I never tried it, but I don’t see why you can’t do it by pruning. It may require some work. Just like the Euros, not easy to keep small they want to be huge! As do my peach trees. I have 4 of them all are 6 years old. The shortest is 5 feet, the tallest 7 feet. I prune 2-3 times a year to keep them that way.
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Thanks @Drew51. This is my first time growing Elderberry. If I prune the tops off a cane, will they branch out like a blackberry? The pruning during growing season doesn’t stop flowering for the current year, but delays it until another branch grows out, right? My variety is Bob Gordon that is suppose to flower on new growth(cut to the ground each year).
To avoid pruning flowers out, prune after harvest. Yes they will branch where pruned.
I myself never pruned them right to the ground. I left a basic structure. Well with the newly developed Euros they say to prune like blackberries. But I never did, I would leave old wood when new wood was scarce. I have since removed those trees. I decided to grow other fruit there now. All I have is ornamental elderberries now. Two different variegated types, Black Lace and Black Beauty. I have no plans to collect fruit. Scarce on these types anyway.
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Greetings:
I just noticed two very large elderberry plants growing at work at the corner of one of the fields. Both have lots of fruit but one more than the other. I have never made elderberry jam but am an avid jelly/jam maker. I presume it has to be similar to making currant jelly. I thought this weekend I would try my luck with elderberry jelly
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Reading all the old reports above I noticed someone mentioned having problems with elderberry jelly setting properly? I use sure-gel light when making jam/jellies. For cherry jam it sets up so hard that I cut the pectin amount in half. My grape jelly always was a little softer than I like so I now use 1.5 boxes of sure-gel light per recipe.
Just wondering how much pectin I will try for the edlerberry jelly to set up.
Anyone who has made elderberry jelly before have any comments on how much pectin and if theirs set up enough? Thought I would ask before making it so I dontt have to learn from trial and error.
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