Dear Chris, if this is any help, I am in zone 7-a a microclimate in Newport, RI. We have a ton of humidity in the summer and a lot of heat. Our humidity translates into fog. Bet you don't get that. My Caroline raspberries which are my favorites thrive in my climate and area. Zone 8 is the problem I think, but there are more knowledgeable people in this forum than I. However, all of my berries are from Norse as well, and if they are giving you a 'heads up' for your zone, I'd listen. Mrs. G

I'm in 7B near Charlotte, NC, and I've had mixed results with Caroline. I was optimistic at the end of the first year (2011) because they produced a surprisingly good crop late in the season (mostly in September). Last year, though, they cropped much earlier (July), and the combination of dry weather and insect activity (wasps and yellow jackets) took a real bite out of production. This year, I'm leaving last year's canes standing in the hope that I can get a spring crop while the weather is more favorable. That worked very well for my Heritage plants last year.