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Honeysuckle Strawberry is a new generation variety bred by Chelyabinsk breeders. The main characteristic is the sweet strawberry taste of the fruit. Description of the honeysuckle variety Strawberry is of interest to many novice gardeners.
Description of honeysuckle Strawberry
The variety has a high decorative effect. The bushes are vigorous and large, reaching 2 meters in height. Shoots are strong and well leafy.
General description of the honeysuckle variety:
- early maturation;
- high yield;
- fruits hang on branches for a long time, do not crumble;
- plants are undemanding to care;
- resistance to low temperatures and insect pests.
Bisexual flowers are small and inconspicuous, collected in small brushes. The plant pleases with the first fruits already in the second year after planting. Large, blue-violet jug-shaped berries acquire a delicate strawberry flavor in June. The yield of a bush per season reaches 4 kg.
Planting and caring for honeysuckle Strawberry
Honeysuckle Strawberry grows and bears fruit even in areas of risky farming. The main characteristics of culture:
- does not like direct sunlight;
- prefers neutral and slightly acidic loams and sandy soils;
- demanding on water.
Terms of planting
The best time for planting edible varieties of honeysuckle is the last decade of September. In autumn, the young plant will quickly take root and have time to prepare for wintering.
Seedlings planted in spring or summer often die due to insufficient soil moisture.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
The strawberry berry likes shady, quiet, low-lying places. For planting seedlings, it is necessary to prepare:
- landing pits measuring 0,3×0,3 m at a distance of 1,5-2 m from each other;
- 13-15 kg of a soil mixture of rotted manure and river sand (1: 1), wood ash (350 g), double superphosphate (80 g), potassium sulfate (40-50 g).
The top layer of soil from the holes should be set aside to be used for backfilling the roots.
Rules for planting varieties of honeysuckle Strawberry
Before planting, carefully inspect the root system of the seedling and cut off damaged roots.
At the bottom of the planting hole, form a mound of soil, place a bush on it, straighten the roots and cover with a layer of loose fertile soil. The depth of the root collar should not exceed 5-6 cm.
The diameter of the near-stem circle should be 75-90 cm. Compact the soil around the bush and make the sides. Water generously. Wait until all the water is absorbed, pour again. The total consumption for each bush is 22-24 liters of water.
In order for young plants to take root better, after planting, the near-stem circle should be covered with peat or humus mulch.
The weight of honeysuckle berries Strawberry reaches 2-2,5 g
Watering and feeding
Honeysuckle Strawberry is a moisture-loving variety. Young bushes should be watered abundantly every 5-7 days. Adult plants are watered less frequently – 4-6 times during the growing season. Water requirement – 1-2 buckets for each root.
In hot weather, it is desirable to carry out finely dispersed sprinkling of the entire crown. Spray the leaves in the morning or evening so that the delicate foliage does not burn out in the sun.
The first 2-3 years of life, the shrub is fed with a solution of mullein (1 liter of slurry per bucket of water) or bird droppings (1:20) twice a year:
- at the end of April before flowering;
- in May before fruiting.
Adult plants need top dressing with mineral fertilizers:
- Spring top dressing (April) with nitrogen fertilizers stimulates the formation of vegetative shoots. Before opening the kidneys, it is necessary to water the plant with a solution of urea (a tablespoon in a bucket of water).
- Summer top dressing is carried out immediately after picking the berries with a solution of nitrophoska (1,5 tablespoons per bucket of water). A good alternative is slurry (1:4) diluted in a bucket of water.
- Autumn fertilizing with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers is carried out to restore the plant and prepare for winter. To do this, sprinkle superphosphate (100-120 g) or potassium sulphate (50-60 g) under each bush into the trunk circles. Seal the fertilizer with shallow loosening.
Pruning varieties of honeysuckle Strawberry
Together with spring top dressing, it is advisable to trim the crown of the berry. The procedure is carried out for 5-6 years after planting. Old, diseased, damaged branches need to be cut. Carefully remove all null shoots.
At the end of summer, the bushes are thinned out. It is necessary to leave no more than 8-10 strong branches to ensure good ventilation of the plant. At 15-18 years of age, anti-aging pruning should be carried out.
Wintering
Honeysuckle with a strawberry flavor tolerates low temperatures well (up to -40°C). Therefore, it is not necessary to cover the shrub for the winter.
However, in winter, plants can be damaged by rodents or birds. To prevent damage, it is recommended to cover the honeysuckle with a special net.
Protective coating for honeysuckle for the winter
Reproduction
Honeysuckle reproduces well vegetatively. The most productive of them is reproduction by layering. To do this, in early spring, several branches of the lower tier are attached to the ground with a wooden hook. At the point of contact of the shoot with the ground, the skin is slightly incised, which stimulates the formation of adventitious roots. A young plant should be separated from the main bush and transplanted to a permanent place only next spring. The survival rate of young plants grown from cuttings is 100%.
Honeysuckle Pollinators Strawberry
Honeysuckle is a cross-pollinated plant. The yield of such a crop in single-varietal plantings is low. To have more berries, 3-4 different varieties of honeysuckle should grow in one area. The best pollinating varieties for Strawberry are Bazhovskaya, Sineglazka, Success, Delight.
Diseases and pests
Large-fruited strawberry honeysuckle is resistant to diseases and pests. Most often, this garden shrub is affected by powdery mildew. For protection during the active growing season, the bushes are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid or colloidal sulfur. The drugs “Skor” and “Vector” have proven themselves well. In order to prevent infection of healthy areas, it is necessary to remove the affected leaves in a timely manner.
Rare cases of damage to the leaves of the berry plant by a false scale insect, caterpillars of the leaf beetle, honeysuckle mites and aphids have been recorded.
False scale insect – the main pest of Strawberry honeysuckle
To prevent the attack of pests on the shrub, in the spring it is necessary to treat the branches with a solution of Akteppik or Confidor.
An important preventive measure against diseases and pests of honeysuckle is the timely mowing of grass in a summer cottage.
Conclusion
Description of the honeysuckle variety Strawberry allows beginners and experienced gardeners to make the right choice in favor of this crop. Delicate berries with a unique taste are a storehouse of vitamins and minerals necessary for the body. In addition, the fruits have a high therapeutic effect: they reduce pressure, eliminate inflammation, relieve swelling and treat anemia.