Cranberry plant growing in outdoor pot

Cranberries are easy to grow in containers. Who knew?! Give each seedling its own container, big enough to accommodate soil about a foot deep and 1 to 2 feet across. Containers should have holes in the bottom and a drip tray underneath to guard against overwatering.

Make sure your soil is clean, weed-free, nutrient-rich, and the right mix for acidic-soil-loving plants. It’s always good to start with fresh gardening soil—there’s even soil formulated especially for container gardening. And make sure your containers have good drainage; soggy soil can lead to root rot, which can spell disaster for your cranberry plants.

Your container can be a planter, or even a large hanging basket. Whichever you choose, just be sure to plan for the plant to branch out; cranberry plants produce runners, and they’ll need some room to spread out.

The Right Sunlight for Cranberries

Cranberries need at least six hours of sunlight each day to flourish. They can tolerate some late afternoon shade, but full sun is best. Putting your container on wheels is one way to ensure that your cranberries get the sunlight they need. Just move them when you need to.

Watering Your Container Cranberry Plants

Water, sunlight, and soil are all essential ingredients for a successful cranberry harvest. Watering is one of the easiest things to do—and therefore one of the easiest things to also overdo.

Your cranberries need about an inch of water a week. You can supplement whatever nature does not provide. Wherever they’re planted, they need soil with good drainage—and that includes containers! You can add a layer of sand around your cranberries to help retain some moisture (and deter weeds at the same time); also make sure your container has adequate drainage.

Just don’t kill your crop with kindness—water just enough, but no more. Too much water can invite disease, and you want to keep your cranberries healthy! And, on balance, don’t let your plants dry out. This is more of a hazard with container gardening, since even large pots will dry out more quickly than plantings in open land.

The Right Soil for Your Container Cranberries

Cranberries thrive in acidic soil. Either make your own acidic soil mix with three parts peat moss to one part sand, or get gardening soil formulated specifically for plants that need soil with a low pH. Ask your garden center for recommendations.

Have you grown cranberries in containers? Or would you like to try? Please tell us about your successes and challenges growing cranberries in containers by commenting below.