How Cranberries Grow: Nutrition

Cranberries are adapted to the relative lack of fertility in their native sandy soils. These soils are low in organic matter in the root zone and have relatively little clay, the two soil components that can hold nutrients available to the plants. Though the plant is adapted to low soil fertility, fertilizers are essential because nutrients are taken from the bog through the harvest of fruit. Nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) are the three elements most often added to the bog, since these are the elements removed in the largest quantities when the crop is harvested. Despite the necessity for N-P-K fertilizer in cranberry cultivation, fertilizer use is low in comparison to that in traditional agronomic crops such as corn or soybeans.

Learn more on nutrition in the fact sheet on Fertilizer Use in cranberries. (PDF: 46KB)

How Cranberries Grow: Cranberries 101

Introduction - a brief background on cranberries

Seasons of the Bog: Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall

Dry Harvesting - See how growers harvest fresh fruit

Frost Protection: Spring - Cranberry plants need protection from cold temperatures

Frost Protection: Fall - Cranberries need protection from cold temperatures

Ice Sanding - See how growers perform this critical cultural practice

Nutrition - Understand fertilizer use in cranberry production

Pesticide Use - Learn how cranberry growers manage pests

Pollination - Find out about cranberry flowers and the use of pollinators

Water Use - A summary of water use in cranberries

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Cranberries ~Growing ~ Nutrition
How Cranberries Grow: "Cranberries 101" - Nutrition Cranberries are adapted to the relative lack of fertility in their native sandy soils. These soils are low in organic matter in the root zone and have relatively little clay, the two soil components that can hold nutrients available to the plants. Though the plant is adapted to low soil fertility, fertilizers are essential because nutrients are taken from the bog through the harvest of fruit. Nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) are the three elements most often added to the bog, since these are the elements removed in the largest quantities when the crop is harvested. Despite the necessity for N-P-K fertilizer in cranberry cultivation, fertilizer use is low in comparison to that in traditional agronomic crops such as corn or soybeans. Learn more on nutrition in the fact sheet on Fertilizer Use in cranberries. (PDF: 46KB) How Cranberries Grow: Cranberries 101 Introduction - a brief background on cranberries Seasons of the Bog: Winter \| Spring \| Summer \| Fall Dry Harvesting - See how growers harvest fresh fruit Frost Protection: Spring - Cranberry plants need protection from cold temperatures Frost Protection: Fall - Cranberries need protection from cold temperatures Ice Sanding - See how growers perform this critical cultural practice Nutrition - Understand fertilizer use in cranberry production Pesticide Use - Learn how cranberry growers manage pests Pollination - Find out about cranberry flowers and the use of pollinators Water Use - A summary of water use in cranberries Some of the information on this page has been created with Adobe® PDF. If you don't have a PDF reader installed on your computer, you can download free software at the Adobe web site.

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