Huckleberry Plants
Hi,
a friend gave me some Huckleberry plants that have now grown very large. She bought the seed because she thought they sounded interesting, but does not know anymore about them. The plants I have have grown green berries which have started turning black. The berries are about the size of a small marble.
Somebody has suggested that they might be blueberries, but these are much larger than blueberries. May be the same family though. The flowers (before the berries obviously) were white and similar to pepper flowers.
Does anybody know anything about Huckleberries? They are obviously becoming ripe now and we are a bit confused because on the seed packet it said to harvest after the first frost(!?). She sowed them at the right time as per the packet, but there is no way that the berries are going to keep until the first frost which, hopefully, is several weeks/months away.
Janet
I've just looked them up in one of my many neglected, dusty reference books and I think they are garden huckleberries (is that right?)
It says they produce purplely-black berries about the size for a large blackcurrant which hang in clusters. The berries form in July and, yes, they should not be picked till after a frost in mid/late sept as the berries will by then be soft.
It also says you shouldn't eat them raw as they are sour. You can cook them in pies and make jam etc and you can make wine with them.
Hope this helps and good luck - they sound fascinating.