Love crunchy homegrown berries but don’t have enough space? Learn Growing Cranberries in Pots and have an ample harvest in limited space!
Nothing can beat the taste of fresh, homegrown berries, so why not grow them on your terrace, patio, balcony, or windowsill? If you want to, here is How to Grow Cranberries in Pots!
Cranberry Plant Profile
Native to the marshy and boggy lands of North-eastern America, Cranberries are juicy, tarty currants that sprout on the low-growing perennial vines. The creeping shrubs have woody, wiry stems that can easily take over a place once established.
The crimson elliptical berries are loaded with medicinal benefits and make lip-smacking juices, jellies, sauces, and mocktails.
Botanical Name: Vaccinium subg. Oxycoccus
Propagating Cranberries
Cranberries can easily be propagated from stem cuttings. Fall and spring are ideal times for juicy berry vines.
Cut a 5-6 inches stem from a leafy vine below a leaf node. Remove the lower leaves, keeping the upper ones intact. Prepare a potting mix of well-draining acidic soil amended with peat moss and sand. Push the cutting into the medium and place it in a spot that receives bright indirect sunlight. Keep the medium thoroughly moist, but make sure not to sog the soil.
The cutting will grow new roots in 50-60 days. Before propagating the plant via cuttings, remember that cranberries take 2-3 years to give out their first batch of fruits. So, to save time and effort, you can get a 2-year-old plant from a nursery and transplant it into a pot.
Ideal Pot Size for Cranberries
Cranberries have shallow roots with an invasive spreading habit. So, it is important to choose a wider container than a deeper one. You can go for 12-14 inches wide pots, flower baskets, plastic tubs, or any container with enough drainage holes at the bottom.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Planting Cranberries in Pots
Sunlight
The vines need 6-8 hours of bright sunlight to flower prolifically. However, the plant doesn’t appreciate the scorching afternoon sun. So it is better to move it inside or provide shade in such a condition.
Also, keeping the plant in prolonged shade will lead to little to no fruit production.
Soil
Cranberries are not very picky about the soil type as long it is acidic and well-draining but little on the moist side. A blend of peat moss and sand with a pH of 4-5.5 will work perfectly fine. Also, remember to amend with a handful of aged cow dung manure to boost humus content.
Water
Water the plant well to get a juicy harvest. Native to boggy, marshy lands, cranberries need consistent moisture to thrive. Never let the medium dry out, but ensure it does not become soggy. Self-watering pots are a great option for potted berries.
Temperature & Humidity
Cranberries need a chilled temperature of 32-45 F or 0-7 C for about three months to set flowers. It then requires a temperature range of 60-80 F or 15-26 C. Keep the vine away from cold or heat drafts to prevent plant shock.
Cranberries Care in Pots
Fertilizers
You may add slow-release ammonium or sulfur-based fertilizer to this acid-loving plant. During the spring and fall, feed the plant with liquid plant food diluted to half its strength every 30-40 days.
Peat moss or aged manure can be applied as a natural alternative.
Note: Remember that applying a low-nitrogen fertilizer is better for cranberry plants. You can also apply bone meal fertilizer annually.
Pests and Diseases
As the plant loves to thrive in boggy soil, some moisture-borne diseases such as leaf spots, aphids, and blossom blight are common issues. You can bar the pests using insecticidal soap or neem oil solution.
Grow the plant in good air circulation and bright sunlight to keep most diseases at bay.
