Volkhov's honeysuckle is famous for its delicious fruits and amazing resistance to low temperatures. Let's look at the characteristics of this variety, its pros and cons, as well as the features of growing a crop and caring for it.
Honeysuckle variety "Volkhova"
honeysuckle "Volkhov" berries fall less intensively, which allows harvesting immediately in large batches
the taste of Volkhov's honeysuckle fruit is dessert-like, with a rather strong aroma
Breeding history
The variety was bred by Leningrad agro-specialists from the Pavlovskaya plant variety. Volkhova was entered into the register of achievements of breeders of the Russian Federation in 1999. The variety got its name from the Volkhov River, which is located in the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) region.
Description of the Volkhova variety
This honeysuckle is outwardly not much different from other varieties of culture. The variety grows mainly in the northwest of Russia, but can be grown in more southern and warmer regions.
Bushes
The Volkhova variety has a rather dense oval-shaped crown. The dark green flat leaves grow in the same shape and become quite wide. The main branches are thin, but there are many of them. The height of the culture can reach 1.5-2 m. The life of a plant is usually 20-25 years.
Berries
The fruits of the plant are colored bluish-gray. Their shape is elongated (about 2 cm long), with a pointed tip. One berry weighs about 1 g and is covered with a thin, but dense shell.
The taste of Volkhov's honeysuckle fruits is sweet with a slight sourness present. The berries themselves are very fragrant; when eaten, a strawberry flavor is well felt. Fruits with such characteristics are called dessert. The Volkhov variety received a high tasting score - 4.7 points.
Specifications
Volkhov's honeysuckle is a mid-early variety, the berries of which become ripe by about the middle of the first month of summer. True, in cooler regions, their ripening period can move by 1-1.5 weeks. At the same time, the fruits almost do not fall, which makes it possible to collect about 2-3.5 kg from one bush.
This variety cannot pollinate itself. To do this, next to it, you need to plant Amphora, Pavlovsk or Azure honeysuckle. Bumblebees also participate in this process, but bees do not pollinate this plant.
The variety has a high resistance to low temperatures. The culture easily tolerates up to -40 degrees below zero, doing without a special shelter. Also, this honeysuckle is suitable for planting for sale in large quantities, since it can be harvested using machinery (for example, a combine).
Pros and cons of honeysuckle
The Volkhov variety, like any other fruit plants, has its advantages:
- slight crumbling of berries;
- high frost resistance up to -40 degrees;
- unpretentious care;
- the ability to grow in large quantities;
- good transportability;
- long shelf life;
- pleasant, dessert taste.
And the disadvantages of Volkhov's honeysuckle are:
- the need for pollination;
- small size of berries;
- fruiting 3-4 years after planting - if the reproduction was carried out by cuttings, then you can pick the berries the next year, but the harvest will be small.
Where to plant honeysuckle?
In order for honeysuckle to please with a good harvest, you need a place to be:
- protected from drafts;
- well lit by the sun;
- with moist, but without excessive dampness, soil.
Do not plant the plant in swampy areas or in soil with nearby groundwater. A good option would be to plant a crop near a hedge or fence, which will “help” the plant to shelter from drafts and strong winds.
Plant preparation for planting
The best time to plant honeysuckle is the beginning of autumn. At the same time, both three-year and six-year-old seedlings can be transplanted (in this case, cut them before planting so that the height of the seedlings is 50 cm).
Prepare the soil for planting seedlings of culture in it:
- water the soil abundantly;
- pour potassium salt (70 g), humus and superphosphate (15 g) on the bottom of the planting recess - if the seedling is already 6 years old, then these proportions need to be doubled.
If the planting soil is too heavy, add sawdust, peat or coarse sand to it to add lightness to the soil and make it moisture-permeable. In the case of frequent formations of liquid stagnation in the ground, make drainage in the landing recess.
Disembarkation process
You need to plant Volkhov's honeysuckle according to the following algorithm:
- place planting holes at a distance of 2-2.5 m from each other;
- make good drainage at the bottom of the holes, if necessary;
- pour fertilizer into the recess - a couple of compost buckets, 1 kg of ash, 50 g of superphosphate;
- gently spread the roots of the seedling when planting;
- sprinkle them with earth;
- water planted plantings well;
- Cover the area around the stem of the plant with mulch (read useful information about mulching the soil here).
How to care for a variety?
To get a good harvest from honeysuckle, it needs to be looked after. This fruit plant is rather picky, but it will develop correctly if it is watered, fed, and the crown properly trimmed. And since the roots of the culture are close to the surface of the soil, carefully remove weeds and loosen the soil.
Watering the soil
Water the honeysuckle in moderation as moisture evaporates from the soil, and more abundantly during the hot period and the fruit set process. At the same time, make sure that there are no pools of water near the bushes. Otherwise, the roots of the culture may rot, and the variety will disappear. The soil must contain moisture, but not be wet.
Top dressing
Add fertilizer to the honeysuckle several times a year:
- in the spring months, after the snow melts, add nitrogen supplements;
- after the leaves appear - "pamper" the plant with organic fertilizers;
- during the blooming of flowers and the formation of fruits - pour ash on the bushes;
- in the fall - use supplements with phosphorus and potassium.
We recommend that you read the article on how to care for honeysuckle in the fall.
Pruning
Prune the crown of the plant in the fall. During this process, remove any wilted and dried branches. Also thin out the foliage inside the shrub so that the crown is not too dense. Do not touch the ends of the branches, as it is on them that the bulk of the ovaries that give the crop are located.
Do not prune the honeysuckle during the first 2 years of its life, otherwise the bush will get sick. Then prune every 2-3 years. This procedure cannot be done more often, as the yield of the plant may fall.
To rejuvenate the honeysuckle over the course of several years, cut the oldest trunks to make way for young shoots. At the same time, do not cut off many branches at once - this can negatively affect the culture, its yield and development.
Shelter for the winter
Despite the fact that Volkhov's honeysuckle is a very frost-resistant culture, this parameter refers to already adult plants. Young seedlings need shelter for the winter for 2-3 years. Warm the bottom of the honeysuckle after persistent cold + 3… -3 degrees.
The cover layer should be 10-15 cm (it can be humus, fallen leaves, branches of evergreen trees, or even cardboard). If enough snow has attacked in winter, sprinkle it on the ground around the plant. Adult honeysuckle does not need to be covered.
Diseases and pests
Volkhov's honeysuckle has good resistance to invasion of pests and common diseases. However, the plant can also get sick. Most often it is affected by the honeysuckle or aphid. This can happen when the rules of cultivation are violated or due to infection from other crops.
You can fight pests in this way:
- when a honeysuckle appears, cut the diseased branches as low as possible and burn them;
- To prevent pest control, spray the plant with insecticides once a year after picking the berries.
Reviews of Volkhov's honeysuckle
Maria, 43 years old, Peterhof, kindergarten teacher.I planted Volkhov's honeysuckle on my site. I can say that in the end we got very tasty berries, without bitterness. It is also unpretentious in care, it can withstand the winter perfectly. True, the yield in the first years of fruiting was not quite what I would like.
Victoria, 49 years old, Kirovsk, economist.I have been growing Volkhov for many years. I note that it hardly crumbles. At the same time, he rarely gets sick. To fight pests, I carry out preventive spraying once a year. I did not notice any special moments when growing.
Mikhail, 54 years old, Pavlovsk, driver.I planted honeysuckle in the country. For a couple of years now, it has been pleasing with a stable harvest. I sell some of the berries on the market. I can say that you can safely transport and store the fruits - they do not deteriorate and do not lose their taste.
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Volkhov's honeysuckle is a plant that is tasty, with a strawberry hue, berries and ease of care. In addition, the culture is very frost-resistant, so it is not afraid of low temperatures. Plant honeysuckle in your area and enjoy its delicious fruits.