Edible honeysuckle planting and care technology

Many amateur gardeners and farmers are concerned about the cultivation of honeysuckle, because this culture is not yet so widespread and known. The article is devoted to the technology of planting and breeding of honeysuckle, which can be mastered by the strength and beginner.

When is the best time to plant honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle is unpretentious in growing, does not grow much, does not have thorns, needs a little pruning in the first years and quickly begins to bear fruit. These qualities make it attractive for gardeners who want to propagate and plant this shrub in their area. The basic rule for planting honeysuckle is that plants should be at rest - vegetation begins in spring at an average daily temperature of + 3 ° C and ends in July.

Conditions that could harm a tender young shoot when transplanted:

  • temperature below + 10 ° C or above + 32 ° C;
  • frost
  • strong and direct sunlight;
  • wind.

These conditions are more common in early spring, but they can be expected in the fall in various regions.

Did you know? Honeysuckle got its name (Lonicera) on behalf of a German doctor and botanist of the XVI century. Adam Lonitzer, who described this species in his works. Translated from English, honeysuckle means "honey berry."

In the spring

Spring planting should take place as soon as possible - as soon as the snow has melted, the soil has dried out slightly, there is no threat of freezing frost, and there are no signs of growth on the seedlings, and the buds are not swollen. The first spring thaws are a good time for pruning honeysuckle bushes and harvesting and rooting with cuttings in order to further propagate the plant. In spring, you can propagate bushes by bends, bending and digging a branch. Mild temperatures and longer sunny days provide good conditions for rooting and successful growth of the bush.

Newly planted seedlings can bloom in late spring or early summer, but usually a plant needs a season or two to adapt to the new environment. Spring anti-aging pruning can be used to produce new planting material. The bush is trimmed 8-10 cm above the soil. The shoots that have appeared twice a season are spudded and fed with nitrogen fertilizers, maintaining soil moisture throughout the summer.

Important! Landing of a honeysuckle on open sites in May is not allowed. This is a period of active growth and development of fruiting buds, which can crumble, and the gardener will be left without a crop this season.

In autumn, the bush can be divided into young shoots and planted, leaving 4–5 strong shoots on the bush at the base. The advantage of planting honeysuckle in the spring is the ability to closely monitor the development of the seedling during the season and, if necessary, ensure proper care, but the rapid growth of the aerial part slows down the growth and strengthening of the root system.

Fall

The spring planting period is short, as the plant leaves dormancy early. If you missed the spring, then autumn is the next best season for planting a new plant. The growing season ends in July, and the honeysuckle enters a state of rest - growth ends, and temperature conditions do not allow the buds to bloom.

Although the days are getting shorter, the temperature of the air and soil is less than summer, but the terms are longer - from August to November:

  • August is suitable for the northern regions and Eastern Siberia, where it freezes very early;
  • September-October - the landing period in the middle lane (central part of Russia, the Urals, Western Siberia, the Far East);
  • in November, you can plant in the southern regions with a warm and long autumn.

Honeysuckle is planted with one- and two-year-old seedlings. Winter hardiness of the crop will allow it to successfully winter, and the survival rate of seedlings is 95%. The advantage of planting in the fall is the hardening of the seedling and the ability to grow and strengthen the roots in preparation for the winter cold. A bush planted in autumn will sooner leave dormancy in spring and will provide resistance to external climatic influences.

Learn how to plant honeysuckle seedlings in the fall.

Honeysuckle planting

If you are new to gardening and planting honeysuckle to a new place, then you need to learn the rules of planting, follow the instructions given, and further steps will not cause difficulties.

Seat selection

Honeysuckle is a very hardy plant, which is resistant not only to temperature conditions (flowers survive at –7 ° C), but also to soil characteristics. It can be grown anywhere in the garden where there is fertile and moist, but well-drained soil, a little protection from the wind with the aim of better pollination and to prevent crumbling of berries and moderate rainfall. The culture adapts to a wide range of soils, including acidic or alkaline soils, but pH 5–7 is considered optimal.

Honeysuckle grows well in full sun, but can withstand partial shade. In regions with a cool climate, for successful maturation, it is planted in sunny areas, and in the southern regions, midday shading is necessary. Plants can get burns from the hot summer sun, so during such periods they need to be provided with temporary protection from sunlight. Try to choose a site at a distance of at least 2-3 m from homesteads and garden plantings so that honeysuckle bushes have a place to grow, and the buildings do not obscure the plantings.

Read more about how to choose the best place for honeysuckle planting.

So you can avoid the problems with the need for transplanting adult plants in the future. Even if your site is not the ideal place to grow honeysuckle, plants can adapt and respond positively to fertilizer application, so they can survive even where the soil is poor in nutrients. The most important thing is to exclude landings on sites with heavy soils and poor drainage.

Soil preparation

Soil preparation is carried out in order to provide young seedlings with a nutritious basis for their future growth, development and improvement of soil structure. This procedure can be carried out at any time of the year when the soil is convenient for cultivation, that is, not too wet or frozen. It is better to prepare the soil for planting in advance. To do this, they dig the land at the site with the introduction of organic substances - humus or compost, weeds are removed.

On sandy soils, organic materials help retain water and nutrients, and clay soils make them looser and more accessible to moisture. To adjust the acidity level of the soil, add garden lime at high acidity levels, sphagnum and high peat - at high alkaline soil.

Scheme

Seedlings are planted at a distance of 1–2 m, depending on the variety, which will ensure optimal and high-quality pollination by wind and insects, facilitate the care and collection of berries, and the bushes will not interfere with each other during growth.

Pit preparation

The landing hole should be deep (3-5 cm deeper than the earthen coma at the roots) and wide enough to accommodate the entire root system, and contain enough space for growth. With a high occurrence of groundwater and on heavy clay soils, care should be taken about drainage and pour a drainage layer of small stones or broken bricks to the bottom of the pit.

The upper, more fertile soil layer at the site of planting holes is removed and mixed with any organic fertilizer (humus, garden compost). Part of this mixture is laid on the bottom of the pit, and the rest is covered with plant roots during planting.

Landing pit with drainage.

Seedling Selection

If you do not feel prepared enough to grow honeysuckle from seeds or cuttings, or want to plant new varieties, you must contact the nurseries for the purchase of seedlings.

Recommendations for choosing the right seedling:

  1. Characteristics of the seedling: age - 1-2 years, height - 40-100 cm, the number of branches 2-3. Small seedlings have poorly developed roots, and large ones poorly take root.
  2. The roots should be moist and well developed, branches with buds should be flexible. The presence of foliage is unacceptable. It is better to buy seedlings in containers where an earthen lump protects the root system - this will ensure ease of planting and survival.
  3. Refer to the label and description to understand that you are buying the right variety of edible honeysuckle, as there are decorative varieties with poisonous berries.
  4. Check if the seedlings have been hardened (grown in greenhouse conditions or in the shade will need acclimatization) and chemically treated.
  5. All parts of the plant should not have signs of harmful lesions.
  6. Get 2-3 seedlings of different varieties that bloom at the same time to provide cross-pollination, which is a prerequisite for fruiting.

Closed root seedlings

If the purchased seedling has a closed root system, then, while ensuring proper agricultural technology, it can be planted throughout the season. It is recommended to do this by the method of transshipment and cover with the soil mixture at the same level as in the container.

Open root seedlings

To plant such seedlings is better in the fall. When buying, try to keep the roots moist until planting. In the center of the planting pit, pour a hill of soil mixture, place the plant in the center and carefully spread the roots. Fill the hole with soil and tamp.

Planting in a pot

If successful planting dates are missed, then you can save the seedlings in pots by storing them in a room or greenhouse until favorable conditions occur. Seedlings dive into the pots as ordinary seedlings when propagating honeysuckle seeds. The pot must be large enough to accommodate the growing root system of the plant. Choose a container that is 2-3 times larger than the root system.

In Siberia

For planting honeysuckle in cold conditions of the Siberian climate, it is advisable to choose zoned varieties of 3-year-old seedlings - they are more winter-hardy and take root better. Planting pits are prepared in advance in the spring so that the earth warms up and settles, and plants are planted in the fall 3-4 weeks before the onset of winter.

In the Kuban

One of the hallmarks of honeysuckle is its winter hardiness - a culture that can withstand frosts above –40 ° C (zones 3-4), but for the southern zones there is another problem of cultivation. Early flowering and fruiting indicates that the plants go to rest early (in early August).

We advise you to learn how to properly transplant honeysuckle to a new place.

The main difficulties in growing honeysuckle in the southern regions and the Kuban including are:

  • warm and prolonged autumn, which leads to repeated flowering of most varieties and a decrease in yield of the next season to 50%;
  • winter thaws, causing the plant to leave early from dormancy.

One of the promising areas of selection is the cultivation of varieties that are largely devoid of this drawback, for example, the varieties Parabelskaya, Ramenskaya, Moskovskaya 23, Amphora, and Kingfisher. The worst of all in the south, including in the Krasnodar Territory, take root after planting and the Kamchatka (wild) honeysuckle grows. The reason is the difference in the structure and characteristics of soils, since soils of volcanic origin dominate in the natural habitat of this species of honeysuckle.

Honeysuckle blooms in the Kuban in March-April, but at that time return frosts are possible, which the culture can withstand easily, but snow, alternating cold and warm weather, and humidity create favorable conditions for the development of fungal diseases. Therefore, in the south, spraying bushes with any copper-containing preparations in the spring (Bordeaux liquid, "HOM", "Cuprolux") is extremely necessary. In early May in the Kuban, you can collect the first berries of honeysuckle.

We recommend that you learn how honeysuckle tolerates spring frosts.

Plant care after planting

Further care for young plantings consists in optimal irrigation, fertilizing when necessary, monitoring pests and diseases.

Watering

Young honeysuckle seedlings before intensive growth require constant watering for 2 weeks to keep the soil evenly moistened. A drip irrigation system is better suited, which provides deep and slow hydration, does not erode the top layer and uses water economically. In the future, adult honeysuckle will have enough moisture, which is provided by regular (every 7-10 days) rains.

In the absence of natural rainfall during summer drought, plants need daily watering. The rate of water consumption is 20 liters per 1 m² or 2 liters of water for each bush. This is especially important during fruiting and growth of young shoots. On clay soils that hold moisture well, the need for watering is less than on sandy soils.

Find out why edible honeysuckle does not bear fruit.

Mulching with compost, peat moss or decomposed manure 5 cm around the base of the bush helps to maintain sufficient soil moisture, reduce the amount of watering and reduce weed growth. But the main rule of honeysuckle watering is to not water the plants too much or too often. The plant will tolerate drought more easily than swampy and excessively wet roots. And frequent watering with a small amount of water leads to the development of a shallow root system.

Top dressing

If the seedlings are planted in fertilized soil, then in the first 3 years, fertilizing will not be needed. In the future, long-term growth at the same place and annual fruiting of the plant deplete the soil, so fertilizer is a great way to replenish nutrients. Honeysuckle loves a well-balanced fertilizer with the same proportions of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. A good nutritional supplement will be meat, bone or fishmeal, wood ash.

Fertilizers are introduced from the beginning of the growing season in early spring and exclude nitrogen fertilizing in the middle of summer for the successful transition of the plant to dormancy. When applying fertilizing evenly to the soil of the root zone, avoid getting fertilizer on the leaves, berries and the center of the bush. Immediately after applying the fertilizer, well hone the honeysuckle to moisten the soil by 20-30 cm. This allows you to bring nutrients to the roots of the plant, and also minimizes the risk of nitrogen burns.

Important! Do not fertilize honeysuckle more than 1 time per year, because an excess of fertilizers can cause green mass growth to the detriment of flowering and the formation of ovaries.

Preparing for the winter

Young plantings of honeysuckle do not require autumn pruning and top dressing. In cold regions, when preparing honeysuckle for winter, it is advisable to cover the roots with an additional layer (10 cm) of mulch. Warming for the bushes is not needed, but they can be tied and bent to the ground so that they do not break from the wind and under the weight of the snow cover.

Video: winter honeysuckle preparation

Mistakes when landing honeysuckle

Summer plantings are generally not suitable for honeysuckle, because hot weather negatively affects plants, causing growth retardation, and the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil makes root formation difficult. As a result, weak plants are more susceptible to damage by pests and pathogens.

Honeysuckle propagation methods

Honeysuckle breeds in several ways:

  1. Seeds - in a small container with moist and loose soil, sow the seeds on the surface and pour. Keep the ground constantly moist until seedling. Seeds will germinate within 15 days.

  2. By dividing the roots - during a dormant period, a bush no older than 5 years old is dug up, divided by secateurs into healthy stems with the root system, which are planted in a new place.

  3. Branches - in the spring, the branches of honeysuckle are bent to the ground, fixed and sprinkled with soil. By the fall, the branch takes root and gives young shoots, ready for separation and transplantation.

  4. Cuttings - cuttings of 10–15 cm with 2-3 buds are cut from a selected fruit-bearing branch (young green or woody at least 2 years old), leaves are removed from the lower end and placed in water until roots are formed. Then the stalk is planted in open ground when the roots are at least 5-8 cm long. To enhance the growth of the roots of the stalks, plants can be treated with a root stimulant (root hormone).

In the southern regions, including the Krasnodar Territory, the best time for propagation by layering or lignified cuttings is early spring, when the buds on the honeysuckle only swell and the plants leave their dormant state - this is the end of February - the beginning of March. In the northern regions, snow still lies at this time.

Trimming and shaping a bush

Pruning should be done in late autumn or early spring, when the plants are at rest. Young bushes up to 3 years old need to remove only dead branches. In older plants, pruning is performed annually to stimulate fruiting. Proper pruning will help reduce shading in the center of the bush, improve the quality and quantity of fruits, reduce the risk of fungal diseases and stimulate the growth of new shoots.

Did you know? In the past, it was believed that honeysuckle planted near houses was able to drive away evil spirits, and the honeysuckle branch under the pillow evokes pleasant dreams and improves mood.

Never remove more than 25% of the bush in one season, as this can lead to the removal of fruit-bearing wood and reduce yield. Honeysuckle bears fruit on annual wood, and if there is no damage, the tops of the branches should not be cut, since most fruit and flower buds develop in this place. Стремитесь оставить 4–6 самых здоровых и развитых старых ветвей и несколько сильных молодых побегов.

Новые побеги со временем заменят старые, что обеспечит сбалансированный вегетативный и плодоносящий цикл. Жимолость не даёт корневых отростков, поэтому у основания куста не бывает поросли. Омолаживающую обрезку делают на старых и непродуктивных растениях. Куст можно срубить на 30 см над уровнем земли и дать ему снова вырасти на собственных корнях.

Также читайте о том, как жимолость переносит весенние заморозки.

Отрастание будет одинаковым и равномерным, что и омолодит растение. Освоив методы и правила посадки жимолости, пополните свою ягодную плантацию этой полезной поливитаминной культурой — и вы сможете собирать ягоды со вкусом лесной черники прямо на участке, а раннее весеннее цветение кустов добавит декоративность в ландшафт сада.

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