2 Von Thornless Blackberry Live Plants – Sweet Fruit, High Yield – Zones 5-10

Overview

Cultivate your own delicious berries with this offering of two thornless blackberry live plant starters, featuring the highly acclaimed Von variety. These robust plants are renowned for their exceptional fruit quality, offering a delightful balance of sweetness and low acidity. Developed by North Carolina State University, the Von variety is a favorite among home gardeners and berry enthusiasts alike, promising consistent, abundant harvests year after year. Perfect for those seeking an easy-to-manage and productive berry patch, these sweet blackberry plants arrive healthy and ready to thrive in your garden.

The Von thornless blackberry live plant is a fantastic choice for both novice and experienced growers. Its vigorous growth and reliable performance ensure a rewarding experience, transforming your garden into a source of fresh, homegrown fruit. Enjoy the convenience of a thornless variety, making harvesting a pleasure rather than a prickly chore. These plants are ideal for creating an edible landscape or enhancing an existing fruit garden, providing a continuous supply of berries for fresh eating, baking, and preserving.

Key Benefits

Investing in these thornless blackberry live plants brings a multitude of advantages to your garden and kitchen. The Von variety stands out for its superior characteristics, making it a highly desirable choice for any berry lover.

• Consistent Sweet Harvests: Enjoy a prolonged fruiting period from late June through early August, yielding up to six weeks of delicious, uniform berries. The Von variety is celebrated for its sweet flavor and low acidity, making it an ideal choice for fresh consumption.
• Thornless Variety: Experience hassle-free harvesting with these thornless blackberry plants, eliminating the discomfort of thorns and making them safer for families and children.
• High Yielding: Each mature plant can produce an impressive 20–26 pounds of fruit once fully established, ensuring a bountiful supply for all your culinary needs. This makes the Von variety a truly high yield blackberry.
• Compact Seeds & Smooth Texture: The berries feature small, compact seeds and a tender texture, providing a pleasant eating experience without any grittiness.
• Cold Hardy & Reliable: Suitable for USDA Zones 5–10, these plants exhibit excellent cold tolerance down to approximately -12°F (-24°C), ensuring reliable performance in various climates. This makes them a truly cold hardy blackberry.
• Easy to Grow & Maintain: The upright growth habit often negates the need for trellising, and simple seasonal pruning maintains plant health and maximizes productivity.
• Versatile Use: The firm, dark fruit is excellent for fresh eating, baking into pies and cobblers, or preserving as jams and jellies, offering endless culinary possibilities.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your thornless blackberry live plant is straightforward, ensuring a healthy and productive bush for years to come. These plants thrive with proper attention to their specific needs, leading to abundant harvests of delicious fruit. Follow these guidelines to help your Von blackberry plants flourish.

Sunlight & Soil: For optimal fruit production and plant health, plant your Von blackberry plant in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. The soil should be slightly acidic, organically rich, and well-draining. Before planting, amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage and fertility. Good drainage is crucial to prevent root rot. When planting, allow about 3–4 feet between plants to ensure adequate airflow and room for growth, which is essential for a productive high yield blackberry.

Watering & Fertilization: During the establishment phase and dry periods, consistent watering is vital. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Once established, these plants are relatively drought-tolerant but will benefit from regular watering during fruit development. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer designed for fruit-bearing plants, or use an organic compost to enrich the soil. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of fruit production. This attention to detail will ensure a sweet blackberry plant.

Pruning & Winter Care: The Von variety grows upright and may not require trellising. Regular seasonal pruning is key to improving shape and productivity. In late winter, remove any old, spent canes that produced fruit the previous year, as blackberries fruit on second-year canes. Tip-pruning new canes during the growing season encourages side shoots, which will bear fruit the following year. For regions at the colder end of USDA Zones 5-10, applying a layer of mulch around the base of the plants in late fall can provide extra protection against harsh winter temperatures, supporting your cold hardy blackberry.

Size & Details

You will receive two healthy thornless blackberry live plant starters, typically arriving as young plants measuring approximately 4–6 inches tall. These plants are shipped with their soil root balls intact, ensuring they are ready for immediate planting and quick establishment in your garden. The careful packaging in eco-friendly material safeguards the roots during transit, promoting a smooth transition to their new environment. While the photos provided showcase mature plants for reference, your starters will be young and eager to grow.

Once fully established, each Von blackberry plant has the potential to grow into a robust bush, yielding an impressive 20–26 pounds of delicious fruit annually. The Von variety is known for its relatively fast growth rate, with fruit production typically beginning in the second year after planting. The extended fruiting period, from late June to early August, provides a generous window for harvesting fresh berries. These plants are designed for outdoor cultivation and are well-suited for USDA Zones 5–10, offering a reliable and productive addition to your edible landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these thornless blackberry live plants get? A: Once mature, Von blackberry plants typically grow into robust bushes. While specific dimensions can vary with growing conditions and pruning, they generally reach a manageable size, often not requiring a trellis due to their upright growth habit.
• Q: What condition will the plants arrive in? A: Your Von blackberry plants will arrive as healthy live starters, approximately 4–6 inches tall, with their soil root balls carefully packaged. This ensures they are ready for planting and minimizes transplant shock for your sweet blackberry plant.
• Q: How much sunlight do these blackberry plants need? A: For the best fruit production and overall plant health, these cold hardy blackberry plants require full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for, especially for beginners? A: Yes, the Von thornless blackberry live plant is considered easy to grow and maintain, even for beginner gardeners. Its thornless nature makes harvesting pleasant, and its upright growth simplifies care routines.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these high yield blackberry starters? A: The best time to plant these starters is typically in spring after the last frost, or in early fall in milder climates, allowing them to establish their root systems before extreme temperatures.
• Q: What USDA Zones are suitable for the Von blackberry plant? A: The Von variety is a cold hardy blackberry suitable for USDA Zones 5–10, tolerating temperatures down to approximately -12°F (-24°C).
• Q: Can I grow these thornless blackberry plants in containers? A: While primarily suited for in-ground planting, blackberry plants can be grown in very large containers (e.g., 20-gallon or larger) with excellent drainage. Regular watering and feeding will be critical for success.
• Q: How long until these sweet blackberry plants produce fruit? A: Typically, your thornless blackberry live plant starters will begin producing fruit in their second year after planting, with full production achieved in subsequent years, leading to a truly high yield blackberry.
• Q: What kind of soil do these blackberry plants prefer? A: They prefer slightly acidic, organically rich, and well-draining soil. Amending with compost can greatly benefit their growth and fruit production.
• Q: How often should I water my Von blackberry plants? A: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during establishment and fruit development. Avoid waterlogging. Once established, they are more tolerant of drier conditions but benefit from regular watering during dry spells.