Honeysuckle variety Cinderella: planting and care, photos, pollinators, reviews

In the 2nd half of the XNUMXth century, Soviet breeders bred many varieties of edible honeysuckle. Many of them are still in demand and enjoy well-deserved popularity among gardeners. The following is a description of the variety, photos and reviews of honeysuckle Cinderella – an unpretentious and productive variety of this shrub, quite often found in household plots.

Description of the honeysuckle variety Cinderella

Edible honeysuckle has always attracted the attention of breeders. Unlike ordinary berry bushes, the fruits of this plant are much healthier, and almost no maintenance is required. However, in nature, edible honeysuckle has a very limited distribution area. To expand it as much as possible and increase quantitative and qualitative indicators, breeders from different countries have made a lot of efforts. Thanks to their work, many varieties of this amazing plant have appeared, suitable for growing even in the most unfavorable regions.

Cinderella honeysuckle fruits are quite large

The variety of edible honeysuckle (loniceraedulis) Cinderella was bred in 1974 by breeders of the Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia. M. A. Lisavenko. The progenitor is Kamchatka honeysuckle No. 8 (later variety Start), the selected seedlings of which, as a result of free pollination, received the necessary properties. Variety testing was carried out from 1982 to 1990, and in 1991 Cinderella honeysuckle was included in the State Register as recommended for planting in the West Siberian and East Siberian districts. Subsequently, this territory was expanded to the scale of the whole country.

The main parameters and characteristics of the plant are given in the table below:

A short overview video on how honeysuckle Cinderella bears fruit can be viewed at the link:

Planting and caring for honeysuckle Cinderella

Honeysuckle Cinderella, like most other edible varieties of this shrub, is self-fertile. Therefore, when deciding to plant this crop, it should be borne in mind that it is necessary to plant not only the plant itself, but also the pollinator, which should be located in close proximity. Optimal for fruiting is a group of at least 4 bushes growing next to each other.

When choosing a seedling, it is worth giving preference to planting material with ZKS

When choosing planting material, it is worth giving preference to seedlings aged 2-3 years, sold in special containers. A closed root system is more stable and tolerates planting much better. Honeysuckle seedling Cinderella should have a good appearance, it should not have mechanical damage and traces of diseases. If the roots of the plant are open, be sure to inspect them for rot.

The best time for planting Cinderella honeysuckle seedlings in open ground is early spring or autumn. In areas with a temperate and warm climate, planting is best done in the autumn, at the end of the growing season. Before the onset of cold weather, this should remain at least a month. During this time, the seedling will have time to take root and adapt in a new place, and after winter it will confidently start growing. In areas where winter comes early, Cinderella honeysuckle should be planted in early spring, as soon as the ground thaws.

The right choice of a place for planting honeysuckle Cinderella is very important. In order for the shrub to grow well and bear fruit, the site for planting it must be well lit. It is desirable that the place be protected from the north wind, so honeysuckle is often planted on the south side of the fence or building. The soil should be loose and breathable, fertile, loamy or sandy, with a level of acidity close to neutral.

The size of the planting hole depends on the volume of the root system of the seedling

Before planting honeysuckle Cinderella, it is necessary to dig holes, the dimensions of which must correspond to the volume of the root system of seedlings, this is at least 0,6 m in diameter and 0,5 m deep. The excavated land is mixed in equal proportions with humus, to increase fertility, some potash and phosphorus fertilizers, wood ash are added to it, and if the soil has high acidity, lime or dolomite flour is additionally added. Honeysuckle seedling Cinderella is installed in the planting hole strictly vertically. The root collar is not buried when planting. The free space of the pit is filled with enriched soil, periodically compacting it. After filling the entire volume, abundant watering of the root zone is carried out, and then the surface is mulched with humus.

Honeysuckle needs regular watering

Further care of the shrub is simple. Cinderella honeysuckle needs regular watering, but excess moisture is harmful for this crop. With insufficient rainfall, honeysuckle is watered once a week, about 1 liters under each bush. During fruit ripening, watering can be done more often and more abundantly to avoid premature shedding of unripe berries. It is recommended to fertilize the shrub starting from the 10rd year after planting. It is produced in several stages:

1. Early spring. Foliar top dressing with urea (20 g per 10 liters of water) or root ammonium nitrate (25-30 g per bush)
2. Spring, after flowering. Rotted manure or compost is applied to the root zone in the amount of 10-15 kg for each honeysuckle bush.
3. Autumn, September-October. Root top dressing with superphosphate (25-30 g) and potassium sulfate (15-20 g) for each bush. It is better to apply in a diluted form, dissolving the required amount of fertilizer in 10 liters of water.

Low bushes of honeysuckle Cinderella can also be used as ornamental plants

Cinderella honeysuckle bushes are used not only for growing berries, but also as landscape plants, for example, to create low hedges. In this case, a formative pruning of the shrub is performed to give it a more decorative look. In addition, it is necessary to thin out the crown, remove excessive thickening, remove side branches if they lie on the ground. Annually, in spring and autumn, it is necessary to clean the bushes from dry, broken and diseased shoots.

Honeysuckle Pollinators Cinderella

The need for pollinators is one of the main disadvantages of Cinderella honeysuckle. If a plant is planted for the purpose of obtaining a crop, then other species must be nearby. The best pollinators for honeysuckle Cinderella are shown in the table:

Reproduction of edible honeysuckle Cinderella

Reproduction of edible honeysuckle is possible both by seed and vegetatively. Healthy seedlings can be obtained from seeds, but there is no guarantee that they will retain varietal characteristics. Therefore, Cinderella honeysuckle is propagated by gardeners vegetatively – by layering or cuttings.

Green cuttings give the highest percentage of rooting

The most effective propagation method is green cuttings. When they are used, about half of the planting material takes root. The best time for cuttings is the fruit ripening period. The procedure is as follows:

1. A branch of annual growth 20-40 cm long must be torn off from the mother branch with a piece of cambium (heel).
2. Place the cutting in a root formation stimulator (heteroauxin) for 12-16 hours.
3. Plant the cutting at an angle of 45 ° towards the sun in a special bed. A mixture of peat and perlite is used as a nutrient soil. The place for the beds should provide the possibility of shading the cuttings at noon and lighting in the morning.
4. Regularly moisten the bed with cuttings. After 2-3 weeks, the shoot will begin to form its own root system.

The breeding scheme of honeysuckle Cinderella layering

Another easy way to propagate honeysuckle Cinderella is to create air layering. To do this, a strongly inclined side shoot is fixed near the ground and added dropwise. In the process of regular moistening, roots and independent shoots will begin to form in the internodes of the shoot. The layer overwinters along with the mother bush, and in the spring it can be cut off from the parent branch and transplanted to another place.

Diseases and pests

The originator of the variety notes that there are no cases of the appearance of diseases or pests on Cinderella honeysuckle, and gardeners’ reviews also testify to this. The shrub has a high resistance to viruses and fungi, however, for prevention in early spring, it is advisable to treat the shrub with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

For prevention, it is advisable to treat the bushes with a fungicide in early spring.

It is also necessary to regularly remove dry and broken branches from the crown, which can become a source of infection, and remove fallen leaves.

Conclusion

The description of the variety, photos and reviews of Cinderella honeysuckle are confirmation that this shrub may well replace traditional berries, especially in regions with a harsh climate. The plant really has a lot of positive qualities, and even such nuances as the need for pollinators, a slight stretch in fruiting and the existing tendency to shed berries do not detract from all its advantages. In addition, the cultivation of Cinderella honeysuckle is extremely simple, the culture is unpretentious and resistant to many adverse factors, which is very important for gardeners who are not able to devote enough time to plantings.

Reviews of honeysuckle variety Cinderella