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Over the years we have received requests for yellow raspberries, so three years ago we ordered some. Since I sell all of my berries and most people associate red with raspberries, I was not keen to the idea. As I predicted, they were hard to sell so I planted the last bundle at home. The variety was Kiwi Gold and to my surprise it is a great berry. It is a good sweet berry and a great producer and if you pick it for your own use, you will be pleased.

We have had requests to offer lingonberries and I was sure the same thing would happen. To my surprise we have a lot of interest in purchasing them. I felt I better know something about them so again I contacted our coordinator, Sue Humble, for information on lingonberries.

The common English name for this particular species of vaccinium is cowberry, known in Sweden as lingon or lingenberry. It is a member of the Heath family and is known around the world by a variety of names. This includes alpine, moss, rock, mountain, red whortle, fox, and partridge, all with the last name cranberries. The term lingonberry took hold in the United States about 50 years ago.

The lingonberry is related to the blueberry and the cranberry. The vaccinium is a very large genus with more than 450 species. Most of them have food value as well as ornamental appeal and are native in all global regions.

Lingonberries are fully hardy in this area and relatively easy to grow as long as you follow a few simple rules. Since they are in the blueberry family, they are acid-loving plants that need a pH below 5.8. Give them adequate drainage and full sun, although they are somewhat tolerant to a semi-shady area. They do best in a sandy soil so if you have a clay soil as I do, mix in peat moss to make it a more acid soil. If you fertilize, do so sparingly in the early spring with an acid fertilizer.

A full sized lingonberry plant will grow to 18 inches tall so they should be spaced from one to two feet apart to form a ground cover. It takes two years before you will get an adequate harvest in late fall. They are self pollinating but two or more varieties are better for cross-pollination.

Once the plants are established they are easy to care for if you go by the previous listed tips. Few diseases and pests affect them and along with enjoying them in preserves, sauces, syrup, for pickling as, jelly and wine, one can enjoy their foliage.

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