Honeysuckle Violet

The rare combination of so many virtues that the Violet Honeysuckle possesses does credit to very few fruit plants. These are excellent taste and usefulness of fruits, high immune potential for diseases and unpretentious care, the highest degree of frost resistance, excellent transportability and non-shattering of berries in a ripe state.

The culture was obtained by a group of employees of the Pavlovsk experimental station VIR, located in St. Petersburg. Scientists managed to ensure free pollination of Roxana. Subsequently, experimental tests and refinement were carried out by the Krasnokutsk Experimental Station (Ukraine), and they were carried out by the scientists Plekhanova M.N., Kondrikova A.V. and Kikbalo V.A. At the end of state tests in 1995, the culture received zoning in the North-West region, and then throughout Russia. In Ukraine, it is grown in the northern regions.

According to their purpose, the fruits of Violets are universal.

The bushes of the culture are medium-sized (1.3 m), slightly spreading. The crowns are oval, thickened, and the branches of brown-green shades are upright. Shoots are thickened, pubescent, greenish-brown in color. The leaves are large, bright green in color, elongated-oval in shape, with a flat leaf blade and soft tips. They are attached to the branches with shortened petioles.

Small (about 2 cm), pale green flowers, grouped in inflorescences of 2 pcs. Later they take on a creamy white color. During the flowering period, the bushes of the culture have a decorative purpose, and can be used as a hedge.

Of the advantages of culture, it should be noted:

• high degree of frost resistance;

• unpretentious care;

• good resistance to diseases and pest attacks;

• stability in fruiting;

• fruits are not prone to shedding and can withstand transportation well;

• versatility of fruits, pleasant taste properties and their usefulness.

Minuses:

• increased need for sunlight and poor maturation in shaded areas;

• the need to plant pollinating neighbors.

The berries are large (up to 1.1 g), with a wide-spindle-shaped configuration and a pointed apex, slightly curved, with a slight light waxy coating. The peel is firm, smooth, bluish-purple in color. The consistency is aromatic, delicate, with a significant amount of fibers.

The culture has the possibility of repeated fruiting, which does not happen very often. Berries are not prone to fall off after ripening.

They are not only tasty, but also very healthy. In terms of chemical composition, the fruits contain: sugars - 9.11%, acids - 1.35%, vitamin C - 45 mg / 100 g, P-active compounds - 637.2 mg / 100 g. The berries are rich in vitamins and microelements. Nevertheless, the degree of calorie content in 100 g of berries is not higher than 35-40 kcal. For this reason, they are recommended as a dietary product.

The fruits stimulate the strengthening of the immune system, contribute to the improvement of the vascular walls, lower blood pressure, and the elimination of salts of heavy elements from the body.

When using the fruits of culture, it should be borne in mind that they give a laxative effect, you should not get carried away with their use.

By taste, the berries are sweet and sour, with a delicate and pleasant aroma. Tasting score in points - 4.3. The taste of the fruit largely depends on the climatic conditions in the places where the crop is grown.

The time of fruiting of Violets comes in the 3-4th year of growth of seedlings. The ripening period is mid-season. Fruiting time is at the end of May.

The yield of the culture is on average 51 c / ha. Therefore, it is classified as a variety with an average yield.

The culture is successfully cultivated in the Central Black Earth Region, the North, North-West, Central, Volgo-Vyatka, Middle Volga, Nizhnevolzhsky, Ural, West Siberian, Far Eastern and other regions.

The plant is self-fertile. Most often, Amphora, Viola, Blue Spindle, Morena, Nymph are used for pollination. The distance between the bushes is measured at 1.5 m.

It is better to plant seedlings in the fall, and since the frost resistance of the culture is good, it is permissible even in October (in southern latitudes - in November). In the spring, disembarkation is carried out before the start of sap flow.

When choosing seedlings, you should be guided by a number of criteria:

• biennial bushes with 23 branches;

• in height 30-40 cm;

• there should be buds on the branches;

• the roots are chosen moist and "live" on the sections;

• without deformities and painful symptoms.

Before planting, ash and sand are added in equal proportions to the planting recesses (50x50x50 cm), which is necessary for faster adaptation of the seedlings. After the bushes have taken root, organic matter (humus, manure, compost) should be added. Drainage of the grooves is required.

Root collars are placed 1 cm above the edge of the soil.

Crop care requirements.

1. Irrigation is moderate but frequent. During the growing season, as well as in extreme heat, we consume up to 10 liters of water per bush.

2. The initial nitrogenous feeding is performed after the snow melts, if the planting was carried out in the fall (1 tablespoon of urea per 10 liters of water). In late spring, organic matter is added under the bushes (1 bucket of humus or compost).

3. During flowering, the bushes are fertilized with manure (10 liters per one bush). In the pre-winter time, superphosphate additives are added (about 40 g).

4. Pruning is carried out sanitary (in the fall). But rejuvenating pruning is permissible no more often than once every 2-3 years, provided that the bushes have reached 6 years of age. Here, after shortening unhealthy shoots, the lower tier of branches that do not bear berries are completely eliminated. 5-6 of the strongest trunks are left. From the age of 10, old branches are removed.

In general, the culture shows a good level of resistance to diseases and pest attacks. Nevertheless, under certain conditions, diseases are likely. So, with heavy rainfall or excessive watering, fungal diseases are likely - spots and whitish shades appear on the shoots and leaves.Fungicides are used to counteract pathogenic microorganisms.

Occasionally, the culture is subjected to wrecking attacks by scale insects, aphids, and spider mites. Insecticides are used against them. To carry out preventive procedures in the spring, spraying with "Aktara", "Decis" is carried out.

The culture is highly winter-resistant. In central Russia, the bushes tolerate winter cold well, and the flowers withstand spring frosts.

It is not required to cover the bushes for the winter, they reliably keep frosts down to -50 ° С, and the buds are stored at -8 ° С.

Rodents do not show interest in the plant, but birds are quite capable of doing harm. In order to protect from birds, dense nets or burlap are used.

Places for planting Violets are chosen well-lit. The soils should be loose, well aerated, not marshy and neutral. The best are considered to be slightly alkaline or neutral, loamy and sandy loam.