Jennybelle Juneberry Planting Instructions
Planting from small 2.5 inch pots into the ground:
- Pick a sunny spot with well drained soil. Space plants about 8 to 12 feet apart.
- Water the pot first.
- Dig a hole about twice as wide as the pot, and about the same depth.
- Slide the plant out. If roots are wrapped around, gently loosen them.
- Set the plant in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the ground. Fill the hole back in with the same soil.
- Water slowly and thoroughly.
- Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch, but keep mulch a couple inches away from the stem.
- For the next 2 to 3 weeks, keep the soil lightly moist. After that, water deeply about once a week if it is not raining.
Description
Jennybelle juneberry (serviceberry) is a cold-hardy, multi-stem shrub or small tree grown for sweet, blueberry-like berries and reliable spring blooms. It’s a good fit for home orchards and edible landscaping because it can be trained as a shrub, kept as a small tree, or used as a hedge row. The fruit usually ripens in early summer, often before many other backyard berries, and the flavor is mild, sweet, and slightly almond-like. Berries are great fresh, and they also work well for jam, muffins, pie filling, and freezing.
Jennybelle juneberry grows best in full sun for the heaviest fruit set, but it will still produce in partial shade. It likes well-drained soil with steady moisture, especially during the first year while roots spread out. Mulch helps a lot with moisture and weed control. Pruning is simple, remove dead wood and thin older stems to keep airflow and encourage new shoots. Birds love juneberries, so you may want netting once fruit starts turning color.
Quick facts
- Plant type: Deciduous shrub or small tree
- Mature size: Commonly around 10 to 15 feet tall (can vary by pruning and training)
- USDA zones: Often grown in cooler zones (commonly listed around Zones 3 to 7)
- Pollination: Usually self-fertile, but a second serviceberry variety nearby can improve yields
- Harvest window: Early summer
- Fruit: Dark purple berries, sweet, blueberry-like
- Best uses: Fresh, baking, jam, freezing
