Do you know about the existence of a natural elixir of youth? No, our today's article is not about "rejuvenating apples", but about a small, inconspicuous-looking berry - edible honeysuckle. It is valued for its high content of selenium, which helps to slow down cell aging. Today we will tell you about the care and planting of honeysuckle in the open field, share a description of its best varieties and growing features. So, let's start by getting to know this interesting berry.
Description
Honeysuckle is a low shrub that bears fruit with dark blue oblong berries. This plant is native to Asia. Despite the rather warm climate in the homeland of this plant, edible honeysuckle is incredibly frost-resistant. The shrub is able to survive even at a temperature of -50 ° C, and if frosts suddenly return to -8 ° C during the flowering period, the flowers will not freeze and fall off. In addition, honeysuckle ripens almost the very first of all garden berries. These significant advantages allow many gardenersopt for some sweet varieties of edible honeysuckle. For the Moscow region, the Far East and even for the northern regions, this berry is a lifesaver in a not very favorable climate - juicy and he althy berries will grow despite prolonged cold weather.
The best varieties of honeysuckle
Today, more than 190 varieties of this interesting berry are known, and they all grow in the Himalayan expanses and Asia. However, no more than ten are considered the most popular.
- Honeysuckle "Bakchar giant". This variety got its name due to the long berries - about 4 centimeters and the large diameter of the bush (about two meters). The shrub has an oval shape, which during the ripening period is covered with juicy sweet and sour berries, the weight of each of which sometimes exceeds 2 grams. The process of collecting honeysuckle "Bakchar giant" is especially pleasant - high yield, large berries and dense skin that protects them from damage.
- "Bogdana" is a hybrid variety based on two varieties of honeysuckle. The bush has an average height and a slight spreading of the crown. The fruits of this variety have an oval shape, sour taste and pleasant aroma. The ripening period of "Bogdany" is not the earliest, but the variety is distinguished by high yields.
- "Talisman". One of the favorite varieties of experienced gardeners, it is also a hybrid and was bred to produce a rich harvest of delicious berries with a dessert flavor. Quite tall, but not lush shrub has a fairly largeheight. The variety has a medium-early ripening period, and the berries are most often used for making jam.
- Long honeysuckle. This variety was obtained by natural pollination of honeysuckle from Kamchatka. Spreading and lush bushes have a small height and a rounded shape. Long and thin shoots are covered with elongated berries that have a cylindrical shape. Long-fruited edible honeysuckle is one of the very first among all varieties of this berry.
- Honeysuckle "Volkhova" was named after the Volkhov River, which flows in the territory of the Leningrad Region. The variety was bred by VIR Vavilov breeders. In general, the bush is not very different from other varieties of honeysuckle. The height of the bush varies from one and a half to two meters. Fleecy shoots are densely covered with dark green foliage. An important feature of cultivation is the presence of other varieties of this berry next to the Volkhov honeysuckle bush. Otherwise, the shrub will not bear fruit - it needs pollination.
- "Nymph" is another variety bred by breeders of the Pavlovsk station. A distinctive feature of the variety is increased frost resistance and original, delicate taste.
Useful properties of berries
Why is edible honeysuckle so valued, especially during beriberi after winter? It's all about the amazing composition of this berry. Honeysuckle is distinguished by an amazing amount of vitamins and minerals, including: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and others. High content of vitamin AIt has a beneficial effect on vision and skin condition, and vitamin B helps improve memory and brain function. Vitamin C, which is even more abundant in honeysuckle than in lemon, perfectly boosts immunity and rejuvenates the skin.
A large amount of sodium in berry juice strengthens bones, normalizes blood composition and improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Honeysuckle also contains iodine, which ensures the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. Both fresh and frozen berries are useful if you suffer from anemia or atherosclerosis. And honeysuckle in the form of jam is useful for stomach ulcers, gastritis and a tendency to swell.
However, it is worth remembering that edible honeysuckle berries can lower blood pressure, so hypotensive patients should consume it in limited quantities. But for hypertensive patients suffering from frequent headaches, honeysuckle is a real find. Its use can reduce the frequency of nosebleeds and pressure surges. And due to the low calorie content (about 30 kcal per 100 grams), this berry can be considered dietary and used for obesity. With caution, only honeysuckle jam is used, which contains a large amount of sugar.
Features of cultivation
Don't know how to grow honeysuckle in your garden? Then the following sections are just for you. Let's make a reservation right away - the care and planting of honeysuckle in the open field is a fairly easy process, not bringing much trouble, but having its own nuances. For example, the place for planting this berry should be well lit, since honeysuckle is in the shadeit just won't bear fruit. The soil is better to choose fertile, with neutral acidity and constantly maintain its moderate moisture. Best of all, honeysuckle takes root on loamy or sandy loamy soil. Protecting the shrub from strong winds is also important.
To get a harvest in the second or third year after planting, purchase bushes that are at least two years old. When buying seedlings, pay attention to the condition of the roots and young shoots. The rhizome should be well developed, but the stems should be elastic and bending. To be sure that the plant will take root, it is better to purchase several different varieties of edible honeysuckle.
Landing
Before planting, it is necessary to carefully inspect the root system for dried and damaged roots, which should be removed immediately. It is also important to provide for the longevity of the plant - planting holes are dug at a decent distance, given the growth of the bush. In general, landing can be divided into three stages:
- Preparation of wells. A layer of compost is laid in the dug holes, after which water is poured.
- Planting seedlings. Straighten all the roots, gently immerse the seedling in the hole, but not to a great depth, otherwise it will slow down the growth of the plant.
- Water and mulch. Planting is filled with plenty of water with compost, after which the hole is mulched to protect the edible honeysuckle bush from intense moisture loss. As mulch, either special material or ordinary sheets are used.newspapers.
Water and fertilize
If the soil on your site is not particularly fertile, then it is permissible to add organic top dressing to it. If the acidity of the soil is too high, crushed chalk is added to it. Particular attention should be paid to edible honeysuckle in the first years of cultivation. But in terms of watering, the plant is completely unpretentious - it is permissible to water the bush both under the roots and with contact with the green part. Honeysuckle is considered a moisture-loving plant, so the soil should always be slightly moist. It is worth refusing to loosen the earth around the bush - this is fraught with damage to the roots.
Fertilize honeysuckle every two weeks from the beginning of the growing season. Nitrogenous fertilizers - urea and s altpeter - are well suited as top dressing. To do this, 30 grams of the drug is diluted in 10 liters of water and about a liter of such a solution is added under each plant.
Cutting
Pruning should not be done immediately after planting - this will significantly reduce the volume of the first harvest. The first 3-4 years of growth of edible honeysuckle is enough just to remove dried and weak shoots. Saplings that have a painful appearance and grow too low not only interfere with the development of strong ones, but also spoil the appearance of the shrub. Every spring, the bushes are sanitized, slightly thinning the crown density.
About the harvest
The quality and quantity of the harvest directly depends on how carefully you looked after the honeysuckle. The berries ripen in aboutend of June. Moreover, maturity is determined by the saturation and evenness of the color of the berries. By the way, not all edible honeysuckle fruits can be eaten - red and orange berries contain poison, but black and dark blue ones can be safely collected.
In the process of ripening and harvesting, a fairly large amount of the mature crop falls off. To avoid these losses, lay a film under the shrub, with which it will be much easier to collect fallen berries. Ripe fruits are quite juicy, so they are easily crushed and damaged - this is worth remembering when harvesting and storing the crop.
Growing from seeds
For propagation of edible honeysuckle by seeds, the largest and most ripe berries should be selected. On a clean sheet of paper, place the berries about one and a half centimeters apart and crush them. After the berry juice has completely dried, roll up the paper and leave it in the room for a few days.
Sown seeds in moist soil, immersing them to a depth of no more than a millimeter. To create a greenhouse effect, a container with plantings is covered with glass or film and sent to a warm place. Periodic watering and caring for seedlings will give you results within a month after planting.
Propagation by cuttings
Another way to grow honeysuckle is cuttings. Cuttings are harvested in mid-June - in the phase of active development of berries. Cut shoots must be at least 15 centimeters long. Places of cuts on the handle are treated with heteroauxin. This drug allows the cutting to take root much faster and better. Planting cuttings is bettercarry out in a greenhouse, covering the planting with a film or glass. It is important to maintain high soil and air humidity. Planting of accustomed seedlings of edible honeysuckle is carried out next autumn.
Reproduction by dividing the bush
For this method of cultivation, bushes no older than six years of age are used. Older plants may not take root. Digging is carried out long before the appearance and development of the kidneys. With a garden pruner or a sharp knife, the shrub is divided into 3-4 parts. The cut points are processed, after which parts of the bush are planted in prepared holes. Further care of the planted plant is no different from any other method of growing.
Diseases and pests
Juicy and ripe edible honeysuckle berries attract not only people, but also various pests. The main threats are leafworms and aphids. The appearance of the first can be recognized by the eaten leaves and young shoots. And yellowed and crowded leaves are a clear sign of the appearance of aphids. Another pest that leaves convex brownish growths on the stems is the willow scale insect. Special preparations will help to cope with these pests. But sometimes, in the early stages of infection, a soapy solution is enough.
The only disease that can affect honeysuckle is the ubiquitous powdery mildew. The harmless drug "Fitosporin" will help get rid of it.
