Saskatoon berry: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do I plant a serviceberry?
Plant your serviceberry in autumn or spring, avoiding frozen or waterlogged ground. Choose a sunny position to support fruiting, although light partial shade is also possible. Check the mature size of the species and variety so you can leave enough space. The soil should drain well while retaining some moisture. Requirements vary by species: fruiting serviceberries such as saskatoon can also grow in neutral or alkaline soil.
Moisten the root ball before planting. Dig a wide hole, roughly twice the width of the root ball but no deeper than it. Set the plant at its original depth, backfill with the excavated soil and firm gently. Water to settle the soil around the roots, then mulch while keeping the stems clear.
For a bare-root plant, spread the roots without folding them and plant during dormancy. Monitor moisture over the first few seasons, especially in dry weather. For container growing, choose a sufficiently large pot with drainage holes and room for the plant’s future growth. Keep the shrub outdoors. During severe frost, protect the pot and its more exposed roots rather than moving the plant into a heated room.
When does the serviceberry flower?
How do you prune a serviceberry?
How to care for this plant
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Maintain the mulch
Check the ground cover around the base. If the mulch has thinned, top it up on moist, well-drained soil after removing competing weeds. Keep the trunk, crown and graft union clear; add nothing if the existing layer is sufficient.
When should saskatoons be harvested?
