key growing information

How To Elderberries From Bare-Root Plants

How to grow elderberries from plants: site and soil pH, bed layout and spacing, watering, cross-pollination, feeding, pruning, harvest and safe use.

By Hensley’s Seed Co. September 3, 2026

Elderberry - Key Growing Information

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

Sambucus nigra

CULTURE:

Choose full sun and fertile, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist; on wet sites, use raised beds. Elderberries like a pH between 5.5 and 6.5.

PLANTING:

Give plants room for the best yields: beds about 2' wide spaced 10–12' apart, with plants 3–6' apart in the row. Set plugs deep enough that ½–1" of garden soil covers the root ball. Water thoroughly after planting and keep soil moist; elderberries don't tolerate drought. Steady moisture matters most in the establishment year, and drip irrigation is the best way to supply it. Once established, give plants at least 1" of water a week from bloom through harvest for the best crop. A 2–3" mulch of straw or wood chips holds moisture, suppresses weeds and adds organic matter. The roots are shallow and fibrous, so avoid deep cultivation.

POLLINATION:

Elderberries are self-fertile, but planting a second variety for cross-pollination raises yields considerably. Plan on roughly one pollinator plant for every five plants.

FERTILITY:

No fertilizer is needed the first year, since plants draw most of what they need from organic matter already in the soil. In later years, feed at the start of each season with compost or a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10.

PRUNING:

Elderberries are fast-growing, suckering shrubs that get unruly quickly without regular pruning. There are a few approaches. The most common is to remove dead or weak canes every year in late winter or early spring (February–March) while plants are dormant. Another is to shorten all stems by about one-third, evenly topping the whole plant. If a planting gets out of hand, cut every stem to the ground to rejuvenate it; established plants recover well.

HARVEST:

Expect the first real crop in the second year. In late summer, clip off whole berry clusters. Use the fruit promptly or refrigerate it, and strip the berries from the stems before processing.

CAUTION:

Raw berries are toxic and must be cooked before eating. The fruit, leaves, stems and roots contain cyanogenic glycosides that can make people and livestock seriously ill if eaten raw. The flowers are not toxic and are widely harvested for use.PESTS & DISEASE: Pests and diseases are seldom a problem. Bird netting protects the fruit. SPECS: About 25 plants per 100' of row, or about 850 plants per acre at 5' in-row spacing with rows 10' apart.