Elderberry plants are a hardy bunch. Any edible native plant that grows in a roadside ditch battered by constant winter salt spray and summer herbicide spray, doesn’t die but actually thrives and spreads is a winner in my book! While you don’t want to eat Elderberries fresh, they can be processed into things like jams, jellies, wines, and tonics. Most people know the lowly elderberry for its use in the cough syrups Sambacol.
Where to Plant Elderberries
Because of their many uses questions on planting them in difficult soil conditions come up a lot. Clay soils, sandy soils, wet soils, you name it, elderberry can survive most any of them. In general novice gardeners and growers hear clay soil and think nothing will grow. This is simply not the case, especially for elderberries! And it is a good case to grow perennials and fruit trees in general. Unlike annual production trees and perennials stay in one place for their entire lifecycle, they can help change the soil for the better. They do this typically thru their leaf drop as it adds nutrients to the soil.
But I digress..yes Elderberries can be planted in clay soils. A little bit of soil amending is okay but they will do fine if you simply backfill the hole with its native soil.
Don’t worry about too much clay as elderberries do fine in wet soils. If water pools for more than several days in a row you might consider other planting sites.
Early Years
Like any other plant, when your elderberries are young you want to protect them. Take care in sheltering small plants from rodents, deer, and other wildlife that want to eat or damage young branches and bark.
Keeping weed pressure to a minimum right around the base of the plant is vital. Doing so will give your Elderberries a leg up for the first few years. After 2-3 years your plants will be large enough to outcompete all but the toughest weeds.
When Can I Pick Berries?
As soon as you start seeing ripe berries pick them! Unlike other fruit trees where you are recommended to left the roots establish themselves for a year or two, Elderberries can be harvested straight away. You won’t be hurting the plant by doing so. So pick until you have plenty!
What to do with all those berries?
Fear not, Elderberries can be made countless products. Jams jellies, wine, mead, syrup, tinctures, are just a few of their common uses. The great thing about the berries is that you can freeze them and they will last for months and probably years (I have never been able to test this as I always run out by spring time).
Large quantities can be turned into wine while syrups can be made with just a few cups.
Will Elderberries Spread?
The short answer is yes! Elderberries spread via their roots. Much like raspberries they send out suckers which can create a large patch from which to pick berries. To keep elderberry confined to one location make sure you mow the immediate area surrounding your plants regularly. Doing so will keep the suckers at bay and eventually the suckers will die off.
In the end go ahead and plant that elderberry. They are strong resilient plants that can overcome a lot of planting and care mistakes.
For more elderberry info and plant sales check out the following link.