You can and should buy your plants virus-free, but they don't stay that way. One interesting thing about black raspberries, which reproduce by way of tip rooting, is that it is often possible to get virus-free plants from the tip-rooted plants, even off of an infected plant, because the virus does not always spread to the tips of the plant -- in other words, the plant "outgrows" the virus. That only works with vigorously-growing plants, so once the plants are seriously infected it is too late. I have kept a strain of Macblack, and excellent late black raspberry, going for over 20 years by starting new plantings from healthy tip-rooted plants every 6 years or so. Examine your tip-rooted plants carefully for signs of mottled foliage and only use the healthiest ones in a new planting. Incidentally, I always have extras of Macblack in the spring if any of you want to try this excellent variety.
I think my Anasnaya variety of Actinidia kolomikta fruited the 3rd year. Both the females and the male need to flower, of course. The kolomiktas and argutas flower at different times, unfortunately, so males of one cannot pollinate the other. My Issai variety of arguta did not fruit for quite a few years because this variety is less winter hardy that most argutas and kept freezing to the ground. I went to taking it down and covering it. That worked. One year I didn't bother and the vine survived and went on to fruit. It seems to become more cold-tolerant as it ages. This pattern is common among many marginally-hardy plants. There is no problem with hardiness among other varieties of arguta, but my one other variety was so unfruitful that I cut it down last year. There is a planting of argutas on west hill in Ithaca that produces gallons of fruit every year, so my experience would not be typical for someone with an appropriate site. To reiterate, kiwis leaf out way too early for valley plantings, except in Ithaca (or if you want to cover them or provide some other form of frost protection). Joel At 07:52 AM 3/22/08 -0400, you wrote: >Thanks for the second installment, Joel. > >I agree that Canadice is an excellent tasting and rewarding grape to >grow. We've had great luck with them here off of Synder Hill. The >vines actually produced a few clusters the first year. > >We planted Bristol and Allen, which are both supposed to be virus-free >varieties of black rasp, last year. The canes grew well and we're >hoping for some fruit this year. > >How many years did it take for the kiwis to produce? > >-- Katie Q-J > > > > >Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote: > > Here is more of what I've learned in 30 years of trying to grow fruit > under > > suboptimal conditions in Tompkins County: > > > > Blackberries > > > > I have not done well with these, despite having no trouble growing them in > > southern Maine earlier in my life. The problem here has been cane > > hardiness. Blackberries fruit on the previous year's canes (although there > > are a couple of new primocane-fruiting varieties that I am trying out). > > Unless these survive the winter, no fruit. This is especially a problem > > with the thornless varieties, which are marginally hardy in this area. You > > should have no problem growing them in Ithaca and in protected locations > > elsewhere. Otherwise easy to grow, the only problem I have had is > > inadequate rainfall during fruiting. > > > > Black Raspberries > > > > These are dependably hardy and the cultivated varieties are as good or > > better than most wild ones, while being considerably larger. Black > > raspberries are susceptible to wilt and a number of virus diseases. If you > > get wilt, you generally lose the plant, but not the planting. Plant in > > well-drained soil. Avoid mulching right up against the base of the plant, > > and plan on replacing the planting with a new one every few years (10 > years > > seems to be about the max). The virus is apparent in the foliage, which > > looks mottled. Rogue plants showing signs of virus infection. Infected > > plants go into a decline that limits their productivity. I compensate for > > wilt and virus by overplanting. I plant in a staggered row with plants > > about 2 feet apart. Blacks should be tipped (have the ends of the canes > cut > > off) when they are 2-3 feet tall to make them branch. Prune the branches > > back in the spring to a foot or so in length and thin to the strongest > > canes. Mold is a problem for us in a wet year. Not much we can do about > that. > > > > Wineberries > > > > Non-native, these easy-to-grow fruits sport vicious thorns on attractive > > red canes. Similar in culture to black raspberries, they also resemble > them > > in fruit shape, being a cap berry. The berries are hidden in a protective > > cover until nearly ripe. Best eaten fresh, the jewel-like red fruits are a > > bit tart but delicious. Only problem with these is that they are > marginally > > hardy here. No problem in the city, but in other areas they need a > > protected spot. Will tolerate shade, unlike most fruit, so I grow them on > > the north side of my garage (in a protected inside corner). > > > > > > Grapes > > > > I only grow table grapes, since neither of us drinks wine. I don't > spray my > > grape vines at all, so only the most disease-resistant varieties will > do -- > > especially since, with a valley location, air drainage is suboptimal. If > > you have a better site (on a side hill, preferably above the lake), you > > will be able to grow many more varieties with little or no spraying. > > The easiest white is Ontario. Seeded, but very pleasant. Only good as a > > fresh-eating grape. Mildew is the only problem, and it is not bad most > years. > > The easiest red is Canadice. Seedless too. Freezes well. Swensen is a > > seeded red with non slipskin. Complex flavor hints of cherry. My favorite > > variety. Freezes well also. Reliance is also good, but not quite as > > dependable as Canadice. Seedless; freezes well. > > Among the blues, Concord is easiest in my planting. Steuben is also pretty > > easy, but there will be some rot in a bad year. Same for Concord. We got > > some rot in the Concords last year, but this is relatively rare. Both > these > > varieties are best for jam and juice, although ok as eating grapes. > Concord > > is unsurpassed for jam and other cooked uses. Not much good frozen. > > Any grape will stand on the vines after ripening for some considerable > time > > -- many days. Once picked, they will also store in the fridge in open > > containers for weeks, enabling leisurely consumption or processing. > > > > Kiwis > > > > There are 2 types of kiwis that grow here -- Actinidia arguta and > Actinidia > > kolomikta. The argutas are very vigorous vines that need sturdy supports > > and considerable pruning to restrain them. The kolomiktas are much less > > vigorous and easily managed, with the males sporting attractive variegated > > foliage. Both kinds have delicious fruits, which look just like the > > tropical kiwi on the inside, but in miniature. Fruits are a couple of cm > > long, smooth skinned. The skins are edible, so the fruit is eaten just > like > > a grape. Not much bothers these vines, so they can be grown with no > > spraying whatsoever. > > So, what problems are there? They leaf out way too early and have no frost > > resistance. They often get zapped by frost here in the valley. They > > revegetate, but the fruit is lost for the year. I got a nice crop of > > kolomiktas last year only because I covered them (3 times!) to protect > them > > from frost. These would be easy in the city or on a side slope where frost > > would not be a problem. I highly recommend the kolomiktas to city dwellers > > with a little room for a trellis or even a little wall space. > > Much easier than grapes to grow -- but you do need to make space for at > > least 2 vines since male and female are on separate vines (i.e., they are > > dioecious). > > > > More on bigger trees next time. > > > > Joel > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > > [email protected] > > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > > > > > > >-- >_______________________________________________ >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >[email protected] >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
