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A variety of Gzhelka culture was created by an unprofessional breeder Kuminov L.P., entered in 1988 in the State Register. For 30 years, the amateur has been breeding new varieties with high gastronomic qualities, using Kamchatka and Magadan species. The description given by the originator and the reviews of the honeysuckle of the Gzhelka variety completely coincide; in terms of taste, the culture received the highest rating on a 5-point tasting scale.
The berries are arranged in pairs, there are fused side
Description of honeysuckle Gzhelka
Gzhelka is a mid-season variety, blooms in the second half of May, fruiting in July. Productivity is high – 2,5-3 kg per bush. Honeysuckle is a frost-resistant plant, suitable for growing in all regions with a temperate climate, in the south it feels less comfortable.
The external characteristic of Gzhelka honeysuckle is as follows:
- Shrub grows up to 2 m, medium spreading, intensive shoot formation – up to 40 pcs. for the season.
- Shoots are straight growing with bare smooth brown bark, skeletal branches are rough, brown with a gray tint and exfoliating areas.
- The foliage of the Gzhelka variety is dense, the leaf plates are bright green, pointed upwards with a small pile.
- The flowers are pink, arranged in pairs or singly in the leaf axils of honeysuckle.
- The berries are dark blue with a silvery coating, crescent-shaped, the surface is bumpy. Length – 2-2,5 cm, weight – 1-1,2 g.
- The peel is dense, the flesh is light beige, juicy, sweet, there is no bitterness in the taste.
- The berries do not crumble, the separation is dry, at a high temperature in an open area they can be baked.
Honeysuckle Gzhelka decorative species, the plant is used in landscape design.
Planting and caring for honeysuckle Gzhelka
Frost-resistant honeysuckle Gzhelka, based on northern species, undemanding in care. It has a high viability and survival in a new place, but still needs an approach that meets its biological requirements. When placed on the plot of the Gzhelka variety, the degree of drought resistance of honeysuckle and the need for lighting are taken into account. For full growth, fertilizers are applied and seasonal pruning is carried out.
Terms of planting
Honeysuckle with early sap flow. If the buds start growing, the plant will endure planting events painfully. The survival rate will be worse, so the spring planting of the Gzhelka variety in temperate climates is not considered. After harvesting, the biological processes in honeysuckle slow down, by autumn the plant enters a dormant phase. This feature is characteristic of both the adult culture of the Gzhelka variety and seedlings. Therefore, planting activities are carried out 1,5 months before the onset of frost.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
The preferred soil composition for the Gzhelka variety is slightly acidic or neutral. An unsuitable alkaline indicator must be corrected, if this is not done, the honeysuckle will begin to lag behind in growth. Sandy or clayey heavy soils are not suitable for the variety, the best option is fertile drained loams with good aeration.
For the full photosynthesis of honeysuckle Gzhelka, a sufficient amount of ultraviolet light is needed, but at the same time, berries can be baked in an open area throughout the daylight hours. The place is taken away protected from the north wind, so that the honeysuckle is not under the midday sun, but is partially shaded. The south side behind the wall of the building is well suited.
Do not choose a place in the lowlands, a ravine where moisture accumulates. Often, excess water causes root rot, the spread of a fungal infection. In the worst case, the seedling may die. After choosing a site, they dig it up, get rid of weeds, and adjust the composition of the soil if necessary. The landing recess can be prepared in advance or on the day of work.
The flowering of the culture is abundant, the main formation of buds is at the tops of annual shoots.
Rules of landing
Purchased planting material in a nursery with a protected root system does not require additional measures before being placed in the ground. The protective material is removed from the seedling or removed from the pot, immediately determined in the pit. If the root is open, disinfect with a solution of manganese, immersing it in the agent for two hours. Then stand a certain time in the growth stimulator according to the instructions.
Landing sequence:
- Dig a hole so that it is wider than the root system.
The top layer of soil is folded separately to the side
- The bottom is covered with a layer of drainage.
- A fertile substrate is prepared from compost and peat, superphosphate is added to it.
- Part of the mixture is poured onto a drainage pad.
- Put honeysuckle in the center and pour out the rest of the substrate, compact.
Each poured layer of soil is tamped so that there is no void near the root
- The pit is filled with earth so that the root neck remains 4 cm above the surface.
- Cut honeysuckle stalks to five buds, water and cover with mulch.
With mass planting, the interval between plants is 1,8 m.
Watering and feeding
The drought resistance of the Gzhelka variety is average, young plants may die when the root ball dries out. In the first growing season, the seedling is watered with a small amount of water so that the soil is not dry and waterlogged. In drought, approximately with an interval of 2-3 days. The irrigation regime for adult honeysuckle is determined by the frequency of precipitation. The main condition is to prevent the soil from drying out.
Feeding for up to two years is not required for a honeysuckle seedling; it has enough nutrition from the mixture planted during planting. Activities begin from the moment of budding, urea and organics are added. At the end of the season, they are fertilized with a complex mineral composition and compost; top dressing promotes the development of vegetative buds in the spring.
Pruning honeysuckle variety Gzhelka
When pruning, the biological feature of honeysuckle is taken into account – the main fruiting of the plant is on the tops of annual shoots. If the branches are two years old, they will give berries, but in much smaller quantities, and they will take the nutrients in full.
Basic pruning rules:
- get rid of perennial branches, leaving only skeletal ones;
- partially after fruiting, annuals are cut out, the main crop of the next season will be given by the shoots of the current year;
- remove weak stems, deformed, growing in the central part of the bush.
Wintering
A frost-resistant plant native to the northern regions calmly tolerates a drop in temperature to -350. Honeysuckle after four years of vegetation crown shelter for the winter is not required. The shrub is irrigated with moisture, fed with organic matter, and the soil near the root is mulched.
Young plants, especially in the first two years of life, did not have time to form a full-fledged root system and accumulate enough nutrients to easily withstand frost. Honeysuckle Gzhelka after planting requires additional measures before winter:
- The shrub is plentifully watered, spud.
- Cover with mulch.
- The branches are pulled together and fixed with a rope.
- From above, the crown is wrapped with burlap or any covering material.
- In severe frosts, you can additionally insulate with spruce branches.
As a covering material, you can use burlap or spunbond
Reproduction of edible honeysuckle Gzhelka
The variety is selective, so it will not work generatively to propagate Gzhelka honeysuckle. Planting material will give young shoots, but the plant will not retain varietal characteristics. The berries are small with a tart bitter-sour taste. Therefore, the Gzhelka cultivar is propagated only in a vegetative way.
The division of the mother plant – for this purpose, an overgrown bush after the age of five years is used. The transplant event is carried out at the end of fruiting.
Use the method of propagation by layering. The lower branch is fixed to the surface in the spring and covered with soil. In the autumn it will be seen which vegetative buds have taken root. Layers are covered for the winter, planted for the next season in the fall. It takes two years from laying a layering to getting a full-fledged bush.
The most effective and fastest way to propagate honeysuckle Gzhelka is cuttings. Cuttings are cut at the end of fruiting from annual shoots. Placed in the ground at the beginning of the next season. When the temperature has stably established itself at a positive mark, seedlings are determined for the site.
Honeysuckle pollinators Gzhelka
Cultivar Gzhelka forms female and male flowers, is self-fertile, pollination is required. This is done with honeysuckle mainly by bees, less often by butterflies and bumblebees. Early varieties bloom first on the site, there are no problems with pollination. Variety Gzhelka does this later. When honey plants bloom, bees rarely visit the bush. To attract insects, honeysuckle is sprayed with syrup.
Next to the Gzhelka variety, honeysuckle Gerda, A bunch is small, is planted.
Gerda blooms at the end of May
A pile is small – a mid-season variety of culture
Diseases and pests
From a wild-growing variety, the Gzhelka cultivar received high immunity to most fungal and viral infections. With a properly designated place and observance of agricultural technology, the plant does not get sick. In the rainy season or with excessive watering, infection with powdery mildew is possible. The shrub of the Gzhelka variety is treated with drugs, for example, Topaz.
Fungicide inhibits the growth of fungal spores
If an infection is detected, the affected parts of the crown are cut off and removed from the site.
Of the pests, it parasitizes on honeysuckle:
- aphid;
- leaflet;
- scale shield.
For the purpose of prevention, the culture of the Gzhelka variety is treated at the beginning and end of the season with Bordeaux liquid. Get rid of pests “Aktara” and “Fitoverm”.
contact insecticide
Biopreparation non-toxic for animals
Conclusion
Description and reviews of the Gzhelka honeysuckle variety will help you get a general idea of the variety and make a choice in its favor. The shrub is used in two directions: to obtain berries with high palatability and a numerous set of substances useful for the body, and also as an element of ornamental gardening. Variety Gzhelka with simple agricultural technology and good frost resistance, undemanding to the composition of the soil.
