5 Prime Ark Traveler Thornless Blackberry Live Plant Plug – Rubus ‘APF-190T’

Overview

Bring the joy of fresh, homegrown fruit to your garden with the Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant. This innovative cultivar, scientifically known as Rubus ‘APF-190T’, is a thornless, erect, primocane-fruiting blackberry developed by the University of Arkansas. Unlike traditional blackberries, the Prime Ark Traveler offers the unique advantage of producing two crops per season in optimal climates: a floricane crop in early summer and a primocane crop from late summer into fall. This means an extended harvest of delicious, high-quality berries. These live plant plugs provide a strong start for establishing a productive and resilient blackberry patch, making it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.

The Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant is celebrated for its exceptional fruit quality. The berries are firm, sweet, and possess a lower acidity compared to many other blackberry varieties, making them a delightful treat straight from the cane or perfect for various culinary uses. Its erect growth habit simplifies cultivation and harvesting, eliminating the need for extensive trellising. Investing in a primocane blackberry like the Prime Ark Traveler ensures a continuous supply of fresh fruit for months, enhancing your garden’s bounty and your family’s enjoyment.

Key Benefits

The Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant offers a multitude of advantages for the home gardener, transforming your outdoor space into a productive and enjoyable edible landscape. Its unique characteristics contribute to an easier growing experience and a more abundant harvest:

• Thornless Canes: Enjoy hassle-free harvesting and maintenance. The absence of thorns makes picking berries a pleasant experience, reducing the risk of scratches and making the plant safer for families with children. This also simplifies pruning and general care of your thornless blackberry plant.

• Double Cropping Potential: Experience two distinct harvests each year. A floricane crop ripens in early summer, followed by a substantial primocane crop from late summer into fall. This extended fruiting season provides a longer supply of fresh berries.

• High-Quality Fruit: The berries are renowned for their firmness, sweetness, and lower acidity, offering a superior flavor profile. They are ideal for eating fresh, baking, making jams, or freezing for later use.

• Erect Growth Habit: The plant grows upright, requiring minimal support and making it easier to manage than sprawling varieties. This characteristic contributes to a neater garden appearance and more efficient use of space.

• Developed by Experts: Originating from the University of Arkansas, this cultivar (Rubus APF-190T) is the result of extensive research and breeding, ensuring a robust and high-performing plant.

• Versatile Culinary Uses: From pies and cobblers to smoothies and fresh desserts, the abundant harvest from your Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant will inspire countless culinary creations.

• Easy to Grow Blackberry: With its resilient nature and thornless canes, this variety is relatively low-maintenance, making it a fantastic choice for gardeners of all skill levels looking for a rewarding fruiting plant.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

To ensure your Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant thrives and produces abundant fruit, understanding its specific care requirements is essential. These primocane-fruiting blackberries prefer a location with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Full sun exposure is crucial for optimal fruit production and plant health. Ensure good air circulation around the plants to prevent fungal diseases. When planting, incorporate plenty of organic matter into the soil to improve fertility and drainage. A slightly acidic to neutral soil pH (5.5-7.0) is ideal for blackberry growth.

Consistent watering is key, especially during fruiting periods and dry spells. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week through rainfall or irrigation. The soil should remain consistently moist but never waterlogged. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer or an organic berry fertilizer. Pruning is vital for primocane-fruiting varieties like the Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant. For a double crop, allow floricanes (second-year canes) to fruit in early summer, then prune them back to the ground after they finish producing. Allow primocanes (first-year canes) to grow and fruit in late summer/fall. For a single, larger fall crop, prune all canes back to the ground in late winter.

The easy to grow blackberry is generally hardy in USDA Zones 5-9. In colder regions, providing winter protection, such as mulching the base of the plants, can help ensure their survival. Watch out for common pests like aphids or spider mites, and treat with organic insecticidal soap if necessary. Proper spacing, typically 3-5 feet between plants, allows for good air circulation and reduces disease pressure, contributing to a healthy and productive primocane blackberry patch.

Size & Details

This offering includes 5 Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant starter plugs, ready for transplanting into your garden. These plugs provide a robust root system, ensuring a strong start and quicker establishment compared to bare-root plants. The Prime Ark Traveler is an erect-growing cultivar, typically reaching heights of 5-8 feet and a spread of 3-4 feet at maturity. Its vigorous growth habit means you’ll see substantial development within the first growing season.

Expected time to first fruiting can be as early as the first year for the primocane crop, with more substantial yields in subsequent years. The berries are medium to large in size, firm, and glossy black. These Rubus APF-190T plants are designed for longevity and productivity, providing years of delicious fruit with proper care. They are shipped as young, actively growing starter plugs, carefully packaged to ensure safe arrival and minimize transplant shock.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does the Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant get? A: The Prime Ark Traveler is an erect-growing variety that typically reaches a height of 5-8 feet and can spread 3-4 feet wide. Its upright habit makes it more manageable than many other blackberry types.

• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant is an outdoor fruiting bush. It requires full sun and sufficient space to thrive, making it unsuitable for long-term indoor cultivation.

• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This blackberry variety needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production. Full sun exposure is crucial for high yields of sweet berries.

• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Prime Ark Traveler blackberry plant is considered an easy to grow blackberry. Its thornless canes simplify harvesting and pruning, and its robust nature makes it forgiving for beginners, especially compared to thorny varieties.

• Q: What condition will the starter plugs arrive in? A: The starter plugs are shipped as young, actively growing plants with established root systems. They are carefully packaged to ensure they arrive in healthy condition, ready for planting.

• Q: How long until it produces fruit? A: As a primocane blackberry, the Prime Ark Traveler can produce fruit on its first-year canes (primocanes) in the late summer or fall of its initial growing season, with more significant yields in subsequent years.

• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Prime Ark Traveler is generally hardy in USDA Zones 5-9. In colder zones, providing a protective layer of mulch around the base of the plant can help it overwinter successfully and support its growth as a resilient thornless blackberry plant.

• Q: What’s the best soil for this blackberry? A: This blackberry prefers well-draining soil rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5-7.0) is ideal for promoting healthy growth and maximizing fruit yield.

• Q: What does primocane-fruiting mean? A: Primocane-fruiting means the plant produces fruit on its first-year canes (primocanes) in the late summer or fall. This is in contrast to floricane-fruiting varieties, which only produce fruit on second-year canes.

• Q: Can I grow this blackberry in a container? A: While possible, blackberries generally prefer to be in the ground due to their extensive root systems. If growing in a container, choose a very large pot (at least 15-20 gallons) and ensure excellent drainage and consistent moisture for your Rubus APF-190T.