Content
In the late 80s, at the Pavlovsk experimental station in the village of VIR, an edible variety of the Izbrannitsa crop was created based on wild varieties of Kamchatka honeysuckle. After variety testing in 2001, it was entered into the State Register. Description of the honeysuckle variety Izbranitsa says that the plant is suitable for cultivation in all regions of Russia. With proper agricultural technology, the crop produces a good harvest of large berries with high nutritional value.
Description of honeysuckle Chosen
Honeysuckle is characterized by early fruiting. The berries bloom and ripen in the spring; standard varieties produce a harvest in May. Honeysuckle Chosen is distinguished by late fruiting. Late flowering makes it possible to grow the crop in the Leningrad, Moscow regions, and in the southern regions, but the most comfortable zone for it is Siberia and the Urals.
The Chosen One blooms at the end of May or mid-June (depending on growing conditions), and produces fruits from August to September.Flowering is not threatened by return frosts, so the yield of the shrub is good (more than 3 kg). The Izbrannitsa variety is classified as early ripening; the first harvest is harvested from a four-year-old plant.
Characteristics of edible honeysuckle Chosen:
- The crop grows in the form of a low, loose shrub, maximum height is 1.2 m.
- The stems are erect, with drooping tops, forming a spreading, unthickened crown.
- In the first stages of development, the Chosen One gives a slight increase; the growing season of the young plant is aimed at building up the root system. In the 3rd year of growth, honeysuckle begins to intensively form the above-ground part; shoot formation can reach 50 pieces per season.
- Young shoots have smooth green bark with a slight brown tint. Perennial branches have a rough surface of a dark gray color, and areas of peeling bark are visible on them.
- The stems are densely leafy, the leaf blades are lanceolate, with sharp tips, oblong, bright green. The chosen one is a deciduous plant; by autumn the color of the crown becomes brown-green. Leaves with large stipules, smooth edges, and light pubescence.
- The Chosen One's flowers are pink, with long petals, arranged in pairs (less often singly), in the leaf axils of last year's shoots. On old branches, flowering is rare or absent at all.
- The berries of this variety are large: weight - 1.2 g, length - 2 cm. The peel is thin, dense, smooth, dark blue with a silvery coating. The surface is slightly bumpy.
The berries of the Izbrannitsa variety are oval, with a sharp tip.
- The pulp is beige, juicy, the taste of honeysuckle is balanced, bitterness is present only when agricultural practices are incorrect.According to the tasting assessment, the chosen one scored 4.9 points out of 5, the variety is classified as dessert.
- The berries of the Chosen One are held firmly on the stalk, the tearing is dry, and they do not fall off the bush. Long-lasting and transportable.
Honeysuckle Chosen One has inherited high frost resistance from a wild crop and can easily tolerate temperatures dropping to -35 0C. The culture is not afraid of spring frosts. The plant has strong immunity. It is rarely affected by pests and diseases. This usually happens if the honeysuckle grows in the wrong place.
The chosen one remains decorative until the onset of winter, so honeysuckle is often used in gardening and landscape design to create certain compositions.
Flowering is abundant, the main place of budding is on the tops of last year's shoots
Planting and caring for honeysuckle Chosen
Each plant has specific biological needs. Honeysuckle Chosen is undemanding to growing conditions, but following the recommendations for its cultivation will help you get a good harvest.
Landing dates
The biological cycle of honeysuckle slows down after harvesting, so it is better to plant the Izbrannitsa variety on the plot in the autumn. There are no specific dates; it all depends on the climatic characteristics of the region.
It will take at least 30-45 days for young honeysuckle to take root; only then will it easily tolerate low temperatures. For temperate climates, the recommended planting date is early September. In the south, the Chosen One can be planted in the spring before flowering or in the fall (around October).
Selection and preparation of a landing site
The key to a full growing season and good fruiting will be a properly allocated place for honeysuckle. The culture comes from northern latitudes, so in hot climates under direct sunlight, honeysuckle berries bake and the stems dry. It is better to choose a site for planting the Izbrannitsa variety with partial shade or temporary shading.
Under the crown of large trees (with ultraviolet deficiency), photosynthesis of honeysuckle decreases significantly, the bush grows slowly, the stems elongate, flowering weakens, the fruits become small, sour, and bitterness appears. The northern side behind the wall of the building is also not suitable for the Chosen One cultivar. Honeysuckle does not tolerate gusts of cold wind, so the plant must be protected from drafts.
The soil is chosen with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction; an alkaline environment inhibits vegetation. The soil must be adjusted to neutral. The Chosen One will not grow on sandy or heavy clay soil; loamy fertile soils with good aeration and drainage are suitable for it.
Honeysuckle Chosen is characterized by average drought resistance. If the root ball dries out, it may die; moisture deficiency poses a particular threat to a young plant. Waterlogged soil is also detrimental to the seedling. Wetlands or areas with close groundwater often cause fungal infections and root rot.
After choosing a place, dig up the ground and remove the weeds along with the roots. If it is necessary to adjust the composition of the soil, measures are carried out in advance, 2 months before planting. If the soil meets the requirements of honeysuckle, the site can be prepared immediately before planting.
Landing rules
It is better to purchase a seedling from a nursery; for propagation, preference is given to two-year-old material. During this time, honeysuckle will form a sufficient root system and at least 4 shoots. A bare-rooted seedling is placed in a manganese solution for disinfection, then in Kornevin to stimulate growth. A closed root does not require such measures.
After removing the protective material, the honeysuckle is transplanted into the ground along with a clod of earth.
They are digging a hole. It should be about 10 cm wider than the volume of the root. The depth of the hole is approximately 40-50 cm. Prepare a nutrient substrate from compost, peat and soil; if the soil is heavy, sand is added. Place drainage at the bottom of the recess and fill in half the mixture.
Landing algorithm:
- Honeysuckle is placed in the center of the hole.
- Sprinkle the roots with substrate and compact them.
- Add the remaining mixture; voids should not be allowed near the root system.
- The earth is compacted by hand.
- Water generously.
To preserve moisture, the seedling is mulched and the shoots are cut by 1/3. If several honeysuckle bushes are planted, be sure to maintain 1.5 m between them.
Watering and fertilizing
During the first 2 years of growth, honeysuckle is not fed. The main activity of fertilizing begins from the time of budding; in the spring, the Chosen One is fed with urea and organic means. In the fall, to establish vegetative buds, fertilize with a complex mineral product and compost. Slightly acidic soils are desirable for honeysuckle, so fertilizing with organic matter is recommended.
In subsequent seasons, the irrigation regime is oriented towards precipitation. Do not allow the soil to dry out or become waterlogged.
Pruning honeysuckle Chosen
The main number of buds is formed on one-year-old shoots; there are flowers on two-year-old shoots, but much less, so older branches are left only as skeletal ones. For a strong bush, a base of 5-7 branches is sufficient. Pruning is carried out depending on the growing season:
- The first pruning immediately after planting.
- Over the next 3 years, honeysuckle will grow roots, so the tops of all stems are cut off, this is necessary to stimulate shoot formation.
- In the fourth year, bush shaping is necessary. It is carried out after picking the berries. The central strong branches are left as skeletal branches, weak shoots are removed, and the center of the bush is thinned out.
- In subsequent years, sanitary cleaning of honeysuckle is carried out.
Wintering
For adult honeysuckle Chosen, crown cover for the winter is not required. In warm climates, after pruning, the shrub overwinters without additional measures; the plant is watered abundantly and left until spring. In temperate climates, the tree trunk circle is covered with mulch. Young honeysuckle seedlings need preparatory measures:
- the seedling is hilled up and mulched;
- collect the stems into a bunch and secure them with a rope;
- wrap the top with burlap.
If the winter is snowy, these measures will be enough.
In frosty winters with little snow cover, the plant is covered with spruce branches.
Reproduction
Honeysuckle Izanninitsa is a breeding variety that can only be propagated vegetatively. The seed method is not suitable because...there is no guarantee that a crop with edible fruits will grow. You can independently obtain planting material by cuttings from the tops of last year's shoots. An equally effective method is layering. For this purpose, use the lower strong branches, which are bent to the ground, fixed and buried. After rooting, the seedlings are separated from the mother plant and transplanted.
Pollinators of honeysuckle Chosen
Honeysuckle Chosen is a bisexual crop, partially self-pollinating, but for abundant fruiting it requires pollinators. Bees and bumblebees play this role. Honeysuckle attracts insects with the smell of flowers, but is not a honey plant.
The chosen one is a late variety; pollinators are reluctant to fly to it; at this time, more popular honey plants bloom. To attract bees, the bush is treated with sugar syrup. Productivity will increase if varieties of late honeysuckle with the same flowering period are planted nearby. The varieties Provintsialka and Sirius can become pollinators.
Diseases and pests
With proper planting and appropriate agricultural technology, Honeysuckle Chosen practically does not get sick. Possible damage by a fungal infection (powdery mildew), only with increased soil moisture. The disease is eliminated with the antifungal agent “Topaz”.
Among pests, aphids pose a particular threat to young shrubs. The parasitic insect is destroyed with insecticides. On adult honeysuckle, leaf rollers or scale insects may appear; Fitoverm is used against them. Treatment with Bordeaux mixture in the fall and spring, as well as the removal of areas of the crown damaged by infection, will help prevent the spread of pests.
Conclusion
A description of the honeysuckle variety Chosen will help you get acquainted with the characteristics of the culture. A correctly chosen place for planting, as well as compliance with agricultural technology, will allow you to grow a strong bush with a decorative crown and a high level of fruiting.
Reviews of the honeysuckle variety Izanninitsa
