Elderberry Experiment: Update #7
Last edited Wed May 9, 2018, 08:20 AM - Edit history (1)
The experiment continues and the 2017 (i.e. Phase 1) plants are doing very well:
I need to do some mowing and mulching to keep the weeds at bay (I fear this will be a recurring theme for the summer)
Looking fairly healthy. The roots must be well established since I haven't had to water the 2017 plants yet.
Close up of growth so far.
Phase 2 (current status)
On the weekend of April 27 to 29, I planted (nominally) 50-Bare Root in 2-rows, 25-Niagara Wild in 1-row and 10-Bob Gordon plants in a ~1/2 row.
In general the Bare Root plants have surprised me with some positive growth already:
(this is a typical bare root plant)
Out of the 50 plants, at least 45 have shown new growth already.
About 5 of the Bare Root were quite large to begin with:
And are showing good growth:
The Bob Gordons are doing well, on the whole:
But I have lost 2 already, so the jury is still out on the long term.
The Niagara Wilds are also doing well on the whole:
The original Niagara Wild I started as a cutting indoors in November (in a large pot):
If you look closely you can see some stress from the hot (72-degree) sunny day the day after I planted everything. The weather went from snow and cold through April 15 to warm spring/sun in late April. The plants didn't have time to adjust and suffered for it.
Typical "loss":
I've lost about 3 of the Niagara Wilds so far.
I "morn" each and every one 
So, I have seriously underestimated my mulch requirements, but fortunately have found an inexpensive ($10/small pick-up truck load) source at a local lumber mill (the pile on the left is ~2-loads):
I know what I will be doing this summer. 
Mow, mulch, mow, mulch...rinse...repeat...
Links to previous updates:
Elderberry Experiment: In the beginning: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597228
Elderberry Experiment: Update #1: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597235
Elderberry Experiment: Update #2: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597246
Elderberry Experiment: Update #3: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597391
Elderberry Experiment: Update #4: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597481
Elderberry Experiment: Update #5: https://www.democraticunderground.com/11597520
Elderberry Experiment: Update #6: https://upload.democraticunderground.com/11597703
= new reply since forum marked as read
...I'd like to go "commercial" and sell organic berries and flowers to local coops and any market I can find.
In the mean time, I plan on experimenting with juice, pies, jam, jelly, wine, a form of elder-flower champagne and even dabbling in seeing what oil I can get from the seeds.
In other words, pretty much what ever I can.
