Huckleberries are one of the prized wild foods found in Idaho’s wild lands. The official state fruit of Idaho, huckleberries are full of antioxidants, high in iron, a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Can I plant it in my garden?
Western Huckleberry
Many types of huckleberries exist throughout the United States and Canada, the Mountain Huckleberry or Black Huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaeum) is the huckleberry found throughout Idaho. This long-lived native shrub is slow-growing and can grow anywhere from 2 to 6 feet tall. They need freezing temperatures during the winter and do best if they have 1 to 2 feet of snow to protect them throughout the winter.
Can Western Huckleberry grow in your garden? Yes, it can be done, but the conditions must be right. Air temperature during the growing season should be 70-80°F during the day and 40-50°F at night. Temperatures of 28°F and below will kill the flowers, so frost protection should be a consideration. You can cover it with tarps, blankets, or row covers. Watering with overhead sprinklers can also help when the temperature drops below 32°F. As the water freezes on the plant, it releases heat that keeps the temperature close to 32° F. Apply a ¼ inch of water every hour continuously until the temperature rises above freezing and the ice begins to melt. Huckleberries need full sun during the day but should be shaded from hot afternoon sun. The soil should be well-drained, sandy soils with a pH of 4.5-5.5. The plants grow slowly so if you are willing to be patient, you can eat huckleberries.
Before you go out into the woods to pick huckleberry plants to take home and plant in your garden, remember that it is illegal to damage or remove huckleberry bushes from the woods. You should buy your huckleberry plants from a nursery.
Blueberries
A close relative of blueberries, huckleberries differ in several ways. Blueberries have clusters of fruits, making them easier to harvest, huckleberries produce single berries or small clusters of berries. As a result, a blueberry bush can produce more berries than a huckleberry plant of the same size. The inside of blueberries is pale green or white and huckleberries are blue or purple when opened. The seeds of huckleberries are harder and bitter when eaten, blueberries have smaller soft seeds. Blueberries and huckleberries need acidic soil to thrive and bear fruit.
Can I grow blueberries in my garden? Yes, but again, the conditions have to be right to get a harvest. Soil pH, drainage, and sun requirements like huckleberries.
Huckleberry Garden
The garden huckleberry (Solanum melanoceransium) is commonly grown in gardens across the country. The common name of this garden huckleberry is misleading. Where the Western huckleberry is in the Heath family, the garden huckleberry is in the Nightshade family. The garden huckleberry is more closely related to tomatoes and peppers than to huckleberries. The huckleberry plant in the garden is two and a half feet tall, has foliage and stems, and berries similar to wild huckleberries. When ripe, the fruit is bitter, but can be cooked to make it sweeter. You can use Garden huckleberries to make preserves, pies or baked dishes.
Can I grow huckleberries in my garden? Yes, start seeds indoors in the spring. After the last frost, plant them in your garden. Rows should be 36 inches apart. Berries are ripe 75-80 days after transplanting.
