The buds must survive through Wisconsin winters in order to produce a crop the following year. Critical times for the crop ware when the buds form in the late summer and when they open and begin to grow the following spring. Wisconsin cranberries flower in late June and early July. The blossom period lasts for three or four weeks depending on the weather. Pollen is transferred from flower to flower by wild bees, wind, and commercial honeybees.
Cranberries are self-fruitful, meaning that pollen from a flower can pollinate itself.
As a result, a single cultivar can be planted in a bed. Soon after pollination, the berry begins to develop. The berries are small and green at first, taking between 75 and 100 days from flowering for the fruit to mature and turn their attractive dark red color. 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.