MK I am in zone 5 in northern Ohio. I have Triple Crown, Chester (for 7 years), Illini Hardy, Prime Jan (2nd year from Nourse)and last year added a Nelson's and Borderland Beauty from Fedco Trees. Last year, I had the best production from my Triple Crowns and Chesters ever. I was ready to replace them because of the lack of production from the freezing off, but last year must have been a milder spring with no late frosts, because they were very productive. I am going to give them another year. I am not a fan of the Prime Jan for our area thus far. The plants have been vigorous, but the ripening is very late and don't get enough berries and then frost hits and there are still blossums and unripened berries.

Primocane blackberries do not like high heat and I think Prime Jim is the most sensitive to heat. I have Prime Jan and Ark 45 and the Prime Jan is the better performer for me. If the price is right give it a try. I wonder if by cutting down the canes in winter and forcing new canes to grow would negate your chilling problem.

Hi...i got several of the Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries, one plant has been in the ground 2 years the other 2 just since this March.......the newly planted one is growing rather good with 1 Blackberry almost ready to pick , however that is it for the plant as i'm assuming these are Primocanes, unless these are laterals off off the Floricanes ? This was a 2 inch plug i got there was very little growth so all this green growth i would assume is just laterals but as far as the rest of the season goes since this is a double cropping blackberry and like a Raspberry the Fall Crop would be on the tips of the Primocanes. I'm not that familiar with this cultivar at all, and or it's growth habits, i got lots of suckers that have emerged as new plants so i'm thinking eventually the fruiting laterals and buds will show up on those. If anyone has this variety familiar with the Summer and Fall Crop and about when the summer crop starts and when the Fall Crop starts i'm in New York ....Zone 7. Here's a pic of my first Freedom Blackberry As you can see the cane growing here is almost parallel with the ground with just one Berry at the tip, i'm wondering will i get more berries on the rest of this cane this Fall or have to prune it just below the fruited portion of the cane here, or is it a lateral coming out of the crown not sure. This pic shows the whole plant with the Primocane about 30 inches tall, the one on bottom and right could be a lateral off Floricane at base or a Primocane that grew weird like that As you can see the cane growing here is almost parallel with the ground with just one Berry at the tip, i'm wondering will i get more berries on the rest of this cane this Fall or have to prune it just below the fruited portion of the cane here, or is it a lateral coming out of the crown not sure. Any and all help is welcome

New to blackberries. Bought a thornless, long-caned variety at Home Depot 4-5 yrs ago, put them in the ground and didn't care for them at all. They survived, producing 2-3 berries/yr so this year finally decided to do it right, planted them properly in good holes, irrigated (tho' not necessary given this years very wet spring/summer in West Hawai‘i) but man oh man, are they doing well - in just 6 weeks in the ground they've produced ~20 berries (huge, as big as my thumb!), with 30+ more to go. And the new canes - kid you not - some of them are over 15 feet (yes, FEET) tall and this is my question - have I screwed up here by not trimming these long, long canes? I'm keeping them from touching the ground with a simple trellis, suspending them from overhead, but should I have trimmed them shorter to produce more side growth; and is it too late to do this now. I've actually measured several of the long canes and see them growing up to 4 inches/day. Thanks.