|
|
Kentucky Blackberries will be in High Demand -
Again
By
Terri McLean
 LEXINGTON,
Ky., (May 2, 2007) – With fruit as big as your thumb, the
blackberry has long been one of nature's most prized edibles,
especially in Kentucky, where optimal growing conditions produce
a flavor as sweet as the childhood memories people have of
picking them.
Today, Kentucky-grown blackberries are highly popular, and
demand for their juicy, black-to-dark-purple fruit often exceeds
supply in many parts of the state, said John Strang, extension
horticulturist with the University of Kentucky College of
Agriculture.
“In Kentucky, people are pretty well keyed into blackberries,
and it is an important fruit crop here,” he said.
Strang said that the extent of the damage from a killing freeze
in April isn’t known yet. Initially, he thought all of it may
have been destroyed, but growers are starting to see blossoms
appear on some varieties. According to Strang, the full extent
of the damage won’t be known until summer’s heat sets in, which
could cause damaged canes to collapse.
While the vagaries of nature might spoil the plans of consumers
and producers alike, in good years, the law of supply and demand
for fresh blackberries, the official state fruit of Kentucky,
does provide a prime opportunity for growers. There are only 110
to 120 commercial acres of blackberries in the state, with
yields per acre averaging 5,000 to 11,000 pounds, depending on
the type. No one knows how many backyard gardeners grow the
fruit, but what experts like Strang do know is that total
acreage devoted to blackberries is often not enough to meet
Kentucky’s increasing appetite for them.
“I think people like cobblers,” Strang said laughingly, as he
tried to explain the blackberry’s popularity, “and blackberry
jellies and jams.”
Apparently, Kentuckians also like blackberry ice cream.
Winchester-based ice cream company, Valentine’s, now sells
blackberry ice cream made with Kentucky-fresh blackberries. And
many Kentuckians appear to have grown fond of blackberry wine,
Strang said.
“We have about 42 wineries in this state now, and blackberry
wine is an extremely popular wine. There’s a pretty high demand
for blackberries to make wine,” said Strang, adding that such
wine sells for a premium price.
Blackberries, however, are more than just an edible – and
drinkable – delight. They were used in ancient Greece as a cure
for mouth and throat diseases and, during the Civil War, as a
cure for dysentery. In recent years, research has shown that
blackberries contain a good supply of antioxidants that may
provide protection against cancer and other diseases.
Additionally, they are a good source of vitamin C, with 1 cup of
blackberries providing about half the daily recommendation.
“Consumers take these things into consideration,” Strang said.
From a production standpoint, blackberries are likewise
appealing, not only because of the market potential but also
because they grow and yield well in most parts of the state,
Strang said. Blackberries need to be planted on a site with high
elevation for added frost protection, and require good soil
drainage.
“There are several excellent blackberry varieties that are
particularly well-suited for production in Kentucky,” he said.
Blackberries are not a heavily sprayed crop in Kentucky, which
also make them attractive to growers. Furthermore, they begin to
bear fruit the second season after planting, and many varieties
ripen over a long period of time, giving growers a “pretty good
spread on the season,” Strang added.
While people might remember braving prickly thorns in their
quest for sweet, wild blackberries, Strang said a lot has
changed since those “blackberrying” days of old. Two types of
thornless varieties are thornless erect, which usually does not
need support as it grows, and thornless semi-erect, which does
need support.
“If you like blackberries but do not want to contend with the
thorns, there are now some excellent varieties,” he said.
Ouachita (pronounced wa-chi-ta) is one of the new thornless
erect varieties, a release from the University of Arkansas
breeding program. Tests at UK’s Robinson Station near Jackson
show that it survives well and produces a berry with excellent
flavor, Strang said. It is also resistant to orange rust and
rosette, two fungus diseases that can be problems in Kentucky.
Apache is another of the newer thornless erect varieties and has
been a top producer in UK blackberry trials. Apache has large
berries that remain large throughout the growing season and an
excellent flavor, Strang said.
“Both Ouachita and Apache are very sweet, just about as sweet as
the thorny berries,” Strang said.
Of the thornless semi-erect varieties, Triple Crown is
recommended, especially for growers who need to maximize
production in small spaces. Triple Crown averages 20 to 25
pounds of berries per plant at full production, Strang said.
“The (Triple Crown) berries are larger, contain at least 2
percent more sugar and are also less acidic than the other
semi-erect varieties. However, the thornless semi-erect
varieties
also have the largest seeds of the three types,” he said.
Still, he said, the thorny varieties of blackberries that most
people are familiar with may be difficult to beat in terms of
winter hardiness. They also have big berries and small seeds,
which consumers typically like. Two popular thorny varieties are
Chickasaw and Kiowa.
“Blackberry flavor varies a little bit with the season. If we
have cool, dry, sunny weather, you’re going to get really sweet
blackberries. If we have cloudy, wet, rainy, hot weather,
they’re going to be more tart,” he said.
The month of May is the time to get new plants into the ground.
With any blackberry variety, Strang “strongly” recommends
getting virus-free plants from reputable nurseries. Irrigation
is also beneficial, he said.
“You want to obtain a soil test and get the pH adjusted and get
your phosphorous, potassium and magnesium levels adjusted prior
to planting,” he said.
For a soil test or additional information about growing
blackberries in Kentucky, contact your county extension office.
|
|
Contact: John Strang, 859-257-5685
|
|
The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
Questions/Comments,
e-mail the
webmaster
Copyright © 2001-2006 University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture,
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service |
News Home
Other Headlines This Week
More
News
RSS Now Available
for those
using news aggregation programs
College News
|
