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Lingonberry

Lingonberry

This bush is from the family Ericaceae. Lingonberries are also referred to as
cowberries, mountain or lowbush cranberries, red bilberries or whortleberries. They are a close
relative of the cranberry and blueberry. Leaves of the lingonberry are shiny on a low-growing
evergreen shrub that reaches from 12-18 inches (30-46 cm.) high and 18 inches across. They are
self-pollinating so you only need one plant to get fruit. It blooms are very dainty bell shaped flowers
in white or pink. In the Americas, a dwarf variation is more common. It grows to be only 4-6″ in
height, and plants spread to roughly 12″ across.

Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Planting locations will depend on your climate conditions often at 2 to 6 Hardiness zones. In cooler climates (zones 4- 6), full sun conditions are perfect. In zones 7-8, full sun is usually fine, but partial shade in the afternoon aids. It’s possible to grow in zone 9. Partial shade is absolutely required for your plants in this hotter climate. Over the winter, your lingonberry bush will take comfort from the cold under a blanket of snow. However, if you live in an area where it is often 10 degrees or below and your plant does not receive consistent protection by snow, provide a mulch covering for your plant to safeguard it from freezing. Lingonberries grow best in areas where temperatures do not dip below freezing. Frost protection: Spread hay bales across your row of lingonberries and then cover with a tarp. Lingonberries can be grown outside or in pots inside during winter months when temperatures are cold enough (below 20 degrees Fahrenheit). If you live in an area where the weather is warmer, it may be possible to raise your row of berries by piling up dirt from inside the hole that they are growing in as well as dirt around them. This will help retain moisture and keep roots cooler during hotter months when soil temperatures can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
They require at least six hours of sunlight each day and prefer sandy soil so that their roots have more room to spread out. Although lingonberries do well in partial shade, making them terrific understory options combined with acid lovers like highbush blueberries, to encourage larger crops, plant them in full sun. Optimal lingonberry growing conditions will have a soil pH of 5.0 in well-draining soil rich in organic matter. If your pH is higher, add garden sulfur according to package directions starting in the fall. Do not change the pH of your soil more than ½ of a point each year. Lingonberries may also be grown in a raised bed. Lingonberries can also be container grown, although they need to be overwintered by mulching over them or banking them with hay bales. Lingonberries are not invasive. They can be grown in gardens, and they do not spread quickly like other berries or plants.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Plan to plant in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper than the root ball and wide enough to allow for spreading roots. Set the plants at the same height they were growing in their pots and water them in well. Mulch around the new plants with 2-3 inches (5-8 cm.) of peat moss or sawdust. For multiple plants, space them 14-18 inches (36-46 cm.) apart in rows set 3-4 feet (.9-1.2 m.) apart. Once the plant is about six inches tall, it’s time to cut off all of its leaves except three on the top and two at the bottom. This allows sunlight to help the berries grow. After a few years, the plants will fill in, creating a low, evergreen hedge. Lingonberries can also be container grown, although they need to be overwintered by mulching over them or banking them with hay bales
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Planting any of their favorite plants nearby will ensure a healthy population like azalea and rhododendron are natural companions for both bees and lingonberry plants. If controlling pests like aphids and whiteflies are an issue, consider staging a few pots of marigold. Avoid nitrate-based nitrogen fertilizers as the plant cannot take up nitrates well. Also, your berries are sensitive to chlorides. Avoid using fertilizers which have potassium chloride in them. Also keep chloride-based ice melts away from your beds. Don’t plant your berries near swimming pools or other sources of chlorinated water

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
The roots of lingonberries are very shallow, and although they don’t need the bogginess of a cranberry, lingonberry growing conditions should allow for consistent irrigation – one inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Their shallow root systems also mean they don’t compete well with weeds, so keep the growing lingonberry plants weed free
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Once the plants are in the ground, they do not need much fertilization; in fact, too much nitrogen boosts growth in the late fall, followed by plant dieback, hence a reduced crop. If the plants show several inches of new growth every year, don’t feed them. If they lack growth, feed them with compost. Lingonberry plants grow best in acidic soil, so it is important to amend the soil with peat or pine needles.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
They are also disease free except for a tendency toward Phytophthora, root rot if grown in soil that doesn’t drain well. Just for info, here’s a few solutions: Bacterial Leaf Spot: First signs are small translucent spots with a broad yellowish edge that slowly enlarge and become angular or irregularly circular with a reddish center. It thrives in cooler temperatures. The disease may also affect and disfigure flower heads… Remove infected plants. Avoid overhead watering. Do not work around plants when they are wet. Botrytis: This fungus causes a grey mold on flowers, leaves, stems and buds. It thrives in cool wet weather conditions… Remove affected plant parts, avoid watering at night and getting water on the plant when watering. Make sure plants have good air circulation. Aphids: Greenish, red, black or peach colored sucking insects that can spread disease as they feed on the undersides of leaves. They leave a sticky residue on foliage that attracts ants… Introduce or attract natural predators into your garden such as lady beetles and wasps who feed on aphids. You can also wash them off with a strong spray, or use an insecticidal soap. Armyworm: Holes in leaves can be singular or clumped together. Leaves can become skeletonized. Egg clusters may be evident on foliage with a cottony or fuzzy appearance. Young larvae are pale green and adults are darker with a light line along the side and pink underside… Introduce natural enemies to the area. Mealybugs: 1/8 to ¼ inch long flat wingless insects that secrete a white powder that forms a waxy shell that protects them. They form cottony looking masses on stems, branches and leaves. They suck the juices from leaves and stems and cause weak growth. They also attract ants with the honeydew they excrete, and the honeydew can grow a black sooty mold on it as well…Wash affected plant parts and try to rub the bugs off. They may also be controlled by predator insects such as lacewings, ladybugs and parasitic wasps. Whitefly: These are small white flying insects that often rise up in a cloud when plants are disturbed or brushed against… They are difficult to control without chemicals. Try hot pepper wax or insecticidal soap.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
These shrubs do not begin to produce for 2-3 years after planting. Two harvests are possible for lingonberries: one late summer and again in early fall. Lingonberry seedlings have been known to survive up to seven years if cared for correctly. The flowers bloom from April until May, then produce berries that ripen to red around September or October.
How to Harvest:
Hand-pick berries that are firm and fully red. Berries tend to ripen over several weeks. Plants can be picked with a scrabbler, a wide fork-like tool that strips the berries from the bush. Each bush yields a pound and half (.7 kg.) Fruit may remain on the vines for several weeks without deteriorating. For the best taste, harvest after first frost. The berries should ripen for two months after they are picked. If this doesn’t happen naturally, then place your harvested berries on drying mats inside your home until they reach the desired level of dryness before storing them away for winter use.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Fruit can be refrigerated, canned, frozen or dried. Cool fruit promptly after harvesting and store between 32 – 40 degrees F. Lingonberries can last 8 to 12 weeks in the refrigerator, and several years in the freezer. Freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and when they are frozen store them frozen in zip lock bags. Canned lingonberry in jams, jellies, and syrup is quite popular, too.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
It’s possible to grow lingonberries from seedlings, but it might be easier for people who want them quickly than those who enjoy growing plants gradually. Gather some fresh berries and wash them thoroughly before planting. Plant the seeds immediately after washing them. Lingonberry plants have been known to stay viable for up to two months when stored appropriately, but anything longer may lead to low germination rates. The plant will sprout within three weeks if planted correctly.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

Lingonberries produce flowers in the spring with a second flowering in the summer. Remove flowers the first year to strengthen plants. Do not prune the first five years except to remove dead branches. Lingonberries generally do not have to be pruned, but after year 6 cut back all but 6-8 of the most vigorous canes in early spring to keep the plant vigorous. It is normal for the new growth to be covered with fine hairs. Cover bushes with bird netting as fruit ripens. Netting should not touch the berries. While lingonberry bushes are self-pollinating, selecting two varieties that can cross pollinate will produce a higher yield and increase the size of your berries. Rhizomatic roots spread out beneath the soil’s surface and enable the plant to spread in size. The runner plants are easily divisible to be replanted elsewhere. It is an independent plant that prefers to be left alone to flourish. As it develops as a groundcover, it will keep weeds at bay

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