Honeysuckle - This is a plant that is representative of the family Honeysuckle. It is most commonly found in East Asia and Himalayas. Often this plant can be seen in our gardens, because it is quite durable and fruitful. In the gardens on our territory, two types of plants are most often encountered: edible honeysuckle and blue honeysuckle. Let us consider in more detail what honeysuckle is. This is a shrub plant with woody branches. In height, different varieties of plants can reach from 1 to 5 m. The leaves of the shrub are bright green, elliptical in shape, and in some varieties of honeysuckle the leaves give out purple. The color of the plant is white, the shape of the bell, and the fruit - oval black berries with a blue patina.
Did you know?Honeysuckle berries are very fragrant, so Karl Linnae called the plant "Capricoleum", which means "fragrant."
Conditions for comfortable growth, the choice of a place to plant honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is rightfully becoming one of the most beloved shrubs among gardeners, as this very unpretentious plant. But it also requires knowledge of some secrets regarding grooming and breeding features.
Lighting and temperature
Perhaps, One of the most important moments in the care of honeysuckle is the choice of landing site. Best of all, the plant feels in bright places, away from cold winds and drafts. Some varieties of plants like more shady places. Honeysuckle is very frost-resistant, withstands cold up to 50 ° C. Honeysuckle flowers tolerate spring frosts without harming themselves. But the winter thaw can cause an early awakening of the plant, and the death of the kidneys after the return of frost.
Important!If you want high-quality growth of honeysuckle, then it should be planted in places where there are already several bushes near, as the plant is cross-pollinated.
Soil requirements
The soil of the plant loves moist and fertile, therefore, if the honeysuckle grows in sandy soil, it is necessary to "pour" the bush with black soil, peat or leaf soil. Best of all, honeysuckle grows in boggy gardens.
Honeysuckle Care Rules
Despite its simplicity, honeysuckle still requires care, which is watering, feeding, loosening, pruning. Consider the processes of feeding and watering more.
How to water
Honeysuckle likes quality and regular watering. Since the shrub for the most part grows in open wetlands, it gets enough moisture, but additional watering is still needed, especially during the formation of fruits and fruits. Water honeysuckle need daily, with the calculation of 1.5 buckets of water for 1 bush. It is also necessary to water the plant during the drought period.
The first, second and third honeysuckle feed
The first two years of her life honeysuckle does not feed her. In the third year of honeysuckle cultivation at the dacha, additional feeding is carried out.
- First stage It consists in feeding the plant with compost with a small addition of ash and superphosphate, such fertilizers are applied in late autumn.
- Second step It consists in feeding ammonium nitrate (15 g per bucket of water) with the addition of a spoon of urea. Water under a bush. Top dressing is carried out in the spring, before bud break.
- For third stage top dressing (after harvest, in July) use nitrophoska or nitroammofosku in the ratio of 25-30 g per 10 liters of water.
Honeysuckle Trimming
On many sites that tell how to grow honeysuckle, there are often notes that the plant can be cut only 7-10 years after its development.
Important!Florists are advised to prune honeysuckle immediately after planting in order to destroy diseased shoots.
Honeysuckle Rejuvenating Pruning
Anti-aging pruning honeysuckle recommend holding, when the plant is already sufficiently “adult”, starting from 8-10 year of growth. But the “general” pruning of a plant should be carried out once every 3-4 years, examining each bush separately. Old, broken branches cut to the place of formation of a young escape. Carry out this procedure should be in November - before the first frost in December, when the bush has already "thrown off" the extra leaves, or in early March.
Removal of jerk shoots
Top shoots better to remove in early spring. The procedure is very simple: use a garden scissors at the very bottom to “bite off” the sprout and pour over the place of the cut with a garden pitch.
Did you know?Many gardeners say that the prongs of shoots do not harm the plant and can even bear fruit under certain conditions. It is a myth! Top shoots "sifted" on a large number of life-giving juice of the bush, which reduces the quality of the shoots and fruits.
Removal of stem shoots
Removal of stem shoots - the process is relevant for honeysuckle age of 5 years. Stem shoots are “empty” branches, on which there are no shoots. Such growth requires the same amount of minerals as fruit branches, so it should be removed immediately. To remove, you need to cut the branch at the very base, without damaging the bark of the bush, the "wound" pour garden pitch.
Pruning thickening shoots inside the crown
With particularly dense growth of honeysuckle should thin out the crown for better growth of young fruiting shoots. Also for the purpose of crown formation cut small twigs that do not grow.
Important!Honeysuckle pruning should be done with a professional tool so as not to injure the hive itself, since mechanical damage can lead to various diseases.
How to propagate a plant
Honeysuckle reproduction can be done in different ways. How to propagate honeysuckle cuttings how to split bush and select layouts tell you next.
Reproduction by cuttings
Cuttings - one of the best ways of reproduction of any plant, and honeysuckle as well. Many do not know how to grow honeysuckle from cuttings, and make many mistakes. Consider the process in more detail. The cuttings of the bush are harvested in early spring, before the buds bloom. The handle should be large enough, 7-8 mm in diameter and about 15 cm in length. The cuttings are planted in the ground at a depth of 10 cm, but the 2 upper buds must remain above the ground surface. Moisturize the soil and cover the cuttings with a film for rooting. After 3-4 weeks you will see the result.
Did you know? One adult honeysuckle bush can give about 200 cuttings per season.
How to propagate honeysuckle layering
Reproduction by layering is a very simple way, but everything must be done carefully. In early July, you need to loosen the soil around the bush, choose a few young shoots (preferably no older than 1 year), bend them to the ground and secure with wire. Sprinkle with soil (peat, leaf soil). During the entire season, the cuttings must be watered and free from weeds. In the spring, such cuttings must be carefully separated from the parent plant. and transplant the honeysuckle slides to "permanent residence."
Reproduction by dividing the bush
Propagated by dividing the bush can only be a plant that has already reached 6 years of age. To carry out this procedure, you need to dig a bush and, using a secateur or saw, divide it into several parts, lubricating all the cuts with a garden pitch. Shrubs are seated at new places and fertilized in 3-4 weeks.
Plant transplant
Transplanting an adult honeysuckle bush to a new place is a rather laborious process. After all you need not only to determine where the root system ends, not to damage the rhizome, but also have enough strength, because as an adult bush is quite large. With young bushes the situation is easier, as they are smaller, and the root system, respectively, too. Honeysuckle can be moved in summer, but most gardeners recommend transplanting in autumn.
This process is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- a bush is dug and examined to identify diseased roots, which are immediately removed;
- In the pre-prepared hole with a depth of 20-30 cm (depending on size), a shrub is planted and covered with earth;
- After transplantation, the honeysuckle needs particularly abundant watering.
