On 19 Jan 2006 07:49:01 -0800, "Doug Freyburger"
wrote:

Boron Elgar wrote:
Steve Newport wrote:
Boron Elgar wrote:

I am zone 6.

Also, sorry, newbee question, what's zone 6?

Sorry about the zone mentions..here in the US, the entire country has
been designated with a number, by, IIRC, the US Dept of Agriculture.
When buying perennials, they are categorized by these zones. This way,
someone will not wind up buying a tender shrub which will thrive in a
mild climate, but fail to make it through a harsh winter.

Here is the map for my state.
http://www.growit.com/bin/USDAZoneMaps.exe?MyState=NJ

I've seen similar maps for the European continent posted here in
the last year. I suspect that most of the world has such maps
available somewhere. Having zones that work across a continent
is very usefull. Having them work worldwide would be even better.

I'm in zone 5b suburban Chicago. This spring I plan on starting
some European billberries. Since blueberries and blackberries
will grow here I figure their European kin should also. Still
undecided ground or container, though. Open to suggestions
and following this thread because of the similarity.


I would not hesitate to grow blueberries in a container, as long as it
was winter protected, as they are compact & bushy, but the
blackberries fruit on new canes & I do not know what will happen in a
container. Still it is worth a 10 dollar experiment to find out.

Boron