Selection Of Varieties, Reproduction And Cultivation Of Edible Honeysuckle In Gardens And Nurseries (part 1)

2023 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 20:34

Gift of Siberia

The first mention of sweet, suitable for consumption, honeysuckle berrie

is found in the descriptions of the Russian explorer Vladimir Atlasov, who discovered Kamchatka at the end of the 17th century. The cultivation of its wild-growing forms began in Eastern Siberia. And now edible honeysuckle is widespread not only in garden plots and dachas, but has confidently entered the number of industrial crops not only in Russia, but also abroad, for example, China.

The huge demand for planting material of modern varieties contributes to the establishment of production, commercial plantations, obtaining stable yields of ecologically safe products in the form of fresh fruits and products of their processing.

In Russia, not only small peasant farms, but also large production associations are now engaged in planting plantations. The main part of the plantations of honeysuckle is located in the Tomsk region and the Altai Territory, although it is already known about the establishment of plantations in Mordovia, Mari-El, Voronezh and Tambov regions. Abroad, Canada, Poland, the northeastern regions of China pay serious attention to honeysuckle, where many types of healthy and tasty products have been developed on the basis of its fruits - juices, jams, ice cream, beer, wines and other goods.

Promising varieties of edible honeysuckle

The establishment of industrial plantings of honeysuckle should be treated very carefully. Among the whole variety of varieties created in scientific institutions of the Russian Federation and by experimental breeders, alas, so far less than half are characterized by high productivity and commercial qualities of fruits. Although there are promising varieties of honeysuckle that meet modern requirements. And they are as follows: plants should yield at least 2 kg per bush, have large fruits weighing more than 1 g with a dessert taste. It is desirable to have a weak or complete absence of shattering of berries. The following varieties of edible honeysuckle can be considered promising:

Bakcharsky giant, Viliga, Dolphin, Diana, Lenarola, Morena, Nymph, Silginka, Chulymskaya.

A significant contribution to the development of modern selection of honeysuckle was made by scientists of the Institute of Horticulture named after I. V. Michurin, where varieties such as Antoshka, Blue Dessert, Princess, Lenya, Memory of Kuminov, Peter I, Northern Lights, Three Friends were created and are widely introduced into domestic and foreign garden

Modern varieties of honeysuckle, created at VNIIS them. I. V. Michurina

Antoshka. An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, semi-spreading. The leaves are green, lanceolate. Large fruits 0.9-1.4 g. Sweet and sour taste with aroma. Productivity 2.6 kg per bush. High winter hardiness. Ripening of ripe fruits is very low. There is no autumn bloom.

Blue dessert. The variety is of medium ripening. The bush is medium-sized, medium-spreading, dense. The leaves are large, lanceolate. Medium-sized fruits - 0.8 g jug-shaped. The taste is sweet and sour, dessert. Productivity 1.8-2.3 kg per bush bush. High winter hardiness. The shedding rate of ripe fruits and autumn flowering are absent in this variety.

Princess … An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, inversely conical in shape, of medium density. The leaves are green, lanceolate. The fruits are very large, 1.5-1.8 g of blue color, elongated-oval in shape with a slightly bumpy surface. The taste is sweet, dessert without bitterness with aroma. The yield is high - up to 3.5 kg per bush. Winter hardiness is high. Ripening of ripe fruits is very low. There is no autumn bloom.

Lyonya. An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, erect. Leaves are green, lanceolate, medium in size. Fruits from medium to large size 0.7-0.9 g. Sweet and sour taste with aroma. Productivity 2.5 kg per bush. Winter hardiness is high. Ripening of ripe fruits is very low. There is no autumn bloom.

In memory of Kuminov … An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, semi-spreading. Leaves are medium in size, green in color with medium pubescence. Fruits are large, 1.1-1.6 g, barrel-shaped. The taste is sweet, dessert. Productivity 2.2 -2.7 kg per bush. Winter hardiness is high. The shedding rate of ripe fruits is low. There is no autumn bloom.

Peter I of. An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, semi-spreading. Leaves are green, medium-sized, lanceolate. Fruits from medium to large size 0.8-0.9 g of violet-blue color, pitcher-shaped with a slightly hilly surface. The taste is sweet and sour. Productivity - 2.6 kg per bush. Winter hardiness is high. Ripening of ripe fruits is very low. There is no autumn bloom

Northern lights … An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, hemispherical, dense. The leaves are green, lanceolate. Fruits are large in size, 1-1.2 g, pitcher-shaped, violet-blue in color with a bumpy surface. The taste is sweet and sour with a slight bitterness. Productivity 2.8 kg per bush. Winter hardiness is high. Ripening of ripe fruits is very low. There is no autumn bloom.

Three friends. An early ripening variety. The bush is medium-sized, semi-spreading. Leaves are green in color, ovoid. Fruits of large size, 1.3-1.5 g of violet-blue color, cylindrical in shape with a slightly hilly surface. The taste of berries is sweet and sour. Productivity 2.5 kg per bush. Winter hardiness is high. There is no shedding of ripe fruits and no autumn flowering.

Honeysuckle planting material can now be purchased both in garden markets and in online stores. However, it should be borne in mind that only scientific institutions and specialized farms can guarantee its varietal purity.

Planting honeysuckle

This plant is characterized by high frost resistance - in winter up to -50 ° С, and during the flowering period - up to -8 ° С. It can grow on different types of soil, but on rich in humus it develops better and begins to bear fruit faster. Honeysuckle has a high viability in the post-planting period. In this regard, seedlings with both closed and open root systems can be used for planting. Nowadays, the widespread method of planting plantations with high-quality rooted cuttings. The best time to plant honeysuckle is late autumn. Early spring planting of this plant is also possible, however, the very early awakening of the buds forces the plants to be planted very early - in late March - early April. At a later date, the survival rate of honeysuckle is significantly reduced.

Since honeysuckle is self-fertile, when planting one variety, it does not set fruit. There should be at least two bushes in the garden, with different varieties. And the most ideal option is to grow three or four varieties of edible honeysuckle on the plot.

Depending on the varietal characteristics and the size of the crowns, honeysuckle is planted at a distance of 1-2 meters from each other. Shaded and wetlands are not recommended. Planting in such places can lead to non-simultaneous ripening of fruits and damping of plants.

As for most berry breeds, planting pits up to 50 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter are prepared for honeysuckle. Broken bricks or gravel with a layer of 10-15 cm are laid at the bottom of the pit, filled with organic matter (3-5 kg per pit). It is recommended to add 50-75 g of lime to each planting hole.

Saplings are carefully placed in the prepared pits in their center, their roots are straightened, covered with fertile soil, and it is well compacted. The root collar of the plant should be at the level of the soil layer. Then the plants are watered abundantly. After a few days, it is advisable to mulch the soil around the shrub with humus or peat.

When growing edible honeysuckle on plantations, it is recommended to use drip irrigation systems, which contributes to the good development of the aboveground mass during dry periods.

In the first years after planting, honeysuckle develops more slowly than, for example, currants, but then it lives and bears fruit much longer - up to 25 years.

To be

finished → Dmitry Bryksin

Senior Researcher

Department of Berry Crops FGBNU VNIIS them. I. V. Michurina,

Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, member of ANIIR,

member of the All-Union Society of Geneticists and Breeders, Russia,

Michurinsk

Photo by the author