How to Grow Elderberry Cuttings

STORAGE 

Place elderberry cuttings in the fridge until planting time. Ensure the bag remains sealed so cuttings don’t dry out. Check on them: there should be some condensation inside the bag. You can add a drop or two of water, if needed. 1°C is ideal but regular fridge temperature is okay. If you store cuttings for a while and it’s warmer (like 5°C), they may start to come out of dormancy a bit and grow tiny roots and shoots - that’s normal and fine. 

PLANTING TIME

Although cuttings can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months, the best time to plant elderberry cuttings is first thing in spring as soon as the ground can be worked (February-April). Once the snow has melted and the ground has thawed, it’s time to plant.  As long as the soil is not freezing at night, it’s not too early to plant. Frost is fine.

However, you must plant them before it gets hot and dry. Rooting is best in the cool. In Salmon Arm, BC planting in May/June is too warm and dry and lowers success. Studies have shown that the earlier you plant them the higher the success rate.

PLANTING BASICS

1. Plant cutting "angled cut side" down

2. Bury bottom node about 3 inches below the soil

3. The top node will stick out above soil

4. Keep soil evenly moist

5. If starting in a pot, place outside, in a greenhouse or near a window

6. As roots grow in the soil, do not disturb them

7. Within a few weeks, green shoots will emerge from top nodes or within about 6 weeks for the bottom nodes

TIPS: 

• Elderberry bushes love mycorrhizal beneficial fungi

• If you need soil, Pro-Mix sells a pretty good organic myco inoculated mix

• Starting cuttings in soil has far better results than starting cuttings in water

• If starting in a pot, only put one cutting per pot

• Don’t remove the green shoots (leaves) that come from top or bottom nodes of your cutting

• Before planting, do remove all other plants within a few feet of your planting site so they don't interfere with your cuttings rooting

IN A POT OR IN THE GROUND?

Elderberry cuttings will grow vigorously in ANY good well drained moist soil - provided you water them to keep the soil evenly moist and you weed - ensure the area is free from other plants for a few feet around them.

GROUND: Starting cuttings directly in the ground is ideal & easiest because they can grow roots in their permanent location. Make sure the area is weed-free and don’t forget to water, especially while they first grow roots as well as during hot & dry times.  At this stage they must NEVER dry out but don't make the soil soggy which can make the cuttings rot.

POT: If you are new to growing, consider starting in pots. It’s possible to have a better survival rate because it could be easier to keep an eye on them to ensure they are moist and there are no weeds. Transplant to their final location before they get root bound.

GROUND & POT: In March we start up to 20% extra cuttings in pots. In March/April, we plant cuttings directly in the ground in their permanent location. By June, if any cuttings didn’t take in the ground, we replace them with the potted ones.

POTTED: INSIDE OR OUTSIDE?

Elderberry cuttings can be started in pots inside or outside as long as the soil in the pot does not freeze. Frost is fine. Put them where they get sunlight. Indoors causes more stress so outdoors makes the elderberry happiest!

In the beginning of March in a greenhouse, we like to start cuttings in small pots (L2’’xW2’’xH6’’) and plant them out in April. Basically, start 6-8 weeks before you intend to transplant into the ground. If your pots are bigger, it will take a few more weeks for the roots fill out. Remember to transplant before they get root bound. 

POTTED: WHEN TO TRANSPLANT

Ideally transplant when enough roots have grown to fill out the pot but don’t wait so long that they become root bound. When transplanting, elderberry roots are fragile. So it’s important that the soil doesn't crumble and damage the roots.

First look at the bottom of your elderberry container. If you see roots growing out the bottom drain holes, it’s a good sign they might be ready. With your hand covering the soil, gently tip the pot sideways/upside down. Slide the pot away slowly from the soil and look to see if roots are abundant and hold the soil together well. If so, it’s ready to plant out. If not, carefully slide the pot back on and wait and check again after 1 week or more. 

PLANT  SPACING

Plant elderberry cuttings about 6 feet apart. You can reasonably expect them to be 6-8 feet high and wide depending on fertility and how you prune in winter. And if fertility is high, or you don't prune much, they can get even bigger! For commercial elderberry farmers, plant 2-6 feet apart in rows which are 12 feet or more apart. 

MATURITY

Fruit can start as early as 16 months. Bush is mature in years 3-7 depending on environment and species. 

CARE & NUTRIENTS

Choosing a sunny location with evenly moist, fertile, well drained soil will result in a healthy crop of elderflowers and elderberries. Elderberry thrives with mycorrhizal beneficial fungi. 

If you think your soil is lacking, consider improving fertility by adding a nice layer of compost as mulch or perhaps well composted manure. If you’re not sure what your soil is lacking, soil tests are a wonderful tool. 

WEEDING & MULCH

Honestly, first year elderberry cuttings are practically allergic to grass & other plants. So make sure the area you prepare is free of other plant roots and there is some kind of ground cover like black plastic mulch or woven weed barrier. This will entirely stop other plants from interfering with root development for the first few years.

Biological mulches like wood chips or straw have many benefits like retaining moisture or feeding the soil - but be warned: they do NOT stop weeds! Freshly planted cuttings trying to fend off grass or other plant roots… would be like baby humans trying to fend off a tiger.  They need your diligent help! But elderberry will flourish if other plants are blocked from harming them. When their roots are established later, grass etc will not be such a concern.

PRUNING

Prune yearly in winter while the bush is dormant, starting in the 2nd year. Prune back at least 40% but taking off 80% is ideal in all but the coldest climates. It’s popular to cut back to 1-2 ft of height. If your growing season is short and/or your bush is not very vigorous, prune taller (4-6 ft) so the fruit ripens earlier. 

One purpose of pruning is to make sure your elderberry bush does not grow so tall that the flowers and fruit are out of reach and to keep the bush in a state of good health. 

A second purpose of pruning is to renew the bush. You will know you need to prune your elderberry bush more than you did last year when you notice branches that have died back - or there are not a lot of strong, new branches that grew this growing season. Our Youtube channel Elderberry Grove has videos detailing pruning instructions for different varieties and growing climates.

WHEN & WHERE CAN I GET ELDERBERRY CUTTINGS?

Best time to harvest elderberry cuttings is during winter dormant time and before early spring bud break. You can take your own elderberry cuttings from bushes in Canada from December through March/April. You can also buy some elderberry cuttings from our farm Elderberry Grove here.

Growing elderberry can be easy and rewarding. You got this!

Wishing you much success!

Your elderberry syrup farmers,

Jed & Louise, Elderberry Grove