In the garden, an elderberry bush completes any natural plant community - whether as a majestic solitaire or decorative hedge plant. The following overview shows briefly and concisely how to professionally plant and care for the wild fruit trees.
A blooming elder in the garden is a dream
Twice a year is planting time for elderberry
There are two alternatives to choose from in the planting schedule. An elderberry bush can be planted in the ground both in spring and in autumn. Choose a sunny, warm location. The soil should be rich in nutrients, humus and not too dry. Consider an appropriate planting distance, because black elder stretches 5 meters and more towards the sky. How to plant correctly:
- thoroughly clean the bed soil and work it into fine crumbs
- the planting pit is twice as large as the root ball
- enrich the excavation with compost, horn shavings (€32.93) or granulated cattle manure
- insert the potted young plant that has been soaked in water beforehand and water it generously
A 2-3 centimeter thick layer of bark mulch keeps the soil around the elder bush warm and moist. A pouring rim with a slight slope towards the root neck optimizes the use of rainwater and irrigation water.
The central aspects of care
A prudent choice of location, thanks to the elderberry bush with minimal demands on care. These aspects are discussed:
- keep the soil constantly moist
- allow the soil to dry out between waterings
- fertilize the elderberry bush organically every 2-3 weeks until August
- alternatively apply 60 grams of complete fertilizer per square meter in spring
An annual pruning is not absolutely necessary, but it still promotes vitality and crop yield. Consistently remove any shoots that grow from the root. Make the central maintenance cut between December and March, on a frost-free day. Since elderberry bears its fruit on the previous year's wood, the young shoots are largely spared from pruning. On the other hand, the removed branches are trimmed by 50 to 75 percent.
tips
Enthusiastic Harry Potter fans have long known about the mystical meaning of elderwood. The mighty Elder Wand of the magician Dumbledore is made of exactly this wood, because elder means elder in English. The evil Lord Voldemort steals the powerful Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb, but Harry Potter reclaims it because the wand only obeys his commands.