Lingonberry

[meteor]

Does anyone grow or has grown lingonberries, I was on a work course in Stockholm some years back around this time of the year and one weekend the whole of Stockholm seemed to disappear into the countryside to pick them. Afterwards everywhere in restaurants, pubs and homes lingonberry jam or preserves accompanied every dish. I developed a taste for them and I have an ideal spot for them on a forest boundary with just the acidic conditions they seem to like. Trying to source an Irish supplier of plants at present and was just wondering has anyone had any success with them.

[Invicta]

lingonberries

Hi
I grow the plant Vaccinum vitis-idaea as an ornamental, edging a heather Azalea border. It is native to Britain[ probably Ireland as well] and its English name is cowberry. You need acid soil, and if your soil is clay you should incorporate ericaceous compost. Seems to like the damp Manchester climate. Given those conditions it will thrive and I never known it to have pests. Maybe I should try using the berries. You will need a lot of plants as they are small and dont carry a lot of fruit.

[meteor]

Thanks Invicta, after some research I found several suppliers here, and it seems to be the same plant. My soil is slightly acidic and I intend to sow them in a spot that has a boundary with a native birch forest, so they should feel right at home. I was thinking about a dozen or so, I'll probably put in some blueberries nearby, I have some I've grown on as cuttings donated by friends.
cheers

[burnie]

I found some wild ones when fishing on Saturday, they don't seem very prolific, I wonder if there's a commercial variety that the Scandinavians grow, or maybe they've just got lots of plants.