Do you grow a variety called ‘Stevens’?
Do you grow a variety called ‘Early Black’?
Do you grow a variety called ‘Ben Lear’?
This hybrid, bred for productivity and disease resistance, is characterized by its vigorous habit and large red berries. Its leaves are larger than other varieties and yields can be double those of wild cranberries. The tangy fruits ripen after ‘Ben Lear’ but before ‘Howes’. This variety is unsuitable to be grown in containers. It can be planted in spring or early fall and harvested in early to mid-fall. It has good resistance to pests and diseases and it is a cold-hardy variety.
This is one of the easiest varieties to grow since it is disease- and frost-resistant. The large, bell-shaped fruits are such a dark red that they are almost black, and they have a relatively sweet flavor. In fall, the blunt-tipped foliage turns a deep red. This variety is suitable to be grown in containers. It can be planted year-round and harvested in late summer to early fall. It has good resistance to pests and diseases and it is a cold-hardy variety.
Taken from the wild in Wisconsin in the 1900s, this variety produces early burgundy berries that are prized for sauces. Shrubs form a spreading mat of 8-10 inches and are good ground cover under taller, acid-loving shrubs. This variety is unsuitable to be grown in containers. It can be planted in spring or early fall and harvested in early to mid-fall. It has good resistance to pests and diseases and it is a cold-hardy variety.
‘Howes’ bright red berry originated in Massachusetts and is known for its long storage. The firm, tart fruits are oval and ripen later than other varieties. The ground-hugging shrubs benefit from winter snow cover or leaf mulch. This variety is unsuitable to be grown in containers. It can be planted in spring or early fall and harvested in mid-fall. It has good resistance to pests and diseases and it is a cold-hardy variety.
A. Baggaley, G. Barter, H. Caldon, R.L. Rosenfeld, P. Ruch, D. Vowles, R. Ward (2011). Great Fruit & Vegetable Guide, DK Publishing 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
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Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
