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Honeysuckle cannot be found in every garden plot, but recently it has become quite popular. Gardeners are attracted by the unusual appearance of the berries, their taste and the decorative appearance of the shrub. Plant cultivars, such as honeysuckle Viola, are easy to grow yourself. Caring for it - from planting to harvesting - is not difficult, but it has its own characteristics that every gardener should know about.
Description of honeysuckle variety Viola
This variety combines the characteristics of the edible honeysuckle of the Altai and Kamchatka populations. The plant is vigorous and has a low, oval-shaped 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 ones are light green, erect and thin. The leaf is large, with bluish pubescence on the inside.
The fruits of Viola honeysuckle are large (1-1.2 g each), in the shape 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 ripening and high yield: 6-7 year old bushes are capable of producing 4 kg of fruit. Moreover, all the berries ripen together and quite soon after flowering - already in early June. They do not wrinkle, do not burst, are stored well, and can last a very long time in a cool place - 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 - the north-west, for which it was bred. It grows well in the middle zone and Moscow region. The variety is not drought-resistant; it loves moisture, its lack has a bad effect on the condition of the plant and its fruiting. The disadvantage of Viola is the rapid fall of fruits after ripening, so it is recommended to pick the berries in a short time.
The fruits of the Viola variety are quite large, but tend to fall off quickly
Planting and caring for honeysuckle variety Viola
Throughout the growing season, the plant needs care. But we must start with landing. The further development of the bush and the level of its fruiting depend on how it is produced.
Landing dates
Honeysuckle is planted or replanted in the fall - from September to mid-November. At this time, the plant begins to shed its leaves, vegetation processes slow down, which has a beneficial effect on the rate of establishment. The planting deadline 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. It is not recommended to plant honeysuckle in spring, as it awakens early.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
Honeysuckle grows best in the shade, so you need to choose a place for it in the shady area of the garden or close to tall trees or buildings that will shade the bush. The crop loves chernozem soil, with a moderate acidic reaction.
Before planting seedlings, prepare planting holes with dimensions of at least 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 m. Fertilize with organic matter - add 2 buckets of compost or humus, 1 liter of ash, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate, mix the fertilizer with the soil.
Landing rules
Viola honeysuckle bushes that are 2-3 years old are planted. The sequence of work is simple and almost no different from planting other fruit bushes:
- First, the prepared holes are watered to keep the soil moist.
- Then they straighten the roots of the seedling, place it in the middle of the hole and sprinkle it 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, nutrition 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, their productivity will gradually decrease, and the berries will become smaller.
Young honeysuckle is planted on prepared soil.
Watering and fertilizing
It is better to choose organic matter rather than mineral fertilizers as a top dressing for honeysuckle variety Viola. You don’t need a lot of it: just add 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 honeysuckle variety Viola
The variety has a good ability to form shoots, grows quickly and occupies the area allotted to it. The plants have dense foliage and 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 pruned after 3 years of life, the time is spring, before sap flow begins, 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 honeysuckle branches; they are not damaged by frost. But to protect the roots, the root zone is covered with mulch of leaves, straw, hay, and pine needles. Its thickness is at least 5 cm.
Propagation of edible honeysuckle Viola
To do this, use vegetative parts - cuttings, layering. They are cut from last year's shoots, when the ovary appears on the bush. Leave 2 leaves on the cuttings and plant them in a greenhouse in a mixture of peat and sand (1 to 3). The optimal temperature for rooting is +20 °C, high humidity is required. Layers are added in the spring or transferred to their place in the fall.
Honeysuckle seedlings suitable for transplantation must reach 2-3 years of age. They are planted using the transshipment method, that is, together with a clod of earth, in order to minimize possible injury to the roots.
Honeysuckle seedlings are planted in batches in small pots
Pollinators of honeysuckle Viola
For better fruit set, the plant needs pollinators. It should be honeysuckle of 3-5 different varieties, but with the same flowering period (early May). They are planted next to each other. For the Viola variety, pollinators can be the varieties Morena, Amphora, Nymph, and Blue Spindle.
Diseases and pests
Honeysuckle variety Viola is affected by 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 treated, diseased plants are dug up and burned, and the soil is sprinkled with ash.
Pests of honeysuckle are aphids, mites and scale insects. Signs of aphids are curling leaves, mites are dark growths at the bottom of the foliage. Scale insects can be found on branches and shoots. Insects are destroyed with the drugs Aktara, Elexar, Omite, Mavrik, Rogor. Solutions are diluted according to instructions. Frequency of treatments – 1 or 2.
Healthy blooming honeysuckle fits perfectly into the design of the garden plot
Conclusion
Honeysuckle Viola can be grown by gardeners in regions with a cool, humid climate. The variety is early ripening and high-yielding, produces large berries with a pleasant sweet and sour taste, the fruits have good keeping quality. Does not require constant care and fertilizing and reproduces easily.
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