How many Huckleberries?

[godfreyrob]

Have you grown Huckleberries before? How many plants did you have and what yields did you get?

[Green Aura]

We grew them years ago, from seed. The results were very disappointing, so we didn't bother again.

Having said that our attention to the garden in those days was sporadic at best - we'd put huge amounts of effort into sowing and planting out and then more or less abandon them.

We're all growed up now though

I can't remember how many plants we had - probably about 4-5 - I remember they were quite tall spindly plants - but that probably goes back to our gardening skills.

[Enormous Sage]

I grew "Garden Huckleberries" last year, which are not the same as the American Huckleberries (but look similar) and I've never known a plant produce so much fruit.
I got a couple of kg worth off four plants and didn't really pay too much attention to them, other than having to cut them back when they grew out of control. The berries seemed to last forever on the plant, unlike raspberries, etc. I picked some in the Autumn and some in the winter and there was no difference (left one lot for the frost to soften up before picking... which didn't seem to do anything at all!)

The only trouble is, they're pretty much inedible freshly picked. I did use them to make Huckleberry Gin (following the same method as Sloe Gin), which was reasonable, if very purple.
I'm told you can use them with other fruits and make half decent pies and jams, etc. and I have a bagful in the freezer I'm going to use to make wine.

They take up about the same amount of space as a bush tomato plant, if that helps.