Growing Elderberry! What you need to know!

Unlock the mysteries of elderberries and their many benefits. Dive deeper into related articles on the Alvarado Community Farm blog after we venture further into this topic: alvaradocommunityfarm.com/blog Elderberries, a divine gift from nature, are particularly valuable during flu and cold seasons.
Yet, while they're celebrated as a medicinal herb, it's vital to exercise caution. Always do your due diligence before processing your elderberries and avoid consuming them straight from the plant.
Ready to learn more about growing and harnessing the power of elderberries? Let's dive in!

[@charmainemontgomery582]

I never knew they were toxic before processing 😳 Super glad you cleared that up!

[@ntxg]

Yes ma’am do not eat them berries until you process them

[@PhoenixTide69]

Looks like nightshade?

[@kimberlyfernandez2629]

Black elderberries are not toxic. Other varieties are.

[@CountryTesla]

European varieties are. US varieties are good to go

[@govols1995]

For the American kind it's kind of like apple seeds. Yeah they have cyanide but you'd have to eat like 4.5 pounds in one sitting before it started affecting you.

[@checle4499]

My stepmom made the BEST elderberry pies every time we would visit. And once processed they keep very well in the freezer.

[@cjsasek8972]

It's worthwhile to research Elderberry varieties; European elder varieties are higher in cyanide. American varieties are far less in regard to cyanide and also possess different levels of beneficial nutrients, as I understand. Terry Durham with River Hills Harvest in Missouri is a helpful resource.

[@laurab8547]

I see those things growing all over the place around here on the sides of the roads and highways. Didn’t know they were Elderberries. I look forward to seeing your harvest video!

[@livingwellfarmtx]

I thought I lost mine in the heat and drought last year but thankfully they came back. I hope to get berries this year.

[@Thetimecapsuletx]

I use to make elderberry fritters with the flower heads. Dip in a batter and deep fry. Yummy! I am sure the recipe is online.

[@PhoenixTide69]

Love how you posted this just before I searched! Good timing. I live in fort worth and wanted to know about growing elderberry in texas

[@ntxg]

❤️❤️❤️

[@sheraldtaylor1297]

I do have 2 Elderberry bushes. They get morning sun and dappled sun in the afternoon. One did have a small amount of berries last year. This year it is loaded with blooms. I do plan to harvest them this year.

[@ntxg]

❤️❤️❤️

[@jtharp9265]

Thank you Jill, My oldest son has been drinking the syrup from a driver friend in Okl. he is gonna be 39 and We have lived here in Montgomery County, Texas for almost 16 years - He told me about getting the juice or even jams , etc...during our issues the past years, Thank you for teaching thousands of people they are toxic if not processed right . Ive looked at Montgomery Farmers Market and now I know why they want $35 this year over past years for a quart for the syrup. Good stuff tho. God bless you Mrs josette Montgomery County, Texas 🙏 ❤

[@ntxg]

Thank you, Miss Josette

[@lilolmecj]

I have had very little success with my plant in Western Washington state, but I bought freeze dried berries online and they made great syrup, and at a great price compared to buying it at the store.

[@robertbird3086]

Love your video on growing Elderberry Plants, They grew everywhere in California and hubby and I made wine , jams and syrups. They are also a protected plant in California. I am now here in My Texas property a proud owner of two Plants and two varities, that have blossoms already. I almost the great tea from the Flowers that I use to help keep my High Blood in Check..By the way some elderberries need a co0mpanion to produce. . Ninette Bird- The Caribbean Wife - Cameron - Tx

[@ntxg]

Love you, Gal

[@centraltexashomestead-mike4956]

Hey Jill very interesting. We've never have grown them. Had no idea they were toxic. Thanks for sharing this. God bless.

[@beverlyboyce1041]

I've got 4 starts going. Supposed to be good for chickens in preventing avian flu

[@Sabbathissaturday]

I don’t grow them, but I’m just here for the community. ❤ God bless y’all.

[@ntxg]

😘❤️

[@conniedavidson1807]

I've tried growing elderberries but with no luck. Yours look beautiful. My dad always grew them to make elderberry wine.

[@ntxg]

😘😘

[@kellyb7153]

Have you made the video on how to process them? I was looking for it. Thanks!

[@ntxg]

They burned up sister

[@witchychiqunique]

I want to thank you for this video, I've just started herbalism and making medicinal products. I've been wanting to get an Elderberry bush, from boyfriends family farm. I was told as a child those plants were poisioness but did not know until recently that they were in fact Elderberry plant, so knowing you can not pop one in your mouth is excellent advice, I really appreciate your video. Thanks from Davidsonville MD. 😊😊

[@ntxg]

Thank you sister!

[@tas6847]

Thanks for this very informative video!

[@karenchapman932]

Looking forward to your elderberry syrup video in the future. I got a juicer.

[@deborahjennings4119]

We have some awesome elderberries going here. We started taking the syrup during the big "C" and never got the virus. We harvested 2 gallons last year and looks to be twice as many this year!

[@ntxg]

So great!

[@JennySimon206]

Fantastic. Don't push your luck though. I'm worried that the virus is behaving like HIV, going latent in reservoirs in the central nervous system, an immune privileged area. It also kills T Cells. I imagine they are playing the stock market and getting a head start on their grant applications before they announce it. Can't keep a lid on it forever. So if you want to be a Guinea pig and dependent on Pharma to stay alive, keep exposing yourself to their lab monster.

[@safeenaslivingworld1904]

Elderberries is a superfood👍

[@rwally3able]

Thankyou!!!!!!!

[@jenniearnold2349]

I just put my ripe elderberries in the dehydrator, then into jars to save up for cooking the syrup! We have trees about 15' tall and they are only 4-5 years old! Tons of elderberry on them this year so I'll have many more jars of dehydrated berries for my syrup. I take it daily for immunity!

[@lisaf7688]

Love it 💚👍🏻

[@ntxg]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@kimberlyfernandez2629]

Black elderberries are not toxic. It’s ok to taste.

[@CatnJack]

My bushes are about 3 years old. First time they bloomed. The berries are very small. Is that normal? I’m in NE TN . I’m worried I picked soon but the birds have already gotten most

[@susanv1535]

Thank you for this video. Would love to know the spray mix your husband uses. I am just learning.

[@davidcoley8500]

Great info as always! Was there a follow up? I'm seeing this 9 months later.

[@carpenterpilot487]

Thanks for sharing you should be doing a video shortly

[@theresekirkpatrick3337]

Ty ty i got a cutting from someone it grew and died back grew this second year but no fruit so far

[@Athomeinthemountains]

What organic spray do you use on elderberries? I need to get a spray for mine.

[@ntxg]

EM-1, organic fish emulsion, bone meal.

[@1RodeoMom]

I could use some of that now. After flying FIL to see Mom's grave and marker up north, hubby and I came down with a respiratory crud. We are both healing now and are on the upside of it.

[@ntxg]

Oh, rodeo, mom, that respiratory’s been going around. Greg and I had it for several weeks and it took a while to get over.

[@ArtFlowersBeeze8815]

Plant breeders have made new varieties that are not toxic.

[@littleduckfarmers]

You might have just saved my life. I would have 100% picked and taken a bite next year when I get them to finally produce 😅

[@ntxg]

OH MY....Well I don't think I saved your life but now you knnow LDF!

[@kimberlyfernandez2629]

You will not die from eating black elderberries raw. My daughter ate a table spoon full. The black elderberries are not toxic.

[@rebeccasanford8607]

Morning Jill! I have looked everywhere for elderberry growing so I can take some cuttings. Only place I’ve seen that MAY be Elderberry is in an area I can’t access ☹️. I’ve had to settle for packaged Elderberry

[@ntxg]

Awe! I’ll try to propagate some for you

[@rebeccasanford8607]

@@ntxg Oh Jill! I would appreciate that so much! 🥰 Maybe I can drive down and get them

[@WinkTartanBelle]

Hi sweet Jill! Got any recommendations on which steam juicer to get? I've been looking at them for a while and just never pulled the trigger. Next year I might have enough elderberries to make it worth fooling with, so probably need to get one for processing. Thanks for reminding folks about the need to process those berries. Seems like every year I hear about someone not knowing this and getting sick. Hugs!

[@ntxg]

Hi sweet Wink! I think we got the cook n home and it works great!!!! Love you lady

[@joviv6340]

i always thought it was a weed , i grow em as a privacy hedge. The flowes give a nice scent in the yard. the bees love the flowers and once the black berries ripen from the elderberry flowers , the birds go to town . the birds then spread the seeds in their poop . Very fast growers an tolerate the heat here in SE texas

[@ntxg]

❤️❤️

[@theresekirkpatrick3337]

Northern arizon where i am hasn’t had hardly any monsoons this year. 😢

[@roxeyserckie5414]

Thanks for caution on berries being toxic from the bush. I don't grow them in apt living.

[@KimmieAbbasServantHomestead]

Guys please pray for me I have a really really bad kidney infection

[@ntxg]

I sure will!!! Water water water!

[@humbledsparrows4687]

Can you share your husband's plant spray? We live in East Texas and are constantly battling insects. We don't like using pesticides and stay as organic as possible. Thank you

[@sandrarichardson2713]

Super interesting information. Is there something that you could grow in between them that is tall and fluffy that would give them some shade? I'm thinking okra---but I don't think that would be enough shade. And birds? Do birds like the berries? Thanks again for a very interesting topic, ma'am. Jesus bless.

[@ntxg]

Hi Sandra, the birds love them, but I think the built-in protection is that the blooms tip over making it hard for the birds to get to once they start to ripen. I’m hoping that they get big enough to shade themselves lol.

[@CrystalHotSauce1]

Idk where you are, but here in Louisiana, it was the worst in my several decades of life when it comes to growing anything, we were severely droughted and suffered.

[@ntxg]

I know y’all have had a terrible time. I’m so sorry!

[@PreppingAngel]

I wish you would give the directions for the spray. So far I go out and after the blooms I attach fine mesh hair nets

[@ntxg]

He will be doing a class on his sprays ❤️

[@echandler673]

Great video! How many bushes do you have?

[@ntxg]

12-15

[@lotus....]

Do elderberries bloom on new or old wood? The farm we moved to in North FL has a big stand of them. They dont really freeze back much here in the winter. They didnt really bloom much last spring when we first got here and they arent really blooming again this year. We get plenty of rain here. I am wondering if I need to cut them back or something. I have a smaller one that I bought from a cutting, in a pot, that had lots of new growth and it is putting out lots of flowers.

[@ntxg]

Hidy Ld! They do need pruning. Looks like they are flowering out from the new growth. I’ve seen folks prune all the way down to a single stock at the end of the season.

[@lotus....]

@@ntxg Thank you for your help. Ok that makes sense! No wonder lol. This place had been empty for a year before we bought it so who knows how long its been since they were cut back. We are still discovering things around here.

[@ekklesiajoy]

What about fertilizing. Pruning?

[@monikas5125]

My elderberry bushes doing really good I make more elderberry syrup

[@jewels4028]

🤔 Good to know. I thought it was just to avoid berries while still green.

[@jennifercoats3800]

I'm trying so hard with my elderberry plants, but I am barely keeping them alive. The leaves started turning yellow ... they live under shade cloth at this point and I give them good water. Do you have any tips for me?

[@ntxg]

We are having difficulty as well Jennifer the berries are dropping in this heat. I think you’ve done the right thing is to put them in shade and keep them heavily watered.

[@athhelle]

Ciao ti scrivo dall'Italia. Zona a nord di Milano. Ieri ho prelevato 20 talee da un sambuco selvatico, e le ho messe in acqua, oggi stanno già bene. Penso faranno le radici tra 4-6 settimane, cosa mi consigli di fare poi? Visto che a giugno avremo il caldo torrido, pensi sia meglio tenerle riparate in vaso? Potrò trapiantarle a settembre o dovrò aspettare la prossima primavera? Come potarli in futuro per mantenerli come arbusto ed evitare una pianta di 10metri? Grazie 🙂 ---- Hello, I'm writing to you from Italy. Area north of Milan. Yesterday I took 20 cuttings from a wild elderberry, and I put them in the water, today they are already fine. I think they will root in 4-6 weeks, what do you recommend I do then? Since we will have the scorching heat in June, do you think it is better to keep them sheltered in pots? Will I be able to transplant them in September or will I have to wait until next spring? How to prune them in the future to keep them as a shrub and avoid a 10-meter plant? Thank you 🙂

[@ignor6581]

What you mean you can't eat them in till they are processed ? I ate olderberry from the bush all the time in Europe. They are toxic in till they ripen. An less there are diffrent varieties I don't know about. I was never sick an I are them strait from the bush .

[@JRCHomesteadTexas]

Hi Jill. Our chickens free range. Do you know if their toxic? Remember ya'll to Pray, Plan, Prep

[@ntxg]

I know it’s a favorite for birds. I don’t know if it’s toxic to chickens because it doesn’t seem to be too normal. Flying birds.

[@racheledwards6497]

Chickens are pretty good at knowing what they can and can't eat. I've tried giving mine potatoes, tomatoes and onions but they won't touch them. They have eaten the berries on poke salad and they are supposedly toxic but my chickens are still alive.

[@alhambra119]

I planted 5 elderberries last year. 2 trees bloomed. However, something is eating up most of the leaves. What should I do to control this? thank you very much in advance!

[@ntxg]

I really don’t know other than maybe grasshoppers

[@alhambra119]

@@ntxg I saw similar to grasshoppers. I thought they are beneficial to plant. Maybe not. thank you for the reply!!

[@CVetteMan1111]

I've always wondered how birds and other animals can eat elderberries by the pound and not be affected by the chemicals in the berries But apparently, we can't. Interesting.

[@EnliveningJustice]

Because birds eat clay afterwards😉 look into bentonite clay (safe for human consumption)

[@dns_error]

So you either make the medicine or a poison? Damn! 😮

[@ntxg]

lol meds!

[@txbulldog30jp]

Toxic? 😱 I've been trying to grow 2 plants and ive been anxious to see berries so i could try them out. Luckily it hasn't had berries yet. 😂

[@PhilippeFernandez]

Yeah, they don’t have to be cooked or steamed. Lol.. I freeze dry mine. Make them into a powder with a fine mesh colander this will remove all the seeds. Don’t believe everything you hear.

[@blahdeblaaah9445]

This doesn’t do what the title of the video says.

[@ntxg]

I welcome suggestions going forward! 😀