Elderberries

felpec · June 6, 2007

I planted two plants (Johns and Adams) three years ago. They are very healthy and about five feet tall, but I don't see any flowers.

Does anyone else grow them? I thought I might have a few berries this year, but I guess not. Maybe next year? Anything special I'm supposed to do?

I love to make homemade wine (actually won best in the state a few years ago

) and can't wait to make elderberry wine.

Hilde · June 16, 2007

Hi felpec,

I planted Johns, Adams, Nova and York this spring. I was told flowers would come next year. All I know is that they like moist soil, tolerate wet soil well and that I have had to water them well, or they will hang, even in a location that is not dry. I thought they were supposed to be taller than 5 feet, more like 7 feet. Good luck and fingers crossed that you will get lots of flowers and berries next year!

Hilde

michael johnson · June 16, 2007

Elderberries grow wild all over the Uk, millions of them all over the place, every year in early september we go and gather the berries to make wine and juice with, marvelous cold cure, also elderflower is also very good in decoctions.

Hilde · June 18, 2007

Michael, I think the European elder is a different type than the American Elder. The types that felpec and I have are the Sambucus canadensis, and those are smaller than the European type, which I think is named Sambucus nigra.

Felpec, what growing conditions do you have for your elderberries? I checked mine yesterday and three of them have a flower developing. They grow in a soil mix of 50% compost and 50% garden soil, put on top of existing sod in an area where they don't get full sun. I try to water regularly, since I have discovered that they have been hanging if I don't do it. I got the plants from St. Lawrence Nurseries in zone 3, bare rooted this spring, I am in zone 5, close to zone 6.

felpec · June 29, 2007

Yea, I found flowers this morning (on one of them anyway). Maybe the last few rains we've had helped. They are in our woodland area, so they are on their own as far as water goes :-)

June 6, 2007	#1
felpec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey Posts: 122	Elderberries I planted two plants (Johns and Adams) three years ago. They are very healthy and about five feet tall, but I don't see any flowers. Does anyone else grow them? I thought I might have a few berries this year, but I guess not. Maybe next year? Anything special I'm supposed to do? I love to make homemade wine (actually won best in the state a few years ago) and can't wait to make elderberry wine.

June 16, 2007	#2
Hilde Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pendleton, NY Posts: 256	Hi felpec, I planted Johns, Adams, Nova and York this spring. I was told flowers would come next year. All I know is that they like moist soil, tolerate wet soil well and that I have had to water them well, or they will hang, even in a location that is not dry. I thought they were supposed to be taller than 5 feet, more like 7 feet. Good luck and fingers crossed that you will get lots of flowers and berries next year! Hilde

June 16, 2007	#3
michael johnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK. Posts: 960	Elderberries grow wild all over the Uk, millions of them all over the place, every year in early september we go and gather the berries to make wine and juice with, marvelous cold cure, also elderflower is also very good in decoctions.

June 18, 2007	#4
Hilde Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pendleton, NY Posts: 256	Michael, I think the European elder is a different type than the American Elder. The types that felpec and I have are the Sambucus canadensis, and those are smaller than the European type, which I think is named Sambucus nigra. Felpec, what growing conditions do you have for your elderberries? I checked mine yesterday and three of them have a flower developing. They grow in a soil mix of 50% compost and 50% garden soil, put on top of existing sod in an area where they don't get full sun. I try to water regularly, since I have discovered that they have been hanging if I don't do it. I got the plants from St. Lawrence Nurseries in zone 3, bare rooted this spring, I am in zone 5, close to zone 6.

June 29, 2007	#5
felpec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey Posts: 122	Yea, I found flowers this morning (on one of them anyway). Maybe the last few rains we've had helped. They are in our woodland area, so they are on their own as far as water goes :-)