Cloning Primocane Blackberries

talkinggoat · Thu Dec 10, 2015 1:33 pm

I purchased some "Prime-Ark Freedom" primocane blackberries, last spring, planted them and they seem to be doing fine. This fall, I wanted to clone them, so I planted the ends in small pots of dirt. I have some non-primocane, Ouachita, fruiting berries, that grow just fine, like this. Within 10 days, they start producing roots. I planted both varieties at the same time, in September. The Freedom berries, however, don't seem to be doing much of anything. I even tried root hormone, but they won't send out roots.

Does anyone have any experience cloning primocane black berries, by planting the stalk?

applestar · Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:01 pm

I don't have experience with them, but just based on general bramble characteristic, I'm thinking if they fruited on those canes, they would not root because they are done. You may need to sacrifice some new shoots (root them rather than letting them bear fruits).

talkinggoat · Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:10 pm

Sorry, should have mentioned, these are the new canes.

applestar · Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:21 pm

OK, how about trying ground-layering them -- bend and either snap without completely breaking or scrape the outer skin/bark from the underside, then bury that middle section (protruding the end) and put a rock or brick on it to keep buried.

talkinggoat · Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:21 am

You and I think alike. That's exactly what I've been doing. It works for all the others... not these.

catfishhoward · Thu Jun 02, 2016 1:15 pm

You can use new canes this fall when the temps cool down some, cut the sections about 6"-10" long depending on you pot size, take most of the leaves off but leave 1 or 2 on top, put them in 100% perlite with a couple of nodes buried, water the perlite and press in and put in a clear container and keep moist.

How does the P.A.F taste compare to other thornless blackberries?