Honeysuckle Bluebird

Honeysuckle Bluebird
The main characteristics of the variety:
  • Authors: breeding research institute of horticulture of Siberia
  • Growth type: vigorous
  • Description of the bush: massive
  • Bush height, m: 1,6
  • Crown: round, thick
  • Fruit size: average
  • Fruit weight, g: 0,87
  • Fruit shape: elongated elliptical with a roller at the top
  • Crumbling: strong
  • Fruit color: bluish blue
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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.

Breeding history

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.

Description of the variety

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.

Fruit characteristics

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).

Taste qualities

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.

Ripening and fruiting

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.

Yield

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.

Honeysuckle pleases the owners of the site not only with a beautiful color, but also with fruits with an unusual taste. When planning to plant it on your site, it is important to learn everything about the fruiting of the bush.

Self-fertility and the need for pollinators

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.

Growing and caring

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.

You can plant honeysuckle in open ground in spring, summer and autumn. Best of all, honeysuckle grows in an illuminated low-lying swampy place, while the site must be reliably protected from the wind. It is desirable that the soil is loamy or sandy loam. If the soil is poor, then it will first need to be fertilized.
In order for honeysuckle to bloom and bear fruit well, it needs to be properly cared for. One of the main procedures that affects the appearance and yield of this plant is shoot pruning. Without timely care, bushes prone to thickening rapidly turn into wild thickets with diseased and stunted plants, the number of young shoots decreases, the quantity and quality of berries decreases.
Timely control of diseases and pests of honeysuckle allows you to grow a healthy crop, used both for decorative purposes and for harvesting fragrant berries. When growing honeysuckle, it is necessary to know the main diseases of the crop, common pests, as well as effective measures to combat them.
In order to increase the amount of honeysuckle in your area, it is not necessary to purchase planting material, it is quite possible to multiply the varieties you like yourself. There are several ways to breed honeysuckle: cuttings, layering, root shoots, dividing the bush, and also sowing seeds.
Main characteristics
Authors
breeding research institute of horticulture of Siberia
Yield
high
Average yield
1.6 kg / bush
Appointment
universal
Bush
Growth type
vigorous
Description of the bush
massive
Crown
round, thick
Bush height, m
1,6
Branches
skeletal - red-brown, with strong flaking of the bark. Annuals are red-brown, wavy, curved at the apex, heavily pubescent
Fruit
Fruit size
average
Fruit weight, g
0,87
Fruit shape
elongated elliptical with a roller at the top
Fruit color
bluish blue
Skin
thin, with a strong waxy coating, smooth
Pulp (consistency)
tender
Taste
very good, sweet-sour
Scent
weak
Crumbling
strong
Tasting assessment
4.5 points
Growing
Self-fertility
self-infertile
Pollinator varieties
Blue Spindle, Titmouse, Harvest, Tender, Start
Winter hardiness
stable enough
The soil
slightly alkaline or neutral, loamy and sandy loam
Watering
needs regular watering, especially in early summer before fruiting, with excessive waterlogging it grows poorly
Pruning
Formative pruning of honeysuckle is optional. The oldest branches are cut from the age of 10
Location
sun, it is recommended to avoid dark places and areas
Disease and pest resistance
steady
Maturation
Early maturity
begins bearing fruit at the 4th year of the seedling's life
Ripening terms
early
Fruiting period
in the first half of June
Reviews
There are no reviews.
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