Kitchen Garden Forum

I've ordered a black raspberry and have seen that it should not be planted anywhere near red raspberries (or yellow). It appears to be to avoid spreading a virus and suggests varying and sometimes ridiculous planting distances to avoid this.

I can't find any convincing data on this, a lot of it is on American web sites and everyone seems to be repeating the same thing with nothing to back it up.

Perhaps I'm not looking in the right places and wonder if any one else can give me some good info on this?

Hi Plum

The questions that come to mind for me are
a. Where did you see this information about planting

b. What virus

c. Is it likely that DEFRA, or whatever the governing body is called this week, would allow the introduction and propagation of a known virus carrier to the UK.

I think your route has to be back via whoever you have ordered the rootstock from and get them to clarify.
If the information is correct then that surely should be something they declare before you purchase the item not let you find out once order is placed.

Wish you luck with that one, be interested to hear what you find out

Yes, it does seem a bit odd. If a virus will attack a more vulnerable raspberry variety why is this one on sale? Or if it's vulnerable itself, again why is it on sale?

My experience of different coloured varieties is that they may be attractive in the bowl and under cream (debatable) but they never seem to taste different, or more importantly, better.

Are we being conned?

MW

Had an idle moment and looked these up. I think what we call blackberries the American's call black raspberries as the recommendation is a planting distance of 4 ft apart and the picture looks very blackberry to me. And it does say that they are susceptible to virus' carried by aphids from other raspberries. Need 75-100 ft from other raspberries.

http://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/ ... -raspberry

It isn't the supplier that warns about virus and keeping them away from other varieties. I was just looking up more information on the parentage and cultivation of the black/purple raspberry before it arrives so I put it in the most suitable place and was surprised by what I saw.
~The other varieties I have are Glen Moy - a tasty red, Fallgold a sweet yellow and Autumn Bliss, so now am puzzled where to put the purple one.

It is supposed to have very good flavour and from the other info I've found is actually a cross with the black raspberry and Glen Prossen, so may not have the problems mentioned.

Hi PP, wonder if the virus problem is particularly American? I suppose you will just plant where you can and see what happens.

MW

Dear PP,
from what I can gather from internet the problem isn't so much the black raspberry it'self being diseased when you buy it as it is about the parentage of said raspberry. As the black Rasp is derived from both rasps and blackberries it is easy for viruses (via aphids) to spread from wild stocks of blackberries to the BR set up home and then infect the more susceptible red rasps. It provides an easy way for viruses to spread from blackberries to raspberries which they wouldn't normally do.
It's like humans catching diseases from pets which we wouldn't come into contact with via their wild counterparts.
All of that said there is probably little chance of any problems in the domestic setting. But the further apart they can be planted the better if you have a lot of wild blackberries about. 'Tis only sensible I think.
Try to encourage bluetits into your fruit cage when the fruit nets are not on as they like aphids very much.
Regards Sally Wright.

Thanks for all your replies. There may be some cultural information included when it arrives which might shed some light on this.

As you've said it may be more of an American problem and as to the fruit cage that is still on my wish list

I've solved the problem. It says it can be planted in a pot, so I've put it in a very large one and can move it to wherever I think is most suitable.

The parentage of black raspberries is hard to determine. The variety I have grown, Waldo, had characteristics more like those of a blackberry, producing an extremely vigorous — rampaging, it's fair to say — vine which put on three to four metres growth each year. What is for sure is that they are not actual raspberries, but the flavour is more like a rasp, hence the name. I can only suppose that the source of your cultural information is aimed at the North American grower where conditions, and more importantly the ecology, is different from here. For instance, they may suffer with different insect pests from any which may prosper in the UK. It is invertebrate pests, after all, which are the primary vector for virus diseases from one plant to another. What I noticed with my Waldo was how free of any discernible pests it was. It grew close to raspberries, both of which remained healthy for many years.

I don't know enough about the characteristics of the variety you are growing to make firm recommendations. Nevertheless, I hold a singular view that it will not prevail for long grown in a container. Cane fruit (raspberries, blackberries and such) do not prosper in pots for long. Any plant can be grown in a container, if you're willing to put in the work, but whether it will thrive and yield well is another matter.

Thanks Felix. I agree that it isn't ideal to grow things like raspberries in pots, but it will give me a chance to see what its growth habit is like so I have more idea where to plant it.

Most of the info on "black raspberries" is from America, so you are right that conditions pests, diseases etc may be quite different here.

This variety is crossed with Glen Prosen, so may have more of a raspberry habit than yours. I'm looking forward to seeing what it produces and will report back.