Blackberry Plant - 4 Live Starter Plants - Rubus - Fruit Trees for The Patio and Garden

The Eclipse Blackberry Plant (Rubus defectionis) is a high-performing, thornless blackberry variety known for its remarkable fruit quality and ease of care. With large, glossy black berries, this variety is prized for its robust flavor that combines a sweet base with a slight tartness, making it ideal for fresh eating, baking, and preserving. The Eclipse Blackberry is a resilient and productive plant that requires minimal maintenance and thrives in various climates, making it a great choice for home gardeners and berry enthusiasts. Its thornless canes allow for hassle-free pruning and harvesting, ensuring an enjoyable gardening experience and plentiful harvests season after season. Compact and manageable, this variety fits well in smaller gardens or container setups, providing a bountiful supply of juicy berries throughout the summer. The Eclipse Blackberry’s extended harvest period allows you to enjoy fresh blackberries straight from your garden, offering convenience and high-quality produce that enhances any culinary creation. Watering: Ensure the Eclipse Blackberry receives consistent moisture, particularly during hot, dry spells and the fruiting season. Water deeply once a week, focusing on the root zone, to keep the soil moist without creating standing water. Consistent watering supports large, juicy berries and healthy plant growth. Pruning: Prune canes in late winter to remove any dead or weak growth and promote the development of new fruiting canes. During the growing season, trim back the tops of new canes to control height and encourage branching, which results in increased berry yields and a more manageable plant. Sunlight: The Eclipse Blackberry requires full sun exposure for optimal growth and fruit production. Aim to provide at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to support berry ripening, improve sweetness, and ensure a productive harvest season. Growth Habit: The Eclipse Blackberry has a semi-erect growth habit with thornless canes, making it easy to manage in garden beds or along trellises. It reaches a mature height of around 4-5 feet and has a compact spread, allowing it to fit well in smaller spaces without compromising fruit production. Berry Characteristics: The berries are large, firm, and a deep, glossy black when fully ripe. They have a rich, sweet-tart flavor that is perfect for fresh eating, as well as for use in pies, jams, and other culinary applications. The berries are also firm enough to hold up well in storage, extending their usability. Blackberry plants are fruiting shrubs. They belong to the genus Rubus in the rose family Rosaceae. Blackberry bushes produce fruits called blackberries. Much like their close cousin the raspberry, blackberries contain high levels of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and dietary fiber. They contain very little overall fat and zero saturated fat. As members of the Rosaceae family, the cultivation of blackberries resembles that of rose bushes. Fortunately, blackberries are closer to wild roses in their ease of care than they are to a hybrid tea rose. Blackberries will tolerate many growing conditions. Sites with full sun are best for productive blackberry bushes. Some afternoon shade is tolerated, especially in areas with hot summers. Careful site selection will ensure a long life for your blackberries, which usually live for about a decade with proper care. The ideal soil is slightly acidic with good drainage; these plants do not do well in clay soil. An elevated site or raised beds will not only help drainage but will also prevent late spring frosts from damaging flower buds. Blackberries need moderate amounts of water, around 1 inch per week provided either by rainfall or from ground-level irrigation. Blackberries do not fare well in wet soils.