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Can I grow marionberries? #761634

Asked July 13, 2021, 11:36 PM EDT

I recently moved to Lenox, MI. Can I have success growing marionberries in my backyard? Are there things, like soil or pests that I should be concerned about before investing in the plants?

Macomb County Michigan

Expert Response

You should be able to grow marionberries in your area if you have the right location. Marionberry is just a hybrid blackberry variety. It gets the same pests and diseases. It requires similar conditions for good growth. 

Marionberry survives in USDA hardiness zones 6-9. You are in zone 6. That being said, you should protect the plants from the harshest winter cold. That means not at the bottom of a hill where cold air will settle, or at the top of an exposed hill with no shelter where it will be whipped by the coldest winter winds. 

They also like well-drained soils with no standing water. During the summer, they will produce best when grown in full sun. 

I would familiarize yourself with the common insect and disease issues with brambles. They are similar across varieties and species. University of Wisconsin has a good collection of sites where you can find more information about raspberries and blackberries (and marionberries): https://fruit.wisc.edu/raspberries/

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 14, 2021, 3:54 PM EDT

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