THIS IS VERY BAD - Part 2 - Dr JOHN CLARK RESPONDS!

[@BIGALTX]

Many have wondered what to do with their Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries that were hurt by the late freeze. That freeze wiped out a lot of people's 2023 Floricane crop. I wrote to Dr John Clark for his advice as to how to proceed. Should we cut our Floricanes back? Should we let them grow? What should we expect? Where do we go from here? Dr Clark gives HIS advice on how to insure our future blackberry production. alan Check out my Website. I've written dozens of articles pertaining to all areas of homesteading and self sufficiency. Here's the link: homesteadadvisor.com/ If you enjoyed this video and would like to see more videos like this. please give this video a thumbs up and leave me a comment! Please subscribe, it would really help my channel! Thank you for watching! ❤

[@tater357]

My late father that grew up on a farm and lived by the farm has told me more than once, that Experimenting is one thing a Gardner or Farmer can use as a Tool in his helpful Bag of Gardening Tools. Might pay to experiment in this case trying different things. I personally think it'd help to pinch the rotten blooms off like a Rose Bush to help incorporate future growth. We tested this theory on my Moms couple Rose Bushesthat always seemed to produce about the same amount each year, and the Rose Bush that got pinched afterwards of the blooms, set off a new batch of flowers a month later but the one left alone did nothing. I researched and the Blackberry bush is part of the Rose family so it seems like it'd help. Maybe test one plant and see how the experiment goes.

[@BIGALTX]

That sounds like a good idea. I may go ahead and do that on one or two plants and video the experiment. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@robertmcmeel5456]

Alan, thanks for the follow up on the berries after contacting Dr. Clark. I know that many people down here in south Louisiana experienced the same issue. Since your last video, I have cut back all the old canes and fertilized all the tubs really good and have had an explosion of new primal canes. I am also getting a lot of blossoms on the new canes, so I will at least have some berries this year. Only issue is that it has been so windy that some were not strong enough and were bent over, so I have had to support them until they are long enough to use the support wire. The old canes would have supported the new ones for this reason. Well, we learn each year something new about gardening. Again, many thanks for your efforts. P.S. Love the tape machine that you suggested.

[@BIGALTX]

Glad to help and glad you're going to get some berries this year

[@schomestead2591]

Thank you for researching this. And thank you to Dr. Clark, we will certainly follow his advice.

[@ryanvpi]

I had the same issue with my Prime Ark Freedoms here in central Virginia. Thanks for reaching out to Dr. Clark and passing the information along.

[@lisazappolo9989]

Thank you for contacting Dr Clark. My open planted berries experienced this problem, but the PAs that I had in tubs I covered and put Christmas lights on to keep the temperature above freezing. For my 30ft row of 7ft blueberry bushes I put 8ft Tposts and wrapped and covered with plastic and added the Christmas lights so essentially I made a temporary greenhouse for them. It was crazy windy that day and you had to see me trying to put up that plastic by myself. I'm going to leave those Tposts in place so that I'm prepared in the future.

[@BIGALTX]

So just one layer of plastic with Christmas lights did the trick? Nice to know.

[@lisazappolo9989]

@@BIGALTX Yes. We went down to 29 two nights in a row. The lights have to be the old incandescent ones, not led - they don't throw heat.

[@ChristiLynnOutside]

My Prime Ark Freedoms did the same thing this year in Louisiana. I planted six bushes last May and I had my very first crop of young berries just before the late freeze. Hundreds of berries froze and died off. I left the canes, althought they were browning, pruned the spent berries and browned leaves from the canes and gave the plants a good feeding with a balanced fertilizer. After the next good rain, I began to get new blooms on the older canes and an abundance of much larger first year canes began. I now have many new berries that are beginning to turn. Mother’s Day, I enjoyed a small handful of ripe blackberries from my frost-bitten canes. It was a sweet surprise.

[@BIGALTX]

Mine produced a few too I'll have a video tomorrow

[@DeanFamilyAcres]

Thank you for the update! We checked ours and had some dieback, but not a large percentage. I'm definitely learning we need to tip them appropriately as the trellis is certainly feeling the strain.

[@BIGALTX]

Yep, pruning is a must

[@thehoop74]

I checked mine after your 1st video. They look good. I covered them when we had a freeze of 29 degrees. Maybe that was why mine are ok. I still have blooms and green berries in them. I had maybe 4 or 5 dead blooms but maybe they weren't covered. I always cover things if a freeze is coming.

[@BIGALTX]

I'll do that NEXT year for sure! thanks

[@sunshinedayz2172]

What product do you use to protect your plants fromthe freeze?

[@thehoop74]

@@sunshinedayz2172 I just put a tarp over the bush

[@tracey1708]

Hey Alan, I’m here north of Dallas, and yup, we had that unexpected last freeze too, thankfully my Prime Ark were all blooming and just beautiful, and I had covered them with old sheets. I’m soo thankful I did too. I have gotten sick a number crop already, and the new canes are coming up so fast I can’t keep up. No problems like you are having thankfully

[@BIGALTX]

I'm glad for you! 👍😎

[@ladysam5393]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

[@BIGALTX]

You bet!

[@jrichards9874]

Thanks for update and advice. My prime arks are putting off a good bit of secondary blooms now. Whoop! In NC 7b/8a

[@BIGALTX]

Good to hear!

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Greetings from Arizona. thank you Alan for the update! and thank you Dr. Clark for info. we are growing 14 varieties of thornless blackberries on our property. So far so good. luckily we didn't receive a late frost damage. We still follow Dr. Clarks and your guidance in growing all of our blackberries! Cheers 🍷

[@BIGALTX]

Thanks for watching!

[@admcc56]

Alan, thank you for the video. Every video you put out is a teaching experience. I have learned much from you and appreciate your knowledge. I was evidently far enough south of you to have missed the freeze you experienced. I am picking my 5th gallon of berries with loads more still red.

[@BIGALTX]

That's fantastic, Alan Glad you're getting a good crop And thanks for watching!

[@davidward1259]

Alan, glad to see your plants improving and likely not long term impacted by the unexpected freeze. Those few blooms are a very good sign all will be well in the long run. Not to change the subject, but the worst thing about owning a tape tool is not remembering where you put the tape rolls and refill staples at the end of last season - ugh!!!!!

[@BIGALTX]

Hahaha... so true. I've gotten to where I just keep mine on the golf cart... with EXTRA staples and tape!! 👍😎

[@robertlamarjr1702]

Thank you sir. A wealth of information as usual. Really appreciate your insight and videos. God bless!

[@Jsellers1965]

Thanks for the Update and information. I have enjoyed your channel and learned from it for years. I have lots of Canes coming in on my Prime Ark Freedoms. Something I noticed is the berries on the canes behind my shed didn't get hit with frost bite, but the ones out in the open are ALL dead, a complete loss. That leads me to believe that the wind may have been more of a culprit in my case than just temp. The wind might have played more of a role in the in the loss of your crop than others.

[@BIGALTX]

I'm going to try to cover mine next year

[@baneverything5580]

I have a nice wild breed growing here in Louisiana that is blooming again and has big sweet berries about to get ripe. Others nearby look bad, have tiny fruit, and have suffered from the freeze. I`m going to try to propagate these good berries. They`re even tasty in the unripe red stage. I`m currently pruning the new canes for increased production next year and several up in the middle of the patch are extremely tall. Some of the ripening berries are up in the tall bushes and lower tree limbs way too high to reach to pick. Maybe some researchers would be interested in getting cuttings?

[@BIGALTX]

Maybe someone will see your comment and reach out... thanks

[@etxhooligan5026]

So crazy. Lindale tx here again and mine bloomed a couple weeks later than yours I believe, and it’s looking like I’ll have a huge crop with 6 prime ark freedom bushes. Sorry about your luck. Again , I had bad luck with my blueberry blooms but not these. Excited to get my first batch of blackberries , as I planted last year.

[@BIGALTX]

Good for you!!

[@bobbyanderson8230]

Thanks buddy. I was over here scratching my heads. I had a feeling it was the freeze,but just wasn't sure.

[@BIGALTX]

Yep… Unfortunately, it is true

[@tradermunky1998]

Makes sense, great info

[@tomcollins9759]

Thanks for seeking info, i am going to wait and see, my primacanes are already to my top wire so I will top them out soon. Thanks again!

[@shashakeeleh5468]

Life Finds A Way!

[@chrisfisher3900]

Nice info! I finally started getting blooms on my 45’s. Guess we know they flower later than freedoms now.

[@BIGALTX]

That's probably a good thing, too

[@charlenequinilty7252]

Thanks for the info. My other black berries mentioned look worse than the primeark

[@315step]

Great information. Thank you

[@BIGALTX]

👍😎

[@larrycochrane1407]

Thanks for the update

[@BIGALTX]

Hope it helps

[@sheraldtaylor1297]

I am in Texas, zone 8a. I may not have gotten as bad of freeze as you did. I do have Oauchita, Natchez and Apache varieties. They are well established in ground. I had trimmed them back in January to control height and remove any dead and broken branches. February is when they were hit with a freeze then again a frost in March. I did leave them alone and was surprised to still get blooms and seeing fruit set. The frost damaged leaves seemed to have dropped and all is looking well.

[@BIGALTX]

Quachita is a late bloomer I don't remember if Natchez and Apache were.

[@brokencage9723]

I did get some secondary flowing so I have a few berries this spring. I got a big flush of prima canes though. so should be a good fall.

[@mike1968442]

God is still in control, He never disappoints!

[@BIGALTX]

Amen to that!

[@oakmaiden2133]

I used weather reports and covered my garden when frost/freeze was predicted. Looks like am going to have my biggest peach/almond/strawberry season yet.

[@BIGALTX]

Great news!!

[@great0789]

I had the same thing happen to mine. I did nothing. Second flush of blooms is coming out here on 5 May! Hoping this will make the berries bigger and sweeter!!!

[@BIGALTX]

Great news. Hope you have lots of berries!

[@great0789]

@@BIGALTX Thanks! I didn’t loose all of my first round either. Just 75 to 90% of them. So I will have some ever-bearing plants this year

[@DavidBrown-vx6fb]

The same thing is happening to my plants! next year I plan to cover mine to save my berries

[@BIGALTX]

I'm thinking the same thing 👍😎

[@randallcarver6950]

I wonder if this could also be what happened to my raspberry plants. I am getting a few blooms on my freedoms like you but not many

[@BIGALTX]

I bet it is. Raspies and blackies are very closely related

[@gregleach5833]

I’ve been getting some ripe berries now and a decent amount of blooms with some new growth on the floricanes and a ton of growth on the primocanes . I wasn’t expecting new growth and blooms on the floricanes.

[@BIGALTX]

I'm only getting a few... very few

[@G.KellerBroadway]

I'm seeing much return of new blooms on floracanes and vigorous primacane growth last three weeks in my freedoms. Looks like not all lost as I have two to three dozen blooms on each plant. Poncas very prolific after late freeze.

[@BIGALTX]

Good to know, thanks!

[@Atheistbatman]

For pomes and any Prunus species…fruit trees w canker and ornamental shrubs w shothole They like pH 7.1 get them close and they fight off all fungal diseases some come back from death…allow 3-6 months to notice. We have insanely low pH from 3-5 is typical for unprepared ground Also gypsum makes aluminum nontoxic so roots increase 3x and go insane depths Little tricks that made me look like a magic man

[@BIGALTX]

Thanks for sharing. Always good to hear from others about their tips and tricks.

[@FourDRanch]

Great info and thanks for sharing the exact letter from Dr Clark. That makes a lot of sense and is somewhat good news as well. Mine are growing like crazy! I was wondering if by chance you watched my video and could comment on what variety I have that looks more like vines than canes. I bought them all from the nursey in Mineola, sold as Prime Ark and Ouachita, but there was definitely a third variety in there...They already have good size green berries, and a lot of them.

[@BIGALTX]

Just watched it. Your berry plants look amazing. You're going to have a great crop. Not sure what variety the "odd ball" is, but it might be another Quachita Sometimes plants take a couple of years to start really making erect canes. Not sure, but might be the case here too. Did you spray a fungicide this spring?

[@FourDRanch]

@@BIGALTX ok thanks for the insight. No, I have not yet sprayed anything this year. I did spray a fungicide last year.

[@BIGALTX]

@@FourDRanch Good to know. They look great. Mine don't look good, but I think it's because they "think" they have already produced berries and are dying back... not sure

[@jimjam36695]

What is the fertilizing and watering schedule for Prime Ark Freedom grown in the ground? What is timeframe for Prima cane berry production in your zone?

[@BIGALTX]

Primocanes are coming up now... lots of them I would just do ground-planted berries like I do container berries. Here's what I do: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5CyeZp4rLCnf7M

[@eardw2251]

Bummer about your floricane crop, but at least you have a plan. Did Dr. Clark tell you he composes and plays the guitar music in his videos? I believe he writes a new tune for each variety. Pretty cool.

[@BIGALTX]

I've heard him. I've seen many of his videos over the years :)

[@bigjoe5614]

Thanks for all you do. It may be time to cut (pun intended) and run on my PAF's. Woulda been nice to know about the vulnerability of the PAF's to early bloom/late dips below freezing before I expended all of the time, effort, expense to put them in. Seems UofArk has known about this issue - guess I'll need to a better job of researching and possibly find a source of their BB experience before getting their new varieties in the future. So disappointing as I get late frosts/freezes every Spring. Guess this variety is perfect for the commercial guys in CA. Anyway, keep up the great work - you are a trusted resource to us all. (North Alabama)

[@BIGALTX]

I have one Quachita and it has handled all the cold weather of the last 2 years great My Poncas are fully bloomed out right now

[@stevenschnepp576]

You may also be able to cover them if you have a late freeze on the forecast, depending on how many you have. That will generally do for a light frost.

[@rogerscheuermann4409]

I have about 30-35 dead buds, bad news. Good news,65-70 % are berries. Zone 7 B. I don’t think my PAF bushes were not blooming when we got the freeze. 😅 currently berry development is happening!!! Thanks for update....

[@BIGALTX]

Glad for you Roger!

[@SALTYDEPLORABLEGARBAGE]

Aah ok. Leave them for photosythesis-thate production. My fall crop from Prime-Ark Freedom gets zapped probably 2-3 falls. I just cut them as I get concerned for fungal issues as fall was advancing anyways.

[@BIGALTX]

Probably a good idea to prune them like that.

[@alesiaholliday7376]

I personally would have placed some of the crop in a high tunnel and pruned the open air plants good luck

[@winstonsizemore2385]

I would try a high phosphorus quick action fertilizer or AACT to encourage new fruit set

[@BIGALTX]

Good idea, thanks!

[@amsohn1]

We've gotten some late blooms as well... now only 5 or 6. However, I'm hopeful to get to snack on the 5 or 6 😅... Thanks Alan, certainly certainly appreciate it. Blessings ❤

[@BIGALTX]

You bet!

[@charlesfluharty2836]

As far as trimmimg, what would you have done if the freeze had not happened. I would trim as normal.

[@BIGALTX]

I wouldn't prune them out till after they fruited anyway and started to die, so really, I guess I'm doing that now anyway

[@bungalobill7941]

Don't think these would work in the West Texas area where I live. We get late frost and freeze every year. Plum trees produce about once out of every five years for this reason. Contender peach trees will usually produce here because of their late blooms and frost hardy also.

[@BIGALTX]

Unpredictable weather makes it hard to grow fruit, for sure.

[@stickermigtigger]

Has anyone moved their blackberry tubs indoors in the winter? I was thinking about putting my tubs on plastic pallets and moving them with a front end loader into my shop where it never drops below 40 no matter how cold it gets outside.

[@BIGALTX]

you could do that, but I don't think it's necessary till it gets below 20F OR... if they are bloomed out and it's going to freeze. THEN it would be a good idea. I HAVE moved an orange tree Tub in the barn the last few winters :)

[@RogerDue-z6g]

So should you only cut the canes back as they die or every winter?

[@SALTYDEPLORABLEGARBAGE]

I watch John's videos at U of A. I met and took Master Gardening classes under some of his cohorts.

[@BIGALTX]

Wow, that’s fantastic. I’ve been considering taking the master gardeners course myself.

[@SALTYDEPLORABLEGARBAGE]

@@BIGALTX It is a great program.

[@TorahFirma]

I brought my PAF in containers under shelter I built for them with greenhouse plastic over winter, and we had -20 to -30 degree temps and had -40+ wind chills. I did not get any berries from them last year (first year I had them from starts and I got them out kinda late), and I decided to cut them all the way back prior to that system coming through and I put about 6" of mulch over them to help insulate them. Well, they survived and finally starting to make some canes again. Maybe I shouldn't have cut them all the way back, but with temperatures like that and no other way to protect them, I was afraid they would totally die. We'll see if I get anything from them this year. I just fertilized them and they are looking nice, but still pretty small compared to yours. Zone 6a Ohio weather has been totally bipolar this spring so far. 🥶🥶

[@BIGALTX]

Your winters are so cold you're going to have to go to extreme measures to keep the PAFs or change to a different variety 🙁

[@TorahFirma]

@@BIGALTX This winter was unusual. We've never had temperatures like that in my 46 years until this past year. I have some Columbia Giants also that I started last year inground and I experimented by cutting one all the way back and leaving one with the canes, and surprisingly not only did they both also survive, the canes actually survived and have started growing leaves already in spite of the arctic blast we got. I may move some of the PAFs to in-ground as well and see what the results are. 😁

[@charlaemery1811]

Seeing the same damage on our blueberries and stone fruits this year. Just an off year for fruiting - we will all have an, “I remember in 2023, we had an April hard freeze and …” 😉

[@BIGALTX]

Yep... probably true 😯

[@esmysyield2023]

I got a freedom and a ponca in jan. I keep cutting the blooms off to let the roots take hold. How long should i continue to cut them off?

[@BIGALTX]

I would not cut any of the blooms off. They’re just doing what they’re supposed to do. Let them bloom and produce fruit. I don’t think it’s going to hurt anything.

[@esmysyield2023]

@@BIGALTX thanks!

[@Atheistbatman]

In NW GA we were nailed as well I’m a Horticulturist w focus on propagation and mainly soft tissue but blackberries included No one knows this but watch out for any nights warmer than the days for vegetable crops Just one or two nights warmer 80F when days were 75F shut down tomatoes okra corn eggplant etc past 2 years They just stopped growing fruit stayed small and rotted but plant didn’t die they just sat still We do have more microclimates with the hills and the towns but even the farmers markets had issues County extension agent was concerned with the pome fruits in Ga and locally but I have not kept up w those I don’t think we’ll see warmer nights this year here as it’s been and looks to be below average for a few weeks But beware nights warmer than days (search plant DIF for old temp growth regulator technique to see why) After it happened the first time I freaked and called every research Horticulturist first in US then the planet Did not get good news but no one thought about nights warmer than days and what would happen I like and appreciate your knowledge and attention to details Thank you and best of luck

[@BIGALTX]

Wow… I never heard about the warmer-nights theory. That’s very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@Atheistbatman]

@@BIGALTX warmer nights and cool days is not a theory it’s a know mechanism or lost knowledge. No one knows about it now but old florist growers controlled plant growth speed and height by decreasing the difference between day/night temps. We used the technique when I was in college on Easter Lillies and other florist crops. Research Plant DIF that’s the old technique…I do not know the increments of the DIF calculations. My point is it is a very old known mechanism but no one…and I mean just me alone…has related it AND SEEN IT have effects on vegetable crops…it’s only really known among old florist and most have passed on already maybe all…I sold starter materials to growers…Ball Seed and the Pepsi to its Coke I can’t remember the other biggie. Good luck to you…let me know if you hear about DIF from another Hort person…probably have to be a professor. My name is Jimmy Greer UGA 2000 but there all thru 90’s. Published in Hort science 3x as undergrad…just cultivar intros but boy it pissed some grad students off…my point is I know a little bit about a little bit and this scared me…bad when it happened 2 yo Sorry so long Thanks again

[@Lvaladez114]

👍

[@BIGALTX]

Thanks for the 👍Lori 😎

[@aliciamcnamar8203]

Thank you! Yours look great compared to mine. #Oklahoma

[@BIGALTX]

Wow, you must have gotten hit hard!

[@michaelripperger5674]

I think your raised planters contributed to your freezing. If they were in the dirt - might not have had as much damage. What do you think 🤔?

[@BIGALTX]

I don't think so. They've endured a lot colder temps than that, but NOT while they were bloomed out. Had they not been bloomed out, they would have been fine. My other varieties (in tubs) that had not bloomed yet are producing like crazy!

[@FosterFarmsOk]

the prime ark series has never done well for me here in NE oklahoma.

[@BIGALTX]

If I continue to have issues with cold die-off I may rethink the prime arks too :(

[@shawnhowell156]

I heard the opposite that you don't want the old to absorb the nutrients that the new need to catch up?

[@shawnhowell156]

I wouldn't pull them but prune them back to the base leaving only enough to support the new canes that are developing???

[@BIGALTX]

I think I’m going to do an experiment with one or two of the plants. I may go ahead and prune them back and just see which technique works best. Video to follow :-)

[@ericjohnson1008]

Any black berries that I have are all small and need to grow for next year, I'd better get them in the ground.

[@BIGALTX]

Yep... before it gets too hot

[@bikinglikebecker]

Get out the defibrillator.. 😁

[@sislertx]

Could of been worse news..like a diease..

[@BIGALTX]

So true...

[@sunshinedayz2172]

Is that a chem trail in the sky behind you?

[@BIGALTX]

Hahaha... probably :)

[@charliemagoo7943]

Honestly..... Does anyone know more about blackberry than Dr Clark???????

[@BIGALTX]

Probably not :)