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Climbing honeysuckle is an ornamental vine with beautiful flowers in white, yellow, pink, orange and red. Used for decoration in the form of hedges, on fences, arches and other structures. It is easy to maintain and has fairly good winter hardiness, which allows it to be grown in almost all regions of Central Russia.
Description of climbing honeysuckle
This plant belongs to the category of climbing shrubs, reaching a height of 4-5 meters. They are usually planted near fences and other supports to which the shoots cling. The leaves are dark green, ovate. The seedlings bloom in the third year of life. Climbing honeysuckle flowers appear throughout the summer and early autumn (in the south - until October).
They are distinguished by a two-color color - crimson on the outside and yellow on the inside, with a pleasant aroma.The fruits are inedible red berries that are formed at the end of summer.
Climbing honeysuckle has average winter hardiness (zone 5) and can withstand frosts down to -25 °C. Suitable regions for cultivation are:
- middle lane;
- Volga region;
- Chernozem region;
- southern regions.
It is difficult to grow such a crop in the North-West and very difficult in regions with harsh winters (in the Urals, Siberia and the Far East).
Types of climbing honeysuckle
There are more than ten types of climbing honeysuckle, among them the most frost-resistant ones are common in Russia. Descriptions and photos of varieties suitable for cultivation in Russia will help you choose the best option.
Honeysuckle
Winter-hardy honeysuckle, growing up to 6 meters.
Honeysuckle produces red-yellow flowers with a pleasant aroma
Closer to autumn, red berries form on the vine, which also decorate the area.
Brown
Another variety that grows up to 5 meters in height. Produces abundant orange and red flowers appearing over 3-4 weeks.
The Brown variety is characterized by high winter hardiness
Hekrota
Liana up to 4 meters in height with tubular, very fragrant flowers in yellow and pink shades.
Hekrota does not produce edible fruits, but blooms for a very long time
Bedspread
Another winter-hardy climbing honeysuckle. It is distinguished by numerous bright flowers and interesting black fruits.
Veil is characterized by early flowering, which begins in May and continues until July
Korolkova
An unpretentious variety of climbing honeysuckle with light pink, delicate flowers. After flowering, which lasts two weeks, spherical fruits of a bright orange hue appear on the shoots, which ripen in early September.
Variety Korolkova grows up to 3 m in height
Tatar
A low shrub (no more than 3 m) with abundant, highly branched shoots. Numerous flowers give a pleasant aroma.
Tatarian honeysuckle is a good spring-summer honey plant that produces light honey and dirty yellow pollen
Gerald
An evergreen climbing honeysuckle characterized by high winter hardiness. Produces small flowers in white and yellow shades.
This variety of honeysuckle is notable for the fact that the foliage does not fall off even during wintering.
Alba
A climbing variety with profuse white flowers. Used in garden design.
The variety is suitable for vertical and horizontal gardening
Climbing honeysuckle in landscape design
Since decorative honeysuckle is a climbing plant, it must be tied to a support and used in landscape design in the following ways:
- hedge - honeysuckle, for example, is suitable for these purposes;
- decorative arches in the center of the garden;
- green roof over the recreation area;
- decoration near the entrance;
- green wall.
In garden design, climbing honeysuckle goes well with various perennials: low-growing conifers, loosestrife, garden balsam, anemone and others.
It also looks great in single plantings on open, well-kept lawns.
Honeysuckle and other climbing plants are often used in pergolas
Planting and caring for climbing honeysuckle
For breeding, climbing honeysuckle is purchased from trusted nurseries or stores. It is best to choose two-year-old bare-root seedlings. They must be sufficiently developed, healthy in appearance, without external damage. Planted in the spring, when the snow has already melted, but the buds have not yet swelled.
Landing dates
When choosing planting dates, there are two main options:
- Early spring, before the buds awaken, before they swell.
- Late autumn, when the main leaf fall has already passed.
You can choose any period. Many gardeners believe that spring planting is best suited for most regions of Russia. As for the southern regions, climbing honeysuckle can be planted here even in mid-October.
Where to plant climbing honeysuckle
When choosing a place to plant honeysuckle, you need to pay attention to several points:
- The climbing plant loves bright sunlight, so the preferred place for it is an open, well-warmed area.
- The soil should be fairly fertile and light. If the soil is depleted, organic matter and mineral fertilizers must be added when planting.
- The soil reaction should be neutral - climbing honeysuckle does not like acidic soil. In this case, you can add slaked lime in an amount of 200-300 g per 1 m2 or wood ash in approximately the same amount.
Landing rules
The technology for planting climbing honeysuckle is standard:
- Clean and dig up the area.
- A planting pit is formed with a depth and diameter of about 50 cm.
- Lay a drainage layer of 10-12 cm (you can take fragments of brick, crushed stone and other small stones).
- Spread a mixture of garden soil and compost (in equal proportions), add 50 g of superphosphate and 200-300 g of wood ash.
- If the soil is not very fertile, you can add rotted manure.
- Mix thoroughly and root the seedling. In this case, the root collar should remain on the surface, i.e. There is no need to go too deep.
- Water generously and lay a layer of mulch made from straw, peat, spruce branches or other available materials.
In the first season, a young seedling of climbing honeysuckle should be immediately tied to a support. Then it will go up in the desired direction, which can be adjusted as necessary.
Curly honeysuckle must be tied to a support (for example, to an arch)
Watering and fertilizing
Climbing honeysuckle is not capricious in care, so a novice summer resident can cope with its cultivation. In the first season, it requires abundant watering - you can add a bucket every 10 days, and in hot weather - weekly. If it rains, additional watering is not needed. When a long drought occurs, water is given regularly, the soil is also loosened and the seedling is sprayed.
As for fertilizers, it is not necessary to give them in the first season. Starting next year, it is recommended to regularly fertilize for lush flowering and confident growth. Fertilizers for climbing honeysuckle are given three times per season:
- At the end of March or at the beginning of April, complex mineral fertilizer is applied, 2 tbsp. l. per 1 m2.
- At the beginning of summer, 10-15 days before flowering, it is useful to add any organic matter, for example, an infusion of chicken manure.
- At the end of August, 1 glass of wood ash (200 g) per 1 m2 is added to the soil. It will not only provide the climbing honeysuckle with nutrients, but will also prevent possible acidification of the soil.
This will provide the tree with microelements and also protect the soil from drying out quickly.
Pruning climbing honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is usually pruned in early spring.To do this, take pruning shears and remove all damaged, as well as dry, frozen shoots. It is also useful to carry out a shaping haircut, shortening all protruding branches by 1/3 of the length.
Honeysuckle easily tolerates such pruning - the bush can be formed annually by removing unnecessary shoots. Sanitary pruning is carried out as needed, and stimulating pruning (removal of old branches) is done once every 3 years, and only on adult plants (over 6 years old).
Wintering
Shrub varieties of climbing honeysuckle tolerate winter quite well and do not require special shelter. Creepers are less resistant to frost, so in late autumn they are removed from their supports and laid on the ground and covered with a large layer of straw, hay or spruce branches, and spandbond or other insulation is laid on top.
How to propagate climbing honeysuckle
Decorative honeysuckle can be propagated at home in any convenient way:
- seeds;
- layering;
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings.
One of the simplest methods that gives good results is breeding by layering.
The procedure begins in mid-spring, when the snow has completely melted and the temperature at night will not drop below +5 °C.
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Dig a small trench 10-15 cm deep.
- One of the shoots is carefully bent to the ground and placed in this trench.
- They are fixed with pegs and covered with earth.
- Water regularly to keep the soil moderately moist.
- Feed along with the rest of the plant.
In the fall, ready-made cuttings are obtained, which can be carefully separated and transplanted to a permanent place (the root collar should remain on the surface).
Climbing honeysuckle is also propagated by cuttings in the spring. Several shoots 10 cm long with two internodes are cut and grown in a moist substrate under glass. A month later, the greenhouse is opened for constant ventilation, and in the fall they are planted in open ground.
Pollinators of climbing honeysuckle
Climbing honeysuckle is a partially self-fertile variety. This means they need cross-pollination or they will produce much fewer flowers. Therefore, it is better to plant 3-4 honeysuckle of different varieties on the site, for example:
- Tatar;
- Gerald;
- Telman;
- Alba and others.
You can plant not only decorative, but also fruit varieties. For example, grape honeysuckle will produce not only vines, but also tasty fruits.
Diseases and pests
Decorative climbing honeysuckle copes well with diseases and pests, but can sometimes suffer from severe aphid infestations. In this case, it is recommended to use folk remedies or insecticides, for example:
- a solution of wood ash or baking soda;
- infusion of onion peel;
- Biotlin;
- Karate;
- Konfidor and others.
In rare cases, the vine is affected by various fungal infections, for example:
- ramulariasis;
- cercospora;
- powdery mildew.
They can be identified by external signs - various foreign formations appear on the leaves. These may be dirty-brown spots, a “mealy” coating, swelling, or bumps.At the first symptoms, the foliage of climbing honeysuckle should be completely treated with fungicides. Bordeaux mixture, Maxim, Topaz, Fitosporin and others are used.
Powdery plaque is a characteristic sign of fungal infection of climbing honeysuckle.
Conclusion
Climbing honeysuckle is a successful replacement for hops and other plants that are significantly inferior in their decorative qualities. This is a lush, beautiful vine that will fit well into the design of any garden. The plant is undemanding in care, so both experienced and novice gardeners can grow it.
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