill hours accumulating and the size of the hole that water leaks out is the negative chill. The height of the cup represents the variety’s chill requirement. During periods of intense cold the water adds up very quickly. Once the water spills over the top all bloom and growth systems have been switched on. Growth begins during the next warm spell. By the end of winter the cup’s hole enlarges and the water is no longer near the top." http://www.lagunahillsnursery.com/gary-deciduous_fruit.htm

“Chilling” is defined as the measure of accumulated hours of temperatures below 45°F in the dormant season, so a requirement of 500 chill hours does mean a minimum of 21 days. They won't germinate while being chilled. Read http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-blackberries-seeds-54027.html In summary, they say the best time for planting out seedlings would be September, but the seed should be started 6 months prior (March) -- that's a very broad statement considering that they don't mention a growing zone. lol!