Honeysuckle Bluebird

Honeysuckle was previously a very exotic berry that was rarely grown in the plots. But after some time, many learned that the culture has a number of useful properties, and that the fruits are rich in various vitamins, in particular, vitamin C. At the same time, the plant is unpretentious in care, the indicators of tolerance to temperature extremes are quite good, and persistent immunity to a number of diseases adds advantages to characteristics. Honeysuckle Blue Bird is one of the most famous varieties that has been pleasing summer residents for over 30 years.

Honeysuckle Blue bird native to Siberia. She was taken to the Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after I. M. A. Lisavenko. It is not known exactly who the parental pair of the culture was, but breeders believe that pollination was due to wild seedlings, possibly Kamchatka honeysuckle.

The second name of the culture under which it is sometimes found on the market is honeysuckle 2-24. The recommended place for growing with increased yields is the Northwest region. But the Bluebird honeysuckle is very popular, so the plant can be grown even in the most unfavorable climatic conditions.

Honeysuckle is distinguished by its vigorous growth. Compared to other honeysuckle seedlings, the Bluebird differs in its size. The bush grows from 1.2 to 1.6 m. In a favorable environment and warm climates, the length of the shoots stretches up to 2 m. The crown diameter varies from 1.5 to 1.7 m. It is round, spherical, sometimes it can be in the form of an ellipse. The crown of the culture is dense and spreading.

Shoots are thin, fragile and without obvious pubescence. Branches can break under heavy physical exertion. The skeletal shoots are red-brown in color, the bark on them is strongly exfoliated and can fall off in whole plates. This phenomenon is very natural and one should not think that the plant is susceptible to some kind of disease. Annual shoots are red-brown in color, they are wavy, slightly curved at the top.

The leaves are of a standard size, resembling an elongated oval in shape, the beginning of the leaf is spherical, and the tip is pointed and narrowed.

The Blue Bird variety perfectly tolerates severe frosts. In the Urals and Siberia, when the temperature drops to -40 °, many summer residents do not even harbor the culture. Not only the bush is distinguished by frost resistance, but also the buds and buds.

Unpretentiousness in the soil and early ripening of fruits are also considered a big plus. Many people argue that the fruits are well stored. Even if they crumbled to the ground (after full ripening), the berries (without obvious interference from insects) can lie on the ground for some time before the main harvest.

Among the shortcomings, there is a low yield, as well as the fact that the culture does not tolerate too hot and dry weather. Another disadvantage is self-infertility, so it is recommended to plant 3-5 other pollinating varieties next to it.

The berries are small, their length is 2-4 cm. The shape of the fruit is elongated-elliptical, with a roller at the top. Some gardeners describe the shape of the berries as an angular barrel. Fruit weight 0.75-0.87 g. There are also very weighty specimens of 1-1.5 g, but rarely.

The skin is bluish blue. There is a noticeable plaque on the surface, which disappears with slight pressure. The rind is thin, smooth and glossy. The pulp is tender, homogeneous and juicy.

Berries have a universal purpose, so they are eaten fresh, canned or frozen. During heat treatment, some of the vitamins lose their useful qualities, so the berries can be crushed with sugar and stored in a dark and cold place (best of all in the refrigerator).

Honeysuckle has a very pleasant sweet and sour aftertaste. The fruit vaguely resembles the taste of blueberries. The tasting score is 4.5 out of 5. The pulp contains a large percentage of sugar - 6.5%, so there is practically no sour aftertaste. The aroma is not strong, but very tart. The berries contain a high content of vitamin C - up to 15 mg per 100 g.

The first fruiting occurs about 4 years after planting. In terms of ripening, honeysuckle is usually referred to as early maturing varieties. Fruiting falls in the first half of June and lasts until the end of June.

An average of 1.6 kg of fruit can be removed from one bush. With proper agricultural technology, the yield increases to 2.5 kg. But such results can only be obtained from plants at least 8 years old. The maximum flowering of yield falls on 12-15 years.

The culture is self-fertile, so it needs additional pollination. The following varieties are the best pollinators:

• Blue spindle;

• Kamchadalka;

• Start;

• Cinderella;

• Moraine;

• Titmouse.

These varieties are descendants of wild honeysuckle, and they ripen at the same time. On one site, gardeners recommend planting at least 3-5 varieties of honeysuckle. For a larger yield, it is worth planting 8 to 12 bushes. The more pollinators there are, the larger the berries and the sweeter they are.

Pollination is carried out by insects. To heighten the effect, the buds can be sprayed with honey or sugar syrup diluted in water.

The peculiarity of honeysuckle is that it has a fast growing season. It is inappropriate to plant a crop in the spring, because the earth does not have time to warm up, and the buds on the seedling are already beginning to tie. Therefore, planting is recommended in the fall. During this time, before the first frosts, the plant will have time to acclimatize and take root in a new place.

There are no special requirements for the soil. Honeysuckle gives a high yield both on sandy and clay soils. Loose soil is considered the best option. Groundwater should flow at a level of 2 m from the ground. The plant loves moisture, but from its excess it can get sick.

Since honeysuckle requires pollinators, the site should be large and spacious so that several plants can comfortably live on it. The root system of the bush is well developed, but very superficial, so the depth of the hole should be no more than 50 cm, and the diameter should be 30 cm.

The well is prepared in 2 weeks. Broken brick is placed at the bottom as drainage, and covered with a small mound of loose earth, which allows water to pass through well. Then the excavated soil is mixed with fertilizers. The seedling is lowered into the hole, gradually sprinkling it with earth. After planting, the seedlings are spilled abundantly with water.

Irrigation frequency is calculated based on weather conditions. For one bush, 12-16 liters are enough every 4 days. For watering, it is better to choose morning or evening time. To retain moisture, the soil can be mulched.

If, when planting a seedling, the necessary fertilizers were introduced into the pit, then you can feed the honeysuckle only after 2 years. The first complex of fertilizers is applied for 3 years in the spring. The bush needs nitrogen for color, ammonium nitrate for growth. An adult plant needs 3 liters of fertilizer.Every 4 years, the earth is dug up in the near-trunk circle, and humus, manure or compost are introduced.