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Now many types of honeysuckle have been bred, but the variety Lakomka stands out against the background of all the others. This plant has a pleasant taste of fruits without bitterness, which is inherent in this culture. In addition, its berries are much larger than those of other species and have a pleasant aroma, so they are liked not only by adults, but also by children. The description of the variety, photos and reviews of honeysuckle Gourmand will help you better understand what kind of crop it is, how to grow it correctly on a personal plot, and what difficulties may arise.
Description of edible honeysuckle Lakomka
This variety of culture was obtained by the Nizhny Novgorod breeder V. A. Fefelov. This species was officially registered in 1998, but work has been carried out to improve its characteristics for 10 years up to this point.
As you can see in the photo below, the Gourmand honeysuckle bush is medium in size and compact in shape. It reaches a height of one and a half meters. The crown is lush oval-rounded. After planting, the growth of honeysuckle is slow for the first four years, but later the rate accelerates significantly. The shoots of Lakomka are straight and thin, they are green in color, but with a slight bluish bloom. The leaves are densely arranged on them. The shape of the plates resembles an elongated oval. Foliage color is light green.
The berries of Lakomka are large, 2-3 cm long. They are dark blue in color with a characteristic wax coating on the surface. Their weight varies between 0,9-1,3 g. The fruits are edible, the taste is sweet and sour without bitterness. They can be eaten both fresh and processed. The yield from a young bush varies between 2,5-3 kg, and from a 10-year-old plant – 3,5-5,5 kg, subject to the rules of care.
Fruit ripening in this type of crop occurs in the first half. At the same time, ripe berries crumble, so harvesting should be carried out 3-4 times. The first fruits are formed 3-4 years after planting.
The variety of this honeysuckle is among the early ripe
Planting and caring for honeysuckle varieties Lakomka
Honeysuckle Lakomka belongs to light-loving crops, so for it you need to select open areas protected from drafts. With a lack of light, the berries become smaller, and the overall yield decreases. The variety is not demanding on the composition of the soil and develops normally even when planted in depleted heavy soil. But to obtain high yields, light loams and sandy loamy soils are preferable. The occurrence of groundwater on the site must be at least 1,5 m from the surface.
Planting should be carried out in the fall from early September to late October. At the same time, at least three weeks should remain before the onset of stable frosts so that the plant has time to take root in a new place. The site must be dug up in advance so that the soil has time to settle. It is important to place honeysuckle at a distance of 1 m from each other, as well as at a distance of 3 m from tall crops.
The landing pit should be 40 cm wide and 2 cm deep. It must be filled with nutrient mixture in advance. To do this, mix the top layer of earth, humus and peat in a ratio of 1: 1: 60. In addition, additionally add superphosphate (40 g) and potassium sulfide (XNUMX g). Mix all the ingredients and fill the recess with the resulting mixture.
Procedure:
- Make a small elevation in the center of the planting hole.
- Inspect the roots, remove damaged and broken areas.
- Put the seedling on a mound in the center, straighten the roots.
- Sprinkle with earth, compact the surface.
- Water the plant generously.
The next day, it is necessary to mulch the root circle with peat, straw or humus to prevent the roots from drying out.
It is important not only to properly plant Gourmand honeysuckle, but also to provide full care in the open field. This culture does not tolerate a lack of moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out timely watering of the shrub in the absence of regular rains. This should be done not only during the growing season and fruiting, but also after harvesting, since during this period the plant is actively growing new branches.
Shrubs should also be fertilized regularly. This should be done in spring and autumn. In the first case, it is necessary to use urea (10 g) or ammonium nitrate (15 g) per bucket of water. Also, to improve the vegetation, the root circle must be mulched with humus. In the second case, superphosphate and wood ash, 150 g each, should be used. To apply fertilizer, it is necessary to make a small ditch 10 cm deep within a radius of 30-50 cm from the trunk. Pour the components into it, and then close it with soil.
For the successful cultivation of honeysuckle Lakomka on the site, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil at the base of the shrub and remove weeds in a timely manner
Reproduction of edible honeysuckle varieties Lakomka
You can propagate the culture in several ways: cuttings, dividing the bush and layering. All options help to preserve the species properties of honeysuckle.
In prepared cuttings, it is necessary to remove the lower pair of leaves, and shorten the rest by half
Preparations are recommended to be made from the shoots of the current year. For rooting, it is necessary to initially cut off the top, and then divide the rest of the shoot into segments 7-12 cm long. The optimal thickness of the cuttings is 0,4-0,5 cm. Each division should have 2-3 pairs of leaves and at least one internode.
The upper cut of the cutting should be straight and 1,0-1,5 cm higher than the kidney, and the lower cut should be oblique at an angle of 45 degrees. For rooting, it is necessary to prepare a wide container, and fill it with a mixture of peat and river sand in a 1: 1 ratio. The soil should be watered abundantly and the surface compacted. Deepen the divisions 1-2 cm into the soil. Then cover the container with foil.
For successful rooting, a temperature of 20-25 degrees and humidity within 85% are required.
For novice gardeners, it is better to use the propagation method by dividing the bush. To do this, you need to dig up honeysuckle in the fall and divide it into parts. Each of them should have well-developed shoots and root processes.
Gourmand honeysuckle can also be propagated by layering. To do this, it is necessary to bend the lower shoots to the ground in an adult bush and fix them. Cover them with soil on top, leaving only the top on the surface. Make sure that the soil in this place does not dry out. Subject to all the rules, the layers will take root in six months. After that, they can be separated and transplanted.
Honeysuckle Pollinators Lakomka
This type of honeysuckle is self-infertile, it needs additional pollinators to set fruits. Therefore, you need to plant 2-3 varieties on the site at the same time with the same flowering period. Otherwise, the harvest can not wait.
The best pollinating varieties for honeysuckle Lakomka:
- Malvina;
- Blue bird;
- Blue spindle.
Diseases and pests
Honeysuckle Lakomka is highly resistant to diseases and pests. But if the basic requirements of culture are not observed, its immunity is reduced.
Possible problems:
- Aphid. This pest feeds on the juice of young shoots and leaves. As a result, the plant slows down growth and cannot fully develop, which negatively affects the yield.
Aphids form numerous colonies, which only multiply every day.
- Shchitovka. A small pest that attaches to the bark and sucks the juice from the branches. In the absence of timely control measures, the plant may die.
To destroy the scale insects, it is necessary to process the bushes twice with a frequency of 10-15 days
To control pests, you need to use:
- “Aktellik”;
- “Fufanon”;
- “Inta-Vir”.
With high humidity, fruit honeysuckle Lakomka can also suffer from various kinds of spots. In this case, spots of different shades and sizes appear on the leaves. With a strong defeat in the plant, premature leaf fall occurs.
For the treatment of fungal diseases, the following fungicides must be used:
- Fundazol;
- “Topaz”;
- “Score”.
Conclusion
Having studied the detailed description of the variety, photos and reviews of Lakomka honeysuckle, we can confidently say that even a novice gardener can grow it. Since, subject to simple rules of care, this culture will not cause any trouble. And in gratitude for the care, she will delight with her beautiful lush crown and delicious fragrant fruits.