Honeysuckle Strezhevchanka – Plant nursery Siberian Garden

Description of honeysuckle variety Strezhevchanka

Edible honeysuckle (lonicera edulis) Strezhevchanka is a vigorous early variety. The bush is up to 180 cm high and 1.5 meters in diameter and has straight, spreading branches. The foliage is dark green, slightly matte. The variety is a dessert variety with high taste qualities. The plant blooms in May and continues to form buds for 15-20 days. The most abundant harvests can be expected from the fifth year after planting, and then for 3-5 years, depending on care. Then the yield begins to decline.

Record large berries, weighing up to 3 g, ripen abundantly and uniformly, and do not fall off. They are easy to collect, since the arrangement of the branches is quite sparse, and the fruits are located at the very tips. They are covered with a waxy coating, dark blue, almost black, spindle-shaped. Sweet and sour, juicy, with thin skin. They ripen in the first half of June. The yield of a bush on average reaches 2.4-2.8 kg of berries per bush, and with proper care and a favorable climate it can reach up to 4.5 kg. The disadvantages of the variety include the impossibility of machine picking of ripe berries and poor resistance to transportation due to increased juiciness and thin skin.

Honeysuckle Strezhevchanka is a standard crop that requires proper pruning

Reviews from gardeners

Evgenia, 62 years old, Kaluga: “At my age it’s difficult to take care of a summer cottage. I try to select plants that do not require special care. I found a description of the Strezhevchanka variety and its photo on the Internet. I decided to plant 2 bushes on my site. I harvested my first harvest in 2022. I’m happy with the result, I want to plant 4-5 more bushes.”

Nikolay, 53 years old, Samara: “Honeysuckle Strezhevchanka, a description of which I read in some gardening magazine 5 years ago, pleases with its harvests. From one bush you can collect up to 3-4 kg of berries. The plant does not require special care. The main thing is to water in a timely manner if there is no rain.”

Olga, 46 years old, Odintsovo: “Strezhevchanka has a pleasant taste. It is convenient to pick berries due to the fact that they do not fall off with every touch. No need to wade deep into the bush. If you don’t forget to use pest control and feed the plant in spring and autumn, you can get good harvests.”

Artem, 38 years old, Kamyshin: “I try not to use unfamiliar plants. I planted Strezhevchanka only because I received a lot of positive feedback about it from fellow gardeners. Berry bushes in most cases begin to bear fruit at 2-3 years. I received a harvest from Strezhevchanka in the first spring. The fruits were still small. I expect a full harvest in 1-2 years.”

Description of the honeysuckle variety Strezhevchanka

The main advantage of honeysuckle compared to other types of fruit bushes and berries is its early fruiting period (in this indicator, the plant is even ahead of strawberries), which allows you to satisfy the body’s need for vitamins after a long winter. However, the new variety Strezhevchanka can please its owner with a good harvest even before this is on average typical for this crop.

History of selection

Only two countries in the world are engaged in serious breeding work to develop new varieties of honeysuckle - Russia and Canada, and domestic scientists have achieved the greatest success in this area. Due to the high frost resistance of the crop, its development is mainly carried out by scientific institutes and fruit stations located in the northern regions of the country.

One of such institutions is the Federal Unitary State Enterprise “Bakcharskoye”, which is part of the Russian Agricultural Academy system and located in the Tomsk region (formerly the Bakcharsky stronghold of Northern Horticulture of Siberia named after M. A. Lisavenko). It was here that such varieties of honeysuckle as Tomichka, Pamyati Gidzyuka, Sibiryachka, Narymskaya, Chulymskaya, Silginka, Pride of Bakchara, Bakcharsky Velikan, Bakcharskaya Yubileynaya, Parabelskaya and others were created.

Strezhevchanka is one of the latest finds of Bakchar breeders. Work on its creation was completed just a few years ago; since 2012, official variety testing of the new product has been ongoing. After their completion, the plant will likely be included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation. If this happens, Strezhevchanka will become the 14th registered variety of honeysuckle bred by FSUE Bakcharskoye (for reference: today 109 varieties of this plant are included in the State Register).

Appearance, characteristics of berries, ripening time, yield

It is logical to start the description of a new honeysuckle variety with a bush. In Strezhevchanka it is vigorous, but at the same time sparse (not dense), which greatly simplifies the harvesting procedure. The crown is round, its dimensions in diameter and height are approximately the same and are about 160 cm. The central shoots grow almost vertically.

The fruit is edible, very large (from 1.6 to 3.0 g). The shape of the berries resembles a spindle extended at the center; the color is dark purple, almost black. The thin skin is covered with a light waxy coating. The taste of the pulp is dessert, sweet with pleasant sourness, and the consistency is medium density. The tasting score of the berry is very high - 4.8 points out of 5 possible.

The chemical composition of Strezhevchanka honeysuckle is rich and varied.

In particular, berries contain:

• P-amylase and other enzymes - 200–1800 milligram percent (mg%);
• ascorbic acid (vitamin C) - 60–80 mg%;
• thiamine (vitamin B1) - 30–40 mg%;
• riboflavin (vitamin B2) - 25–30 mg%.

In addition, the fruits contain natural dyes and tannins, pectins, organic acids, sugars, anthocyanins and leukoanthocyanins, cakhetins, as well as minerals - potassium, magnesium, iodine, manganese, etc.

Important! In folk medicine, honeysuckle berries are used in the treatment of hypertension and other diseases of the cardiovascular system, skin problems and gastric disorders, and also as a diuretic and immunostimulant.

The shrub begins to bloom in May, the process lasts on average from 10 to 20 days . Fruiting occurs in the first half of June. The harvest ripens at the same time. From 3.6 to 4.4 kg of fruit can be harvested from a bush, but the plant provides such indicators no earlier than 5 years of age and then for 3 years, after which productivity may gradually decrease.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Having not yet received official recognition and legal status, the new variety has earned more than one enthusiastic review among amateur gardeners, and some of them consider Strezhevchanka the best honeysuckle known today.

• In particular, the advantages of the variety include:
• very large fruit size (in this regard, Strezhevchanka has no competitors);
• one-dimensionality and rich color of the berries, ensuring their high marketability;
• excellent taste characteristics and rich vitamin and mineral composition;
• lack of tendency to shedding;
• convenient bush shape for care and harvesting;
• regular, friendly and abundant fruiting;
• high winter hardiness and frost resistance (the bush is able to tolerate very severe frosts down to –40°C, and flower buds and even ovaries can withstand temperatures down to –8°C);
• unpretentiousness, lack of high requirements for the sum of active temperatures, equally stable reaction to drought and lack of heat;
• higher resistance to diseases and pests than other varieties.

• Among the shortcomings of Strezhevchanka today, only the following are noted:
• not very good transportability of the berries due to the rather thin skin;
• low self-fertility (dependence on the presence of pollinators).

Agricultural technology

The variety is undemanding to agrotechnical measures and generally demonstrates good survival rates and yields with classical honeysuckle care.

Choosing a place in the garden and preparing holes

The optimal location would be an area protected from the wind with good lighting (small short-term shading is allowed).

The variety grows well on peaty and chernozem soils, gray forest and loamy, sandy loam soils. Honeysuckle can grow in lowlands, as it is considered a moisture-loving plant.

Important! The plant is demanding of the soil only in relation to potassium and phosphorus.

Preparing for landing

It is recommended to plant honeysuckle in open ground in the fall to provide it with a temporary state of dormancy and good adaptation to a new place. The best predecessors are grains and legumes.

Important! The worst predecessors are gooseberries, currants, cherries.

Bushes are planted at a distance of 3 m from each other and at least 1.5 m from other crops. This is necessary both to protect plants from pests and to simplify the care of bushes.

Before planting, the soil is cleared of weeds, loosened and acidified or alkalized depending on the initial pH.

Soil requirements

Strezhevchanka develops well in almost any soil. Sandstones will provide maximum access to mineral elements, and alumina helps retain moisture.

The variety is also unpretentious in relation to the acid-base balance. The optimal indicator ranges from 5.5–6.5 units, but deviations in one direction or another will not become an obstacle to normal growth and fruiting.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Bushes are transplanted into open ground in the fall, usually in the second ten days of October. With early frosts or warm autumn, this period may shift.

For planting, prepare a hole 35-40 cm wide and deep within 3 days. Turf, sand or small pebbles are laid on the bottom to ensure good drainage.

The layer should be at least 5 cm thick, with a high groundwater level - up to 10 cm. The drainage is sprinkled with a soil mixture consisting of compost, ash, vermicompost and superphosphate. For 20 liters of compost, use 1 kg of ash and vermicompost and 50 g of superphosphate.

Features of cultivation

Strezhevchanka does not have any special requirements for cultivation.

Care includes regular fertilization and watering. During the growing season, it is recommended to water the plantings no more than once a month, and during prolonged drought - once every 2 weeks.

During fruit ripening, watering is reduced so that the berries do not turn out watery and too soft. Water consumption is 10 liters per bush. Watering is carried out until mid-October.

Reference. After watering, shallow loosening is recommended.

The first feedings are used no earlier than 3 years after honeysuckle transplantation . In the fall, organic potassium and phosphorus are added under the bush. In spring, nitrogen fertilizers are used. A mixture of 5 kg of compost, 80 g of superphosphate and 15 g of ammonium nitrate can be used as a mineral fertilizer.

The crown of the bushes is formed using a standard method. Pruning is carried out in late autumn after sap flow has stopped. Young bushes and shoots are not touched. Branches of 5-6 year old bushes are trimmed. In young plants, only sanitary pruning of dried, diseased or damaged shoots is carried out.

Pollinators

One of the main requirements of the variety is the presence of pollinating insects and bushes for cross-pollination. The best representatives are Yugana, Silginka, The Giant's Daughter, and the Bakcharsky Giant. They have the same timing of flowering.

Important! Plants also require access to pollinating insects. Under no circumstances should bee, butterfly, wasp or bumblebee repellers be installed.

Disease and pest control

The fight against infectious agents and pests comes down mainly to preventive measures - treatment with alkaline solutions against aphids, infusions of potato or tomato tops, and wormwood.

If a massive accumulation of insects is detected, treatment with insecticides - “Aktellik”, “Topaz”, “Biotlin”, etc. is recommended.

Preparing for winter

The variety is frost-resistant and does not require special preparation for wintering.

Care before the dormant period includes sanitary pruning, removing old fallen leaves from the soil (pests can overwinter in it), updating mulch and loosening the soil. It is also recommended to fertilize in the fall.

Difficulties in growing

When growing Strezhevchanka, the main problem may be root rotting due to high groundwater levels, low self-pollination and self-fertility.

The first is solved when forming a hole for bushes by laying a dense drainage layer. The issue of self-fertility can be resolved by planting 1-2 bushes of other varieties that bloom at the same time as Strezhevchanka.

Reproduction

Bushes can be propagated by division, layering or cuttings.

For cuttings, 3-year-old strong shoots 15-20 cm long with live buds are selected and cut off from above and below. The upper cut is straight, the lower cut is at an angle of 45°. The leaves are removed and the cuttings are placed under a glass jar in fertile soil. Rooting occurs within 2-3 weeks.

The division of the bush is carried out either in March or in the last ten days of October. The bush is dug up on one side, carefully moving the shoots to the dug side, and the root system is carefully separated. The layering bush is transplanted to a permanent place. The method is considered the fastest for obtaining a harvest, but at the same time the most traumatic for the mother plant.

To obtain layering, the outer shoots of 4-5 years of life are bent to the ground and fixed or buried. It is best to secure the shoots with vertical pegs. The buried shoot is watered with a root formation stimulator. After the cuttings appear, they are carefully separated from the mother plant along with a piece of the uterine shoot and transplanted to a new place.

Characteristic

Blue honeysuckle is a low, perennial shrub. His height is 60 cm and above. In Russia it grows in the Central part, Eastern Siberia and the Far East, and is also found in other areas. There are wild and cultivated plant species.

In nature, it can be found in places such as:

• floodplain forests
• tundra
• marshy areas
• river valleys

Many plant varieties tolerate frost easily and are unpretentious. For successful growth, regular watering and loosening of the soil under the bush is necessary. It should be noted that the root system is close to the surface of the earth.

The procedure must be carried out carefully so as not to damage it:

• When individual branches dry out, they must be removed with pruning shears.
• Experienced gardeners advise planting different varieties.
• This will ensure a fruit harvest.
• This happens due to mutual pollination.

The berries are oblong, deep blue in color. They have a sweet and sour taste. Some species have a bitter taste. When choosing a variety, you need to know that there are edible and poisonous fruits.

Botanical description

Honeysuckle Viola is a fast-growing variety. In the botanical encyclopedia you can find a description of this variety as a vigorous plant with straight branches standing strictly perpendicular to the ground. The bush forms large; the most common propagation option is a seedling. From one plant you can get from 1.9 to 3 kg of berries. The shape of the fruits resembles oblong barrels, and the color is very similar to blueberries - matte blue. The weight of one berry ranges from 1–1.2 g. The average height of the bush is 2.1 meters. The plant reaches its maximum size between the sixth and tenth years of life.

Did you know? There are more than 250 varieties of honeysuckle in the world, but only a few are suitable for eating. All berries of edible varieties, without exception, are dark blue or purple. Fruits of red and orange shades are poisonous!

Farms specializing in breeding honeysuckle varieties

The Bakcharskoye horticultural enterprise is located in the Tomsk region. For 84 years, varieties of fruit and berry crops have been bred there. Unique, frost-resistant species are grown here. At the moment, honeysuckle is the main crop of this farm.

Her plantation covers an area of ​​50 hectares. Many of its varieties were created here: Bakcharsky Velikan, Tomichka, Bakcharskaya, Bakcharskaya Yubileynaya, Daughter of the Giant, Yugan and many others. Below we will consider each type in detail.

In 1926, the Pavlovsk Experimental Station of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Growing named after Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov was opened near St. Petersburg. There are 4 plant research laboratories here. Employees study, grow plants, cross them and develop new species.

M. N. Plekhanova specializes in honeysuckle varieties.

She and her students own the following varieties:

• Moraine
• Nymph
• Amphora
• Violet
• Yoke
• Vlad and many others.

In addition to Russian breeders and biologists, this crop is propagated in other countries, for example, Canada and China.

Yugana

This self-fertile variety was bred in 2010 in the Tomsk region. The bush is relatively low (up to 1.5 m) and spreading. The varieties “Giant’s Daughter” and “Delight” located nearby will increase its fertility. The berries are sweet, large, weighing up to 2 grams and up to 4 cm long. Unripe fruits hold very tightly on the branch, but ripe ones fall off easily, so when picking, it is recommended to spread cloth or polyethylene under the bush.

This variety is characterized by uneven ripening of berries, which depends on the climate.

How to buy honeysuckle seedlings Strezhevchanka in the Siberian Garden nursery

In our nursery, you can buy Strezhevchanka honeysuckle seedlings on open trading floors and in nursery stores. For addresses, opening hours, and phone numbers of retail outlets, see the “Contacts” (in the top menu).

The Siberian Garden nursery delivers seedlings throughout Russia. You can order plants in our online store at: zakaz.sibsad-pitomnik.ru or follow the link in the top menu. You will also find information about the conditions for placing orders, paying for them and delivering seedlings throughout Russia in the online store in the relevant sections.

The Siberian Garden nursery sells seedlings wholesale and invites organizations involved in the sale of seedlings, landscape design, as well as organizers of joint purchases, to cooperate. The terms of cooperation can be found in the “Wholesalers” (in the top menu).

Long-fruited honeysuckle

This variety was bred for the Ural climate. It is relatively low, but spreading. The bark is purple in color, which makes it possible to use honeysuckle to decorate areas and create landscape compositions.

It blooms at the end of May, and already at the beginning of July-end of June you can harvest the first harvest. The berries are long, up to 2.7 cm. Their weight can reach 2 grams. The taste of the fruits is aromatic, juicy and sweet without the bitterness inherent in some varieties. They ripen evenly and practically do not crumble.

Sources:

https://fermilon.ru/sad-i-ogorod/kustarniki/zhimolost-strezhevchanka-opisanie-sorta-foto-i-otzyvy.html https://www.suncitrus.ru/plodovo-yagodnye-rasteniya/zhimolost https: //mrdachnik.com/8-krupnyh-sortov-zhimolosti

Diseases and pests

Honeysuckle Strezhevchanka demonstrates unique immunity to common shrub diseases. Therefore, the main care consists of preventive measures, including folk remedies:

• Modern fungicides, sulfur, and urea help well against fungal diseases;
• bacterial and viral infections are not dangerous for a strong, healthy plant with good immunity;
• Treatments with alkaline solutions, ash, soda ash, and laundry soap help against aphids;
• Spraying with iodine preparations, whey, infusions of tomato and potato tops, plants whose smell is intolerable to insects has worked well;
• if massive accumulations of insects are found that threaten honeysuckle plantings, you should resort to industrially produced insecticides.

Attention! Honeysuckle Strezhevchanka is useful for hypertension, heart and vascular diseases. Stimulates metabolism and skin regeneration, treats gastric disorders, and helps strengthen the immune system.

Strezhevchanka honeysuckle bushes affected by aphids

Edible honeysuckle - leaves fade

Wilting leaves of edible honeysuckle may be the first sign of plant disease. The leaves change color, dry out and fall off. The metabolism inside the plant is disrupted, which tries to compensate for the premature wilting of leaves with new green shoots. To do this, the bush has to consume more nutrients, which causes it to weaken. To prevent the death of the plant, it is necessary to begin treatment in a timely manner.

Causes of leaf wilting:

• Fungal diseases. For example, powdery mildew, which affects the entire leaf blade. To combat it, use a 0.1% solution of copper sulfate.
• Lack of microelements. For the normal development of honeysuckle, it needs elements such as: phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium. They are aimed at developing the root system, the formation of leaves and increasing the plant’s resistance to diseases. A deficiency of any of them will affect the condition of the entire plant. This will be noticeable by changes in the color and structure of the leaves. Solving the problem is simple - just regularly carry out foliar feeding, replenishing the lack of essential microelements.
• Insufficient or excessive watering. In temperate climates, honeysuckle requires infrequent watering - about 4 times per season. The plant will need up to 10 liters of water per watering. Lack of fluid can lead not only to small and bitter berries, but also to some honeysuckle diseases. Excessive watering also provokes fungal diseases. Watering should be adjusted depending on weather conditions.
• Insect pests. Sometimes honeysuckle is attacked by mites or aphids. They settle on the leaves of the plant and feed on its resources. To combat insects, Bordeaux mixture or other special preparations are used.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of edible berries are obvious. They contain a large amount of vitamins. Honeysuckle is considered a medicinal plant; it does not lose its properties when heated.

BENEFIT:

• Used to treat and prevent scurvy
• Boosts immunity
• Reduces high blood pressure
• Helps with migraines
• Strengthens the cardiovascular system
• Removes salts from the body
• Honeysuckle is recommended for gastritis, ulcers
• Treats sore throat

HARM:

• Excessive consumption can cause allergic reactions and intestinal upset. As in any other case.
• When consuming the product, you need to know when to stop and not overeat.

Harvest and storage

Honeysuckle berries ripen gradually, starting from the top of the bush; on the lower branches, ripening will take place last.

The first harvest of Salminka can be harvested in early June.

The ripening of the berries occurs gradually - from the top of the bush, so the harvest is harvested in several stages. It’s very convenient to spread a film under the bush and shake the branches; the ripe berries will sprinkle and can be easily collected. The collected berries are cleaned of debris, leaves and twigs, and then stored. Store berries in the refrigerator for no longer than a week.

Storage Features

Transport must be carried out with care and only over short distances. Tender berries are easily damaged

Preparing for winter

Honeysuckle is frost-resistant and does not require special preparation for winter. You can carry out small pruning of dried or creeping branches on the ground.

Reproduction

Reproduction is carried out in several ways:

1. By layering. To do this in the spring, it is enough to bury a side branch, without separating it from the mother plant, and water it.
2. Dividing the bush. An overgrown bush is simply dug up and replanted.
3. Seeds. This is a very complex and troublesome method and is used mainly by breeders. After separation, the seeds are put in the refrigerator for a month, then sown in containers and buried under the snow. In spring, they are planted in the ground. The harvest with this planting method will have to wait several years.
4. By cuttings. To do this, the branch is broken off and placed in a greenhouse; after the roots appear, it is planted in the ground. Only annual green twigs are suitable.

Bakchar giant

This variety is suitable for planting in different regions of Russia, as it tolerates frost and heat well. It is not very productive, but has very large fruits weighing up to 2.5 grams and up to 4 cm in length, which have a pronounced aroma.

Harvesting should be done very carefully; it is advisable to spread fabric or polyethylene under the bush, as ripe berries fall off very easily.

“Bakcharsky giant” grows up to 2 meters in height and has a beautifully designed oval-shaped crown. It grows and develops better if you regularly weed the weeds growing nearby.

Harvesting and transportation, keeping quality of berries

The first fruits appear in early June. The berries ripen gradually and fruiting can continue until mid-June. The berries have a delicate consistency, so they are collected in small containers, placed in one layer so that they do not lose their integrity. Honeysuckle can be stored on the refrigerator shelf for no more than 2-3 days without loss of quality. The berries do not tolerate transportation well and have poor shelf life.

Important! If the berries are not picked at full ripeness, they will begin to fall off. Therefore, in order not to lose part of the harvest, it is enough to lay a piece of fabric or film under the plant, and then collect the fallen fruits. For longer storage, the fruits need to be frozen

The berries can be ground with sugar in a 1:1 ratio and stored on the refrigerator shelf for up to 6 months. This sweet mixture is great for helping with colds. The berries can be used to make wine or liqueur. Honeysuckle makes very tasty compote, jam, jelly and fruit juice. Honeysuckle variety Moskovskaya 23 is characterized by high productivity and unpretentiousness, but it requires pollinating plants. The berries ripen early - in early June, and are used mainly for processing

For longer storage, fruits need to be frozen. The berries can be ground with sugar in a 1:1 ratio and stored on the refrigerator shelf for up to 6 months. This sweet mixture is great for helping with colds. The berries can be used to make wine or liqueur.

Honeysuckle makes very tasty compote, jam, jelly and fruit juice. Honeysuckle variety Moskovskaya 23 is characterized by high productivity and unpretentiousness, but it requires pollinating plants. The berries ripen early - in early June, and are used mainly for processing.

Amphora

A widely known and beloved variety of mid-late honeysuckle by gardeners, which at the end of the last century was bred at the Pavlovsk Experimental Station on the basis of a wild variety (Kamchatka). The attractive decorative appearance of the Amphora shrub allows it to be used in garden design.

The variety has excellent winter hardiness, resistance to repeated autumn flowering and berry shedding. Its self-fertility makes it necessary to plant it next to other honeysuckle bushes that are approaching the time of flowering (Malvina, Morena, Viola, Fuso blue, Altair, etc.).

Peculiarities:

• for the cold northern regions of the Russian Federation;
• the bush is round, medium in size, about 1.4-1.5 m tall, erect;
• high resistance to winter frosts;
• early ripeness is good: entry into the fruiting season from 3 years of age;
• ripening occurs on average smoothly (after 5-7 days;
• the fruits are smooth and uniform of medium size (weighing 1.1 g), have the shape of a regular jug, but elongated with a uniform apical ridge, covered with a peel of medium thickness with traditional blue tones with an abundant blue waxy coating;
• the pulp is without aroma, dense and juicy, fleshy, harmonious and balanced for a dessert sweet and sour taste with a pronounced bitterness of cranberries;
• the yield is unstable, highly dependent on growing conditions - from 0.8-1.3 kg / bush to 1.7-2 kg / bush.

Consideration

Alexander, St. Petersburg:

“On my website there are mainly St. Petersburg varieties (Volkhova, Nymph, Amphora, Morena). We only eat living Amphora, leaving the rest only for pollination. She is the most delicious. Even in terms of sweetness, since it is still sour. And without sugar, not everyone wants to consume it, but in terms of nuances and subtle nuances of taste, it is very rich.”

Nymph

Initially it was called differently (Gamma), but later renamed Ninfa, a honeysuckle variety, which is the result of the activities of breeders of the Pavlovsk Experimental Station (St. Petersburg) named after. Vavilova.

In order for the fruits to stabilize, it is necessary to ensure the availability of a number of other varieties of honeysuckle (Pavlovskaya, Izbranaya, Amphora), since Nymph is self-sterile and will not produce a harvest on its own. He rarely gets sick and is mildly affected by insects. The crown tends to thicken, so regular and timely pruning is required.

Important:

• for the central region, but suitable for the Urals, Siberia and the Far East;
• the bush is vigorous, reaches 2-2.5 m in height and 1.5-1.7 m in width;
• withstands cold temperatures from -50 to -40 ° C;
• Fruiting begins at 3-4 years;
• the harvest ripens in medium terms;
• berries are lumpy, elongated-spindle-shaped, weighing 0.8-1.1 g, covered with bluish skin (waxy coating of medium intensity);
• the pulp is somewhat fibrous, but juicy, has a very sweet taste, and has a strong aroma;
• an adult bush gives an average of about 1.4-2 kg.

Consideration

Alesya, Orsha (Belarus):

“3 years ago I bought two Ninfa seedlings in one sale in a nursery in St. Petersburg, packaged in simple cardboard boxes. He planted the bushes in late autumn, when the ground was already slightly frozen. Surprisingly, they both took root, were not capricious, and began to grow rapidly. This spring the first berries appeared, not many, but large and sweet.”

Read: 12 best berries of the North

Delight

Developed in Siberia on the basis of the Bakcharskoe horticultural farm, it is a new (registered in 2022) but already popular variety of early ripening honeysuckle. Hardy, extremely drought-resistant and high-yielding, Rapture exhibits standard resistance to disease and pests. Prolonged winter thaws are difficult to endure.

A variety that requires transplantation of pollinators (Yugan, Silginka, Daughter of the Giant, Strezhevchanka, etc.), as it is self-fertile. It is recommended to plant at least three different species close to each other.

Peculiarities:

• for the region of Western Siberia;
• medium-sized plant - up to 1.5-1.8 m in height, reaching 1.7 m in width;
• high winter hardiness (up to -40 ° C);
• at the moment of fruiting enters the 3rd year of life;
• early ripening - early June;
• the berries are widely elongated, spindle-shaped, large - weighing up to 1.2-1.6 g (less often up to 2.8 g), the color of the heavily waxed shell is almost black;
• the taste is excellent, without bitterness, balanced sweet and sour, harmonious;
• An average of 2.5 kg (maximum 5.5 kg) is collected from a bush.

Consideration

Lyudmila, Barnaul:

“A five-year-old Delight honeysuckle bush in childhood” was cut off at the root, but then stoically grew back from the buds. It sits in the shade of an apple tree and is illuminated by the sun for only 3-4 hours after lunch. I was pleased with the very large berry. They are tart at first, but become sweeter as they sit a little longer. I like my kids, my husband, me and all our friends."