Honeysuckle Leningrad Giant

China grows the most edible honeysuckle. But wild species are cultivated there, the berries of which are small, sour, and even crumble after ripening. Canada has recently begun to create varieties that are attractive to the consumer. But she hopelessly lagged behind Our Country, where selection has been carried out since the middle of the last century.

Variety description

One of the most promising varieties of edible honeysuckle for industrial cultivation is the Leningrad Velikan. It was created by the Pavlovsk Experimental Station of VIR, located in the Leningrad Region. The variety was bred from Kamchatka honeysuckle.

TECH SPECS

The adult bush of the Leningrad Giant has a rounded crown, spreading in breadth by 1,6 m, height – from 1,5 m and above. This variety stands out in its line – usually the size of the Pavlovian selection of honeysuckle is more modest. The shoots and leaves of the Giant are dull green, slightly pubescent.

The berries are covered with smoothed tubercles, cylindrical in shape, with a round bottom and a flat top, dark blue, medium wax coating. The length of the fruit is 2,2-3,3 cm, the thickness at the widest point is 1,2 cm, the weight ranges from 1,2 g to 1,5 g.

The pulp of honeysuckle is tender, very sweet. The Leningrad Giant is often used in the creation of other varieties as a donor of sweetness. A slight sourness is present in the berries, however, when fully ripe, it is practically not felt. This honeysuckle is often referred to as a variety for the sweet tooth. Tasting score – 4,8 points.

The variety Leningradsky Velikan enters fruiting 2-4 years after planting, the yield of an adult bush is 1,9-3 kg, the maximum is 5 kg. The return of berries is highly dependent on agricultural technology. With proper care and timely watering, the variety consistently gives about 3 kg per plant.

The ripening period of the Leningrad Giant is average. Berries are poured unevenly and hold firmly on the branches. It is most convenient to do manual cleaning – the fruits are collected in groups resembling clusters. Winter hardiness is good.

Pollinators

The Leningrad Giant is a self-fertile honeysuckle, however, in the absence of pollinators, it produces more berries than other varieties. But it cannot be called a harvest. Joint planting with Gzhelka, Morena, Blue Bird, Malvina, Blue Spindle or Reliable is recommended.

Honeysuckle attracts bees, bumblebees and other beneficial insects to the site, as it is a good honey plant.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Leningrad Giant is ideal for processing. The variety has other advantages:

1. High yield.
2. Winter hardiness up to 40 degrees of frost.
3. Leningrad Giant – the sweetest variety.
4. fruiting stability.
5. Re-flowering resistant.
6. Large fruit.
7. Berries crumble weakly.
8. Quick entry into fruiting – a decent harvest can be harvested 2-3 years after planting.
9. Due to the heap arrangement of berries, their cleaning is simplified.
10. Undemanding to growing conditions.
11. The bush bears fruit for 30 years.

The disadvantages of the variety include:

1. Unripe berries have a fresh taste.
2. Self-infertility.
3. Uneven ripening of berries.

Accommodation on the site

Variety Leningrad Velikan is intended for cultivation mainly in the middle lane and in the north-west.

Selection of planting material

Honeysuckle should be planted in the summer when the heat subsides, or early in the fall. Then, before the onset of cold weather, it will have time to take root. In spring, the survival rate drops by about 20%.

Planting material must be purchased from trusted manufacturers, preferably with a closed root system. The branches should be straight and elastic, without visible damage, with equal internodes. Ripened bark can peel off – this is a feature of edible honeysuckle.

Selecting a suitable site and preparing the ground

For planting honeysuckle, you need to choose a sunny place, protected from the cold wind. Avoid depressions and hollows where cold air accumulates and blocks the ground.

Honeysuckle is undemanding to soils, it grows everywhere, only on sandstones it does not bear fruit well. The ideal land is loose, fertile, with a slightly acidic reaction. To improve the structure of the soil, a bucket of organic matter is added to the planting pits, and 50 g of potassium salt and superphosphate are added as a starting fertilizer. Dolomite flour or lime is added to podzolic and other acidic soils.

Planting honeysuckle

There is no consensus on the best planting pattern for honeysuckle. The Leningrad Giant variety should not be placed according to the standard plan – its bush can grow up to 2,5 m. Leave a space of at least 2 m between the plants, place the rows 2,5-3 m apart.

Prepare planting holes 40x40x40 cm and fill them with water. When the liquid is absorbed, pour a hill in the center from a previously prepared fertile mixture. Place honeysuckle on top, straighten the roots, fill the hole with soil, deepening the neck by about 5 cm. Compact the soil, water and mulch the seedling.

Cultivation of honeysuckle

When properly placed on the site, honeysuckle does not cause trouble. He will have to pay some attention only in the first year after the landing.

young plant care

The seedling needs regular watering. If the root system is allowed to dry out, the plant, at best, will develop poorly and bear fruit, at worst, it will simply die. When the soil dries out a little, it is loosened by 5-8 cm. This operation is sometimes called “dry watering”, besides, it improves air circulation.

The first 2 years after planting, top dressing of honeysuckle will consist in making a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea in early spring. Enough 10 liters for each bush.

Care for an adult plant

Adult honeysuckle is watered during a prolonged drought, the trunk circle is loosened and weeds are removed. Ideally, 3 top dressings should be done:

1. In the spring on snow – nitrogen-containing fertilizers, dissolved according to the instructions.
2. In summer, after fruiting – a complete mineral complex.
3. In early autumn – phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Often, gardeners are limited to spring top dressing and adding buckets of humus and jars of ash to the near-stem circle for the winter.

Pruning and wintering

Leningrad Giant withstands frosts up to 40 degrees. The variety does not need shelter for the winter.

The first 15 years are carried out only by sanitary pruning – dried, broken, thickening the crown and leaning shoots are removed from the honeysuckle. Then every year they cut out the old skeletal branches. After 20 years, but only in case of reduced yields, the entire bush is cut off, leaving stumps of 15-20 cm. After that, honeysuckle will bear fruit for another 10 years.

Methods of reproduction

Amateur gardeners can propagate honeysuckle by dividing a young bush or layering. Seeds germinate and develop well, but do not inherit varietal characteristics. This method of breeding is interesting for breeders, but for gardeners it is unpromising. Cuttings do not take root well without creating special conditions. This method is unproductive in private farms.

Growing problems

Leningrad Velikan, like other varieties of honeysuckle, is disease resistant. Only powdery mildew can create a problem, which affects plants at high humidity in cold weather. You need to fight it with fungicides or biological preparations.

Signs of pest damage and measures to combat them are set out in the table.

Leningrad Giant – a variety resistant to repeated flowering.

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