I got an average of 4 to 4.5 hours of sun for most of the summer on my side bed. My brambles did fair to poor, but they produced some in stunted growth.

My currants and gooseb died or had to be pulled out and were stunted.

Lettuce, spinach and beets did good. Still testing some other stuff. Thats my take.

I'd put the Caroline in the sunniest spot, because plants have the highest photosynthetic demand when they're trying to ripen a crop. This is assuming that the other spots get plenty of sun during the summer, which it sounds like they do.

Buuuut, I would like to caution you about putting them too close to your fence. Erect blackberries (Natchez) and raspberries send up shoots all over the place...a few feet from the main plant is normal. I wouldn't want your neighbor to get irritated at finding plants on his side of the fence. Also, you'll want to be able to access both sides of the row or else you won't be able to harvest a lot of the fruit. Not only will you not be able to pick the berries, as they get overripe they'll start to get fruit rots which then provide inoculum to infect fruit you can access!

Wineberries are supposed to thrive in part shade (and they fill in the lapse b/w raspberries and blackberries). I just planted one (from Edible Landscaping), so I can't give a first hand report. They also like to spread.

Here is a link that might be useful: more info

Thanks for the suggestions. Wineberries do sound like an option.

I was planning a simple raised bed to try to control runners and about 4 ft behind the beds between the fence for easy picking.

How far can runners run? Would a very thick layer of pine back nuggets mulch between the beds and fence keep runners from coming up? Or would it just encourage them to come up on the other side of the fence?

They don't spread by runners, but by roots. The roots can grow out quite far from the plant and they then send up shoots from the roots. So no, the mulch won't really do much to keep them from coming up because the roots will grow in the mulch, too.

At four feet your neighbor might find some coming up in his yard, but you can be a good neighbor, and if you see it happening, offer to pull them up for him. Or, if he mows regularly enough, it shouldn't really become a problem.

A boysenberry planted next to a south-facing wall, under an apricot tree produced a few berries, but developed bad case of mildew. Not enough air circulation there. Will remove in favor of the main patch, growing in the open.

Bejay