Cranberries can be eaten fresh, and possess a distinct, crisp, tart flavor. A good site for cranberries has an acidic soil with soil pH between 4.0 and 5.5 and a large supply of available water and sand. Either organic or sand soils are suitable for cranberry production. The water table should be near the soil surface so that a minimal amount of overburden will have to be excavated. Soil pH is very important.
Cranberries require an acid soil to survive.
There must be an adequate supply of water to provide for frost protection, replacing evapotranspiration, harvest and winter flooding. If possible the water source should have a pH less than 6.0. One estimate of cranberry water needs is 6 acre-feet per year per acre of planted vines. Water sources include lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Reservoirs are built to stockpile water so an ample supply is available for peak use times.