New variety of edible honeysuckle Aurora

The Aurora variety is a honeysuckle with very large fruits. The berries are valued not only for their attractive appearance and taste, but also for their medicinal properties. Farmers cultivate this variety commercially. Summer residents can also grow Aurora on their plot, and we will tell you how to do this in this article.

Description of the honeysuckle variety Aurora

Honeysuckle is an early garden crop because it is the first to form fruit. Aurora will delight the gardener with delicious berries already in mid-June. However, the variety has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Origin and development

The variety was developed by Maxine at the University of Saskatchewan. Work began in Canada in 2007 and completed in 2016. Aurora is one of the new varieties of edible honeysuckle.

It was obtained by crossing the Russian Solovey variety with the Japanese MT 46.55. Selection work was carried out within the framework of the Thompson breeding program. Honeysuckle is actively grown in Russia and neighboring countries.

Description of appearance and taste

The typical purpose of Aurora is as an alley planting. It looks good in a group with other varieties, as it forms a compact bush with a neat crown.

Description of the honeysuckle variety Aurora:

1. A bush 1.8 m high consists of 10-15 inclined shoots. Belongs to deciduous and evergreen types. The crown diameter is 1.3 m.
2. The shoots are annual, characterized by medium growth vigor and minimal pubescence.
3. The bark has a range of shades from dark to red-brown.
4. The leaves are elongated, reaching a length of 10 cm. The lower part has sparse pubescence. The upper one is colored from moderate to dark green.
5. Flowering begins in mid or late April. Small yellow flowers are evenly spaced along the entire length of the shoot. The aroma appears in the late afternoon, as night moths play the role of pollinators.
6. The berries are narrow-oblong, with a small eye, without pubescence. The peel is slightly rough, blue in color. The intensity of the shade depends on the brightness of the sun's rays: the more illuminated the area, the darker the berries. The weight of one fruit reaches 2 g.

Brief description of Aurora's needs:

• USDA zones (cold hardiness) - 9-4;
• lighting - preferably sun or partial shade;
• soil acidity - slightly alkaline, neutral, slightly acidic;
• soil - moderately moist, with drainage, fertile;
• drought resistance - high;
• disease damage is rare.

Ripe berries are very sweet, but there is a slight bitterness and a hint of tartness.

Features of application

The Aurora variety is an edible honeysuckle. Its berries are used to make preserves, jams, and homemade ice cream. Many people prefer to eat the fruits fresh.

Productivity and fruiting

The berries begin to ripen in early June. Fruiting is early and long-lasting; the fruits are harvested as they ripen. After planting in a new place, the shrub begins to bear fruit for the 3rd year.

The manufacturer did not indicate the total yield of the plant. Gardeners in their reviews claim that they harvest up to 2 kg of berries from one bush.

Ripening period

Honeysuckle Aurora is an early ripening variety. Flowering begins in mid-April, and fruiting begins in June.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Honeysuckle is affected by fungal diseases: ramulariasis, cercospora blight, powdery mildew, turbecular blight.

Main pests: Californian scale insect, aphid, honeysuckle mite, leaf roller, honeysuckle fingerwing, mealybug.

Resistance to cold and drought

Aurora can withstand frosts down to -45°C. Drought resistance is above average, so the shrub does not need abundant and regular watering.

Growing regions

The variety is grown in the middle zone and northern regions of Russia. Honeysuckle is not demanding in terms of growing conditions, so it is easy to care for.

Advantages and disadvantages

Main advantages:

• early ripening;
• large berries;
• good resistance to drought and cold;
• low maintenance requirements;
• formation of a neat bush;
• a good option for creating a berry garden or alley.

Flaws:

• weak immunity;
• requires more space for normal development of the bush.

Difference from other varieties and hybrids

The bush is pollinated by night moths. Other differences: elongated leaves, no pubescence on the top of the berries.

Agricultural technology

There are no particular difficulties when planting and growing Aurora honeysuckle. To get a good harvest, it is important to choose the right place for planting, prepare planting material and follow the rules of care.

Choosing a place in the garden and preparing holes

The plant loves well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. When preparing holes, a gap of 1-1.5 m is left between future plants.

Prepare the wells as follows:

1. The area is dug up, earthen clods are broken, stones and grass are removed.
2. Dig a hole 50 cm deep and up to 60 cm wide.
3. 2 buckets of compost or rotted manure are added to each hole.
4. A layer of earth is laid on top.
5. Add 3 tbsp. l.superphosphate and 1 liter of wood ash.

Work is carried out on a sunny day at a temperature of +15°C. The ground temperature should be from +10°C, and the humidity should not be lower than 80%.

Important! A trellis or trellis is installed near each hole to stabilize the seedling. Install it before planting, otherwise the risk of damaging the root system increases.

Preparing for landing

Before planting, planting material is selected and prepared. Purchase seedlings from a nursery. High-quality honeysuckle meets the following characteristics:

• age - 2 years;
• the presence of 2 or 4 straight shoots without any damage;
• the presence of developed buds on the shoots is mandatory;
• the length of each shoot is about 60 cm;
• the presence of a healthy and fibrous root system, including 2 thick roots and several small ones.

Before planting in the ground, the seedlings are taken out into the fresh air. 7 days are enough for good hardening. Before planting, the root system is immersed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then in the growth stimulator “Kornevin”.

Read also:

When and how to plant honeysuckle in the fall

Transplanting honeysuckle to a new place

Soil requirements

The soil chosen is loamy or sandy loam. It allows oxygen and moisture to pass through better and contains a large amount of nutrients. Soil acidity is not higher than 5-6 pH.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

In areas with warm winters, honeysuckle is planted in mid-October. In the northern regions, planting work is carried out at the end of April or beginning of May.

Planting honeysuckle looks like this:

1. A seedling is installed in a pre-prepared hole.
2. The top of the pit is covered with earth and compacted to stabilize the plant.
3. Pour out 2 buckets of water.
4. If necessary, add soil.

Honeysuckle is a shrub, so it is more convenient to plant it in rows.Near them, one common support is installed, to which the bushes are then tied.

Features of cultivation

Honeysuckle requires timely watering, pruning, and feeding. If the following care nuances are not observed, the plant will get sick and be attacked by insects.

Main works:

1. Watering. The young plant is watered 2-3 times a week. After a year - once a week. 2 buckets of clean water are poured under the bush.
2. Soil cultivation. Weeds are removed around the honeysuckle and the soil is loosened after each watering. Lay a layer of mulch made from sawdust, wood chips, straw, pine needles or fabric material.
3. Trimming. At the end of April, weak branches are completely removed. Ensure that equipment is clean and disinfected.
4. Feeding. The bush is not fertilized for 1 year. Then in the spring they feed with a mixture of 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of potassium fertilizer and 20 g of superphosphate per 1 square meter. m. In autumn - 5 kg of compost, 40 g of superphosphate and 100 g of ash per 1 sq. m. m. 500 g of fertilizer is applied to each bush.

Pollinators

Honeysuckle Aurora is a self-pollinating variety because it produces bisexual flowers. But experienced gardeners recommend alternating this plant with 2-3 other varieties to increase productivity.

Good pollinators: Tundra, Honey Bee, Borealis, Blue Velvet and Tomichka.

Disease and pest control

Main diseases:

1. Ramulariasis. Signs: brown spots on leaves, wilted green mass. The affected areas are removed and destroyed, the bush is sprayed with a 0.5% solution of copper sulfate.
2. Cercospora blight. Dark green spots with a dark border appear on the leaves. Honeysuckle is treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
3. Powdery mildew. The sign is a gray coating on the leaves. The bushes are sprayed with a 2% solution of colloidal sulfur.
4. Tubercularosis. Red swellings form on the leaves and stems. The plant is treated with Bordeaux mixture.
5. Mosaic. The sign is large white spots on the leaf blades. Affected areas are removed and destroyed. It is useless to treat the bush.

Pests:

1. California scale insect. Reddish spots and gray scales are visible on the shoots. The bushes are sprayed with “Aktara” and “Aktellik”. Adults are collected in a container and destroyed.
2. Aphid. A sticky coating appears on the leaves, they become deformed and turn yellow. Aphids are destroyed by spraying honeysuckle with a soap solution. Recipe: dilute 100 g of laundry soap in 5 liters of warm water.
3. Honeysuckle mite. The leaves curl and fall off. The plant is treated with Actellik after fruiting, at the end of June.
4. Leaf roller. A web appears inside the leaf and green caterpillars appear. The bushes are sprayed with Aktara.
5. Honeysuckle fingerwing. Signs: eaten leaves, spoiled berries. The plant is treated with Rogor or Inta-Vir.
6. Mealybug. Shoots and leaves wither. The bushes are sprayed with Actellik or Rogor.

Preparing for winter

Aurora honeysuckle does not require shelter for the winter. But experienced gardeners perform autumn work before the onset of cold weather:

• weeding;
• digging up the soil;
• removing mulch;
• leveling the hole with the general plane of the ground;
• destruction of fallen leaves;
• spraying with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

If the bush is tied to a support, it is removed. Install a net around the plants to prevent them from being damaged by mice and hares.

Reproduction

Experienced gardeners consider methods for dividing roots and propagating root cuttings to be ineffective, since new plants do not take root.

Preferred cutting method:

1. In autumn, a strong shoot is cut off and divided into 3 parts up to 15 cm long.
2. Make sure that there are 2 buds on each part.
3. The workpieces are planted in a mixture of peat and sand.
4. Send the container with the cuttings to the basement with a temperature of 0°C and a humidity of at least 80%.

In the spring, the cuttings are planted in a permanent place. The wells are prepared as described above. Complete rooting of plants occurs after 2 weeks.

Harvesting

The berries ripen unevenly. When overripe, they fall off.

The fruits are harvested in June in 2-3 stages. Fruiting lasts 2 weeks. In the morning, place a clean film under the bush and shake off the fruits. Store honeysuckle in the refrigerator for no longer than 4 days, freeze or process it.

Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners

The recommendations are as follows:

• choose only high-quality planting material;
• follow the rules for planting honeysuckle in open ground;
• provide proper care in the form of timely watering and fertilizing;
• remove weak shoots;
• when signs of diseases and pests appear, treat the bushes;
• harvest on time.

There are few reviews about the Aurora honeysuckle variety, but they are only positive.

Alina, Perm: “I learned about Aurora honeysuckle in 2017. I decided to plant it next to Blue Velvet. The result pleased me: the seedlings quickly took root and developed well. I did not find any diseases. Honeysuckle began bearing fruit in 2019. I collected about 1 kg of fruit from it. The berries are very tasty."

Svetlana, Tyumen: “I purchased the Aurora variety in 2018. I planted seedlings without pollinators. They overwintered well and do not require frequent watering. Honeysuckle has not yet begun to bear fruit, but it pleased me with its unpretentiousness and absence of diseases.”

Read also:

Frost-resistant early ripening honeysuckle variety “Lakomka”

Frost-resistant variety of honeysuckle “Pavlovskaya”

High-yielding, frost-resistant variety Tomichka

Conclusion

The Aurora honeysuckle variety is a worthy option for replenishing the berry garden at your summer cottage. Despite its little popularity, the plant is willingly grown by many summer residents. To obtain a good harvest, it is important to follow the timing and planting pattern, fight pests and diseases, water in a timely manner and properly prepare the shrub for wintering.