Hi Devin,
As a former Otoe Co. resident (born in N.City!) I can tell you that you will not have any trouble growing the red Raspberry. It will thrive no matter what. You are in prime territory for it, perfect soil and climate.

Now, the Ebony King is another story. Blackberries are mostly a Southern fruit; most are not very cane hardy in zone 5. Next time you go to purchase berry plants, make the distinction between black Raspberries and Blackberries. One of the problems that you have just encountered is inappropriate plants often sold by large stores. The corporate buyers either do not care or simply do not know- either way, it is wrong and not fair to the customer.

So...do not put a lot of effort into your Ebony King- it is terrific down here in Texas, a dog for you up in Nebraska. As someone mentioned prior, go get some more of the reds...put a row in. You will be glad you did. So easy to grow and very productive. You will get some berries this year but next year- JACKPOT! I might also suggest you go online and buy these. You can get them quite cheap from Simmons Plant Farm (simmonsplantfarm.com). I would put in arrow of about 25 or so. Be on the look out for a gold Raspberry! There are several cultivars such as Fall Gold- they have remarkable flavor, more sweet than tart. Just as easy to grow as the reds.

As for care, just keep them watered the first year- once established, they become pretty much care free. If it gets super dry in the summer, hit them with water 1X per week if they are carrying a load of fruit. I do not remember having much in the way of pests or disease bothering them. Just remove old, worn out looking canes every year and you will be fine. The row will get thicker each year and you will be able to expand your row quickly by digging suckers. After about 3 years, you will be a pro at growing Raspberries and everyone in town will be your best friend once the fruit starts coming in! Trust me, regardless of what you read, growing Raspberries is easy and does not require a huge amount of thought- as opposed to Blackberries that I now grow (about an acre of them- I sell them).

Though I can honestly say I do not miss living in Nebraska, I DO(!) miss being able to grow Raspberries (and Peonies and Lilacs!). Since all my family is still in Ne. (Talmadge and N. City) I am able to enjoy seeing these things every now and then.

For what it is worth, I've not had any difficulty growing blackberries here in Nebraska and suspect it's all about the cultivars you choose to grow. Some are cane hardy this far north and some are not. Is 'Ebony King' a cane hardy cultivar?

That's often hard information to find because most of them are hardy enough to survive here (and get listed as 'hardy to zone 5'), but some aren't cane hardy and so don't bear fruit. If you end up not being happy with 'Ebony King', you shouldn't give up on blackberries altogether. I can certainly tell you which cultivars have worked for me.

Awesome! I can't thank you all enough for giving me the heads up and the information! It's very cool to see some other Nebraska folks on here! It's like running into a long lost friend. I look forward to sharing all my triumphs and defeats with y'all and I can't wait to learn from each and every one of you. I'm very thankful I found this podcast and this website, it will truely make a difference in my life and I can't to learn and grow with all of you!