Cranberries

johngalway

Hi folks,

Just saw the Ocean Spray advert on TV earlier. Is anyone growing cranberries in Ireland? If so, how hard are they to grow?

ATB,

John

Corsendonk

Not that I know of, someone might have one or two plants but nothing commercial. The market for fresh berries is really only Xmas here and cheaper to produce the juice and sauces using berries from places like the states. You require peaty soil, sand and lots of water for harvest and a comprehensive irrigation system.

3 mins in shows harvesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV-jSTqCO2M

Planting in a cranberry bed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjRfD9GRXeY

johngalway

Thanks Corsendonk, two very interesting videos there Particularly the planting one, a lot of work goes into them!

Corsendonk

johngalway wrote: »

Thanks Corsendonk, two very interesting videos there Particularly the planting one, a lot of work goes into them!

Thats it does, do I think more so in Oregon because they didn't have a natural peat bog on that site. Its an interesting idea for Ireland but Wiki says 95% goes to processing so you would need to identify a niche market because you could never match US bulk suppliers prices and its an autumn crop too so only one harvest income. A dried product might work, its classed as a "superfood". I wonder did Bord na Mona ever do a trail on a cleared bog?

dardevle

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back in the mid-nineties one of the largest growers in the world, northland cranberry of wisconsin did some exploratory trials here but i don't remember what the outcome of this was.




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