Can I grow raspberries/blackberries in SoCal?

[bigbad]

I'm completely new to planting fruit trees, so I was hoping I can get some help from people with some experience.

I've done some research on my own, but there's still a lot of stuff that confuses me. For instance, the zone maps. According to what I've read, the whole point of these zone maps, is to indicate how well something can survive in cold weather...

So considering I live in Southern California (Los Angeles), which is a zone 10/11, am I free to grow pretty much whatever I want? 'Cause it never gets that cold here. I noticed most raspberries/blackberries are zone 4-8...

I was more concerned about the heat, actually. I feel like the raspberries and blackberries would just blister under the scorching sunlight we have down here. Granted, there are cooler days (70 degrees), but the summer is pretty intense (80-100 degrees).

 

[PotterWatch]

Blackberries grow wild in the LA area so they should do fine on your property. We have a couple bushes in our backyard that we just planted this spring. They haven't grown a whole lot since we put them in but they look healthy.

 

[hoodat]

I'm completely new to planting fruit trees, so I was hoping I can get some help from people with some experience.

I've done some research on my own, but there's still a lot of stuff that confuses me. For instance, the zone maps. According to what I've read, the whole point of these zone maps, is to indicate how well something can survive in cold weather...

So considering I live in Southern California (Los Angeles), which is a zone 10/11, am I free to grow pretty much whatever I want? 'Cause it never gets that cold here. I noticed most raspberries/blackberries are zone 4-8...

I was more concerned about the heat, actually. I feel like the raspberries and blackberries would just blister under the scorching sunlight we have down here. Granted, there are cooler days (70 degrees), but the summer is pretty intense (80-100 degrees).

Here in SoCal you will do better going by the Sunset zones. They divide our area into sub-climates and take a lot of factors other than Winter cold into account. You can find Sunset zones easily on the net or if you keep your eyes open you can often find the Sunset Garden book in thrift shops for a buck or two.

 

[bigbad]

Blackberries grow wild in the LA area so they should do fine on your property. We have a couple bushes in our backyard that we just planted this spring. They haven't grown a whole lot since we put them in but they look healthy.

1. What kind of blackberries do well, here? I was thinking of Apache from Gurneys.

2. Do blackberries need to be pollinated? For example, would it benefit an Apache blackberry, if it was planted right next to, say, boysenberry?

3. How much distance should there be between blackberry canes, when you plant them?

 

[bigbad]

I'm completely new to planting fruit trees, so I was hoping I can get some help from people with some experience.

I've done some research on my own, but there's still a lot of stuff that confuses me. For instance, the zone maps. According to what I've read, the whole point of these zone maps, is to indicate how well something can survive in cold weather...

So considering I live in Southern California (Los Angeles), which is a zone 10/11, am I free to grow pretty much whatever I want? 'Cause it never gets that cold here. I noticed most raspberries/blackberries are zone 4-8...

I was more concerned about the heat, actually. I feel like the raspberries and blackberries would just blister under the scorching sunlight we have down here. Granted, there are cooler days (70 degrees), but the summer is pretty intense (80-100 degrees).

Here in SoCal you will do better going by the Sunset zones. They divide our area into sub-climates and take a lot of factors other than Winter cold into account. You can find Sunset zones easily on the net or if you keep your eyes open you can often find the Sunset Garden book in thrift shops for a buck or two.

I've researched Sunset zones. I believe I'm in Sunset zone 22... but all the nurseries rely on zone 1-10... so I don't know how to convert Sunset zone 22 to the actual zone 1-10...

 

[rockinrobyn29]

I don't know about types of blackberries, but I've been growing blueberries this past summer (very similar to raspberries in the way they grow) and they've been doing well (I also am from L.A.) so you'll probably do okay growing them where you're at. Good luck with your garden

 

[Hattie the Hen]

I live in the southern part of the UK & have successfully grown raspberries in my garden for years without any problems. This spring I looked as if I was all set for a bumper harvest but because we had very hot weather to begin with & no rain virtually all summer this did did not happen. Instead the fruit did not ripen but just dried out. It wasn't a pollination problem as the fruit started to form. In my opinion the best raspberries grow in fairly moist areas. Here in the UK the most succulent thrive in the West of Scotland, that area is famous for them.
The wild blackberries also seemed to suffer from lack of moisture this year. I can usually go out & pick baskets full of them but there were very few arond & they were tiny & very pippy & bitter.

Hattie

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sorry I'm slow to respond.

1. What kind of blackberries do well, here? I was thinking of Apache from Gurneys.

I'd suggest calling your county extension agency, in the phone book under county government, and talk to them. They should be able to help you with which varieties grow best in your area. I got a pamphlet from mine that compared the different varieties that grow well here, telling thorny vs non-thorny, average ripening date, yield potential, fruit size, disease resistance, things like that, plus it told me how to plant and care for them. All the varieties recommended for here grow upright. Some members of the blackberry family hug the ground. That may be a consideration for you. You don't have to trellis some upright varieties, but I think they do better and are easier to pick if they are trellissed.

2. Do blackberries need to be pollinated? For example, would it benefit an Apache blackberry, if it was planted right next to, say, boysenberry?

I don't think so, both because of experience and the pamphlet does not mention it.

3. How much distance should there be between blackberry canes, when you plant them?

You can plant either root cuttings or rooted plants. Root cuttings should be 2 feet apart in the row and covered with 2" to 3" of soil. Plants should be set to the same depth as they were growing and spaced 2' to 3' apart in the row. Keep the roots moist before planting for either method. This is according to the pamphlet. I planted my plants about 5' apart and it took a couple of years for them to fill in the space, but they eventually did.

Hattie, I can halfway empathize. I had a real good spring. Everything early did great, including my blackberries. I canned 10 quarts of juice then quit because that is all we need. I could have done a lot more. Then the rain quit. My red raspberries looked like they were going to have a bumper crop, but the rain stopped. No rain for 2 weeks, then 0.2". Then not a drop for 6 weeks. The red raspberries just dried up like yours.