Sea buckthorn Altai

Sea buckthorn Altai is a shrub plant that can be grown in almost any part of the country. The variety has a great taste of berries, high yield and unpretentious care.

History of breeding

The Altai sea buckthorn variety was bred in 1981 by crossing two cultures at the M.A. Lisavenko Research Institute.

The progenitors of the bush were fruit and berry crops – this is a form of the Katunsky ecotype and a variety of sea buckthorn Shcherbinka-1. In 1997, the sea buckthorn hybrid passed state tests and received a certificate giving the right to use it in agriculture. Now the variety is included in the State Register of Fruit and Berry Crops.

Description of berry culture

Sea buckthorn shrub with a plastic crown, which is easy to give the desired shape and volume. This quality allows you to use the plant as a landscape decoration and decor of the site.

General idea of ​​the variety

The shrub of the variety grows up to 3–4 meters in height, and the smooth and elastic branches of the Altai sea buckthorn form a lush crown. Young shoots of this variety are silver-gray in color, which darken and turn brown over the years. The leaf plate of the sea buckthorn bush is small and narrow, up to 6 centimeters long. From the outside it is gray-green, and from the inside it is covered with small scales that have a silvery tint. The flowers are small and white, with a delicate aroma, in spring they appear on the sea buckthorn bush before the foliage.

Berries

Sea buckthorn berries sit firmly on the branch, forming a cluster of bright orange. The fruit is oval, weighing from 0,8 to 0,9 grams. The pulp of sea buckthorn berries is fleshy and sweet in taste, and according to tasting experts, this is the only variety that received 5 out of 5 points.

Characterization

It will be useful for a novice gardener to know the detailed characteristics of the Altai sea buckthorn variety and its advantages over other representatives.

Main advantages

The main advantages of the Altai variety shrub:

• the height of the sea buckthorn bush is easily adjusted by cutting;
• fruits of the variety are sweet;
• frost-resistant culture – up to -45 ⁰WITH;
• the bark of mature branches does not crack and remains flexible for many years;
• large-fruited representative among other varieties of sea buckthorn;
• high yield of berries – up to 15 kilograms per bush;
• the variety is practically not susceptible to disease;
• unpretentiousness to the soil and care;
• it is easily transported, provided that the root system is respected.

Sea buckthorn Altai belongs to the female variety, so pollination occurs by transferring pollen from male shrubs. For this purpose, varieties Aley, Ural and Adam are recommended.

Flowering period and ripening period

The beginning of the flowering of sea buckthorn depends on the climate of the shrub. In the middle zone of the country, it blooms in mid-May and continues to bloom for two weeks. Full ripening of the Altai sea buckthorn berry occurs in the second half of August – early September.

Yield indicators, fruiting terms

Sea buckthorn Altai belongs to high-yielding varieties and in one season is able to give its owner from 15 to 16 kilograms of juicy berries from a bush.

Berries appear on the plant in the fourth year of life, however, sea buckthorn becomes a full-fledged fruit-bearer at the age of six. By this time, the bush is already finally formed and directs forces to the ripening of berries and a rich harvest.

Scope of berries

Berries have a universal property in the food field. They are used for almost any purpose: jam and freezing, preparation of drinks, fresh and dried consumption. Sea buckthorn fruits are used in medicine, for decoctions, ointments and creams, in cosmetology. Thanks to the berry, human skin fights inflammation and aging.

Disease and pest resistance

The variety shrub is resistant to bacterial and fungal diseases, which other representatives cannot boast of. The plant is practically not affected by pests. And this factor becomes decisive when choosing Altai sea buckthorn.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before buying a variety, you should study the pros and cons of sea buckthorn.

Comparison of varieties of sea buckthorn Altai sweet and Altai

Rules of landing

Planting and caring for Altai sea buckthorn is not difficult, as the plant easily adapts to environmental conditions and biological influences.

Recommended dates  

Sea buckthorn can be planted in autumn and spring. Experienced gardeners prefer to carry out the planting procedure in the spring, as the time coincides with the beginning of the growing season of the plant. In this case, the bush takes root faster, and also ripens more quickly and begins to bear fruit. In autumn, you can plant a berry, but the process is more laborious. After planting, the young bush must be fertilized with high quality, covered, and constantly sprinkled with snow in a snowy winter.

Choosing the right place

The Altai variety is distinguished by its exactingness to the sun and moisture. To plant it, you need a spacious and open plot of land. The ideal place will be the place where the groundwater passes.

Soil Preparation

The plant is undemanding to the soil, but in order to increase its yield, they try to place it on loamy or sandy loam soil.

Selection and preparation of seedlings

When choosing a culture, special attention should be paid to the type of roots. They should be dense and uniform, without tubercles and not injured. After choosing a seedling, the roots are carefully wrapped with a damp cloth, trying not to damage, and transported to the selected area. Before planting, the leaves are removed from the sea buckthorn seedling and placed in water for 1-2 days to prevent it from drying out.

Advice! In order for sea buckthorn to take root faster, its roots are dipped into a clay or earthen mixture before planting.

step landing

Compliance with the rules of planting is a guarantee of a harvest in the future:

1. First you need to prepare holes with a depth of 40-50 and a width of 50-60 centimeters.
2. Organic and mineral fertilizers are added to dug pits. It can be manure, compost and superphosphate granules.
3. After preparing the pit, a seedling is lowered into it and the roots are carefully straightened.
4. Sea buckthorn is covered with an earthen mixture.
5. Produce abundant watering with 30-40 liters of water.
6. Finally, mulch the soil of the bush.

Care culture

Altai sea buckthorn is unpretentious to environmental conditions. But by observing the minimum requirements, you can double the yield of the plant.

Watering, fertilizing and mulching

During the active growing season, the plant requires abundant watering – 1-2 times a week from 30 to 80 liters, depending on the size of the bush. The rest of the time spend small watering (20-30 liters). Sea buckthorn loves phosphate and potash fertilizers. They are introduced for active growth, preparation for fruiting and increasing yields. Also, the culture needs regular mulching with turf, this helps to retain moisture and protect sea buckthorn from pests.

Trimming

Altai sea buckthorn is the owner of a dense crown, which is regularly thinned out. Annual shoots are pruned by 20-30 centimeters, which in the future stimulates the growth of skeletal branches. And every 8-15 years, the bush requires high-quality pruning of three-year-old shoots so that the yield of berries does not fall. Cutting damaged and dry branches is carried out as needed.

Preparation for winter

The variety of sea buckthorn is characterized by high frost resistance. Therefore, measures to warm the culture for the winter are not carried out. The bark of the branches contains tannins, which make it unsuitable for food by rodents and insects. Due to the property, the plant does not need shelter for protection.

To increase future yields and strengthen the tree’s immune system before wintering, in late autumn, you can fertilize the plant with sodium humate, which is purchased at a specialized store. No other care measures are required.

Collection, processing, storage of crops

The ripening of sea buckthorn berries is completed by the end of summer – the beginning of autumn. It is easier to harvest in late autumn after the first frost. The berry is no longer firmly attached to the branches, which makes it easier to pick, and acquires a delicious pineapple flavor. There are several ways to save the crop, depending on the needs. Sea buckthorn fruits are dried, boiled and frozen without pretreatment. The berries are stored unprocessed for a whole year, and the jam will not deteriorate for several years.

Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention

Conclusion

Altai sea buckthorn will help not only decorate the territory, but also provide a supply of tasty and healthy berries for the whole winter, from which jam, decoctions and other products important for health are prepared.

Growing sea buckthorn Altai is not difficult. And care for fruit and berry crops requires minimal.

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