Berry Plants: How Many Years Until Fruit?

Growing your own berry plants is a rewarding endeavor. Find out how many years it takes to yield your first berry harvest. It may be sooner than you think.

Whether you’re interested in the wide range of health benefits that come from adding something edible to your landscape or garden, or you’re a foodie who loves endless culinary possibilities, growing your own berries is an all-around rewarding endeavor.

After you plant them, berry plants tend to produce their first crops much more quickly than most fruit trees. You could be enjoying fresh berries sooner than you’d think, so it’s important to be prepared by planning ahead. If you’re eager to liven up your summer salads or start sipping on healthy, homemade fruit smoothies, then let’s get started!

Take a look at how many years it takes for berry plants to bear fruit, so that you can plan for your first harvest.

Stark Bro’s Berry Plants – Years Until Fruit*

Berry Plant Type	Years Until Fruit
Aronia Berry Plants	2-3 years
Blackberry Plants	1-2 years
Blueberry Plants	2-3 years
Boysenberry Plants	2-3 years
Cranberry Plants	2-3 years
Currant Plants	2-3 years
Elderberry Plants	2-3 years
Goji Berry Plants	2-3 years
Gooseberry Plants	3-4 years
Grape Vines (& Muscadines)	2-4 years
Pixie® Grapes	same year
Honeyberry Plants	1-2 years
Kiwi Berry Vines (“Hardy Kiwi”)	2-5 years
Jostaberry Plants	2-3 years
Lingonberry Plants	2-3 years
Loganberry Plants	2-3 years
Marionberry Plants	1-2 years
Raspberry Plants	1-2 years
Seaberry Plants	2-3 years
Strawberry Plants	1-2 years

Blueberry Block

And don’t forget — there’s more to these plants and vines than just fruit. Even while you’re waiting for them to reach fruiting maturity, they still make beautiful outdoor accents that will add interest to your landscape with gorgeous foliage that is lush during the growing season and turns various colors in the fall. Maintenance is also important to getting the most out of your berry plants. Some selections like strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries might try to bloom and set fruit the first year you plant them. You will be doing your plants a favor in the long run if you pinch these flowers off to avoid fruit set in their first year with you. Doing so will allow your new plants to devote their energy to becoming established and growing well so that they can support bigger, better crops of berries for years to come!

*Just like in our fruit tree article these time frames may vary and these are estimates, but all “years to bear” begin counting after your new Stark Bro’s berry plants are transplanted into your growing space!