Content
Sea buckthorn is a berry shrub that forms in the form of a tree with a spreading crown or shrub. Before planting, you should figure out how to properly care for it in order to get a good harvest of medicinal berries.
Description of the berry crop
Sea buckthorn is characterized by the presence of many trunks, which over time become lignified, and the bush becomes like a multi-stemmed tree.
General idea of the view
Sea buckthorn is a tall, spreading shrub. The branches eventually become tree trunks.
The leaves of sea buckthorn are lanceolate and long. The green color is muted by the hairs and the leaves become silver. Blooms with small flowers. Female flowers cover small branches, male flowers are collected in spikelets.
Skeletal branches of the 1st-3rd order are located at a depth of 40 cm; roots form on them. They produce many offspring, which are used to produce seedlings.
Berries
The berries are false drupes. Color yellow, orange or red. The fruits of sea buckthorn exude a light pineapple aroma. Ripe berries are bitter, frozen ones become sweet and sour.
Characteristic
The characteristics of sea buckthorn determine the yield, frost resistance, and drought resistance of the crop. It is available for cultivation in various regions.
Main advantages
The plant is unpretentious. Tolerates drought and frost well. In areas with a high layer of snow, roots may rot.
The soil for crop growth must be loose and breathable; nearby groundwater is excluded. Low-lying areas are not suitable. Sea buckthorn requires space for the distribution of roots; it is planted at a sufficient distance from other plants.
The berries have a thick skin, which allows them to be transported without loss. They can withstand long-term storage without loss of quality.
Sea buckthorn Orange Energy is very beautiful. A late-ripening variety that bears orange-red berries.
Flowering period and ripening time
Sea buckthorn begins to bloom in late April – early May. Lasts 6-12 days. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, but their abundance on the tree creates a lush cloud.
Sea buckthorn berries ripen in the fall - September, October, depending on the variety.For example, sea buckthorn Leucora begins to ripen in August.
Yield indicators, fruiting dates
Typically, the varietal crop produces 12-14 kg of berries per bush. The fruit bush reaches its highest yield by the age of 4-5 years. Subsequently, yields decrease.
Area of application of berries
Sea buckthorn berries are used to make jam and various food products. Its main use is the manufacture of medicines. Healthy sea buckthorn oil. It has a strong disinfectant and healing effect.
Resistance to diseases and pests
An adult plant rarely gets sick. For prevention, bushes in the spring before fruiting and in the fall after fruiting are treated with a 1% mixture of Bordeaux mixture.
Advantages and disadvantages of the type
The advantages include the following properties:
- Unpretentiousness.
- Frost resistance.
- Easy reproduction.
- Resistance to major diseases of fruit bushes.
- Medicinal and taste properties.
- Good transportability.
Disadvantages include the mandatory presence of a pollinator, the laboriousness of picking berries, and thorny branches. For pollination, you can plant one bush of the male variety of sea buckthorn Khikul. The last drawback can be eliminated by purchasing non-thorny varieties of sea buckthorn.
Landing rules
In order for the plant to develop well and produce a bountiful harvest, it must be planted correctly.
Recommended timing
It is correct to plant sea buckthorn in the spring in April or early May. The seedling must be at rest. Autumn planting does not give a positive result.
Choosing a suitable location
The culture requires a well-lit area. Tall plants should not be nearby. Free space should be left around the seedlings.
Soil preparation
Sea buckthorn does not like clayey and waterlogged soils, and acidic soil is not suitable for it. The soil for planting needs to be loose and with good drainage. Sand is added to heavy soil, then it is dug up.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
The best material for planting will be one-year-old seedlings about 40 cm high. What you need to pay attention to when buying seedlings:
- The plant should have 2-4 skeletal roots 15-20 cm long.
- Smooth trunk 40 cm with developed side shoots.
- The bark should be smooth and elastic, not flake.
Before planting, the seedlings are kept for several hours in the Kornevin solution, allowing them to soak in the liquid.
Pollination of sea buckthorn occurs only in the presence of a male plant. One male is enough for 3-4 female bushes.
Algorithm and landing scheme
Pits of 50 x 50 x 60 cm are made on the site. Fertile soil is added, superphosphate and potassium are added, and fertilizers are mixed with the soil. Their number depends on the fertility of the soil. The distance between the pits should be from one and a half to two meters.
The seedling is placed in the hole with the roots straightened. It is watered and covered with soil. The root collar is covered with a 5-7 cm layer of soil. This promotes the formation of new roots.
To understand the intricacies of growing sea buckthorn, you can watch a video on how to plant it correctly.
Subsequent care of the crop
The fact that sea buckthorn is an unpretentious crop does not exclude caring for it.
Necessary activities
Young sea buckthorn plantings are watered. In the future, the tree requires watering in dry weather in summer and autumn. The trunk circles of sea buckthorn are tinned by mowing the grass as it grows. The resulting root growth is removed.
Bushes that are well fertilized during planting are not fed during the first years. A fruiting plant needs phosphorus and potassium. For 10 liters of water add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium and 2 tbsp. spoons of double superphosphate. It’s good to add 2 tsp. "Uniflor-micro". This cocktail is poured into one bucket under each tree.
Shrub pruning
In early spring, sanitary pruning is carried out. Remove dry, broken, diseased branches. The shoots that thicken the crown are cut out. In mid-summer, branches that have not shown growth are cut out.
At the age of 5 years, activities are carried out to rejuvenate the tree. In autumn, old branches are cut out at the base, which give a low yield. One branch is cut per year.
The main pruning of sea buckthorn is done when it is formed into a bush or tree. To obtain a bush, shoots from the shoots are allowed to develop. Their number is increased to 8, and then the 3-4 strongest are left.
Forming a tree from sea buckthorn is a complex process. It lasts 3-4 years and is not always successful. It is better to form male species with a tree, and to grow female species as a bush.
Preparing for winter
In preparation for winter, water-charging watering of the bush is done in case of dry autumn. Sea buckthorn does not require winter shelter. Only the roots of young seedlings are mulched.
In the photo you can see what the sea buckthorn Frugana looks like.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
The most typical diseases for sea buckthorn are presented in the table.
Sea buckthorn diseases | Characteristic | Control measures |
Endomycosis | Shriveled berries appear, as if baked in the sun. Gradually the entire tree becomes infected. Fungal spores remain in dry berries | Treatment with Bordeaux mixture in spring and autumn, use of antibiotics. The first diseased berries need to be removed |
Scab | Ulcers and spots appear on the leaves, bark, and then on the fruits. Gradually the tree dries up | Collecting and burning diseased branches. Treatment of the bush with a 3% Nitrofen solution |
Fusarium wilt
| Leaves and young shoots are affected, and berries fall off. Leaves dry up and fall off | Prevention - thinning and sanitary pruning of bushes, maintaining distance when planting. Diseased parts of the plant are cut off and burned |
Sea buckthorn pests | Characteristic | Control measures |
Aphid | The tops of the shoots and leaves curl, and a continuous layer of small insects is visible inside them. Leaves are damaged | Destroy ants that spread the pest to plants. Treat the plant with Fitoverm or ammonia solution |
Spider mite | Damages buds and buds. Cobwebs appear on the leaves. The tick itself is very small and invisible | Treatment with “Fitoverm” or insecticides such as “Aktara”, “Healthy Garden” |
Conclusion
Sea buckthorn is the most common type of this crop in Russia. Many modern varieties have been created that can be grown in all regions of the country and get a decent harvest. You should definitely plant this useful and medicinal plant in your area.
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