Joan J

Planted 5 varieties spring of in 2022 and these are our top pick for flavour as well as a heavy producer. We planted 20 of these and got about a quart pint per week the first year. Based on the growth this year I'm guessing it will be closer to 5 quarts per week.

Billy S
Home Grower
Zone 6
07/24/2023

My family bought me 10 plants last year, 2021, for Mother’s Day. I was sold on the thornless variety after all the great reviews and how low maintenance this variety is. These raspberries have not disappointed! We had a very cold spring and a late start to summer in central MN. It is the first week of July and we have an abundance of large delicious raspberries on healthy plants. They are being eaten by the handfuls. We will definitely be expanding our Joan J raspberry beds so that we can eat them fresh and freeze them.

RMB
Home Grower
Zone 3
07/09/2022

These are my favorite raspberries ever. I originally bought them in 2015 and I would love to have them at my new house. They tasted like cotton candy to me.

Matt H
Home Grower
Zone 5
06/03/2022

I got 5 Joan J last year and they loved Northern VA Clay soil. It took off and gave me a small crop last fall. I am amazed at the crop today June 2nd. The tip of the new growth is starting to fruit as well. It is completely thornless and taste great.

Kenny
Home Grower
Zone 7
06/03/2022

Over the last 6 years, I had bought some Joan J plants to "play" with. I really thought they did well in these small areas.
In spring of 2020 ended up planting 60 feet of Joan J (40 plants), 15 ft of Heritage (10 plant), and 15 feet of Double Gold (10 plants) in my neighbor's garden. The first summer, the Joan J produce a tiny crop (I expected nothing as it is an establishment year). But this year, 2021, my second year. The Joan J kicked butt !!
The Joan J started production in mid August and were full on 7-10 days later (Chicago suburbs, zone 5). Heavy production, beautiful berries, great tasting and easy to harvest because of spineless canes. Healthy plants and berries. Large berries, beautiful color, very good taste, and heavy harvest over 3 weeks. I watered all the raspberries using a soaker hose. (note: My small experimental patches didn't get much added water. I had no idea the Joan J could do that much better with regular irrigation.) Anyway, I really want to dump the Double Gold and Heritage (see my review of those - hint, it's not favorable.) One of the specialist at Norse told me to give them a year or two more to see if they come around .... which he says might happen. Pretty stark difference between the three varieties.. I would give Joan J 9+/10. I would give Heritage 5-6/10, Double Gold 4-5/10

Jeff
Home Grower
Zone 5
11/19/2021

I planted 5 plants in late may and I was picking beautiful large dellicious berries in late July. Now in late August, the plants are LOADED with these amazing berries. I have heritage raspberries also and the Joan J's are outperforming.

Rory
Home Grower
Zone 7
08/31/2021