It’s flowering time in Wisconsin now. Good time to get out and map the wild bushes for harvest later.
Time to find the wild elderberry
- Thread starter wood1954
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I have been doing just that for the last two weeks. Elderberry is on the list this year.
I found a spot with at least 20 large bushes right next to a small business parking lot. If I can get permission to harvest them it would probably be all I need.
Ohio Bob
Senior Member
The business might not be opposed to you digging them up and taking them. Depends on if they think they are a nuisance or not.
I'm sure that will be enough unless you want to make commercial quantities... I have a single bush that gave me 35lb last year, enough for a 7 gallon batch and I think there is even more fruit on it this year...
Here in N California my European cultivar is well into fruting, thought there are still flowers on my American cultivar.
I would like to make 10 gallons. I made 5 three years ago and it’s gone just as it was starting to get real good
They are huge bushes. 10’ tall at least. I have several small ones and was going to sprout some stems next year to plant by the marsh where they will get full sun. They seem to like wet feet… not in swamps but often right on the edge.
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The mother load!
Lots of blossoms. Last year was a bust so I’m hoping for a good crop this year.
Lots of blossoms. Last year was a bust so I’m hoping for a good crop this year.
Very nice
Any plans to harvest some of those flowers and make elderflower wine? I try to make an elderflower 'shampagne' every year...
I’m just to busy this year but it’s on my radar for the future. I’ve never had elderflower wine but I read a lot of good things.
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a few years ago i had one large bush,
this year i just cut 1/8 acre from my yard, got to hard to mow around, and not in any shape any more, but still got several on back yard, and on my land across the road,
I've started going 1/2 elderberry and 1/2 blackberry, ages out much quicker and taste great,
but 8 to 10 year old elderberry is heaven, my yard is 1.4 acre.
Dawg
this year i just cut 1/8 acre from my yard, got to hard to mow around, and not in any shape any more, but still got several on back yard, and on my land across the road,
I've started going 1/2 elderberry and 1/2 blackberry, ages out much quicker and taste great,
but 8 to 10 year old elderberry is heaven, my yard is 1.4 acre.
Dawg
Well I’ve been busy with the house so I wasn’t paying attention… one day the berries at the end of the driveway were almost ripe… then they were gone. I checked all my spots the next day and 99% of them were gone. Those birds are damn efficient
Maybe next year
Are you sure it's birds?Well I’ve been busy with the house so I wasn’t paying attention… one day the berries at the end of the driveway were almost ripe… then they were gone. I checked all my spots the next day and 99% of them were gone. Those birds are damn efficient
The reason I ask, I never see birds near my elderberries but I noticed the wild berries disappearing! I discovered they were on the ground. I had to be gentle when harvesting an umbel because the berries would just drop off. I don't know if that's normal or weather related. We've had dry and hot for what seems like months.
The berries of my few cultivated varieties stay on the plant a LOT longer and they get regular watering.
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yup, when mine are that ripe i usually lose about 1/4 to 1/3, those look perfect, the birds eat some and when they land on the canes they jar off even more, them babies you gotta stay on top off, 1 day the mother load , the next day a barren wasteland.
Dawg
I went out yesterday and found about 5 lbs. a lot of the plants were bent over like Dave said. I went to a spot that was loaded with bushes, but someone else got them. Between the birds and other winemakers you gotta be quick.
Elk and deer hit the wild elderberries hard where I live. Birds are nothing. The herds move in and eat the berries and leaves down to stalks within a few days of them ripening. That's my competition! 
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yummy elk burger, deer burger, with a glass of wine,Elk and deer hit the wild elderberries hard where I live. Birds are nothing. The herds move in and eat the berries and leaves down to stalks within a few days of them ripening. That's my competition!
Dawg
I just assumed it was birds. I never really looked on the ground. But yeah, they definitely don’t stay on the bush long once ripe!
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