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In many regions of Russia, including the Urals, the cultivation of edible honeysuckle is becoming more and more popular every year. This is due to undemanding care, good yields and, most importantly, to the unpretentiousness of this crop, which can grow and develop well even in unfavorable climates. For this reason, planting honeysuckle in the Urals is considered by many gardeners as a viable alternative to the more common berry bushes.
Features of growing honeysuckle in the Urals
The Ural region has a great length both from west to east and from north to south. At the same time, the Ural Mountains are located on its territory, which have a significant impact on the weather. All this is the reason for the strong heterogeneity of the climate of the Urals, which is influenced by the Atlantic, cold winds of the Arctic, and dry air flows from Central Asia.
Honeysuckle grows well in the Ural climate
To grow and bear fruit in this region, plants must have the following qualities:
- Have good resistance to extreme weather fluctuations.
- Withstand recurrent frosts.
- Withstand periods of drought and severe frosts.
All these qualities are in the varieties of edible honeysuckle, obtained on the basis of the Kamchatka and Altai varieties. It is in these regions that there are natural areas of growth of this shrub, therefore, the resulting hybrids are maximally adapted to growing in areas with an unfavorable climate, including in the Urals. Breeding work in this direction has been carried out since the middle of the last century, and not only in Russia, but also in other countries.
The best varieties of honeysuckle for the Urals
Honeysuckle begins to bear fruit earlier than other crops in the season. Its early varieties in the Urals reach ripeness in early June, and the latest in mid-July. Thanks to this, even in the conditions of the Ural climate, it is possible to get a full-fledged harvest. Here are some of the fruitful varieties of edible honeysuckle suitable for growing in the Ural climate:
- Amazon. This variety of honeysuckle belongs to the early ripening, the berries reach ripeness in the 20th of June. The yield can be up to 1.5 kg from each bush. The berries are about 1 g, pitcher-shaped, medium-sized, sweet, there is a noticeable bitterness in the taste.
The honeysuckle bush is slightly spreading, the shoots are rather thin, curved, medium pubescent, the leaf plates are medium-sized, lanceolate
Important! The berries of this variety have no tendency to shedding. - Bazhovskaya. According to many gardeners, one of the best varieties of honeysuckle, suitable specifically for the Urals. The bush is vigorous, can reach 2 m in height. Shoots are rather thin, curved, slightly pubescent. The leaves are dark green, rather large. The fruits weigh about 1 g, although there are also larger ones. The berries are barrel-shaped, elongated, with an uneven surface. The taste is excellent, dessert, without bitterness, the aroma is pronounced. Bazhovskaya bears fruit at the end of June.
Fruiting of honeysuckle is slightly stretched, there is a slight tendency of berries to shedding
Important! The variety is resistant not only to cold weather, but also to drought. - Viola. The bushes are large, spreading, up to 2 m high and a crown diameter of up to 2.5 m. The shoots are strong, even, without pubescence. The variety begins to bear fruit in the Urals around mid-June. The berries are oval-elongated, dark blue, with an average weight of about 1.1 g. The taste is not the brightest, sour-sweet, with a slight bitterness. Productivity up to 4 kg.
The tendency of honeysuckle to shedding is weak
- The pride of Bakchar. The bush is not very high, up to 1.5 m, visually resembling a haystack. The shoots are long, curved, due to their chaotic arrangement, the bush often looks sloppy. This is one of the largest-fruited varieties of honeysuckle for the Urals, the berries are distinguished by their large size. The length of the fruit can be up to 5 cm, and the weight - up to 1.7 g. In shape, the berries resemble a slightly curved spindle, they are blue-violet in color with a dense bluish bloom. Taste qualities are excellent, according to various tasting ratings from 4.7 to 5 points.
Berries lie well and are transported
A video about the Honeysuckle variety Pride Bakchar can be viewed at the link:
Important! The variety has a tendency to shedding. - Gorlinka. A mid-season variety that ripens in the Urals by the end of June. Slender shoots, often drooping, form a medium spreading bush in the form of an inverse cone. The berries are large, pitcher-shaped, purple with a bluish bloom. The tendency to shedding is weak. The average weight of berries is 1-1.2 g, yield is about 1.5 kg.
Excellent taste, sweet fruits, no bitterness
- Maria. Ripens in the Urals in mid-June. The bush is 1.2-1.5 m high, of medium density. Shoots are even, of normal thickness, slightly pubescent. Berries are barrel-shaped-elongated, dark blue, weighing about 0.9 g. Productivity 2-2.2 kg.
The fruits are distinguished by excellent taste and do not crumble, however, due to the thin skin, they have poor keeping quality and transportability.
- Tomichka. The bush is 1.5-1.8 m in height, compact, medium spreading. Shoots are even, rather thin, usually inclined to the ground. The drop-shaped shape of the berries is the hallmark of this variety. Fruits are dark, violet-black, covered on top with a dense bluish bloom, weighing up to 1 g. Fruiting in the Urals begins in the first half of June, it is extended in time, and due to the tendency of berries to shedding, it is necessary to harvest in several stages.
The average yield is about 2 kg, in a good year it can increase to 3-3.5 kg.
- Chelyabinka. The bush is weak, about 1 m. The branches are thin, even, slightly pubescent. The crown is spherical, dense. The berry shedding resistance is good.
Good taste, tasting score 4.5 points
The list of varieties suitable for the Urals is not limited to the listed species. Before choosing honeysuckle for planting, it is necessary to study the experience of other gardeners, consult with experts, and read specialized literature. This will help to make the right choice and will greatly increase the chances of getting a good harvest even in such a harsh region as the Urals.
Planting and caring for honeysuckle in the Urals
The agricultural technology of honeysuckle in the Urals is almost no different from similar work, for example, in Siberia or in the North-West region. This crop does not require serious agricultural technology, however, for its successful cultivation, certain conditions must be observed.
When to plant honeysuckle in the Urals
Autumn is considered the best time to plant edible honeysuckle varieties in the Urals. However, winter can come to the northern regions quite early, and then a young plant may simply not have time to acclimatize in a new place. Therefore, in the fall in the Urals, only those seedlings are planted that previously grew in containers and were extracted from them with an earthen lump on the roots.
Honeysuckle seedlings with ZKS can be planted in autumn
If the roots are open, then in the Urals, the planting of such honeysuckle should be carried out in the spring, after the ground has thawed and warmed up a little.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
To plant honeysuckle in the Urals, you need to choose an open, well-lit area, protected from the north wind. This shrub should not be planted in a low area where water accumulates or where cold air flows. The place should be level or slightly elevated. The groundwater level should not be higher than 2 m, since the honeysuckle root system is sensitive to excess moisture and can rot. The soil on the site must be loose and well-drained.
The size of the plot on which young seedlings are to be planted is also important. Honeysuckle is self-fertile; it needs pollinators to get a harvest. It is recommended to plant at least 4 different varieties of approximately the same flowering time in the neighborhood, only in this case the harvest can be good. At the same time, adult honeysuckle bushes will occupy a fairly significant area on the site.
Honeysuckle planting rules
Planting holes for honeysuckle seedlings must be prepared in advance. Their size is determined by the size of the root system of the transplanted plants or the size of the container in which they are located. A drainage layer of broken brick, expanded clay or fine gravel is poured onto the bottom.
Drainage will save you from excess moisture in the roots
The soil is mixed with humus, to improve its properties, a small amount of mineral potash and phosphorus fertilizers, as well as wood ash, are added. If the soil is a dense loam (which is not uncommon in the Urals), then you should definitely add sand. A honeysuckle seedling taken from a container, together with an earthen lump on the roots, is vertically installed in a pit, the voids are filled with a soil substrate, periodically compacting it.
If the roots of the honeysuckle are open, then a pile of earth must be poured into the bottom of the hole before planting. A seedling is placed on it and gradually the root system is covered with a nutritious substrate, slightly compacting it. After filling the planting pit, intensive watering is performed, and the root zone is mulched to retain moisture.
Watering and feeding
Honeysuckle loves water, but its stagnation in the roots has a negative effect on the plant. Therefore, this shrub is watered sparingly. With a lack of precipitation, watering is carried out once a week, while the consumption rate per 1 bush is approximately 10 liters. In drought, which often happens in the Urals, the amount of water is doubled, especially carefully you need to monitor this during the formation of berries. Lack of moisture during this period can lead to the fact that honeysuckle begins to shed unripe fruits, which will negatively affect yields.
Water the honeysuckle regularly, but in moderation.
Edible honeysuckle is fed several times per season:
- In early spring - with urea or ammonium nitrate, 25-30 g of fertilizer is diluted in 1 bucket of water and poured under the root.
- In the middle of summer, at the end of the harvest, 1 bucket of rotted manure or humus is introduced under each bush.
- At the beginning of autumn, potassium salt (15-20 g) and superphosphate (25-30 g) are introduced into the root zone.
Pruning
In the early years, honeysuckle intensively forms new shoots, and without pruning, the bushes often become shapeless and unkempt. To prevent this from happening, you need to periodically cut out excess shoots from the bush. There are the following types of trimming:
- Sanitary. It consists in removing dry, broken, damaged and diseased branches.
- Thinning. They remove thickening shoots, lighten the center of the honeysuckle bush for better fruiting.
- Anti-aging. Honeysuckle shoots over 8 years old, giving weak annual growth and poor fruiting, are gradually cut out, replacing them with younger ones.
Pruning is an important part of honeysuckle care
How to prepare honeysuckle for winter in the Urals
Honeysuckle is one of the most frost-resistant crops, capable of tolerating frosts down to -35-40 ° С without any problems, and some varieties can withstand temperature drops up to + 50 ° С. With such frost resistance, as a rule, no measures are taken to prepare for winter in the Urals. You need to pay attention only to the youngest seedlings that have just been taken out into the open ground. They can be covered with spruce branches.
Reproduction of honeysuckle
Honeysuckle can be grown from seed, but seedlings do not retain varietal traits. To get a complete analogue of the variety you like, the following vegetative methods are used in the Urals:
- Cuttings. You can root both lignified cuttings, performing work in winter, and green ones, which are cut from an annual growth. Cuttings can be rooted in soil or water.
Cuttings are a quick way to propagate honeysuckle
- Reproduction by air layers. In the spring, one of the side shoots of the honeysuckle bush is bent to the ground, fixed and covered with soil. Gradually, the branch takes root and sprouts of its own. A year later, after the shoot overwinters with the mother bush, it is cut off and transplanted to a new place.
Air layering is very easy to obtain
- Division of the bush. If the honeysuckle is over 8 years old, then it can be dug up and divided into several parts with a knife or ax so that each division has its own shoots with roots. After dividing, parts of the shrub must be immediately planted in the chosen place.
Only adult honeysuckle bushes can be divided
Diseases and pests
Honeysuckle is very rarely sick, and its diseases are associated, first of all, with improper planting or poor care, for example, with excessive watering, a large amount of fertilization or too much pruning. From pathologies on the shrub, various spots on the leaves may appear, which are the result of the appearance of fungi, as well as root rot, which is formed due to an excess of water in the root zone.
Spotting is the result of damage to shoots and leaves by fungi
Fungal diseases are treated by spraying the bushes with various fungicides, for example, Bordeaux mixture. Treatment of honeysuckle with the same drug for prophylaxis is one of the care measures, in the Urals this is done at the very beginning of spring, before the beginning of the growing season.
Pests also rarely appear on this shrub. The developmental cycle of many of them simply does not coincide with the honeysuckle, which blooms and bears fruit very early. However, in some varieties, aphids, microscopic sucking insects, are sometimes noted. Because of its fertility, the colony of this pest can multiply in a short time, and this leads to the fact that the shoots begin to lack nutrients, the leaves on them wither and fly around, which causes the entire honeysuckle bush to suffer.
Aphids are a common garden pest
They fight aphids with the help of insecticides or folk remedies, for example, infusions of tansy or garlic.
Conclusion
Planting honeysuckle in the Urals is a good way to diversify the range of garden crops. Due to its unpretentiousness, this species is suitable for growing not only for experienced, but also for novice gardeners, and its amazing frost resistance is the key to successful growth even in this region, which is not the most suitable for gardening.The undoubted advantage of honeysuckle is that its fruits are not only tasty, but also useful, it contains vitamins, trace elements, as well as other substances necessary for human health, and this is very important for such an environmentally not very safe region as the Urals. ...
