5 Navaho Blackberry Starter Plug Live Plants – Thornless Fruit Bush

Overview

Transform your garden into a berry-producing haven with these 5 Navaho blackberry live plant starter plugs. The ‘Navaho’ thornless blackberry (Rubus ‘Navaho’) is a highly sought-after cultivar renowned for its ease of care and abundant harvest of exceptionally sweet, firm berries. This innovative variety was developed by the University of Arkansas and holds the distinction of being the world’s first thornless blackberry with a naturally upright, self-supporting growth habit. This unique characteristic often eliminates the need for trellises, making it an ideal choice for both experienced gardeners and beginners looking for a low-maintenance fruit bush. These starter plugs provide a robust foundation for establishing a thriving patch of delicious, homegrown fruit.

The Navaho blackberry live plant is a fantastic addition to any edible landscape, offering not only delightful fruit but also an attractive, manageable form. Its vigorous growth and reliable fruiting make it a favorite among home growers. Enjoy fresh blackberries straight from your garden, perfect for snacking, baking, or preserving. This resilient plant is designed to provide years of bountiful harvests with minimal fuss, ensuring a rewarding gardening experience.

Key Benefits

Growing the Navaho blackberry live plant offers numerous advantages for the home gardener, combining ease of cultivation with a generous yield of delectable fruit. This variety stands out for its practical benefits and high-quality produce.

• Thornless Variety: The ‘Navaho’ is completely thornless, making harvesting a pleasant and pain-free experience. This feature is particularly beneficial for families with children or anyone who prefers to avoid prickly plants.
• Exceptional Sweetness: These blackberries are celebrated for their rich, sweet flavor and firm texture, making them ideal for eating fresh, in desserts, or for jams and jellies. Enjoy superior taste compared to store-bought varieties.
• Upright Growth Habit: Unlike many other blackberry types, the ‘Navaho’ cultivar boasts a naturally erect and self-supporting growth, significantly reducing or eliminating the need for trellising. This makes garden management much simpler.
• Heavy Cropper: Expect a prolific harvest of berries late in the summer season. Each Rubus Navaho starter plug has the potential to produce a substantial amount of fruit, ensuring a bountiful supply for your culinary needs.
• Low Maintenance: This variety is known for being relatively easy to care for, requiring less fuss than many other fruit-bearing plants. Its disease resistance and adaptability contribute to its low-maintenance appeal.
• Developed for Reliability: Originating from the University of Arkansas, a leader in fruit breeding, the ‘Navaho’ is a well-researched and dependable choice for consistent performance.
• Versatile Use: The berries are perfect for fresh consumption, baking pies and tarts, making preserves, or freezing for later use. Having a constant supply of sweet blackberry fruit is a true delight.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Navaho blackberry live plant is straightforward, especially given its low-maintenance nature. To ensure a healthy and productive bush, proper planting and ongoing care are essential. These plants thrive in full sun, meaning they need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce the best fruit. Choose a location in your garden that receives ample sunlight throughout the day. While the ‘Navaho’ is adaptable, a sunny spot will maximize berry production and sweetness.

When it comes to soil, this thornless blackberry bush prefers well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter like compost to improve drainage and fertility. Consistent moisture is crucial, especially during flowering and fruiting. Water deeply once or twice a week, or more frequently during dry spells, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist but not waterlogged. Avoid overhead watering to minimize fungal diseases. The ‘Navaho’ is hardy in USDA zones 5-9. In colder climates, consider providing winter protection, such as mulching around the base of the plant.

Fertilize your blackberry plants in early spring with a balanced fertilizer formulated for fruit-bearing plants. Follow the product instructions for application rates. Pruning is important for maintaining plant health and maximizing yield. Since ‘Navaho’ blackberries fruit on second-year canes (floricanes), prune out all canes that have fruited after harvest. Remove any weak, diseased, or damaged canes annually. New canes (primocanes) will emerge and produce fruit the following year. This erect blackberry plant benefits from good air circulation, so avoid overcrowding. Keep the area around the plants free of weeds, which can compete for water and nutrients.

Size & Details

These 5 Navaho blackberry live plant starter plugs arrive ready for planting, offering a head start to your berry patch. Each plug is a young, healthy plant, typically 2-4 inches tall, with a well-developed root system, ensuring a strong establishment once transplanted. The ‘Navaho’ cultivar is known for its moderate growth rate, establishing itself quickly in optimal conditions. Mature plants typically reach a height of 4-6 feet and a spread of 3-5 feet, forming a compact, upright bush that requires minimal support. They are shipped in a secure manner to protect their delicate roots and foliage during transit, ready to be potted up or planted directly into your garden bed.

Expect your thornless blackberry bush to begin fruiting in its second year after planting, providing a generous harvest of sweet blackberry fruit from mid to late summer. The berries are medium to large in size, glossy black, and firm, making them excellent for fresh eating or processing. These plants are grown to be vigorous and resilient, offering a reliable source of fresh fruit for many years with proper care. The starter plug format makes them easy to handle and plant, minimizing transplant shock and promoting rapid growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big will these Navaho blackberry live plants get? A: A mature Navaho blackberry live plant typically grows to an upright height of 4-6 feet with a spread of 3-5 feet. Its compact nature makes it suitable for various garden sizes and even large containers.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The ‘Navaho’ blackberry is an outdoor plant, best suited for garden beds or large outdoor containers where it can receive ample sunlight and space to grow. It is not designed for indoor cultivation.
• Q: How much sunlight does a Navaho blackberry need? A: For optimal growth and fruit production, your thornless blackberry bush requires full sun, meaning at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. A sunny location will yield the sweetest and most abundant berries.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the ‘Navaho’ blackberry is considered a low-maintenance fruit plant. Its thornless nature and upright growth simplify care, making it a good choice for both beginner and experienced gardeners.
• Q: What condition will the starter plugs arrive in? A: Your Rubus Navaho starter plugs will arrive as healthy, young plants with established root systems, typically 2-4 inches tall, carefully packaged to ensure their safe arrival and readiness for planting.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these blackberry starter plugs? A: The best time to plant blackberry starter plugs is in early spring after the last frost, or in early fall in milder climates. This allows the plant to establish its root system before extreme temperatures.
• Q: How long until I get fruit from my Navaho blackberry plant? A: You can typically expect your Navaho blackberry live plant to begin producing fruit in its second year after planting. After that, it will produce annually on its second-year canes.
• Q: What USDA hardiness zones are suitable for the Navaho blackberry? A: The ‘Navaho’ blackberry is hardy and performs well in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. It can tolerate a range of climates within these zones.
• Q: Do I need to trellis this erect blackberry plant? A: One of the key benefits of the ‘Navaho’ cultivar is its naturally upright and self-supporting growth habit. In many cases, trellising is not necessary, simplifying its cultivation.
• Q: Can I grow this sweet blackberry fruit in a container? A: Yes, ‘Navaho’ blackberries can be successfully grown in large containers (at least 15-20 gallons) provided they receive adequate sunlight, water, and nutrients. Ensure the container has good drainage.