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Honeysuckle is famous for its healthy berries, which is why it is popular. The description of the Volkhov's honeysuckle variety will allow you to decide on the choice of berry bush for your site.
This national culture was created by the specialists of Leningrad. The parent variety is Pavlovskaya honeysuckle. Since 1999, the culture has been included in the State Register and recommended for cultivation in almost all regions of Russia.
Blue berries, covered with a bluish bloom, have useful and healing properties
Description of the edible variety of Volkhov's honeysuckle
If you look at the external signs, then the edible blue honeysuckle of the Volkhov variety is difficult to distinguish from other representatives of the culture. But this is an apparent dissimilarity, since the plant has qualities that are unique to it.
Bush
A bush with an oval dense crown and dark green flat leaf blades. It should be noted that the leaves are wide enough.
The numerous branches of the skeleton are thin but strong. Volkhov's honeysuckle grows up to 2 m.
Berries
The fruits of the Volkhova variety are bluish-gray, elongated (at least 2 cm). The top of the berry is pointed. The mass of one honeysuckle is about 1 g. The skin is thin, but dense.
The berries are sweet, the acid is almost not felt. But the strawberry aroma will not leave anyone indifferent.
This is a dessert variety, tasters give it 4.7 points
The chemical composition of the berries is also attractive. They contain:
- dry matter - 19%;
- sugar - 8.4%;
- fructose - 2%;
- vitamin C - 77 mg;
- vitamin P - 10.35 mg;
- provitamin A - 0.5 mg;
- vitamin B1 - 3 mg;
- vitamin B9 - 10 mg.
Specifications
Volkhov's honeysuckle is a medium-early ripening variety. You can harvest in early June in warm regions. In cooler areas - 7-12 days later. One bush gives an average of 2 to 3.5 kg of tasty fruits.
It is frost-resistant, therefore it is grown in regions where the thermometer drops to 40 degrees in winter. This allows you to reduce labor costs when preparing Volkhov's honeysuckle for wintering.
Since harvesting can be done with the help of machinery, the crop is planted on an industrial scale, such as on farms.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Like any garden culture, the Volkhov's honeysuckle variety has its pros and cons.
Positive sides:
- weak crumbling;
- winter hardiness of honeysuckle;
- unpretentious cultivation and care;
- the ability to transport dense berries over long distances;
- long-term storage of the harvested crop;
- pleasant taste and beneficial properties of the fruit.
Cons of honeysuckle:
- small fruits;
- the need to place pollinating plants on the site;
- late terms of the onset of fruiting after planting - after 3-4 years.
Planting and caring for Volkhov's honeysuckle
As already noted in the description and characteristics of Volkhov's edible honeysuckle, the culture is unpretentious in cultivation and care. You just need to take care of choosing the right place in advance, since she does not like transplants.
Landing dates
According to experienced gardeners, it is better to plan the planting of honeysuckle on the site at the beginning of autumn. Saplings can be of different ages, even 3-4-year-old bushes take root well. You only have to shorten the shoots to 50 cm.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
It is necessary to plant a culture of the variety in well-lit areas, since a lack of sun can dramatically reduce the taste of berries and slow down the development of honeysuckle. The bush itself can be constantly under the sun's rays, but the lower branches should be in the shade. Plants feel great next to a fence or hedge, which will protect the planting from winds and drafts.
The Volkhova variety prefers fertile moist soil. Sandy soils for the plant are not suitable, as well as wetlands, where groundwater is located close to the surface. In this case, the root system will suffer, which will entail a decrease in the plant's immunity.
When planning the planting of a culture, you need to prepare the site in advance:
- It is good to shed the soil.
- Dig a hole 2-3 weeks before planting.
- Fill it with a nutrient mixture consisting of humus, potassium salt (70 g), superphosphate (15 g).
If seedlings are chosen for planting at the age of six years, then the additives must be doubled.
- Heavy soils should be diluted with peat, sawdust, coarse sand.
- In the lowlands at the bottom of the pit it is necessary to make a thick layer of drainage.
The optimal planting scheme for honeysuckle, allowing the bushes to develop well and bear fruit
Planting rules for the Volkhov honeysuckle variety
When planting honeysuckle on the site, you need to clearly follow the algorithm:
- Since the bushes of the Volkhov variety are tall, at least 2 m is left between them.
- The pit should be 60x70 in size.
Drainage must be poured at the bottom with a layer of about 20-25 cm
- Wood ash (1 kg), superphosphate (200 g) are added to 10 kg of compost. Everything is thoroughly mixed and poured into the hole.
- Pour two buckets of warm water.
- After it is absorbed, planting begins. The roots of the shrub are straightened and set in the center of the hole.
Seedlings with a closed root system are easier to plant
- The honeysuckle is covered with soil, and the root collar remains above the surface at a height of 3-4 cm.
The earth is tamped and watered well
- The root zone is covered with mulch.
Mulching will keep moisture in the soil
Watering and feeding
The roots of Volkhov's honeysuckle are superficial, so the soil should not be allowed to dry out.
The plant does not tolerate stagnant water, otherwise the roots will begin to rot
Watering should be done in moderation. Only in the heat should the amount of water be increased, especially at a time when the fruits begin to form and pour.
The bushes are fed several times:
- in early spring, when the snow is just beginning to melt, the Volkhov's honeysuckle variety needs nitrogen fertilizers;
- after the appearance of foliage, organic matter is used as top dressing;
- during budding, flowering and pouring berries, plants need to be watered with an ash solution;
- before preparing for winter, so that the honeysuckle better endures frosts, fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus are applied.
Pruning
Pruning is an important activity in the cultivation of Volkhov's Kamchatka honeysuckle, but it should be started two years after planting.
A sanitary and shaping haircut is carried out to remove damaged branches, as well as those that have grown inside the bush, otherwise thickening cannot be avoided. Volkhov's honeysuckle grows slowly, so pruning is performed after 2-3 years, so as not to reduce the yield.
As for the rejuvenating haircut, it is carried out on the bushes over 15 years old. Moreover, you need to remove no more than two branches annually, otherwise the bush will dry out.
Wintering
As already noted in the description, the Volkhov variety is frost-resistant. And in spring, when the column drops to 8 degrees, shoots and buds do not suffer.In snowy regions, shelter of mature bushes is not required. Where there is no precipitation in winter, it is necessary to insulate the root zone with mulch.
But the seedlings 2-3 years after planting are recommended to additionally protect the spruce branches. Work begins after the average daily temperature is set within -3 degrees.
Can be used as mulch, humus, fallen leaves, cardboard
Reproduction
Volkov's honeysuckle is propagated by cuttings or by dividing the bush. Both methods are suitable for hobby gardeners. You just need to remember that the planting material is cut from young green shoots.
Pollinators of Volkhov's honeysuckle
Volkhov's honeysuckle needs pollinating plants, without them the yield will be minimal. The following types should be planted on the site:
- Amphora;
- Pavlovskaya;
- Azure.
Diseases and pests
Mature plants are resistant to many diseases. But young bushes are often affected by pests: aphids or honeysuckle.
You need to deal with the problems that have arisen with the use of specialized insecticides or folk remedies. There is no need to wait for massive damage to honeysuckle to begin, but to take preventive measures.
Conclusion
Description of the Volkhov's honeysuckle variety will help gardeners decide on the choice of plants. As a result, bushes with tasty and healthy berries will appear on the site. They can be eaten fresh, harvested jam, compotes.
