Many years ago when we were starting out we plowed up a garden area and had big plans for growing fresh vegetables every year and canning or dehydrating them. And even though we both had demanding careers that kept us from doing as much gardening as we would have liked, we always put something in the ground and usually canned at least tomatoes in the fall. Some years we planted more than other years, and some years we planted and didn’t have the time to tend our garden.
“WE ALWAYS PUT SOMETHING IN THE GROUND”
Now that we’re both at home on a full-time basis for the most part, we’re going gangbusters on expanding our garden. Here it is May and I already have some crops ready to pick. With the help of mild weather this spring we took advantage and started extra early. There’s nothing I love better than to tend to that garden like the plants are our children. We start most things from seed and coddle and nurture those seedlings to full-fledged plants and then have a hard time putting them in the ground in fear of a cold snap wiping them out, or some vagabond critter snacking on our little plants, which ALWAYS happens to some extent.
We try to expand and start something new each year. I wanted to grow more fruits so we put in raspberries a few years ago and they’re going well, and we plan to expand our berry bushes. This year, we’ve introduced elderberries to the mix. I’ve been wanting to grow elderberries forever and didn’t know anything about them, but I like the idea that they can be a prolific crop to grow. They grow as a shrub, and you have to grow 2 varieties if you’re going to grow at all because they cross-pollinate each other. They are considered a superfruit crop. I also like the idea of taking berries and making syrup as in pancake syrup or cough syrup on the medicinal level and also vitamin supplements and tea. And of course, the berries can be used to make wine which is what I think most people identify elderberries with. There is value in not only the berries but the leaves and the roots as well. And you can always sell cuttings of the plant. The demand for elderberries has shot up over the last few years.
I’m not sure how involved I want to get in growing elderberries, but I wanted to try growing them on a small scale just to test it out. And in our region, not many things grow well because of our short growing season. I like the option of there being value in the whole plant. I started to educate myself on growing elderberries by taking a small online course held by Michael Kilpatrick. He has several free online masterclass workshops to help people start on the right foot when growing for profit. I signed up for the 7-day free workshop which allowed me to watch a half-hour-long video each day breaking down the basics of not only growing elderberries but a crash course in the history, ease of growing, how much space is needed, varieties, and other information touching on starting a commercial kitchen, common mistakes and misnomers and other information. He also sells the cuttings which worked well for me because that’s exactly what I did after I watched the series.
As I mentioned, you have to introduce 2 different varieties because American elderberries are not self-fertile and require a different variety as a pollenizer to produce the fruit. So I went with 2 varieties one is called Adams and the other is called Ranch. They are considered 2 of the most prolific and ripen early, which is important to me in our growing region which is 5a.
We ordered 6 of each variety and received the cuttings which we planted in large pots to root and put them in our greenhouse. Elderberry roots are very shallow and it doesn’t take much to knock them over so we were very careful about how we watered and handled them. Before long, they started to sprout buds.
“IT’S IMPORTANT TO PLUCK OFF THE BLOOMS SO THAT ALL THE ENERGY CAN GO BACK INTO ESTABLISHING THE PLANT AND THE ROOTS.“
Around the beginning of May since it was so warm we decided to plow up an area for them and put them in the ground. We planted them in rows (only 2 rows) 4 feet apart with the plants 6 feet apart. I’m hoping that there will be plenty enough space because they can get to be 12 feet high and almost as wide! I can’t imagine these little sticks getting so big. The first year I learned not to expect much. I learned it’s important to pluck off the blooms so that all the energy can go back into establishing the plant and the roots.
So now we wait. Much of growing crops is a test of patience and a labor of love. The plants will tell you what they need. It’s developing an “eye” for being able to read what they’re telling you and feeding them, giving them more sun or more shade, planting them in the proper medium, pruning away the suckers and most importantly watering them. Along with our watering wand and hose, Don and I have a large barrel we fill with water, and in the beginning stages of our little seedlings being planted, we don’t water them straight from the hose…we take the warmed water from the barrel, fill several jugs of water, and walk them all over the garden tending to the little plants.
Thanks for checking out this post. If you’ve got some tips or tricks that have worked for you no matter what you grow, feel free to share them in the comments. Be sure to check in often for updates on our progress in the garden.
More later