Thorny or thornless cane fruit?

[Philthy]

Having not grown either and wondering where to start, what are the pros / cons of each type? I'm interested primarily in raspberries. But loganberry also. I would assume that there would be more choice amongst the traditional thorny strains..?
Am I correct in thinking raspberries don't mind a little shade and will still crop well?
Any recommendations?

Thanks as always.

[Martin H]

For thornless raspberries, I really rate Glen Ample (summer) and Joan J (autumn). Large, juicy, tasty berries at least as good as a thorny one. And yes, they will put up with a bit of shade.

Can't help with loganberries, sorry.

[Thelma Sanders]

I grow Joan J raspberry, Boysenberry (a thornless Loganberry x Blackberry) and a Buckingham var.Tayberry ( a Blackberry x Raspberry)

[Kirk]

Never considered thorned or thornless raspberries, have not considered the thorns on them significant. When it come to a loganberry get a thornless one, or expect anemia through loss of blood when picking the fruit.

[lottie dolly]

thornless every time for me now,so much friendlier,therefore easy to get a hold off to tie in,
Joan j hear to,

[Filbert]

The kids can help with the picking if there are no thorns!

[chrisdb]

Never considered thorned or thornless raspberries, have not considered the thorns on them significant. When it come to a loganberry get a thornless one, or expect anemia through loss of blood when picking the fruit.

Agreed, even thorny raspberries are not really that vicious. I have a mix of several different varieties, not specifically selected to be thornless, and honesty none of them would worry me if I accidentally walked into the middle of the raspberry patch on a dark night.

It's the blackberries and gooseberries you have to watch out for.

[BUFFS]

I have some joan j and some polka and neither has ever given me any problems with thorns, they grow on a north facing wall and I trim one half down to the ground in the autumn and on the other half I tie in the unfruited stems and trim to 5ft, these will fruit from the start of july and finish just as the lopped plants start to fruit, giving you a crop until the frosts and that's just from 10 of each sort, and it doesn't seem to matter which sort you lop to the ground, the later ones will always taste better as they are longer ripening and developing their flavour...

[kimble]

I grow Kiowa blackberries, an amazingly hostile thorny plant - but they produce the success because the rodents cannot climb them, the thornless I have get eaten at a much higher rate. The thorns do not bother me because they are kept neatly on trellis wires so have no depth, the berries are on the surface.

[cptncrackoff]

Hi!
I'm growing 'Polka' raspberries on my allotment, although I've read them described as 'thornless' and 'almost thornless'.. mine have thorns, although this hasn't proved a problem with the kids - 3yrs, 5yrs, 9yrs picking them and eating them with no tears!

They're an autumn fruiting variety, fruiting on the same years growth, then after tat years fruit, the whole lot gets chopped down and start again the next year, this suits my allotment, but I understand you can get larger crops from summer fruiting types?