I just got through planting blackraspberries by my back fence, when i noticed that there were wild blackberries on the other side. they owner on the other side must of planted them this spring, because there is not very many of them. I know that black and red raspberries should be not be planted close. Should i bite the bullet and just dig these up. I could maybe move them and plant more wild blackberries on my side of the fence

-- randy in central missouri (rwybrant@coin.org), May 05, 2002

Answers

The way I understand it the wild black berries carry a virus or fungus that attack the rasberries. The wife has red rasberries and we have wild one all around but none closer than 100 yards and so far no problem

-- David in North Al (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), May 05, 2002.

We have both wild blackberries and (red and black) rasberries growing with no problems. There is some intermixing but the rasberries seem to prefer a slightly shaded location while the blackberries love that sun. All we do is pick em when they are ripe....Mmmmmmmm

The only issue we have seen is that orange rust (some years worse, some not so much). Any time we see it we cut it off and burn it.

-- Mike (mhammer@ix.netcom.com), May 06, 2002.

We have it the other way around. "Domestic" blackberries and tons of "wild" raspberries (red). No problem here in Maine. The wild ones produce much smaller berries, but are less susceptible to wx, ie. drought. They are all very good on breakfast cereal, in pies, or as a wonderful tasty wine! GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), May 06, 2002.

Orange rust has hit my blackberries hard core this past year- i pinch them and burn them if they are infected. However, my thornless raspberries (growing 170 feet away) are fine. Got my fingers crossed. And thanks, I hadnt realized what the rust was until I read this post (but had simply been plucking the infected leaves because they looked bad off and were shrively and dead looking).

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), May 07, 2002.