In the midst of a magnificent harvest of lacquer, blueberries and lingonberries, a surprising phenomenon has taken place. The drought in August apparently ruined harvest hopes, especially in south-east Finland
As late as the end of August, the Natural Resources Institute Finland was still forecasting an above-average lingonberry harvest. This is apparently the case in much of the country.
On the other hand, the observations of pickers in South Savo, for example, suggest that the lingonberry harvest is quite unusual.
– Indeed, in south-eastern Finland, it seems that the lingonberry harvest is going to be below average. The drought and heat in August seem to be the reasons.
Rainer Peltola’s analysis, on the other hand, is supported by the statistics of the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
– The amount of precipitation was up to a third of the usual and the temperature was a couple of degrees higher than normal. Lingonberry is very resistant to drought and heat, but not more than that.
Elsewhere in Finland, the lingonberry harvest is better than average, as are blueberry and milkweed.
– All in all, a great berry year, Peltola sums up.
Search for lingonberries in wetter areas
According to Eeva Vitikainen, lingonberries can be found in certain places, such as a moist bend on a familiar lingonberry slope.
– In those, the berries are usually big and there can be a lot of them. The lingonberry sparrow is bent by the weight of the berries, and it can be difficult to spot the berries lying on the ground, an experienced picker advises.
– There were none last year from the felling hole made two years ago, but it is now full of red berries.
Matti Paavilainen, who grows berries in the direction of Juva, says that he found lingonberries in places that are wetter than usual.
– The harvest is clearly worse than last or the previous autumn. Then it was enough to go to the forest. Not in the same places now. Maybe the drought took its toll, Paavilainen says.
Paavilainen’s tip is to look for lingonberries in young pine seedlings.
– Where there are two-meter seedlings and old stumps. At their root I have found well.
