# Blackberry Vineyard Coming



## Waldo (Feb 18, 2006)

My friend Allen, from work, brought me some cuttings from his Dad's Hybrid, Thornless Blackberries andI got them all rooted this morning and looking forward to more fine Blackberry wine from them. I ended up with 40 cuttings in pots and hope they all develop good roots. It's about time to be planting them now.


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## rshosted (Feb 18, 2006)

Waldo, Your little kids look great! I can already taste the berries. I bet they grow pretty quick, you better start looking for some netting to keep those pesky birds away


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## MedPretzel (Feb 18, 2006)

Waldo said:


> It's about time to be planting them now.







Depressing.












I woke up to 2 inches of snow this morning. No hope for planting anytime soon up here.


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## OldWino1 (Feb 19, 2006)

Some people just see a plant and some dirt or heavens a weed. but Waldo sees the real fruit Nice bottles of Wine a year or more. nice bottles of sunshine from the summer past. a little love from something that grew in the summer sun and making it last for years if you can stay away from those bottles.I have never cultivated BlackBerries. DO the plants growa bigger berry and more of thepods on the plants?


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## Waldo (Feb 19, 2006)

These berries are almostr quarter size Wino.....JUICY AND SWEET too..


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## B M W (Feb 19, 2006)

Waldo,


Nice looking plants. You are so lucky to be able to plant now, I woke up yesterday morning to -28 degrees, this morning was a little warmer only -13 degrees. We did have a beautiful sunrise this morning so I snapped a picture because I thought the shadows on the mountain were cool. I'm still trying to get the perfect picture for my wine labels


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## MedPretzel (Feb 19, 2006)

I think you've found it just there.





You are a very lucky person to find such beauty every morning.





My post might have been a bit confusing - I wasn't trying to be condescending, but we've got 18*F here, and no signs of spring until at least April-May.... (April if we're lucky, May if we're unlucky).... 





I love looking at plants, and it pains me to think that my geraniums still have to battle it out in the inside for a couple of months. 





Great pics, Waldo. No harm done.



*Edited by: MedPretzel *


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## Waldo (Feb 19, 2006)

I agree with Martina B M W 


That is one helluva view podner. I would take those temps for that view every morning.


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## B M W (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks Waldo, I do have a beautiful view here and the cold won't last forever. Anything above 0 degrees makes for great weather for winter sports. My husband, sons and I have always enjoyed winter sports. I think we all adapt to our surroundings and make the most out of life. We are lucky to live in a Country wherewe can choose the climate we want to live in.


Martina, I'm with you on plants



I love looking at them too and watching them grow. Spring here will come May or June, most parts of Montanaearly to mid May. One of my hobbies is taking pictures of flowers especially wild flowers so I always look forward to spring. Waldo's pictures give hope that spring is just around the corner


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## Waldo (Feb 19, 2006)

Here is a picture of an exotic orchid that my son brought back from Florida last week as a gift to his Mom for Valentines day. It is beautiuful and continues adding blooms in front of the picture window in our living room. Reckon they would make some good wine Martina ?





*Edited by: Waldo *


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## B M W (Feb 20, 2006)

Beautiful flower. The picture would make a nice label



Thanks for sharing.


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## OldWino1 (Feb 21, 2006)

Realy nice pic for a label there montana.


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## jobe05 (Feb 21, 2006)

Waldo said:


> I would take those temps for that view every morning.




Sorry waldo, not me...... I'll settle for the North carolina weather each morning then come here and look at BMW's picture for the veiw






Your one lucky devil to have all these friends that help you get your fruit supplies. The blackberry plants look wonderfull, I'm sure you will grow them up to make fine wine. Can't wait for blackberry season around here.


And Martina........ Although you put up with long winter and short summers, of all the posters that I have met on many different boards, I know of no one who makes the best of it like you do. My hats off to you for that.


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## MedPretzel (Feb 21, 2006)

jobe05 said:


> And Martina........ Although you put up with long winter and short summers, of all the posters that I have met on many different boards, I know of no one who makes the best of it like you do. My hats off to you for that.







Gittin' a wee bit sentimental on me!









Summers are bombastic here. It makes up for the winters, ususally. And as the saying goes, "Ya got lemons? Make lemon wine?" 





My rendition: "Ya got mud? Use it as bentonite." ... "Snow? make "Ice-Wine!" ... "Millions of leaves? Make oak leaf wine." .... "Chrysanthemums?" .... well, that's a no brainer.


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## B M W (Feb 21, 2006)

jobe05 said:


> Sorry waldo, not me...... I'll settle for the North carolina weather each morning then come here and look at BMW's picture for the view




jobe05, I can't say I blame you, North Carolina is a beautiful state I loved my visit there. My son lives there and I think when he gets out of the Military he will stay on the East Coast.


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## Waldo (Feb 22, 2006)

I have a nephew thatrecently moved to Matthews, NC and he loves it up there


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## jobe05 (Feb 22, 2006)

Wow...... East coast, Mathews......... those are the flat lands they call the tarheels or the sand hills, me, I live near the real hills. Just outside Pilot Mountain (mount pilot on The Andy Griffith show), right at the foot hills of the blue ridge. 1 mile south.... flat, 1 mile north.... in the mountains. Not quite te mountains that BMW has, but mountains. I love it here. the town we live in is King, NC. Coming home here is like coming home to the 60's every night. Neighbors are all friendly and not afraid to yell at a kid when they need it, reminds me of when I was a kid. If I did something wrong, my neighbor could kick my butt, when I ran home and cried to Mommy, she would just kick my butt again................ I call that Old Fashion Values!


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## jobe05 (Feb 22, 2006)

MedPretzel said:


> Gittin' a wee bit sentimental on me!




Just being honest.......*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## Harry (Feb 22, 2006)

Hi there Waldo 


So hows the blackberry plants doing i went and got 3 from Home Depot yesterday and gonna plant them tomorrow if it dont rain. I an going back to H/D and see if they have anymore. I wanna have about 6 plants, I got Brazos Blackberrys those are supposed to do good here in Tx. The only thing they have thorns. Oh well cant have everyting i guess, How did you get the cuttings started?


Harry


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 22, 2006)

Waldo....I am also interested to see if the Blackberry cuttings worked???? I have tried lots of cuttings but never canes.....


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## Waldo (Mar 24, 2006)

They are doing great. Will post some pictures this evening !!!


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## smurfe (Mar 24, 2006)

Waldo, how many you end up planting? I am planning my "vineyard" so to say. I want to plant a few muscadines, a few Norton vines, some blueberry's, some elderberry's and some black berry's. 


I want to base all my plantings on enough plants to produce 2 or 3five or sixgallon batches a year but probably more toward the 2 batches a year. I don't really see making anymore along with the kits I make plus what I read it takes up to a year to be able to enjoy some of the fruit wines. How many Black Berry plants you think a guy would need for 2-3 batches? I might plant a few more bluberry and blackberry for regular consumption though.


All of these plants grow around here so I should not have a problem withthem. The only one that will be tricky is the Norton vines. I have heard they are disease resistant and I have heard they aredisease prone. There is one vineyard here that grows themwith great success so I figure I might try a few vines and go from there. I just love Norton/Cynthiana wines. These are the only grapes I have a shot to grow here that will make a wine reminiscent of a Cab or a Merlot.


I will try to post some pics of the plot of land soon. I been working hard to clean it up. It hadn't had any maintenance in 4-5 years. We were gonna build there but have another lot so if all goes right, this acre spot will be my vineyard in a year or so. I think it is too late to plant anything this year.


Steve*Edited by: smurfe *


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## Waldo (Mar 26, 2006)

Sorry about the delay folks but I have been busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest here lately. Anyway, the blackberries are in the ground and doing fine. Here are a couple of pictures of them. They are the Apache variety which is a thornless, bush typeand hopefully will be good producers. I planted a total of22 plants so far and have about 10 -12 more I can plant if i can find the time. They like a lot of sunshine so I planted in the lower part of my yard where they will get sun just about all day long.


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