The cranberry is Native American in origin and is the cousin of the blueberry. It comes from the
Ericaceae plant family and is a perennial that grows in relatively infertile soils. This fruit
grows in regions where you can find conifers, acidic bogs and sandy soils. This is the why you
can easily grow Cranberries in Quebec.
The cranberry plant has slender stems that grow vertically and horizontally. The horizontal stems can grow up to 30 to 180 cm and the vertical stems rarely grow longer than 30 cm. The leaves are generally oval and measure between 8 and 13 millimeters in length depending on the variety.
At the flowering stage, a floral stem measuring from 5 to 10 cm in length emerges from each floral bud. Then, a formation of one to seven floral buds form at the base of the floral stem. The flowering stage happens only during a period where the days are long and lasts three to four weeks. This is followed by a "nouaison" period that takes place around the second week of July till the beginning of August. Next period is where the fruit grows and matures.
Once the berries are mature they are round and elongated in shape, they measure between 8 to 25 milliliters in diameter and are either pale or dark red in color.
The first crop is only harvested in the third year of plantation. In Quebec the harvest happens between the end of September and the end of October. Contrary to popular beliefs, this little fruit does not grow in water but is only harvested in water.
These days this stage is done mechanically. The beds are flooded with 15 to 20 cm of water and then a harvester is driven through the beds to remove the fruits from the vines. Once this stage is finished the level of the water is raised to 40 cm. The cranberries once detached from the vine float to the surface of the water and are corralled into a corner of the bed and then pumped from the bed and brought the plant. The fruits are then cleaned, inspected and triaged before they are stored and processed.
The cranberry plant has slender stems that grow vertically and horizontally. The horizontal stems can grow up to 30 to 180 cm and the vertical stems rarely grow longer than 30 cm. The leaves are generally oval and measure between 8 and 13 millimeters in length depending on the variety.
At the flowering stage, a floral stem measuring from 5 to 10 cm in length emerges from each floral bud. Then, a formation of one to seven floral buds form at the base of the floral stem. The flowering stage happens only during a period where the days are long and lasts three to four weeks. This is followed by a "nouaison" period that takes place around the second week of July till the beginning of August. Next period is where the fruit grows and matures.
Once the berries are mature they are round and elongated in shape, they measure between 8 to 25 milliliters in diameter and are either pale or dark red in color.
The first crop is only harvested in the third year of plantation. In Quebec the harvest happens between the end of September and the end of October. Contrary to popular beliefs, this little fruit does not grow in water but is only harvested in water.
These days this stage is done mechanically. The beds are flooded with 15 to 20 cm of water and then a harvester is driven through the beds to remove the fruits from the vines. Once this stage is finished the level of the water is raised to 40 cm. The cranberries once detached from the vine float to the surface of the water and are corralled into a corner of the bed and then pumped from the bed and brought the plant. The fruits are then cleaned, inspected and triaged before they are stored and processed.
