Honeysuckle Morena

One of the most useful berries that replenish the vitamin reserve in the body is honeysuckle. When choosing a variety for cultivation, you should pay attention to a proven variety with a long history that does not need complex agricultural techniques. Morena may well become such.

Morena's honeysuckle is the result of the work of the biologists of the Pavlovsk experimental station of the V.I. Vavilov. The authors of this variety are domestic breeders A.V. Kondrikova and M.N. Plekhanova. The result was obtained by crossing two varieties: Turchaninov 21-5 and Kamchatskaya 101. After many years of variety trials, Morena in 1995 was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. Berry crops can grow productively in any region of the country.

Morena is a medium-sized stocky shrub with a rounded crown, which is slightly thickened with bright green foliage. The compact shrub is characterized by thick, slightly curved shoots of a brownish-green color, without pubescence. Under favorable conditions, honeysuckle grows to a height of 150-170 cm. The crown width also reaches 150-170 cm. The life cycle of the shrub is 30-35 years, but productive fruiting lasts 20-25.

The bush blooms in late May. The compact crown is covered with yellowish, pleasantly fragrant flowers. Due to its incredible beauty during flowering, Morena honeysuckle is decorative and is widely used in landscape design.

Early maturing honeysuckle is a large-fruited species. On an adult bush, berries grow weighing more than 1-1.3 g, but sometimes the weight reaches 3.5 grams. The shape of the fruit is elongated, pitcher-shaped, with a pronounced tuberosity of the surface. A characteristic feature is the one-dimensionality of the berries. Ripe fruits take on a bluish blue color. The skin of the berries is dense, but not rough, covered with a waxy coating.

A multi-purpose variety that makes delicious jam and fruit drink. The harvested crop can be easily transported and can be stored for some time.

The berries taste great. The pulp of the fruit is characterized by a tender, fleshy and juicy consistency. The taste is harmonious, sweet and sour, without bitterness, complemented by a pleasant, but mild aroma. Berries-jugs keep on short stalks, without crumbling even after full ripening. The advantage of the variety is the rich composition of the pulp, which has the highest magnesium content when compared with other varieties of honeysuckle.

Moraine is an early maturing honeysuckle. The starting crop can be observed 3 years after planting. The bush bears fruit steadily, annually. Berries are tasted from mid-June. The peak of fruiting occurs in the third decade of June - the first week of July. The ripening period of the fruit is slightly extended.

The bush gives good yields: the indicator is assessed as above average. With proper care and favorable weather conditions, 1 shrub per season can produce up to 2 kg of useful berries. Commercial honeysuckle farmers can count on 53.3 quintals per hectare of soil.

Morena's honeysuckle is self-fertile, therefore it needs additional donor cultures. As pollinators, varieties that bloom at the same time as Morena are suitable. The best pollinating varieties include Viola and Blue Spindle. In addition, the planting of Kamchadalka, Malvina, Blue Bird and Amphora honeysuckles in the vicinity will be effective.

Planting honeysuckle is recommended in September. This is due to the early growing season of the crop. In the spring, until mid-March, planting is carried out exclusively in the southern regions. The seedling is selected with elastic shoots and a developed root system. The distance between the bushes should be 1.5-2 meters. For productive pollination, donor varieties are planted on the windy side.

The variety is not capricious, therefore, it does not require intensive agricultural technology, but it is necessary to perform standard measures: watering, feeding, shaping the crown, removing dry branches, fluffing the soil, preventive measures against diseases, preparation for frost.

When growing Morena honeysuckle, it is worth remembering that the culture needs regular watering, especially if the summer is dry, and also reacts positively to feeding with organic complexes. In order for the soil to take fertilizers and moisture well, it is recommended to regularly loosen it, weed it, and clean it of debris and weeds. Fertilization, like the formation of the crown, is carried out from the third year of the growth of the shrub. Anti-aging pruning (annual removal of 2-3 old shoots) begins to be carried out from the 7th year of the life of honeysuckle.

Thanks to its good immunity, the plant is resistant to many diseases and pests. The most vulnerable honeysuckle to powdery mildew, which will help prevent fungicide treatments. In addition, the plant is attacked by the leafworm butterfly, spider mite and scale insect, which can be eliminated by spraying with insecticidal preparations.

Frost resistance in berry crops is above average. That is why honeysuckle easily tolerates frosts, as well as spring return frosts. The shrub does not need shelter for the winter period; it is enough to carry out deep mulching, covering the root zone with a dense layer of mulch (straw, fallen leaves).

Morena is a crop that loves sun, light and warmth, so it should be grown on the southern side of the site, where there is no cold wind, drafts and strong shade. Morena prefers loose, breathable, moisture-permeable, nutritious and slightly acidic soils, well filled with organic fertilizers. Almost any soil is suitable for berry crops, with the exception of sandstones, on which the yield of honeysuckle is reduced.