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Honeysuckle may not be found in every garden plot, but lately it has become quite popular. Gardeners are attracted by the unusual appearance of the berries, their taste and decorativeness of the shrub. Cultivars like Viola's honeysuckle are easy to grow on their own. Caring for her - from planting to harvesting, is simple, but has its own characteristics that every gardener should know about.
Description of Viola honeysuckle
This variety combines the features of the edible honeysuckle of the Altai and Kamchatka populations. The plant is vigorous, has a low oval crown. It grows to a height of 2 m, in a circumference it occupies a volume of 2.5 m. The old branches of the bush are thick, their bark is brown-red, the young are light green, erect and thin. The leaf is large, with gray pubescence on the inside.
The fruits of the Viola honeysuckle are large (1-1.2 g each), in the form of oblong barrels, with a slightly bumpy surface. They have a dense, dark blue skin, covered with a waxy coating, the flesh is also dense, sweet and sour, slightly tart, with a slight bitterness. Thanks to the Altai ancestors, honeysuckle is characterized by early maturity and high productivity: 6-7 year old bushes are capable of producing 4 kg of fruit. Moreover, all the berries ripen amicably and fairly soon after flowering - already at the beginning of June. They do not wrinkle, do not burst, they are well stored, they can lie in a cool place for a very long time - even until spring. In winter they will be an excellent source of vitamins.
The variety is frost-resistant, can withstand severe frosts without shelter, therefore it is suitable for regions with a cold climate - northwestern, for which it was bred. It grows well in the Middle zone, Moscow region. The variety does not differ in drought resistance, it loves moisture, its lack is bad for the state of the plant and its fruiting. The disadvantage of Viola is the rapid fall of the fruit after ripening, so it is recommended to pick the berries in a short time.
Viola fruits are quite large, but tend to fall off quickly.
Planting and caring for Viola honeysuckle
Throughout the growing season, the plant needs care. But you have to start with the landing. The further development of the bush and the level of its fruiting depends on how it will be produced.
Landing dates
Honeysuckle is planted or transplanted in the fall - from September to mid-November. At this time, the plant begins to shed its leaves, the growing processes slow down, which favorably affects the rate of survival. The deadline for planting is 3-4 weeks before the onset of cold weather. This is necessary so that the bush has time to take root in a new place. Planting honeysuckle in spring is not recommended as it wakes up early.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Best of all, honeysuckle grows in the shade, so the place for it should be chosen in the shady area of the garden or not far from tall trees, buildings that will shade the bush. The culture loves the soil of chernozem, with an acidic reaction in moderate values.
Before planting seedlings, planting holes are prepared with dimensions of at least 0.5x0.5x0.5 m. Fertilized with organic matter - add 2 buckets of compost or humus, 1 liter of ash, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate, mix the fertilizer with the ground.
Landing rules
Viola honeysuckle bushes are planted, which are 2-3 years old. The sequence of work is simple and almost no different from planting other fruit bushes:
- First, the prepared holes are watered to keep the ground moist.
- Then the roots of the seedling are spread, put in the middle of the hole and sprinkled with earth.
- The soil is mulched with plant material.
The distance from one bush to another should be at least 1.5 m so that they have enough space, food and their branches do not intertwine when they grow. It is inconvenient to pick berries in dense thickets, the plants themselves will also feel uncomfortable, gradually their productivity will decrease, the berries will begin to shrink.
Planting young honeysuckle is carried out on prepared soil
Watering and feeding
As a top dressing for the Viola variety honeysuckle, it is better to choose organic matter, rather than mineral fertilizers. A lot of it is not required: it is enough to pour 1 bucket of humus and 0.5 kg of ash under the bush in the spring. This will allow the bush to form many large fruits.
Pruning Viola Honeysuckle
The variety has a good ability to form shoots, grows quickly and occupies the area allotted to it. Plants have dense foliage, strong straight shoots, so they can form a dense "wall" even without support. To do this, you need to plant at least 3-5 bushes in one row. Honeysuckle is cut off after 3 years of life, the time is spring, before the start of sap flow or autumn, after leaf fall. The tops of the branches are removed to form a neat crown, as well as dried and broken shoots growing inside the bush, which will thicken it. 12-15 branches are left in each bush.
Wintering
The bush is prepared for winter after pruning. There is no need to cover the honeysuckle branches, they are not damaged by frost. But to protect the roots, the root zone is covered with mulch from foliage, straw, hay, needles. Its thickness is at least 5 cm.
Reproduction of edible honeysuckle Viola
For this, vegetative parts are used - cuttings, layering. They are cut from last year's shoots when an ovary appears on the bush. 2 leaves are left on the cuttings, they are planted in a greenhouse, in a mixture of peat and sand (1 to 3). The optimum temperature for rooting is +20 ° C, high humidity is required. Layers are dropped in the spring or transferred to their place in the fall.
Honeysuckle seedlings suitable for transplanting should be 2-3 years old. They are planted by transshipment, that is, together with an earthen clod, in order to minimize possible injury to the roots.
Honeysuckle seedlings are planted in batches in small pots
Honeysuckle pollinators Viola
For better fruit setting, the plant needs pollinators. It should be 3-5 different varieties of honeysuckle, but with the same flowering period (early May). They are planted next to each other. For the Viola variety, the pollinators can be the Morena, Amphora, Nymph, Blue Spindle varieties.
Diseases and pests
The honeysuckle of the Viola variety affects fungal diseases, they are treated and prevented by spraying the bush with a solution of copper sulfate (100 g per 10 l). Viral diseases are not cured, diseased plants are dug up and burned, the soil is covered with ash.
Honeysuckle pests are aphids, ticks and scale insects. Signs of aphids - curling of leaves, mites - dark growths at the bottom of the foliage. Scabbards can be found on branches and shoots. Insects are destroyed with drugs Aktara, Eleksar, Omayt, Mavrik, Rogor. The solutions are diluted according to the instructions. The multiplicity of treatments is 1 or 2.
Healthy flowering honeysuckle fits perfectly into your garden design
Conclusion
Honeysuckle Viola can be grown by gardeners in regions with cool, humid climates.The variety is early maturing and high-yielding, gives large berries with a pleasant sweet and sour taste, the fruits are distinguished by good keeping quality. Does not require constant care and feeding, it multiplies easily.
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