Planting honeysuckle and aftercare
Planting honeysuckle is a responsible procedure, on which the growth and development of culture depends, as well as fruiting, if it is an edible species. Many gardeners plant ornamental plant species in their plots. Planting both those and others requires observance of important nuances: certain dates, soil preparation, place. You should also take into account the peculiarities of the growth of culture in different climatic zones.
Read also the article in the topic: honeysuckle planting and care in the suburbs!
Description of the plant
The height of the shrub is more than 2 m, the root system is much larger in diameter than the crown and is located close to the soil surface. The leaf plate of honeysuckle resembles an ellipse and has a solid edge, a short spine. The leaves are opposite, sometimes they can grow together into one. Their color is bright green on the upper side, on the lower side, dull, with a bluish tint.
The flowers are rather large, paired, with a two-lipped corolla. They can be white, pink, yellow or green. Most often they are located in pairs in the leaf axils or at the ends of branches. The berry is elongated, its color is yellow, orange, red, deep blue and black. Fruits develop in pairs on a branch and often grow together.
The edible varieties of honeysuckle are distinguished by their large fruits. The berries are juicy, with excellent taste - sweet with a slight tinge of sourness, which is why the shrub is popular with gardeners.
Useful properties of berries
Useful properties of honeysuckle fruits due to their constituent vitamins and minerals. Honeysuckle berries contain large amounts of ascorbic acid, carotene, rutin, and some B vitamins.
The fruits include the following minerals:
- sodium;
- magnesium;
- copper;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- zinc;
- phosphorus;
- iodine;
- iron.
The berry is very useful in dietary nutrition, since its calorie content is only 38 kcal per 100 g of product.
Eating honeysuckle in moderation has a beneficial effect on the following organs and systems:
- the digestive system;
- mucous membranes;
- cardiovascular system;
- skin membranes;
- urinary organs.
In addition, the berry has a positive effect on the level of hormones, restores metabolic processes, and has antiseptic and antiviral properties.
Berries are not the only benefits for the body. It is recommended to consume foliage, stems, bark and flowers. Decoctions, infusions, tea are prepared from this raw material. It is used internally as well as externally for the treatment of skin and cosmetic defects.
Possible contraindications include a tendency to allergies, individual intolerance. With caution and in small quantities, it should be used by children, pregnant and lactating women.
Popular species and varieties
There are quite a few varieties and varieties of shrubs.Honeysuckle is planted for the sake of edible fruits or to add decorative effect to the site. Decorative varieties of crops differ from edible varieties in the color of the berries. The fruits that can be eaten are bright blue with a dull bluish bloom. Gardeners cultivate Altai, blue, Kamchatka honeysuckle or the Turchaninov variety.
In addition, the varieties of honeysuckle are classified according to the ripening period into early, late and mid-season varieties. There is a division of culture according to the size of the bush. A tall bush of honeysuckle reaches a height of 2 m. Low-growing varieties of honeysuckle no more than 150 cm.
Honeysuckle is widely used in landscape design. For example, curly honeysuckle Kaprifol is used for vertical gardening of the site. She not only blooms beautifully, but also smells good. Among the other varieties that are decorative, Inga, Passionflower, and American honeysuckle, which in Russia are bred as a creeping culture, are popular among gardeners.
When planting honeysuckle, it is imperative to take into account the species, since each has its own characteristics of growth and development. This is especially true for the timing of planting, choosing a suitable place and caring for the crop.
Planting honeysuckle and preparatory activities
One of the important activities is the correct choice of a seedling. Initially, it is worth studying all the characteristics of honeysuckle, then go shopping in a specialized store or nursery with a good reputation. In addition, it is necessary to decide in advance on the landing site, taking into account the neighborhood, prepare the soil, dig a hole of a certain size and correctly carry out the landing procedure. Many gardeners do a good job of multiplying the culture on their own, harvesting cuttings, seeds, layering.
How to choose a seedling in a nursery
Before purchasing planting material in a specialized store or nursery, you must ask the seller about the plant variety and its properties. It is also worth explaining what exactly is required from the culture - fruits or decorativeness.
During visual inspection, you should pay attention to the following:
- branches should be flexible, healthy, without signs of cracks, damage;
- the root system is quite developed, with whole roots, without rot;
- the height of the seedling should be no more than 40 cm, the higher the planting material, the more difficult the rooting process will be.
An ideal seedling has several branches, and its height is about 30-40 cm. The largest plant age is 2 years, otherwise fruiting will be disturbed. It may have traces of peeling. This is normal and will work well for planting.
Usually, nurseries offer specimens of two types - seedlings with an open root system and a closed one. Experts believe that a seedling with open roots is much more effective in going through the adaptation process.
Planting honeysuckle by timing
Honeysuckle can be planted in spring and fall. The most suitable time for spring planting is April. It is important to guess the moment when the snow has already melted, and the sap flow has not yet begun.
Different regions of Russia have their own time:
- Moscow region, Middle lane - mid-April;
- Krasnodar Territory, North Caucasus - early April or late March;
- Siberia, Ural, Leningrad Region - end of April.
Of course, these dates are approximate, since spring may be delayed or start earlier.
A young bush can be planted in mid-autumn. The optimal time is mid-October for Central Russia, the southern regions, and the end of September for the Moscow region, Siberia and the Urals.
Site selection and suitable soil
Honeysuckle is not a capricious crop, it is resistant to diseases and pests, but before planting, you should think in advance where the shrub will be comfortable.For full development, he will need high-quality soil, while taking into account the neighborhood.
When planting a seedling with a closed root system (in a container), you do not need to destroy the earthen ball. The plant is planted along with the soil in which it took root. So the adaptation process will go faster.
Honeysuckle successfully tolerates even the most severe frosts, and the inflorescences are not afraid of short-term spring frosts. She is distinguished by strong immunity and lives for a long time, despite the difficult conditions. With proper care, it bears fruit very well for a long time. To do this, you need to follow the rules for breeding, planting and caring for honeysuckle.
The shrub can fully grow and develop on various soils, including soil devoid of nutrients (sandy or stony). However, the culture prefers fertile loose soils with deep groundwater. In this case, acidity does not matter much.
The site should be as illuminated and open as possible. Protection from drafts will be required, since the berry is prone to shedding. Honeysuckle can adapt to any growing conditions, but the taste and size of the berries will be significantly affected.
When choosing a place for a bush, you need to consider the neighborhood. You shouldn't plant him next to those fruit trees and shrubs that grow strongly. Over time, they will begin to oppress the honeysuckle. Their root system will rob the culture of nutrients and other resources, such as sunlight.
Site and seat preparation
Before planting honeysuckle, you need to prepare the site and the planting hole. It is recommended to do this about a week before the procedure. The landing site should be dug onto a shovel bayonet, removing weeds along with roots, debris and stones.
Next, you need to dig a hole. The optimal size for it is 50 cm in diameter, depth is 40 cm. Throw the top layer aside. Lay a drainage layer at the bottom of at least 10 cm thick. Expanded clay, broken brick, crushed stone are suitable as drainage.
If there are several seedlings, then you need to take care of the distance between the bushes:
- undersized varieties - 1.5 - 2 m;
- tall - at least 2.5 m;
- the distance between the rows should be 2 m.
These recommendations should not be neglected, since otherwise it will be difficult to care for the crop and harvest. It is also highly likely that the shrubs will interfere with each other's full development.
After the pit is ready, you should fill it with fertilizers. Prepare the mixture as follows: 1 bucket of earth that remains from the hole and 10 kg of humus. Potassium salt and superphosphate are added there, 150 g each. Next, you need to mix everything, fill 2/3 of the hole with this mixture and moisten well. In the event that the soil at the site for planting honeysuckle is sandy (which is unacceptable for the culture), then it is necessary to dilute it with clay. Usually 1 sq. m. make 4 kg of clay.
Planting honeysuckle
Regardless of the time of year, the process should be carried out as follows:
- throw a layer of earth onto the fertilizer mixture;
- lower the seedling into the hole and carefully straighten the roots, avoiding creases;
- gradually fill the hole with earth, shake the plant, leaving no voids between the roots;
- thoroughly compact the soil;
- pour at least 10 liters of water under each seedling.
Mulching must be done after watering. This procedure allows you to protect the soil from adverse factors and improve its basic qualities. The layer of mulch should be at least 10 cm. For this, it is recommended to use straw, peat or sawdust.
As for the root collar, you need to push off from the ground. If it is heavy, the groundwater is too high, then the neck should not be buried. If the soil is light, fertile, then you can deepen it by 3 cm.
Crop follow-up
Planting and caring for honeysuckle are necessary conditions for quick adaptation, rooting, and full development of the plant.
Care includes the following activities:
- watering mode;
- feeding;
- loosening and mulching;
- pruning and shaping the crown;
- preparation for the winter period.
In addition, regular inspection of the crop for pests and diseases will be required in order to start treatment on time if necessary.
Watering and mulching
Young honeysuckle seedlings, after planting, require watering for the first two weeks in order for the soil to be evenly moisturized during the period of intensive growth. It is better to use drip irrigation devices, as this will preserve the top layer and provide maximum deep moisture. This method uses water sparingly.
In the future, provided there is no precipitation in the summer, daily watering is required. This procedure is especially important during shoot growth and fruiting. It is imperative to take into account the type of soil: clay soil does not require a lot of moisture, since it retains moisture. If sand predominates on the site, water should be watered more often - such soil does not retain water.
Watering can be reduced by mulching. The layer of mulch should be at least 10 cm, and about 5 cm in diameter around the base of the shrub. It is important to correctly determine the moisture regime, avoiding overflow, which will lead to root rot. Honeysuckle is much easier to tolerate a short-term drought than constant moisture in the root system.
Gardeners warn that the shrub is badly affected by frequent watering, with a small amount of water - the roots become shallow and do not perform their functions properly.
Top dressing
If the planting was done in accordance with the rules, and the plant was planted in fertilized soil, then the first three years no feeding is required. Further, the soil is gradually depleted as a result of fruiting and development of the bush. Honeysuckle prefers nutrient-balanced fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Top dressing should be applied at the beginning of the growing season in spring, and then after flowering. Before the procedure, you need to shallowly loosen the soil. If the fertilizer is liquid, pour it under the bush, the dry concentrate is mixed with the ground, introduced into a ditch dug along the perimeter of the bush. Further, the soil must be thoroughly watered, otherwise the roots can be burned.
The weeds under the honeysuckle bush should be weeded out regularly while loosening. They thicken the crown and provoke the development of fungal diseases.
Pruning
Honeysuckle belongs to those types of shrubs that do not require frequent pruning and crown formation. After the young seedling has grown, it is important to inspect and remove dry, broken branches, thin and old, as well as those that grow inside the crown. Heavy pruning can negatively affect honeysuckle. This should be done in the fall, as soon as the bush has shed its foliage.
Preparing for winter
Edible honeysuckle varieties are highly resistant to frost. Shoots tolerate frosts down to -35 ° C. However, for young seedlings of the first year of life, shelter will be required. Initially, it is necessary to make sub-winter watering and mulching... Then the young plant should be insulated with any covering material. For some ornamental varieties, it is necessary to do otherwise. Climbing crops are removed from supports, and the shoots are covered with spruce branches.
Transplanting (planting) honeysuckle to a new location
Honeysuckle can be transplanted to a new location if necessary. Young shrub up to 6-8 years old adapts well in a new place. This procedure should be done in September. It is necessary to dig a voluminous hole in advance, fertilize it with a double portion of nutrients. The bush that is planned to be transplanted must be significantly cut off - remove all unnecessary branches, and shorten the remaining ones by 1/3.The result should be a bush up to 1.5 m high.
Then you need to carefully remove the shrub from the ground. First, you need to dig it from all sides, away from the center of the plant. It should be pulled out of the pit along with an earthen lump. In order not to damage the culture, it is better to perform this procedure with four hands. Next, you need to lay it on a tarp and examine the root system. If necessary, remove broken, rotten, dry roots.
The plant must be planted at the same depth as before. Gradually sprinkling the root system with earth, it is necessary to fill all the voids. After that, water and mulch the honeysuckle.
How to propagate honeysuckle yourself
The main breeding methods of honeysuckle are no different from those of other shrubs. The most effective ways:
- dividing the bush;
- layering;
- seeds;
- cuttings.
The seed method is very laborious, and the result is often unpredictable - the parental characteristics of the crop may not be preserved. However, many gardeners successfully use this method, despite the fact that after sowing the seeds, the resulting honeysuckle begins to bear fruit after a few years.
An easy-to-use method - layering. It will require lateral young shoots (layering) to bend to the soil and lay in a groove prepared in advance, and also secure with special brackets. Then carefully water and mulch the layers. The best time for the procedure is June. Until autumn, the layers should be watered. With favorable rooting, a new bush should appear from each bud. They will be ready for transplantation next spring.
More often, gardeners use the cuttings method, considering it the most effective. Cuttings are harvested in early spring using healthy shoots. They should be cut 20 cm long, with three buds. With a sharp cut, the cuttings are placed in a humid environment - in water or soil. Under favorable conditions, the roots form quite strong. In the fall, they can be transplanted into open ground.
You can use the method of dividing the bush when breeding honeysuckle, but it is advisable to use it if you plan to transplant a plant. Do not injure the bush once again if there are equally effective methods.
Planting honeysuckle is not a difficult procedure due to the fact that the culture is unpretentious and adapts well to the surrounding conditions. However, certain rules must be followed during planting and subsequent care. In this case, good fruiting and high decorative properties will be ensured.