Planting and Growing Elderberries

Choose a site with partial to full sun. While in their natural habitat, these plants often grow under a light forest canopy; you’ll get a larger harvest if you give it a sunnier spot. Slightly acidic soil that is moist but well-drained is perfect. Elderberries will grow in many soil types if the drainage is adequate.

Mature plants are 6 to 10 feet tall and can reach 8 feet wide, so plan ahead when selecting a location. If left to their own devices, they often create a hedge, which can be a super habitat feature for your yard or a regular annoyance, depending on its location. 

When to Plant Elderberries

Elderberries can be planted in spring or fall, depending on your winters. If your area’s winters are cold enough that people in your neighborhood go ice fishing, stick to spring planting or get them in the ground in late summer, 6 weeks before your first frost. 

Bare-root elderberry plants should be planted as soon as possible after receiving them. If you can’t plant them immediately, store them in a cool, dark location, and be sure to keep the roots wet. 

Dormant elderberries (no leaves yet) can be planted in spring as soon as the soil can be worked; there is no need to wait for frosts to be over. Nursery stock in pots can be planted in spring or fall as well, but wait until the frosts have passed in spring. 

How to Plant Elderberries

Planting methods for bare-root and potted nursery stock are similar. For bare-root plants, take time to soak the roots in a bucket of water for 12 hours before planting to ensure they are hydrated. Take the bucket with you to water when you plant.

Potted nursery stock should also be thoroughly watered before planting. An hour beforehand, give the elderberries a long drink and moisten the soil. The plants will come out of their pots more easily and be refreshed before the shock of transplanting. 

1. Dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball and a little deeper (elderberries get planted slightly deeper than other shrubbery). The hole should look like a shallow bowl with sloping sides, not a coffee cup.
2. Loosen the soil in the hole. Either dig and refill it or use a garden fork to work it. Compact soil at the edge of the hole can delay the root expansion of new plants. 
3. Lightly water the soil in the hole before planting.
4. For potted stock, cut any circling or girdling roots. Use a trowel or soil knife to loosen up root-bound plants by scoring the edges of the root ball. 
5. For containerized elderberries, plant them a bit deeper than the old soil level. A couple of inches or up to the first branch node is fine. Test-fit the shrub in the hole and adjust the depth as necessary. 
6. If planting bare-root shrubs, you’ll likely be able to see the old soil line on the trunk as a discoloration. Plant the elderberry so the old soil level or soil line on the stem is slightly deeper than your new ground level. 
7. Spread the roots out evenly and avoid circling them around the base of the hole. Don’t leave them in a clump. Bare-root plant roots sometimes need encouragement to lay out.
8. Backfill the hole with the native soil you removed. Pause halfway and water, then continue adding soil. Firm the soil around the roots as you go to avoid air pockets. Add compost if you desire. 
9. Use extra soil to form a ring about a foot in diameter and an inch high around the plant to keep water from running away. Give it a good drink. 
10. Apply a thick layer of mulch to keep the soil moist. Don’t allow the mulch to contact the trunk(s). Keep it a finger-width clear.