Lingonberry in Zone 3a & 3b
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Yes, lingonberry grows in zones 3a and 3b and comes back each year. Set out nursery plants May 16–May 23.
When to plant lingonberry in zone 3b
Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Buy as a start: Buy as a nursery start and transplant outside. It's slow or unreliable from seed, so most gardeners skip seed-starting it entirely.
| Start indoors | Not started from seed; buy as a nursery start |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | May 16–May 23 |
| Estimated harvest | First real harvest in year 3 |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1.5 ft.
Before you plant: Lingonberry has a winter-hardiness note for zone 3b. See the details below.
Plant alongside it in zone 3b
These go outside within two weeks of lingonberry in zone 3b, so one planting day can cover them.
- AppleMay 16–May 23
- Aronia (Black Chokeberry)May 16–May 23
- ElderberryMay 16–May 23
- Honeyberry (Haskap)May 16–May 23
- Serviceberry (Juneberry)May 16–May 23
- StrawberryMay 9–May 16
Lingonberry is a low, spreading evergreen groundcover-scale berry, closely related to blueberry and cranberry, with a tart flavor most people know from Scandinavian jam rather than fresh eating.
How lingonberry fits zone 3's season
Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. Lingonberry takes about 2 growing seasons to reach first worthwhile harvest, so what matters here is how many of these seasons it gets, not whether one is long enough.
Lingonberry is hardy in zones 3-7, so in zone 3b it stays in the ground through winter and comes back rather than being replanted. Allow about 2 ft of spread at maturity.
Lingonberry planting windows in every zone
Zone 3b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3a & 3b (your zone) | Buy as a start | May 16–May 23 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 4a & 4b | Buy as a start | May 1–May 8 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 5a & 5b | Buy as a start | Apr 26–May 3 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 6a & 6b | Buy as a start | Apr 11–Apr 18 | First real harvest in year 3 |
| 7a & 7b | Buy as a start | Mar 27–Apr 3 | First real harvest in year 3 |
Good companions
No well-established companions for lingonberry.
Where to buy lingonberry starts
Lingonberry is almost always bought as a nursery start rather than seeded. Check a local nursery or garden center; we haven't vetted online start/plant suppliers yet.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a clear consensus of positive, independent reviews, or ones we bought and use ourselves. Each item on our gear page says which.
See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing lingonberry" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 3b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
Pin this for later
Growing Lingonberry in USDA zone 3b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
Save to Pinterest