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A photo and description of the Azure honeysuckle variety will help novice gardeners decide whether this variety is right for them. One of the main advantages of the shrub is its high resistance to fruit shedding, which formed the basis of its popularity. In addition, it differs from many related varieties in excellent immunity and immunity to fungal diseases.
Description of honeysuckle varieties Azure
Honeysuckle Lazurnaya is a variety of medium ripening, bred by Siberian breeders of the Barnaul NIISS. The first berries on the shrub appear only on June 20-24. Fruiting lasts about a month, but if the year turned out to be warm, it may bloom a second time. If this happens, there may not be a harvest the next year.
Variety Lazurnaya is among the medium-sized ones – the bush grows on average up to 1,5-1,7 m in height. The crown of the shrub is obversely conical, with thin non-pubescent shoots of a light green color. If the summer turned out to be sunny, they can acquire a pinkish tint.
The leaves of the honeysuckle of the Azure variety are large, oval in shape, as can be seen in the photo below. The berries are slightly elongated, with a thickening in the middle. Fruit weight can reach 1,5 g. The skin of the berries is dark blue, there is a bluish coating on the surface. The flesh is tender, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste and blueberry aroma.
Unlike most varieties, the berries of the Azure honeysuckle do not crumble immediately after ripening, which greatly facilitates their harvesting.
Planting and caring for honeysuckle Azure
The most important thing when planting honeysuckle is that in no case should the seedling be buried too deep into the ground. Such a bush will grow slowly and bear little fruit.
It is equally important to observe the distance between neighboring bushes. The recommended planting pattern for the Lazurnaya variety is 1,5-2 m, no less. A more concentrated planting will cause the plants to compete for water and nutrient resources, which will negatively affect the fruiting of the seedlings.
How to choose a place to land
This variety is not particularly demanding on the composition of the soil, but the plant prefers light, slightly acidic soil. Also suitable are places with slightly podzolized and loamy soil.
As for the level of illumination, here preference should be given to open areas. In the sun, the berries are large and tasty, while in the shade the fruits become smaller and then strongly sour.
Watering
Plantings are watered regularly, but moderately. It is impossible to flood the plants so as not to provoke rotting of the roots. The optimal frequency of watering is 1-2 times a week, and no more than 1 bucket of water is spent on each bush. You can moisten the soil both in the morning and in the evening.
Stagnant water is detrimental to the honeysuckle root system, therefore, if the groundwater is too high on the site, a drainage layer must be laid out at the planting site.
Feeding
Fertilize the Azure variety usually in spring and autumn. First, organic and mineral mixtures with a high content of nitrogen and potassium (humus, horse humus, superphosphate, potassium salt) are used as top dressings. In the autumn months, wood ash is added to the soil.
Trimming
From time to time, honeysuckle Azure needs to be cut to increase the yield of the bush and the size of the fruit. For the first time, the shoots are shortened before planting the seedling so that it branches better. Annual pruning is usually carried out in the spring, when the buds begin to bloom, but it is also possible to form a shrub in the fall.
Pruning of branches is carried out so that stumps about 30-40 cm long remain. All weak, dried or broken shoots are subject to processing. Branches growing inside the bush are also removed to avoid thickening.
In the spring, it is necessary to inspect the bush and cut off all frozen branches.
Preparation for winter
Despite the fact that the honeysuckle of the Azure variety is a winter-hardy variety, young bushes will not be superfluous to cover for the winter. To do this, it is enough to mulch the trunk circle with horse humus. Young bushes can be additionally sprinkled with straw and spruce branches – they will protect the honeysuckle root system from severe frosts in a snowless winter.
Honeysuckle Pollinators Azure
All varieties of honeysuckle need cross-pollination, and the Azure variety is no exception to this rule. Despite the fact that the shrub is partially self-fertile, it is necessary to plant a few more bushes nearby to get a good harvest. The following types go well with Azure honeysuckle:
- Gerda;
- Cinderella;
- Blue bird;
- Blue spindle;
- Long-fruited.
Reproduction of edible honeysuckle Azure
The most effective method of propagating honeysuckle of the Lazurnaya variety is green cuttings. The whole process can be broken down into the following steps:
- As soon as the bush fades, cuttings are cut from the honeysuckle along with the base (heel). You can also start harvesting cuttings during the formation of fruit ovaries. As a result, at least 4 buds should be present on each shoot.
- The next step is to soak the resulting blanks in a solution of a root formation stimulator. It is enough to keep the cuttings in it for a couple of hours.
- Then proceed to prepare the soil for planting material. To do this, mix peat with earth in a ratio of 1: 3. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to treat the soil with any industrial fungicide.
- When the soil is ready, the cuttings are buried in individual containers with a slope of 30-40 °.
- After that, the soil is abundantly moistened and the blanks are covered with glass.
- Throughout the growth, the planting material of the Azure honeysuckle must be carefully looked after – ventilate the seedlings from time to time, water moderately. After 2 weeks, the cuttings will begin to form their own root system.
- By August, honeysuckle seedlings should form sufficiently developed roots. After that, they are placed in a school for growing.
On this, the breeding process of the honeysuckle of the Lazurnaya variety can be considered complete. Young bushes are regularly watered and mulched with peat. With the onset of the first frost, plantings are covered with spruce branches and straw. In August next year, Azure honeysuckle can be transplanted into open ground.
For more information on how to propagate honeysuckle, you can learn from the video below:
Diseases and pests of honeysuckle varieties Azure
Like many varieties of honeysuckle, this species rarely gets sick. The plant is highly resistant to pathogens of various diseases, while harmful insects also bypass plantings. Only aphids and honeysuckle borers pose some danger to Azure honeysuckle, but any industrial insecticide can easily cope with them.
Conclusion
A photo and description of the Azure honeysuckle variety will help determine whether this variety is worthy of placement on a garden plot. The shrub differs from many other species in its high frost resistance, excellent immunity to most diseases and is practically not affected by pests. Relative unpretentiousness makes this variety extremely attractive for beginners.