Elderberry - York

Elderberries (Sambucus Canadensis) are popular among home gardeners for their use in pies, jellies, and jams and occasionally used in making wine. The plants are very winter hardy and flower in June, so the crop is seldom damaged by late spring frost. They are easy to grow and are a nice ornamental in landscape planting.

Elderberries are easily adapted to a wide variety of soils ranging from sandy to clay loams with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Only poorly drained soils should be avoided.

Open fields with full sunlight located away from wooded and other obstruction allowing for ample air movement will decrease negative pressure from insects, disease and bird problems. Planting sites should be cover cropped or clean tilled one year prior to planting to eliminate weed pressure during establishment. 

Dormant plants should be set in early spring at the same depth as grown in the nursery. Plants should be placed 5' to 6' apart in rows which are 10' to 13' apart.

Dig a hole as deep and wide as needed to accommodate the roots, trim off any damaged or broken roots prior to planting. Elderberries are shallow rooted, so keep them well-watered during the first season. Incorporate manure or compost in soil before planting.

Although Elderberries are partially self-fruitful, fruit production will increase significantly with cross pollination. 

No fertilizer the year of planting is needed, the following spring apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer. One cup around the plant. 

Controlling weeds can be difficult since elderberries have shallow roots, do not cultivate deeper than 2 inches. After the first year, it is best to avoid disturbing the soil; the slightest injury can damage the fibrous root system or kill the new upright shoots.

It is best to pull weeds by hand while they are still small, mowing and mulching to control weeds without disturbing the elderberry roots. 

Elderberries produce many new canes each year, canes tend to grow to full height in one season and develop lateral branches in the second.

Flowers are fruit develop on the tips of the current season's growth, often on the new canes but especially on laterals. Second-year elderberry canes with good lateral development are the most fruitful.

No pruning is necessary the year of planting, the following spring before bud break, cut out any dead or damaged canes. Each year following before bud breaks while dormant, prune any dead or damaged canes and any canes older than 3 years old. 

Elderberry fruit ripens from mid-August to mid-September depending on location and variety. The fruit is small and borne in clusters (cymes); the berries go from green to dark purple over a period of weeks.

Fruit should be dark in color and not green or red the entire fruit clusters are picked or cut from the canes and stripped later when you are able to freeze or process. Uncooked berries have a dark purple juice and are astringent and inedible. The fruit is fragile, and every attempt should be made to minimize the time between harvesting, stripping and processing berries can ferment quickly. Can produces up to 25-35 lbs. per bush.