How to calculate the distance when planting honeysuckle

Honeysuckle, which has long settled in the areas of residents of regions with a cool climate, is gradually conquering the southern gardens. But the culture feels uncomfortable there, does not bear fruit well, does not reach the size of the bush and berries indicated in the description of the variety. One of the factors that can improve the situation is the comfortable placement of the culture. Distance when planting honeysuckle is an issue requiring special consideration. The information will also be useful to northerners who want to facilitate care and increase productivity.

Honeysuckle bushes should be placed at a sufficient distance from each other

Why honeysuckle is planted at a distance

Proper planting of honeysuckle is the key to a future harvest. Sometimes the southerners, believing that the northern berry in their homeland does not receive enough sun, place the plants close, collect a handful of fruits annually and are disappointed in the culture. But they are to blame.

When planting honeysuckle, the distance from each other between the bushes must be maintained for the following reasons:

1. In one place, the culture grows and bears fruit for up to 30 years. Shooting ability in cool climates is good. In the heat, honeysuckle, although it does not grow to the size stated in the varietal description, when it takes root, quickly increases its green mass. With a dense planting, the bushes thicken.
2. Honeysuckle is pollinated by bees, bumblebees and wasps. Without the participation of insects, it will bloom, and it will give little fruit. The buds open very early, because the first berries appear 7-14 days earlier than strawberries. And insects at this time are not too active, they work only in the sun. To attract them, flowers must be easily accessible and well lit. Otherwise, pollinators will turn their attention to dandelions or other plants.
3. Honeysuckle is a very healthy and tasty berry. But it can be sour if the fruits get little sunlight. When planted tightly, only the first berries will contain enough sugars. When the bush enters full fruiting, due to the thickened planting, they will become bitter-sour. In addition, the size of the berries will decrease, and they are already small.
4. Honeysuckle fruits are prone to shedding. Domestic and foreign breeders are struggling with this problem. With a thickened planting, part of the crop will have to be harvested from the ground, and for varieties prone to shedding, the whole.
5. If the distance between the bushes is not maintained, care will be significantly more difficult.
6. The main crop on thickened plants is concentrated on twigs exposed to the sun.
7. With a tight fit, not only the shoots are intertwined, but also the roots. The feeding area decreases, which leads to a slowdown in growth, a decrease in yield.

Insect pollinators need to provide unhindered access to flowers, they open too early, bees and bumblebees are still lethargic

At what distance to plant honeysuckle bushes

There is no single scheme for how much distance should be left between the bushes and rows of honeysuckle when planting. Varieties are different, conditions – too. And although even in the special literature average figures are indicated – between plants there is a gap of about 1,5-2 m, rows every 2-2,5 m, other factors should be taken into account.

For example, the habit of a bush, depending on the variety. It makes no sense to make a distance of 2×2,5 m and even 1,5×2 m between honeysuckle with erect branches, 1 m high. The place will walk, especially in warm areas, where this variety, at best and with good care, will reach 70-80 cm. On the other hand, for tall spreading bushes on slightly acidic soils in a cool climate, 2 m between plants may not be enough.

When planning the placement of a crop on a site, you should make sure that the bush:

• well lit from all sides;
• does not interfere with other plants;
• it should have easy access for care and harvest;
• located in close proximity to other varieties (this is a cross-pollinated plant).

Tips from experienced gardeners

Honeysuckle is well known in the cool regions of Our Country, but until a few decades ago it was rarely grown in gardens as a berry bush. It was believed that the fruits were too sour, with bitterness, and it was not easy to collect them, they did not have time to ripen – they had already begun to crumble.

The culture gained immense popularity in North America and Europe, and only after that did gardeners pay attention to it. Turns out honeysuckle can be delicious. Large-fruited non-shedding varieties are easy to harvest. The demand for the berry has increased so much that it rarely reaches regions where the crop is not grown.

Domestic berry producers lag behind Western ones, demand exceeds supply. But the selection is carried out at the level. Several institutes and experimental stations are engaged in culture. Remarkable varieties of Bachkar and Leningrad honeysuckle have been bred, which are not inferior to foreign ones, but are more adapted to conditions.

Therefore, even for those who live in areas where honeysuckle grows, the advice of experienced gardeners can be useful:

1. For normal fruiting, there are not enough 2 varieties on the site. You need to plant at least 3.
2. Honeysuckle is best placed not in rows, but in curtains.
3. The maximum distance between bushes for normal pollination is 18-20 m, and not 40, as in fruit trees. And better – less. Hymenoptera – bees, wasps, bumblebees are not too active during the flowering of honeysuckle. It is better not to expect that they will immediately fly from one bush to another, and not be distracted, for example, by a dandelion.
4. If the plot is small, you can negotiate with the neighbors and plant berries nearby, but on opposite sides of the boundary.
5. On a small plot, honeysuckle can be entered into a flower bed or into a landscape group – this is a beautiful healthy plant. It is only necessary to maintain a distance and not place it next to crops that require regular treatments.

Only with the correct placement of bushes with honeysuckle can you harvest a good harvest.

Conclusion

The distance when planting honeysuckle should be large enough to provide unhindered access to the bush, feeding area and lighting. But “scattering” them in different parts of the garden is not worth it, so as not to interfere with pollination. This is the only way to achieve a good harvest.