Lingonberry Planting

Based on the recommendation of a former Nebraska farmer, Eric Seagren, we ordered and planted 200+ lingonberry plants (1/2 Regal and 1/2 Red Pearl, from Hartmann's Plant Company).

According to the place we bought them, Hartmann's Plant Company: "Lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea - majus) are related to the blueberry and cranberry. The plants are native in most parts of the United States and Canada. The plants, as they grow, have many branches sprouting from the base and are stoliniferous. Plant height is approx. 12"-18" at maturity and spreading to a width of 18". Leaves are 1/4" long, shiny and dark green. Flowers are plentiful and white in color. Green fruits form, and as they ripen they turn a bright red. This makes a beautiful ornamental as well as an important nutritious fruit crop. The fruits are used in preserves, fruit dishes and pastries. Lingonberries have been an important crop for the Scandinavian countries for many years. Fruits are very good nutritionally and are flavorful. It has good potential as a fruit crop in the United States and Canada, as well as other parts of the world."

We planted them in two rows are about 130' long, filling a gap in 2 blueberry rows.

Hopefully you can orient yourself. North is "up". Klingville Road would be along the right border. Apple orchard in the SE corner (lower right). GoogleMap image is from August 2012. My Aunt's fifth -wheel trailer is visible in the upper right. You can even see Stewart, the llama, out standing the field in the middle right.

For three hours one evening, we drilled 200+ holes, 12" in diameter, about a foot deep.

The next evening, Eric Seagren, Ken Hinkel and Wendy Eisner, and their friends visiting from the Netherlands, Ben and Mieke van der Heide, planted the seedlings. We mixed soil from the holes with peat and then mulched.

First berries might come in 3 years.  We'll see.