Large and early
Glossy fruit ripens in a concentrated period during July.
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Making its mark from July — and without thorns 🍇
Family: Rosaceae · Pot diameter: 13cm · organically grown · Height: approximately 40–45cm
Rubus NAVAHO® ‘Bigandearly’ brings large, glossy black berries to upright, thornless canes. The fruit ripens in a concentrated July crop, with sweet, juicy flesh ready for immediate enjoyment. Its deep-black colour stands out clearly among green leaves and gives the edible garden a rich summer display. It is a choice that combines impressive fruit, easy access for picking and the natural character of a blackberry. The change from red young fruit to glossy black berries creates a little succession of colours along the same fruiting laterals.
Its upright habit draws a clear line at the back of an edible garden. On a support, large black berries stand out among the leaves to create a striking seasonal backdrop, with easy access for summer picking.
‘Bigandearly’ combines early timing with very large fruit and the practical upright thornless habit of the NAVAHO® line.
Glossy fruit ripens in a concentrated period during July.
Tying, pruning and picking remain comfortable even near a daily path.
Strong canes stand more vertically than a classic trailing blackberry.
Why you will love it: It combines the spectacle of very large black fruit with safe picking and early enjoyment.
Plant in full sun at 1–1.5m spacing with firm support to about 2m. In hot regions keep roots deeply mulched.
Aromatic, flowering and drought-tolerant low plants brighten the crown without obstructing new canes.
Full sun for sweetness and cane ripening; light afternoon shade only during heatwaves.
Even moisture from flowering until the end of harvest.
Good winter hardiness to about −20°C, with protection from cold drying wind.
Wash fully ripe fruit before eating.
Plant in deep fertile soil that drains well yet stays cool. Add organic mulch around the roots without covering the cane bases.
Water deeply when the top few centimetres dry. Even moisture from flowering to harvest helps fruit fill uniformly.
Fan 4–6 fruiting canes over three wires and train new canes vertically in the centre.
In early spring add mature compost and a balanced fruit-plant feed according to its label. Avoid excess nitrogen.
Mulch the roots, remove weeds by hand and pick frequently. During prolonged heat, provide light afternoon shade.
Remove fruited canes immediately after harvest, keep gaps and do not let large fruit become overripe.
It is self-fertile and crops alone. Abundant insect activity helps large berries develop evenly.
It ripens early and in a concentrated July period, often ahead of other upright blackberries.
Pick when fruit is fully black, glossy, slightly soft and releases without a hard pull.
Stretch netting over a tall separate frame before the first fruit turns black and leave a side door.
After planting: tie the main cane vertically and do not shorten its tip before it reaches the final support height.
Cut old ‘Bigandearly’ canes out at the base once their summer harvest is complete. Identify and secure the current season’s canes, which will flower and fruit next year. In late winter, arrange the laterals and remove dead or damaged sections. Work according to the succession of old and new wood, rather than cutting every cane to one uniform height.
‘Bigandearly’ fruits on last year’s canes. After July remove entire fruited canes at the base and spread strong new canes into their place.
Action: Train 4–6 new canes vertically in the centre.
Retain: Retain their full length to the top wire.
Action: Spread last year’s canes left and right and shorten only overlong laterals in winter.
Retain: Retain short laterals with visible fruit buds.
Action: Cut brown fruited canes low as soon as picking ends.
Retain: Spread green new canes over the vacant wires.
Use sharp, clean tools suited to the diameter of the wood.
Retie the fan and shorten laterals only enough to keep the passage clear.
Do not do this: Do not cut new green canes with the brown ones after harvest; they are next year’s crop.
Strong green canes rise in the centre of the support.
Brown canes open across wires and fill with short fruiting laterals.
Very large blackberries ripen in a concentrated July period.
Distinct basal stems, leafy side shoots and fruit attached to the branching framework.
Previous-season canes are retained while new ones grow for the following year.
Previous-season canes fruit on side shoots; new canes remain for the next cycle.
The two views follow the same natural growth cycle.
What to expect after planting: Strong green canes rise in the centre of the support.
‘Bigandearly’ belongs to Lubera’s Navaho® series of upright, thornless blackberries. Its name condenses the two characteristics that distinguish it within the series: large fruit and early ripening. The first harvest is placed in early July, with most production following during the same month.
Upright growth and the absence of thorns retain the blackberry’s generous character in a more approachable garden form. Among the selections in the series, ‘Bigandearly’ emphasises the beginning of the season: the first large black berries ripening as summer reaches its full rhythm.
When a ripe blackberry is picked, the little drupelets come away together with the fleshy receptacle supporting them. The fruit therefore remains filled at its centre. In a raspberry, the receptacle stays on the plant and leaves a cavity. This distinction concerns the separation of floral structures, rather than simply whether the fruit is black or red.
An upright ‘Bigandearly’ cane still has a limited lifespan, even when it becomes tall and woody. Summer fruit is produced on lateral shoots carried by the previous year’s canes. After fruiting, these complete their cycle while new canes take over the next crop. The enduring perennial structure is the base of the plant.
Six practical answers for choosing, growing, harvesting and pruning this exact cultivar.
It is self-fertile and crops alone. Abundant insect activity helps large berries develop evenly.
2–3m high and approximately 0.8–1.2m wide, with the habit described above.
Yes, in a very large container of 60 litres or more, with a heavy stable frame to 2m.
During July, when fruit is fully black, slightly soft and releases without a hard pull.
The canes are classed as thornless, making tying and picking much more comfortable.
Immediately after harvest remove brown fruited canes and spread new ones over the wires.
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.