[JohnB47]

I've tried growing Joan J for the last two years but the canes don't seem to do well for me. First attempt was using canes supplied by an adjacent allotment holder - all except one died off. In the second year I planted some shop bought ones, which turned out to be dead on arrival (got my money back). In contrast some Tulameen I planted seem to be romping away.

So I'm thinking of trying Polka. Any feeback from growers of this variety?  Easy to grow (ie do they stay alive!)? Flavour?

Thanks.

[Yorkie]

I put one in a couple of weeks ago from T&M.  Hasn't died yet.  I think 

[carlrmj]

I grew polka ,bought from wilko's,had loads of large rasps off them.
 I'm going to get more canes as was really pleased with them

[JohnB47]

I put one in a couple of weeks ago from T&M.  Hasn't died yet.  I think 

Thanks folks.

Yorkie, how were they packaged - ie in what conditions? The ones that failed me were delivered in a large flat brown paper bag, bone dry. I might buy from T&M if they look after their plants when posted.

[Gandan57]

I can recommend Blackmoor Nurseries where my Polka canes came from a year ago.They have cropped heavily this year and perhaps due to the mild weather of late, appear to be sending up new canes again now.

[Yorkie]

I put one in a couple of weeks ago from T&M.  Hasn't died yet.  I think 

Thanks folks.

Yorkie, how were they packaged - ie in what conditions? The ones that failed me were delivered in a large flat brown paper bag, bone dry. I might buy from T&M if they look after their plants when posted.

Mine were like that too; they weren't completely dry but I soaked them in a bucket of water overnight to rehydrate the roots before planting out.

[viettaclark]

Thoroughly recommend Polka! I've had them 4 years and got them dry-rooted from Ken Muir. Lovely strong plants that don't need alot of support and produce good "runners"so you can build up your stock.
I've experimented with letting them fruit in Summer AND Autumn which does work but the Summer crop is not so good as the later one. Probably because they're bred for Autumn.
Didn't let them fruit this Summer and had a great crop.I was still picking big juicy berries until a week ago.

[Yorkie]

How did you stop them fruiting in summer, viettaclark?

[viettaclark]

Hi Yorkie!
Polka is autumn fruiting but if you leave the canes after fruiting and give them a bit of a trim you can get summer fruit the following year on the same canes, then autumn fruit from the new canes. If you do what you're supposed to do and cut right down after your autumn crop you won't get a summer one, will you, because the new canes take til autumn to produce......
I've got 2 autumn types, Polka and Allgold so if I want a strong summer crop I'd better buy some summer fruiting canes! Although the double method works ok the summer fruit tends to be smaller.
Mind you, I think I might do it again this year using some canes.

[Yorkie]

Ta