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Cranberry bush

Does anyone have, or tried growing, cranberries? I have never seen a Cranberry bush for sale in the GC although I have seen them online recently and was wondering if this is because they aren't that easy to grow, which may also explain why fresh ones are quite expensive? I would love to grow my own cranberries for my Scarlet Confit at Christmas image. Any thoughts / suggestions gratefully received image

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    If you've got an acid bog you'll manage OK Tracey. 



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800
    I've just been reading they like acid soil and lime free.....they seem a bit fussy which explains a lot!!
  • Lingonberries are very similar in all ways but easier to grow as they need acid soil but not a bog!  I have a couple in containers of ericaceous compost and they are growing well.  Evergreen and the leaves turn a nice shade of red over Autumn/Winter.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • And make fab lingonberry jelly which is deeeliiisssshhhhhh with meatballs!!! In the us they harvest the cranberries by flooding the fields in water an they just all bob off!!! It's quite a sight!

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800
    If we grew more cranberries here you could do that in same areas now Stacey image



    I've just watched a video on here that is quite interesting about growing them I their own raised beds, but am thinking I might try one in a pot.



    Apparently blueberries are similar too, which may explain why I hardly had any fruit last year but loads the year before, when summer was very wet!!
  • KezzaKezza Posts: 90

    Hi all

    I bought 3 little cranberry plants online last year, possibly from Van Meuwen (?), something like 3 for £9.99, and put one each in it's own planter (the square plastic type).  I put an inch or so of sand as a top layer, I read online somewhere that this is beneficial to the plants (?).  Maybe to just stop the fruits getting dirty.......

    I'm pleased to say that all 3 plants are going great guns, and are shooting out all over the place.  There are a good few handfuls of cranberries on each plant, massive, about twice the size of blueberries, like marbles !!!

    I didn't pick them this winter, but they're all still there (birds haven't nicked them), so maybe I'll pick them soon, and cook down into a sauce / jelly.  I live in NE Scotland, haven't fed or watered the plants, and they seem to be doing very well so far !!

    Good luck if you try growing them.

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