Cranberries

Nicki85 · « **on:** October 19, 2013, 20:05 »

I'm looking to add some cranberry bushes to my fruit cage this autumn. I can see that there are some available on the internet but haven't seen any in the local garden centres... this makes me think that they are either not very popular or are difficult to grow!

So, does anyone grow cranberries here? Can they survive the UK winter uncovered? Any particular varieties I should look out for?

Thanks in advance oh knowledgeable folk!

Trillium · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2013, 22:55 »

I grow them uncovered in my colder winters here and they're dead easy to grow, no special care other than yearly manuring and mulch to keep the plant moist.

I suspect they're not that popular in the UK so plant centres won't stock them. I'd call around and see if anyone does carry them or can special order them in. Ask for highbush types, they're easier.

Nicki85 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2013, 11:48 »

Thanks Trillium, will have a look. I love cranberries! Can't believe they aren't more popular over here

thatshallot · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2013, 12:47 »

I am attempting to grow a cranberry in a tub. Bought it from Wilkinsons earlier this year and so far only got foliage on it, but seems healthy enough. Hopefully may get cranberries on it next year, but am not sure how long they take to mature?

Trillium · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2013, 16:04 »

Cranberries are a bog plant and need a rather acidic soil, much like blueberries. They also need to be kept regularly moist, never soggy. They also need another cranberry plant nearby for pollination since they're poor self-pollinators. A plant like apples would rarely have trouble with pollination since it's a common plant everywhere, but few UKrs grow cranberries so you'd have better luck with a 2nd plant. I have 3 plants as I like cranberries.

They'll fruit after 2 years in the right conditions but take up to 5 years for maximum production.

thatshallot · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2013, 19:19 »

Thanks for that, I'll have to see if I can buy another one. Part of the reason I wanted to grow Cranberry is because it wasn't a massive plant and fancied trying to grow something different. I also have a pomegranite in a tub outside. Any tips would be most welcome

Trillium · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2013, 19:54 »

Pretty much what I said above is all it takes. They really are easy to grow, but produce better with right conditions. In fall I manure and mulch mine and that's it. In spring take out any broken branches, crossed ones, and that's it; they don't really need pruning unless they become lopsided.

realfood · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2013, 19:43 »

I have a row of them, all from one plant. They produce huge crops for me in Glasgow every year and seem to be disease and pest free. I feed them every Spring with an ericatious fertilizer.

JohnB47 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 24, 2013, 22:43 »

I planted a cranberry about three years ago and all it has produced is leaves. Not noticed even a blossom on it, never mind berries. Perhaps I needed to plant two? I planted it through ground cover material, into erricateous compost - and I feed it erricateous feed, like for my (successful) blueberries. It spreads well but no berries

Trillium · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2013, 04:17 »

I have both highbush and lowbush cranberries. The lowbush hardly ever have berries on them so I've given up on them. The highbush are still growing and should start producing in another year. The secret is keep them moist and fed (manure).

JohnB47 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 25, 2013, 14:55 »

Quote from: Trillium on October 25, 2013, 04:17

I have both highbush and lowbush cranberries. The lowbush hardly ever have berries on them so I've given up on them. The highbush are still growing and should start producing in another year. The secret is keep them moist and fed (manure).

Mine must be a lowbush variety - it just creeps out over the ground and forms a mat. Might think of something else for that space - another blueberry maybe.

Trillium · « **Reply #11 on:** October 25, 2013, 15:03 »

The lowbush can be frustrating because it's what is used for commercial cultivation. They're grown in boggy soil and when the harvest is ready, they flood the fields so the ripe berries float to the surface to be scooped up for processing, then the fields are drained off again to leave a bog. My plants are in with the blueberries where it's relatively moist but obviously not moist enough for them. The highbush are planted elsewhere and doing fine since their water needs are a bit less.

I think if I dedicate a slightly swampy raised bed for them, the lowbush would do much better, but space is at a premium here. As it is the dog already snapped off one of my highbush plants when she chased her balls. An elderberry bush and sea buckthorn also fell victim.

JohnB47 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 25, 2013, 18:54 »

Naughty doggie.

I wish I'd checked before I bought what is obviously the wrong type of cranberry plant. I seem to remember it was none too cheap either.

SusieB · « **Reply #13 on:** October 26, 2013, 07:31 »

Can anybody tell me the differences between highbush and lowbush cranberries? I have tried looking it up, it seems the highbush is a viburnum and not really a cranberry.

Does anybody know how they differ in taste?

Trillium · « **Reply #14 on:** October 26, 2013, 16:12 »

The highbush really is a viburnum variety and the lowbush the true cranberry. The highbush has one large seed, that if cooked, makes the juice/whatever bitter while the lowbush has several small seeds that are barely noticeable, cooked or not. For many gardeners, the highbush is easier to grow.

The tastes will be somewhat similar much like varieties of apples - they all taste like apple but a bit different from each other.

http://umaine.edu/cranberries/highbush-cranberry/

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