Cranberries

[Welshie]

Hi all,

Whilst at my LGC yesterday (Sunday) spotted, and then impulsively bought, a 3 pack of cranberry plants (£7.99) and would like to have a go with them, but I know nothing about them!!

Does anyone have help or advice they could offer.....

Would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Welshie

[pigletwillie]

They like the same conditions as blueberries, I.E. quite acidic. I have about 20of them planted beneath my blueberry bushes as they make a fabulous weed suppressing carpet with a harvest of cranberies to boot.

[martini]

Pigletwillie, could you plant a blueberry bush in a big tub of ericacious compost? I fancy growing one but won't have room in the beds or borders. Thanks

[bramble]

Martini, my blueberry bush is growing in a big tub for the last three years and have had no problems with it, The crop is improving as the bush gets older so i will leave it in the tub.

[martini]

Thanks Bramble - I'll give it a go. The more I read on here, the more I want to grow! Could do with a field

[Welshie]

They like the same conditions as blueberries, I.E. quite acidic. I have about 20of them planted beneath my blueberry bushes as they make a fabulous weed suppressing carpet with a harvest of cranberies to boot.

Hi PigletWillie

What a wonderful name!

Do I take it from your reply that Cranberry bushes are quite small, in height?
Not really a bush at all!

Welshie

[pigletwillie]

They are really a sort of creeper and are perhaps 2-4 inches high and they spread, rooting themselves as they go and thus giving more plants for free.

With regard to blueberries in tubs, they do well but need to be kept well watered. I have a plantation of nearly 2 dozen of them planted straight into the ground. They give you the maximum amount of fruit from 5-6 years old onwards so dont expect a lot from small ones for a year or two.

[Welshie]

Hi Piglet,

Thanks for this info - just one last question and then I'll leave you alone!

If I put a Blueberry bush in a pot with 2 or 3 Cranberries at the base, what size pot would you recommend? I'm guessing it wouldn't need to be particualerly deep.

Ooh sorry, just thought of something else to ask - would you fill the whole pot with ericaceous compost or a mixture with top soil?

You advice is much appreciated,
Welshie

[Earthbabe]

where to buy

Whilst at my LGC yesterday (Sunday) spotted, and then impulsively bought, a 3 pack of cranberry plants (£7.99)

I found a six pack in Homebase for £9.99. Just in case anyone else is looking for them.

[yoanbob]

cheers earth babe, im off to look now.

[pigletwillie]

Welshie, as big a pot as you can reasonably get around 25- 30 litre or even bigger. All ericaceous is good and once a year water on some sulphate of iron to keep the acidity there. If you feed use a rhododenderon or azaelea feed as these also keep the acidity there.

[Welshie]

Many thanks for all your help and advice everyone, it's much appreciated.

Welshie

[Alison]

Saw some cranberry plants for sale on an internet site (can't remember which one) and it mentioned something about them being "the most hardy type" does this mean that they're a bit suseptable to frost, was thinking of planing one underneath my currant bushes but don't want to have to provide any form of protection. Also, what's the crop like? Quite like the idea of being able to make my own cranberry sauce for Chrimbo but don't have a lot of space! Assume they start fruiting pretty well in about the second year like most soft fruit?