Q--
My berries were planted around three years ago. Last year the crop was huge and delicious, tho' I had to fight off Japanese beetles. I read that canes should be cut, and I did that last fall. This year the flowers seemed to be early and the berries quite early. Many if not most of the berries have white (empty?) drupes. I figure I can make jelly instead of my favorite--preserves-- but I would like to know what is wrong. The canes seem healthy, as do the leaves, and there are not so many beetles.
A--
The white druplets on your Blackberries has not been determined by University Extension Specialists. In other words, no one seems to know. Some think it is a pollenation issue, some think it is nutritional. It doesn't effect the flavor, just the berry cosmetics.
Please see the following links.
Nate Nourse
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/berries/diagnostic_tool/flowers_and_%20fruit/white_spots_on_fruit.htmlhttp://www.hort.cornell.edu/department/faculty/pritts/BerryDoc/Berrydoc.htm
