Bob Gordon Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis. Bigger, sweeter berries and lots of them! Considered to be the best Elderberrry cultivar available. Bob Gordon produces easy to harvest high yields consistently. Berries ripen evenly, meaning you can easily harvest the entire cluster at once. Hardy to zone 3. We ship 8-12" plants.
Note: Elderberries must be cooked before consumption. Consuming fresh elderberries can be toxic. Please ensure all berries are properly prepared before use.
Spring Planting: this product will be shipped late April through May according to hardiness zone.
Scroll down for more details and growing information.
Sold as: Pkg of 1
Details
Growing Information
Important! Upon Arrival:
Keep moist and cool. Fruits and berries are shipped in dormant form so they can be transplanted out once the soil can be worked in the spring. Light frosts will not damage the plants as they are in the resting stage. If you are unable to plant immediately, the plants can be stored for a short period of time. This should be a dark, cool (but not freezing) location such as an unheated garage, fridge or a cold cellar. Ideally they would be stored as close to 2°C or 35°F as possible. They should also be kept moist, but not wet, until they are planted.
Planting:
Unless you have heavy clay soil, there isn’t much to do in terms of soil preparation. You can add amendments such as compost or peat moss to the soil and/or a layer of mulch over the root area after planting will help retain moisture, especially during the first year. While it may be tempting to add fertilizer or manure to your freshly dug hole before planting your new tree, PLEASE resist! Fertilizer or manure in close contact with the root system could chemically burn the roots and potentially kill the tree.
Elderberry tolerate a wide range of soils as well as sites in full sunlight or partial shade. The bushes send up many suckers from the ground level. Space plants 8 feet apart unless growing as a hedge, in which case, space them about 4 feet apart. Plants will reach 6-10 feet tall. Partially self-fertile. Trees take 2-3 years to begin producing fruit.
Pruning:
For maximum productivity, prune elderberry bushes annually in winter. Do this by cutting away the oldest wood at or near ground level to make room for new growth. Also, thin out some suckers, saving those that are most vigorous.
Note: Elderberries must be cooked before consumption. Consuming fresh elderberries can be toxic. Please ensure all berries are properly prepared before use.