Frost-resistant early ripening honeysuckle variety “Lakomka”

The honeysuckle variety Gourmand stands out from others and can rightfully be called an elite crop due to a number of positive characteristics and the almost complete absence of disadvantages.

We bring to your attention a detailed description of the variety, its pros and cons, planting and care requirements.

Description of the honeysuckle variety Lakomka

Lakomka is a variety of edible honeysuckle bred in Russia.. 100 g of its fruit contains 9.8% sugar, 30% ascorbic acid, 6 mg of B vitamins, 70 mg of potassium, 19 mg of calcium, 35 mg of sodium, 21 mg of magnesium, 35 mg of phosphorus, 0.8 mg of iron.

Berries are useful for hypertension, metabolic disorders, problems with the digestive system and help improve immunity.

Origin and development, history of breeding

Honeysuckle Gourmand was bred by the breeder of the Nizhny Novgorod State Agricultural Academy V. A. Fefelov as a result of crossing the Ural forms of honeysuckle Turchinov with sweet-fruited species.

The variety has been under state variety testing since 1991, and was included in the Russian state register in 1998.

Characteristics, description of appearance, taste

The bushes are medium-sized (height up to 1.5 m), compact, with a dense oval-shaped crown and thin straight shoots of anthocyanin color. The leaf blades are medium in size, almost flat, have an elongated shape and are colored light green.

The berries are elongated-oval with a flat top, reach a length of 2-2.8 cm and weigh 0.8-1.3 g.Covered with dense, smooth, dark blue skin with a bluish waxy coating.

The pulp is fibrous, juicy, characterized by a pleasant sweet and sour taste without bitterness or astringency.

Features of the use of this variety

The berries are consumed fresh, frozen, and used to make preserves, jams, confitures, marmalade, juices, medicinal infusions and tinctures.

Thanks to their decorative properties, bushes are suitable for decorating a site and forming a hedge.

Ripening period, yield and fruiting

This is an early ripening variety of honeysuckle - harvest ripening begins in mid-June and lasts until the end of July.

The bushes begin to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting, the maximum fruitful age for Lakomka is 6-20 years. The average yield is 0.8 kg per 1 sq. m.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Gourmand is resistant to diseases and pests. But under unfavorable conditions, bushes can be affected by cercospora blight, powdery mildew, mosaic, aphids, scale insects, and mites.

Resistance to cold and drought

The variety tolerates air temperatures down to -50°C and is not afraid of returning spring frosts. Drought negatively affects the yield and quality of berries.

For which regions is it best suited and what are the climate requirements?

The variety is included in the state register for the Volga-Vyatka region; it is successfully grown in the middle zone and northwestern regions. Gourmand is recommended for planting in the Moscow region, Non-Black Earth zone, Belarus, the Baltic states and northern Ukraine.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

In addition to the dessert sweet and sour taste without bitterness and the benefits of berries, honeysuckle The gourmet has the following advantages:

• early maturation;
• stable and high productivity;
• possibility of universal use;
• frost resistance;
• persistent immunity to diseases;
• slow growth of root shoots;
• decorative appearance of bushes.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• berry shedding;
• uneven ripening;
• need for pollinators.

What is the difference from other varieties and hybrids

Comparison of Lakomka with other varieties of honeysuckle:

Agricultural technology

Gourmand is an unpretentious variety, but it will be possible to achieve good plant development and abundant yields only if agrotechnical requirements are met.

Choosing a place in the garden and preparing holes

The place for planting Gourmet should be well lit, protected from wind and drafts.

Reference. On bushes growing in the shade, the berries grow smaller and more sour.

This is a moisture-loving crop, but if the soil is waterlogged, the risk of rotting of the root system increases. Therefore, before planting seedlings, check the groundwater level - it should be at least 1-1.5 m.

Preparing for landing

For planting, choose two-year-old seedlings about 30 cm high with a developed underground part, in which the rhizome length is approximately 25 cm, there are several above-ground shoots with buds and there are no signs of diseases or pests.

15-20 days before planting, the area is cleared of weeds and plant debris, dug up and fertilizers are applied to the soil: 10 kg of manure or humus, 30-60 g of superphosphate, 20-30 potassium salt per 1 sq. m.

Soil requirements

The variety grows well in light, fertile soil with good aeration, moisture permeability and neutral acidity. The most suitable option is loam and sandstone.

Reference. Lime or dolomite flour is added to the acidified soil before planting.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Gourmand is planted in the ground from the beginning of September to the end of October, with at least three weeks before the onset of stable frosts.

Landing rules:

1. In the prepared area, dig planting holes measuring 50x40 cm.
2. Place a drainage layer of crushed stone or broken brick on the bottom of each, and a nutritious soil mixture on top (2-3 shovels of dug up earth, a bucket of humus, 200 g of wood ash and 30 g of superphosphate).
3. Form a small hill in each hole and place a seedling on it, straightening its roots.
4. Sprinkle the plant with soil, compact it slightly and water (a bucket of water on the bush).
5. When the soil sags after watering, add more soil so that the root collar is 7 cm above the surface.
6. Mulch the root zone with peat.

The distance between bushes should be 2 m, between rows - at least 1 m.

Features of cultivation and nuances of care

In spring and summer, plants are watered every two days at the rate of a bucket of water for each bush. In hot and dry weather, water consumption is increased to two buckets per bush. In autumn, watering is stopped.

After each watering or rain, the soil is loosened to improve the access of moisture and air to the roots. At the same time, the area is weeded, removing weeds that provoke high humidity and the development of diseases.

Provided that the bushes are planted in fertilized soil, they begin to feed the plants after 2-3 years.In early spring, 5-7 kg of humus is applied to each bush, and in the fall - potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (superphosphate, kainite).

For bushes under 10-12 years old, only sanitary pruning is carried out, removing all dry, damaged and frozen shoots in the spring (end of March). Mature bushes are rejuvenated - all branches are completely removed or a few of the strongest ones are left.

Also, during the season, the crown of the bush is formed - thickened areas are thinned out, old shoots that do not bear fruit are removed, young shoots are shortened to improve branching.

Pollinators

Since the variety is self-sterile, 2-3 other varieties of honeysuckle are planted nearby for cross-pollination.

The best pollinators for Gourmet:

• Nymph;
• Blue spindle;
• Blue bird;
• Malvina;
• Kamchadalka;
• Nizhny Novgorod early;
• Moraine;
• In memory of Kuminov;
• Start.

Disease and pest control

Diseases and pests dangerous to Gourmand:

Preparing for winter

In the fall, they stop watering the bushes so that they stop growing and go into the dormant phase, pruning is carried out and the cut parts of the plants are burned. The area is cleared of fallen leaves, weeds and other debris and dug up, and the bushes are treated for pests and diseases.

Young plants are covered with protective material and sprinkled with snow; adult bushes do not require winter shelter.

Reproduction

Gourmand is propagated by vegetative methods: cuttings, dividing the bush or layering.

When propagated by layering At the beginning of spring or late autumn, the lower annual shoot is selected from an adult bush, bent to the ground, secured, sprinkled with soil and watered regularly. After six months, an independent root system is formed on it, after which the shoot is separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Dividing the bush - the simplest method of propagating honeysuckle. In the fall, they dig up an adult, overgrown bush and divide it into several parts so that each has developed shoots and root shoots. The cuttings are planted in the ground and cared for like adult plants.

For cuttings in early March, cuttings 0.4-0.5 cm thick and 7-12 cm long with 2-3 pairs of leaves and at least one internode are cut from lignified shoots. They are planted in a peat-sand mixture, deepened by 1-2 cm, covered with film and kept at a temperature of +20...+25°C. Rooting occurs after 10 days.

Harvesting

The harvest ripens unevenly from mid-June to the end of July, so harvesting is carried out in several stages.The berries are collected by hand or with a combine, after placing synthetic fabric under the bushes on which they will fall.

The fruits are stored in the refrigerator for three days.

What difficulties may there be when growing

When growing Gourmand, the following problems may arise:

• the yield is low, the berries are small, unsweetened and ripen slowly - the bushes do not have enough sunlight;
• There is a bitterness in the taste of the fruit - the plant did not have enough moisture.

Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners about the variety

Recommendations from experienced gardeners:

• for propagation, use the method of dividing the bush or layering - these are the simplest methods;
• do not neglect preventive treatments against pests and diseases, despite the resistance of the variety.

Gardeners speak positively about the Lakomka variety:

Svetlana, Ryazan: “I planted this honeysuckle six years ago. At first the bushes developed slowly, I already thought that nothing good would come of them. But last year they grew noticeably and expanded their crown. That’s when we tried Lakomka fruits for the first time. The name fully justifies itself - the berries are incredibly tasty, sweet with a slight sourness. The grandchildren are just delighted.”

Roman, Suzdal: “I bought Lakomka about seven years ago. I was just looking for something unusual for the garden, the seller recommended this honeysuckle. At first, the bushes did not impress me with either their appearance or their berries. But two years ago the situation changed - the bushes grew larger, the crown became thick. Now I recommend this variety to everyone I know - it decorates the garden, the berries are delicious and useful gives."

Conclusion

Gourmet - frost-resistant, easy-to-care honeysuckle, with growing which even novice gardeners can handle.The variety is characterized by the decorative appearance of the bushes, early ripening of large and tasty fruits, stable fruiting and high yield.