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Chubushnik Komsomolets is a bright hybrid representative of its species. In the fifties of the last century, Academician Vekhov N.K. developed a new frost-resistant variety based on the famous French jasmine: Komsomolets surpassed the maternal varieties in their decorative qualities.
Mock orange is often called jasmine. It is possible that this is due to the external similarity and aroma of plants. In fact, mock orange and jasmine belong to different families. Mock orange belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family and is a real shrub. Jasmine is classified as Olive and belongs to the evergreen vines. But the main difference between the two types of plants lies in the different winter hardiness and requirements for growing conditions.
Description of jasmine Komsomolets
Chubushnik Komsomolets is a compact bush, reaching a height of one and a half meters. Its erect stems and slightly curved flower-bearing shoots fall apart and retain their shape during development.
Petiolate, above – dark green serrated leaves in the axils of the veins are covered with small hairs. The bottom of the sheet is much lighter than its upper side. Foliage color does not change with the seasons. Sometimes by autumn the leaves turn a little yellow.
Jasmine (1) and Mock orange (2) in the picture:
How the mock orange blossoms Komsomolets
Mock orange flowers are located on rejected flower-bearing shoots. At a distance of half a meter, up to 11 strong shoots can develop, ending in dense bunches of inflorescences that contain up to 9 white double flowers.
Flowers mock orange Komsomolets are very beautiful. The lower petals are thin lanceolate. Medium – twisted into a ball, through which light yellow stamens peep through. Fragrant inflorescences are located along the entire length of the flowering shoot.
Mock orange flowers (jasmine) Komsomolets in the photo:
Chubushnik Komsomolets belongs to crops with an early flowering period. Snow-white flowers strew the shrub from early summer to mid-summer.
Komsomolets can be grown in areas with low light. But in order for the flowering to be lush and long, you need to plant a shrub in a place illuminated by the sun for most of the day.
Main characteristics
A feature of the Komsomolets variety is its frost resistance. In central Our Country, in Siberia and the Urals, ornamental shrubs can be grown without shelter for the winter.
The mock orange Komsomolets is not afraid of return spring frosts and sharp continental winds. Occasionally, in winters with little snow, young shoots can suffer from frost. But this almost does not affect the decorative qualities of the shrub.
The Komsomolets variety is highly resistant to diseases that often affect the mock orange. With proper care and timely thinning of damaged shoots, remedies for fungus and other diseases will not be required.
Features of reproduction
For reproduction of mock orange Komsomolets use all methods. But given that Komsomolets is a hybrid variety, when growing a new plant from seeds, its main varietal qualities may be lost.
The division of the bush is carried out in old, overgrown shrubs. The excavated plant is divided into several parts so that there are enough roots on the new seedling. This method is labor intensive. It is difficult to dig out a powerful branched root system without damaging it.
It is easy to propagate mock orange Komsomolets by cuttings. Shoots of the first year of life (green) and older, lignified ones are suitable for this. The cuttings are cut and rooted. Young healthy seedlings can be planted in a permanent place already 2-3 months after cutting the cuttings.
It is very easy to breed mock orange Komsomolets on a plot of layering. This method does not require much effort and care. The lower branches are added dropwise in early spring and watered during the season along with the main plant. By autumn, seedlings can be separated from the mother bush and planted separately.
Planting and care
Planting and caring for a mock orange is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to take into account the requirements specified in the description of the Komsomolets mock orange variety.
Recommended dates
Planting a mock orange can be carried out in spring and autumn. An autumn procedure is preferred, which is usually carried out from early September to mid-October, depending on the climate in the region. A young sapling of mock orange needs to have time to take root before the onset of frost.
The spring period of planting mock orange is very short. It is necessary to determine the seedling to a permanent place before the first leaves appear on the trees.
Site selection and soil preparation
Gardeners refer to mock orange as a crop with minimal requirements for growing conditions. But even for this unpretentious shrub, it is worth choosing the right place in the garden in order to reveal the full potential of jasmine (mock orange) Komsomolets, indicated in the description of the variety. Photos and reviews of the owners of Komsomolets indicate that the shrub needs a lighted area with fertile soil.
The mock orange is too freedom-loving to grow it next to large trees and shrubs. Garden jasmine does not tolerate thickening. From this, its inflorescences become smaller and decorative effect is lost.
Does not like mock orange and close occurrence of groundwater. In a damp area, the root system of the crop may suffer from root rot or other diseases caused by high humidity.
Mock orange can grow on loam. But flowering when grown in dense soil will be scarce. To plant a shrub in the garden, it is necessary to prepare a fertile soil mixture from soddy soil and high-quality humus. On clay soils, sand must be added. An artificial soil disintegrator (vermiculite) can be used to improve the air permeability of the soil.
For normal development, a young mock orange will need a lot of nutrients. To improve the quality of the soil, a glass of wood ash and 1-2 tablespoons of superphosphate are added to the soil mixture.
Landing algorithm
The planting hole must be prepared in accordance with the size of the root system of the seedling. When planting several bushes, they should be placed no closer than half a meter from each other. The depth of the hole should be 50 – 60 cm.
The prepared hole must be filled with a large drainage mixture. You can use broken brick, pebbles or artificial drainage. The layer should fill the hole about a quarter.
Mock orange takes root well when planted “in the mud.” The pit is filled with water and the seedling is placed vertically along with a clod of earth.
Evenly poured soil mixture must be compressed to avoid the formation of air cavities around the root. For several days you need to observe the state of the trunk circle. If the ground shrinks too much, add soil until it is level with the surrounding area. After that, you can mulch the trunk circle.
The deepening of the root collar can reach up to 2 – 3 cm. This will speed up the growth of shoots, but slightly delay the beginning of flowering.
To speed up the growth of shoots, gardeners cut off most of the shoots from a seedling.
Growing rules
The unpretentiousness of mock orange allows you to grow shrubs with little or no care. But for hybrid varieties, which is Komsomolets, this method is not suitable. In order for the hybrid variety to appear in all its glory of flowering, it needs regular feeding and watering.
Watering Schedule
Mugwort needs to be watered regularly. The shrub is especially demanding on soil moisture during the flowering period. Lack of moisture can cause early fall of delicate snow-white flowers.
After the end of flowering, the mock orange can be watered as needed during the dry period. Excess moisture is harmful to the plant.
Weeding, loosening, mulching
As with the care of any plants, it is necessary to remove weeds from the trunk circle. The mock orange then will not have to share the nutrients that it needs for normal development with weeds.
Loosening is carried out 3-4 times per season to a depth of about 5-6 cm. This technique will prevent soil caking and provide air access to the root system.
It is recommended to mulch the near-stem circle every time after watering. A layer of mulch around the trunk will help maintain moisture levels.
Top dressing schedule
If the composition of the soil during planting was sufficiently saturated with useful substances, then the first top dressing can be carried out in the third year after planting the mock orange in the garden.
Feed the mock orange no more than twice a season. In spring, more nitrogen fertilizers are required. You can use organic or mineral mixtures with a high nitrogen content.
Fertilizers can be applied in the spring dry or in the form of a solution. Nitrogen-containing preparations are scattered over the snow cover around the bush in early spring. The disadvantage of this method of feeding is the inability to correctly calculate the rate of the drug due to the action of melt water.
Gardeners with experience in growing ornamental shrubs are advised to bring a bucket of mullein solution (1 to 10) or bird droppings (1 to 20) under the mock orange bush
Autumn top dressing should prepare the shrub for wintering. To ripen young shoots and increase frost resistance in September – early October, the mock orange is fed with complex preparations of potassium and phosphorus.
Trimming
Formative pruning is carried out gradually, starting from the third year of the shrub’s life. Within 2 – 3 years, the necessary shape of the bush is formed. In the future, the crown is corrected by cutting the regrown branches that have broken out of the composition.
Sanitary haircut is carried out in early spring. Remove all damaged and dried branches. In rare cases, shoots are removed that grow inside the bush and interfere with the movement of air in the crown.
The main pruning is recommended after flowering. During this period, you can remove the tips of flowering shoots, cut out excess young shoots and remove old branches (more than 8 years old).
Preparation for winter
Special preparation for winter requires mock orange bushes 1 – 2 years old. Older bushes of Komsomolets winter well in open ground without shelter.
A young shrub needs to be pulled off with twine and covered with a cloth. The trunk circle can be mulched with a thick layer of peat or rotted manure. In this case, the bush should not be fed in the spring to avoid fattening.
Pests and diseases
Komsomolets is particularly resistant to disease. Only with improper care, planting in a wetland or excessive watering, the root system can suffer from rot. This disease is easier to prevent than to cure.
For treatment, it is necessary to drain the area around the shrub and treat with standard fungicides. If the disease is started, then the bush will die in a short time.
Among the pests, bean aphids, leaf weevil and spider mites like to feast on the juice and foliage of the shrub. Insects are especially dangerous for young seedlings. General purpose systemic insecticides are recommended for pest control.
Conclusion
Chubushnik Komsomolets goes well with flowering shrubs of different colors. You can create a unique fragrant corner in the garden if you plant mock orange, lilac and weigela nearby.