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In the late 80s, an edible variety of the Chosen culture was created on the basis of wild-growing varieties of Kamchatka honeysuckle at the Pavlovsk experimental station of the VIR village. After variety testing in 2001, it was entered in the State Register. Description of the honeysuckle variety The chosen one says that the plant is suitable for cultivation in all regions of Our Country. With proper agricultural technology, the culture gives a good harvest of large berries with high nutritional value.
Description of honeysuckle Chosen One
Honeysuckle is characterized by early fruiting. Blossoming and ripening of berries takes place in the spring, standard varieties give a harvest in May. Honeysuckle Chosen One is distinguished by late fruiting. Late flowering makes it possible to grow a crop in the Leningrad, Moscow regions, in the southern regions, but the most comfortable zone for it is Siberia and the Urals.
The Chosen One blooms in late May or mid-June (depending on growing conditions), bears fruit from August to September. Flowering is not threatened by return frosts, so the yield of the shrub is good (more than 3 kg). Variety Chosen is classified as early ripening, the first crop is harvested from a four-year-old plant.
Characteristics of edible honeysuckle Chosen One:
- A culture grows in the form of a low loose shrub, the maximum height is 1,2 m.
- The stems are erect, with drooping tops, forming a spreading, unthickened crown.
- At the first stages of development, the Chosen One gives a slight increase, the vegetation of a young plant is aimed at building up the root system. At the 3rd year of growth, honeysuckle begins to intensively form the aerial part; during the season, shoot formation can reach 50 pcs.
- Young shoots are distinguished by smooth green bark with a slight brown tint. Perennial branches have a rough surface of a dark gray color, they show areas of exfoliating bark.
- The stems are densely leafy, the leaf blades are lanceolate, with sharp tops, oblong, bright green in color. The chosen one is a deciduous plant, by autumn the color of the crown becomes brown-green. Leaves with large stipules, smooth edges, with a slight edge.
- The flowers of the Chosen One are pink, with long petals, arranged in pairs (rarely singly), in the leaf axils of last year’s shoots. Flowering is rare or non-existent on older branches.
- The berries of this variety are large: weight – 1,2 g, length – 2 cm. The peel is thin, dense, smooth, dark blue with a silvery coating. The surface is slightly bumpy.
The berries of the Chosen One are oval, with a sharp top
- The pulp is beige, juicy, the taste of honeysuckle is balanced, bitterness is present only with improper agricultural practices. According to the tasting assessment, the chosen one scored 4,9 points out of 5, the variety is classified as dessert.
- The berries of the Chosen One hold firmly on the stalk, the separation is dry, they do not crumble from the bush. Long-term storage, transportable.
Honeysuckle Chosen has inherited high frost resistance from a wild-growing crop, calmly tolerates a drop in temperature to -35 0C. Culture is not afraid of spring frosts. The plant has a strong immune system. Rarely affected by pests and diseases. This usually happens if the honeysuckle grows in the wrong place.
The chosen one retains its decorative effect until winter, so honeysuckle is often used in gardening and landscape design to create certain compositions.
Flowering is plentiful, the main place of budding is on the tops of last year’s shoots
Planting and caring for honeysuckle Chosen One
Each plant has certain biological needs. Honeysuckle Chosen is undemanding to growing conditions, but following the recommendations for growing it will help you get a good harvest.
Terms of planting
The biological cycle of honeysuckle slows down after harvesting, so it is better to plant the Chosen variety on the site in autumn. There are no definite dates, it all depends on the climatic features of the region.
It will take at least 30-45 days for the rooting of young honeysuckle, only then will it calmly endure low temperatures. For temperate climates, the recommended planting date is early September. In the south, the Chosen One can be planted in spring before flowering or in autumn (around October).
Selection and preparation of the landing site
The key to a full-fledged vegetation and good fruiting will be a place properly allocated for honeysuckle. The culture comes from the northern latitudes, therefore, in a hot climate, under the direct rays of the sun, honeysuckle berries are baked, and the stems dry. It is better to choose a site for planting the Chosen One with partial shade or temporary shading.
Under the crown of large-sized trees (with a deficiency of ultraviolet radiation), the photosynthesis of honeysuckle drops significantly, the shrub grows slowly, the stems are elongated, flowering weakens, the fruits become small, sour, and bitterness appears. Also not suitable for the cultivar Chosen north side behind the wall of the building. Honeysuckle does not tolerate gusts of cold wind, so the plant must be protected from drafts.
The soil is chosen with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, an alkaline environment inhibits vegetation. The soil must be adjusted to neutral. The chosen one will not grow on sandy soil or heavy clay soil; loamy fertile soils with good aeration and drainage are suitable for it.
Honeysuckle Chosen One is characterized by medium drought tolerance. When the root ball dries out, it can die, moisture deficiency is a particular threat to a young plant. Waterlogged soil is also detrimental to the seedling. Wetlands or areas with close groundwater often cause fungal infections and root rot.
After choosing a place, they dig up the earth, remove weeds along with the root. If it is necessary to adjust the composition of the soil, activities are carried out in advance, 2 months before planting. If the soil meets the requirements of honeysuckle, the site can be prepared immediately before planting.
Rules of landing
It is better to purchase a seedling in a nursery; for breeding, two-year-old material is preferred. Honeysuckle during this time will form a sufficient root system and at least 4 shoots. A seedling with an open root is placed in a manganese solution for disinfection, then in Kornevin to stimulate growth. A closed root does not require such measures.
After removing the protective material, honeysuckle is transplanted into the ground along with an earthen clod.
They dig a hole. It should be wider than the volume of the root by about 10 cm. The depth of the hole is approximately 40-50 cm. A nutrient substrate is prepared from compost, peat and soil, if the soil is heavy, sand is added. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the recess, and half of the mixture is poured.
Landing algorithm:
- Honeysuckle is placed in the center of the hole.
- Sprinkle the roots with a substrate, compact.
- The remaining mixture is added, voids should not be allowed near the root system.
- The earth is compacted with hands.
- Abundantly watered.
To preserve moisture, the seedling is mulched and the shoots are cut by 1/3. If several honeysuckle bushes are planted, be sure to keep 1,5 m between them.
Watering and feeding
The first 2 years of growth, honeysuckle is not fed. The main event for fertilizing begins from the time of budding, in the spring the Chosen One is fed with urea and organic means. In autumn, for laying vegetative buds, they are fertilized with a complex mineral agent and compost. For honeysuckle, slightly acidic soils are desirable, therefore, top dressing with organic matter is recommended.
In subsequent seasons, the irrigation regime is oriented towards precipitation. Do not allow the soil to dry out and become waterlogged.
Pruning honeysuckle Chosen One
The main number of buds is formed on annual shoots, there are flowers on two-year-old ones, but much less, so the older branches are left only as skeletal ones. For a strong bush, a base of 5-7 branches is enough. Pruning is carried out depending on the growing season:
- First pruning immediately after planting.
- For the next 3 years, honeysuckle will grow the root, so the tops of all stems are cut off, this is necessary to stimulate shoot formation.
- In the fourth year, bush molding is necessary. It is carried out after picking berries. Leave the central strong branches as skeletal, remove weak shoots, thin out the center of the bush.
- In subsequent years, sanitary cleaning of honeysuckle is carried out.
Wintering
For adult honeysuckle, the Chosen One, crown shelter for the winter is not required. In a warm climate, after pruning, the shrub hibernates without additional measures, the plant is watered abundantly and left until spring. In temperate climates, the trunk circle is covered with mulch. Young honeysuckle seedlings need preparatory measures:
- seedling spud and mulch;
- collect the stems in a bundle, fix with a rope;
- wrapped with burlap on top.
If the winter is snowy, these measures will be sufficient.
In frosty winters with little snow cover, the plant is covered with spruce branches.
Reproduction
Honeysuckle Chosen One is a breeding variety that is propagated only vegetatively. The seed method is not suitable, because there is no guarantee that a culture will grow with edible fruits. You can independently obtain planting material by cuttings from the tops of last year’s shoots. An equally effective way is layering. For this purpose, lower strong branches are used, which are bent to the ground, fixed and buried. After rooting, the seedlings are separated from the mother plant and transplanted.
Honeysuckle Pollinators
Honeysuckle Chosen One is a bisexual culture, partially self-pollinating, but it needs pollinators for abundant fruiting. This role is played by bees and bumblebees. Honeysuckle attracts insects with the smell of flowers, but does not apply to honey plants.
The chosen one is a late variety, pollinators are reluctant to fly to it, at this time more demanded honey plants bloom. To attract bees, the bush is treated with sugar syrup. Productivity will increase if late honeysuckle varieties with the same flowering period are planted nearby. Pollinators can be varieties Provincialka, Sirius.
Diseases and pests
Honeysuckle Chosen One, with proper planting and appropriate agricultural practices, practically does not get sick. It is possible to be affected by a fungal infection (powdery mildew), only with high soil moisture. The disease is eliminated with the antifungal agent “Topaz”.
Of the pests, aphids pose a particular threat to young shrubs. The parasitic insect is destroyed by insecticides. On adult honeysuckle, a leafworm or scale insect may appear; Fitoverm is used against them. To prevent the spread of pests, treatment with Bordeaux liquid in the fall and spring, as well as the removal of crown sections damaged by infection, will help.
Conclusion
Description of the honeysuckle variety Chosen One will help you get acquainted with the characteristics of the culture. The right place for planting, as well as compliance with agricultural technology, will allow you to grow a strong bush with a decorative crown and a high level of fruiting.
Reviews about the variety of honeysuckle Chosen One
