NATIVE LINGONBERRY (VACCINIUM VITIS-IDAEA VAR. MINUS) AS A NEW CROP IN NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

Seedlings of Vaccinium vitis-idaea var. minus Lodd. (lingonberry, partridgeberry, foxberry, cowberry, rock cranberry) grown from seed collected in Newfoundland and New Brunswick, Canada were transplanted from greenhouse to field at Fredericton, NB in 1991. Six seedling selections were planted in replicated trial at a spacing of 30 cm x 80 cm into a sandy-loam soil (pH 5.1) which had been treated prior to planting with fertilizer (0–20–20) at 300 kg per hectare. In the fall of the planting year, the plantings were covered with 10 cm of fine softwood sawdust to promote rapid rhizome development. After five years, most selections had spread to fill the allotted space. Seedlings F91–3 and F91–5 had produced fruit in the fourth and fifth years. In the fourth year, projected yields of up to 700 kg per hectare were realized with an average weight of 0.4 g per fruit during a late August harvest. The lingonberry plantings exhibited no major insects or diseases and two main weed problems. Vaccinium vitis-idaea var. minor offers an opportunity as a food crop and possibilities as an ornamental ground cover.