New varieties of honeysuckle

New varieties of honeysuckle appear thanks to the work of breeders to improve the quality of the plant. Honeysuckle is a northern berry that can withstand low temperatures, which does not in any way affect the quality of the fruit. Honeysuckle berries can come in a variety of shapes, but are almost always dark blue in color. Bright berries are found on ornamental plants, but they are not suitable for food.

Among the new improved varieties we can highlight:

• The giant's daughter. The bush has a height of about 2 meters. The berries are large - from 2 g, elongated in shape with an apical ridge. The color of the berries is dark purple. The fruits have a sweet and sour taste and ripen unevenly. The yield of one bush is from 3 kg. The berries hold their shape well and do not lose their properties when frozen or processed. The shrub is unpretentious in care. It can be planted both on the sunny side and in partial shade. The best soil for honeysuckle: loamy or sandy loam.
• Zinri. Belarusian variety, approved for cultivation since 2007. Spreading shrub about one and a half meters in height. It has average yield and good winter hardiness. The shrub is not affected by many diseases. The berries are large, blue, and slightly lumpy. The taste of the berries is sweet and refreshing. For a better harvest, several pollinating varieties are planted nearby.
• Titmouse. The variety has been used for a long time as an ornamental plant. More recently, its fruit qualities have been evaluated. The bush is spreading, vigorous, with dark blue berries. The variety is unpretentious in terms of care and soil selection, but it requires pollinating plants.
• Have a sweet tooth. Medium ripening variety. The bush has a round shape with a dense crown. The fruits are dark blue, oval. The berries have a sweet and sour taste and a delicate aroma. Thanks to their thick skin, they tolerate transportation well. The variety is almost not damaged by diseases.

Honeysuckle - Altai varieties

Altai varieties of honeysuckle are distinguished by good yield and high resistance to disease. They were bred in the Barnaul fruit nursery, where breeding work continues to this day.
Common Altai varieties of honeysuckle:

• Assol. A low bush of one meter with a rounded crown. The variety has high productivity. The fruits are elongated, weighing up to 1.5 g. The berries ripen in mid-June, but do not remain on the branches for long, so harvesting must be done immediately. Berries are transported well over short distances. The variety has good winter hardiness and is almost not damaged by diseases and pests.
• Illiad. Medium spreading shrub about 1 meter in height. Has high productivity. The fruits are oval-shaped, elongated. The taste of the berries is sweet and sour with a slight bitterness. The fruits hardly fall to the ground and tolerate transportation well. Good winter hardiness and disease resistance.
• Cinderella. Shrub from 1.5 m high with a rounded crown. The productivity of the variety is high. The fruits are cylindrical in shape and up to 1.7 cm long. They ripen in the middle of the season and almost never fall off. The variety is very popular due to the taste of the berries, which resembles strawberries.

Evergreen honeysuckle, care

Caring for evergreen honeysuckle is not very different from edible varieties and consists of proper watering, fertilizing and pruning.

Evergreen honeysuckle has the appearance of a climbing shrub up to 3 meters in height. Leaves can be oval or elliptical. The upper side of the leaves is smooth, and the lower side is pubescent. The leaves are evergreen.

The flowers of this honeysuckle variety are large, arranged in groups and have a red or orange-red color. Flowering lasts until early autumn.
The berries are orange-red and inedible.

It is better to choose fertile soil with good drainage for evergreen honeysuckle. Soil acidity should be from 7.5 to 8.5.

Important: Honeysuckle will not take root or will grow poorly if the soil is sandy and does not allow oxygen to pass through well.

Honeysuckle can grow both in the sunny side and in partial shade.

Water should be done regularly, since honeysuckle loves moist soil. During the season, you need to water the plant at least 3 times. The amount of water should be from 8 to 10 liters, depending on the weather.

It is also necessary to remove weeds and mulch the soil with peat. Mineral fertilizers are used as top dressing in spring. Before flowering begins, you can feed the honeysuckle with liquid fertilizers. To speed up growth, urea, superphosphate and potassium chloride are used. In autumn, wood ash is added.

Rejuvenating pruning is carried out every 3 years, removing old and weak branches. This will help the plant form new shoots faster.

An adult plant only needs sanitary pruning.

Despite the ability of honeysuckle not to shed green leaves for the winter, it still needs additional shelter from frost. Most often, young bushes suffer from low temperatures, as the tops of their branches often freeze. For the winter, the roots must be covered with humus and covered with leaves. The upper part of the plant can be covered with cardboard.

From the age of three, the plant can not be covered, but only the roots can be mulched.

Caucasian honeysuckle, description

A description of Caucasian honeysuckle will help you not make a mistake when choosing an ornamental plant.

Caucasian honeysuckle is a shrub up to 3 meters in height. The leaves are lanceolate, medium-sized. The flowers are fan-shaped pink-violet. Dark fruits consist of two halves in the shape of a ball.

Tip: It is better to plant the plant on the sunny side, otherwise its growth will slow down sharply.

Caucasian honeysuckle needs watering, fertilizing, weeding and pruning. The degree of flowering depends on good care.

Most often, Caucasian honeysuckle is used for landscaping. It can be the basis for group planting of decorative compositions. Feels great in mountainous areas.

Honeysuckle - planting from seeds

Planting honeysuckle from seeds is a good alternative to cuttings. This planting can be done at any time of the year, and the planting material will consist of ripe berries. In addition, plants grown from seeds will have all the advantages of the variety.

Last year's fruits should be placed in the sun for a short time. The planting site should be on the sunny side and treated against weeds. Compost is added to the soil, after which it needs to be watered. The hole should be about 2 cm into which the berry seeds are laid. You can prepare them in advance by first mixing them with water.

Important: The space between the holes should be about 10 cm.

The bed needs to be covered with a material that is preferably breathable. Watering should be done every day. To prevent the soil from being washed away during watering, the bed is fenced with boards.

Loosening is carried out shallowly so that the seeds do not rise from the soil. In unfavorable weather conditions, you can install a temporary greenhouse.

Seeds germinate quickly - within two weeks the first shoots will appear. After this, you need to pay more attention to weeding and remove the protective frame. The seedlings are regularly watered and fertilized in the spring.

Planting honeysuckle with seeds is a long and labor-intensive process. But if there is no desire to grow a plant from seeds or the desired variety cannot be propagated in this way, then it is best to plant honeysuckle seedlings. You need to purchase seedlings from a nursery, where, thanks to special conditions, you get healthy and high-quality plants with 100% survival rate on the site.