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To order Elderberry Plants go here
To order Elderberry Cuttings go here
For information about vegetable and flower plants go here
Elderberry PLANTING and CARE:
Full Sun – part shade.
Plant them at the same level as the nursery pot. Add compost in the hole.
Water weekly in the first year to get them established. Careful with the roots
(If there are any fruit clusters starting in the first-year clip these off so all the energy will be used for establishing roots and stems.)
HOW FAR APART SHOULD I SPACE ELDERBERRY BUSHES?
Plant elderberry cuttings about 3-6 feet apart. Over the next couple years, they can reach 6-8 feet high and wide depending on fertility and how you prune in winter.
WHAT CARE & NUTRIENTS DO ELDERBERRY BUSHES NEED?
Choosing a sunny location with moist, fertile, well drained soil will result in a healthy crop of elderflowers and elderberries. Elder thrives with mycorrhizal beneficial fungi. If you think your soil is lacking, consider improving fertility by adding a nice layer of compost as mulch or perhaps well composted manure. Adding a fruit/berry fertilizer in the spring will also help each year.
SHOULD I MULCH MY ELDERBERRY PLANT?
Yes. There should be some kind of ground cover like black plastic or wood mulch to entirely stop other plants from interfering with root development. Ground cover helps conserve moisture too.
SHOULD I PRUNE ELDERBERRY BRANCHES?
One purpose of pruning is to make sure your elderberry bush does not grow so tall that the flowers and fruit are out of reach and to keep the bush in a state of good health. Prune yearly in winter while the bush is dormant, starting in the 3nd year. Prune back at least 30% but you can take off up to 80%. It’s popular to cut back to 2-3 ft of height. If you’re in a shorter growing season, prune taller/less so the fruit ripens earlier.
HARVEST
Use netting so birds do not get to them before you do. Also mesh bags work around each cluster of berries. Depending on the variety, the fruit should be ready to harvest mid‑August and mid-September. This is in the second year.
Planting Elderberry Cuttings
Elderberries come in a bag with some moisture to keep them from drying out. Store in refrigerator until you plant.
Cuttings can be planted directly in worked up ground in the early spring (May) or planted in pots to transplant out later.
Direct: Plant angle cut down 3-4″ down in soil and compost mix. Water regular for best root development.
Potted: Start cuttings in regular potting soil 6-8 weeks before planting outside. Plant 1 cutting angle side down 3″ into each 3x3x5″ pot or similar. Cuttings can be grown outside or inside a greenhouse or house in full/part sun. (It can stand frost but it should not freeze.) Cuttings in pots have a better survival rate. Transplant outside in May while it is still cool outside and keep watering for a few weeks to get it established.
Elderberry cuttings can be ordered here
Any questions reach out to us.