Saskatoon Berry Cultivation and maintenance

The Saskatoon Berry is a native plant of the Canadian prairies, where it has long been used by early settlers. Most quality varieties come from Canadian breeding programs.

The Saskatoon Berry is undemanding to climatic conditions and soil quality

The Saskatoon Berry reliably thrives in almost any position and any soil. It forms a bush growing to a height of 2.5 m. It can also be shaped like a tree with a trunk. Drought does not bother it much and it thrives in full sun or partial shade. However, it does not bloom and fruit as abundantly in full shade as in a sunny location. Saskatoon Berry is also suitable for a small front garden or for growing in pots. Planted in a row, it creates a hedge that serves as a shelter and food source for many species of birds. The Saskatoon Berry is also resistant to polluted air and copes well with the urban climate. The Saskatoon Berry is one of the earliest flowering honey plants. It begins to bloom in May. The whole is covered with a lot of white flowers that can withstand spring frosts down to -5°C. Bees appreciate the abundance of small flowers in spring as reliable forage.

A valuable feature of the Saskatoon Berry is its high resistance to frost and early fruit ripening. In winter, it can withstand -40°C. Planted plants begin to bear fruit in the third year after planting. The fruits ripen from mid-June to mid-July. The average yield from one bush is 9-12 kg of round dark purple berries with a waxy coating, which are very similar to blueberries.
In autumn, it surprises with its spectacular autumn color. The orange-red leaves make the flycatcher an eye-catcher in the garden until it drops its leaves. The Saskatoon Berry is almost not attacked by diseases and pests.

Planting and care

It is best to plant Saskatoon Berry that were previously grown in pots. Undamaget roots are a guarantee of successful adoption. An pruning is not necessary at first. Let the plants grow on their own. If after some time the fruit-bearing shoots stop forming, then it is necessary to rejuvenate the mullein by radically shortening the main branches by 1/3. The bush can root really deep, it can find water without any problem. Get to know this newly discovered unpretentious berry, it's worth it!

Use and medicinal effects

The fruits are suitable for direct consumption or processing. The berries are juicy, sweet, with a pleasant taste and the color of the pulp is crimson red. They resemble partly blueberry and partly sweet-fruited mountain ash. They contain 8-12% sugar, organic acids, tannins, up to 1% pectins, carotene, vitamin C, B2 and proanthocyanins, which are considered substances that support the prevention of a whole range of diseases, including cancer.
If the fruits are intended for pressing juice, let them sit for a few days, then the yield is higher. The juice has a beautiful crimson-red color, it is consumed pure or in combination with sea buckthorn juice. Because of the high pectin content, the berries are excellent for making jam. A decoction of the leaves corrects stomach and intestinal problems.