pruning

After establishment, older stems should be pruned at the end of the dormant season. Restrict bush height and increase density by cutting back upright stems.

After the berries have fallen or been harvested, prune to shape the plant. Pruning chokeberry plants while they are young will also encourage branching. The best time to prune is in late winter or spring before growth begins. Prune in early spring, just before growth begins. This means that there is little time before new growth begins and for the process of wound sealing to take place. In the long run, it does not seriously harm the plants to cut the plants so that they can produce dense growth of new shoots. This is called “topping.” As the plants grow, prune to thin the plant so that all parts of the plant receive sunlight.

Plague

Japanese beetles and other insect pests will generally leave chokeberry plants alone. Blueberry Croft Farm and Nursery has had no problems with Japanese beetles.

For long-term pest control, a good defense against the Japanese beetle is to improve the soil on your property so that the beneficial microorganisms that live there are active and numerous. Microorganisms eat Japanese beetle eggs under the grass around plant roots. Mulching and using aerated compost tea made with worms is a good approach to improve your soil and the number of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

Chokeberry berries are more resistant to microbial invasion than other fruits.

Chokeberry berries will provide food for deer; rabbits and songbirds in the fall after the berries are fully ripe if not picked. Before they are fully ripe, they are so bitter that songbirds avoid them.

In summary, the main pests are the following

• deer
• rabbits
• Songbirds (in the fall after the fruit is ripe)
• Japanese beetles (usually not a problem)
• A few Spotted Wing Drosphila worms have been found on some berries at some sites. One possible solution is to try setting some traps with molasses, brewer’s yeast, etc. to try to reduce populations around Chokeberry and other berry plants.

landscaping

The practice of growing aronia as a landscape plant is increasing. One of the reasons is because it can withstand both wet and dry soils, as well as being a highly ornamental plant. It is attractive in every season and is unaffected by most diseases and pests. These are exceptional landscape plants. They have attractive white flowers in spring and beautiful bright green leaves throughout the summer. Dark berries in the fall at the end of the year and are a plus in providing healthy fruit.

Their ability to withstand wet situations makes aronia plants suitable for growing along the edges of ponds, streams, or other similar conditions. Aronia works well as a bank stabilizer, or in fields in the path of streams to control erosion or in any large scale planting where a growing mass is needed. Choron plants are especially useful in roadside ditches or a low-lying expanse of moist land that is a natural or man-made landscape feature. Consider using the Nero cultivar if you enjoy seeing heavy production of larger, longer lasting black fruit on a more compact plant 3 to 4 feet tall. If youare planning to have a productive plantation with tall-quality Fruit Nero or taller growing Viking plants are good choices.

Harvest

For more than 1/2 to 1 acre, mechanical harvesting is more efficient, faster, and less expensive than manual harvesting.

Chokeberry fruit stays healthy for a relatively long period of time and can be stored unharmed in containers for even a few days. “This means they can also be shipped to customers immediately after picking without refrigeration. This is a significant opportunity and benefit because it also allows harvested fruit from a large area to be delivered to the processing plant at the same time.

Fresh aronia processing is not difficult to achieve. Although the fruit is soft, its resistance to shock allows it to be stored longer than other, more fragile berries.

fruit yields

The second year after planting 2-year-old nursery aronia plants in the field, they are generally reported to produce about 2 pounds of fruit per plant. The third year after planting in the field, they are reported to produce about 10 pounds of fruit per plant. In the fourth to fifth year after planting, they are reported to yield about 20 pounds of fruit per plant. Fruit production is reported to be up to 35 pounds per mature plant. When it comes to growing aronia plants, the saying is “First they sleep, then they crawl, then they jump.”

At 20 pounds per plant, 1,000 plants per acre would be expected to produce 20,000 pounds of berries.