Recommendations for Blackberry bush

[vixylix]

Hello all,

I've decided I'd like to get a blackberry bush - ideally one which will fruit this year. It will go in a pot for this year but will eventually go out in the garden when we move.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I don't want to spend a fortune ideally

Thanks

[Thelma Sanders]

Can I recommend a Boysenberry? A blackberry hybrid, but the fruits are bigger and earlier - plus it's thornless, so it's easier to tie it in. You should get a small yield in the first year, I did

[planetologist]

For an SAE I could send you a runner (if that's the right word). I don't know the variety as it was already in my previous garden, but it's a good one.

[WendyC]

I grow Loch Ness, which is thornless, tastes good and not very vigorous. I have also planted Fantasia, which is very vigorous and very thorny. I only planted it last year so only had a few berries from the old wood, but they tasted more like the wild bramble taste that I remember from blackberry picking trips as a child.
Blackberries fruit and flower on wood made the previous year so you'd need an unpruned cane to get any crop. Not sure they are sold like that.

[Kirk]

I grew Loch Ness and Waldo. Both nice, different flavour to the wild bramble.

One has "short" canes that are stiffer, short being around 8-12 feet. The other has thinner canes that are longer at around 16 feet.
Cannot recall which is short/long, you will have to look them up.
Both thornless.

Would suggest the "shorter" as they do not bend down to the ground as much so do not grow new blackberry bushes all over the place.

[WendyC]

One has "short" canes that are stiffer, short being around 8-12 feet.

That describes the Loch Ness that I grow.

[Martin H]

I used to grow Loch Ness. I like that it's thornless and easy to manage, but I didn't think the flavour was all that.

[sugar]

I have several blackberries (Loch Tay, Loch Maree, Helen, Triple Crown ) and hybridberries (Boysenberry, Tayberry, Loganberry, Dorman) in my garden.
My favourite : Loy Tay. a thornless blackberry with a very good flavour.

[chrisdb]

I have several blackberries (Loch Tay, Loch Maree, Helen, Triple Crown ) and hybridberries (Boysenberry, Tayberry, Loganberry, Dorman) in my garden.
My favourite : Loy Tay. a thornless blackberry with a very good flavour.

I also have Triple Crown, which for me is very productive but also really vigorous. The fruit tastes good.

I also had Cacanska Bestrna, which tasted good but wasn't as productive as Triple Crown. It's now gone to make way for other things.

[vixylix]

For an SAE I could send you a runner (if that's the right word). I don't know the variety as it was already in my previous garden, but it's a good one.

Planetologist that would be awesome thank you! I'll PM you!

Thanks everyone else - ill do some research!

[Invicta]

One variety to avoid is Reuben. Launched a few of years ago as the first primocane blackberry with lots of praise on its fruiting and flavour. I found it to be a very poor cropper, flavour is OK but not worth the space in your garden.

[sparrow100]

I grow Loch Ness, which is thornless, tastes good and not very vigorous. I have also planted Fantasia, which is very vigorous and very thorny. I only planted it last year so only had a few berries from the old wood, but they tasted more like the wild bramble taste that I remember from blackberry picking trips as a child.
Blackberries fruit and flower on wood made the previous year so you'd need an unpruned cane to get any crop. Not sure they are sold like that.

Wendy, Fantasia blackberry comes from my allotment site Mr Keats' widow has only just given up the plot. Some more info here if you are interested: https://fruitforum.wordpress.com/201...erry-fantasia/ It is a proper thug, but tastes lovely.

Vixylix - try looking in the DIY store pity benches - I picked up a short Waldo cane for £2 reduced from £7, with plenty of healthy buds on it.

[Scarlet]

I grew Loch Ness and Waldo. Both nice, different flavour to the wild bramble.

One has "short" canes that are stiffer, short being around 8-12 feet. The other has thinner canes that are longer at around 16 feet..

I think Waldo may be your thin, long canes..I grow that one. im pretty happy with it though, usually crops well and taste is good.

[WendyC]

Wendy, Fantasia blackberry comes from my allotment site Mr Keats' widow has only just given up the plot. Some more info here if you are interested: https://fruitforum.wordpress.com/201...erry-fantasia/ It is a proper thug, but tastes lovely.

I'll give that a read thanks. I did read it was a "found" cultivar. It is very vigorous, has covered a total of 3m each away, total 6m in one year. I have kept it tightly tied in. I had about 3 or 4 berries this year, so have great hopes for this year.