Mid-season honeysuckle variety with sweet and sour taste “Nightingale”

Increasingly, edible honeysuckle bushes can be found in garden plots. One of the most popular varieties is Nightingale, famous for its excellent taste and high content of vitamin C. It is easy to care for - just follow simple rules of agricultural technology. In the article we will provide a detailed description of Nightingale honeysuckle, talk about the nuances of care and possible difficulties during cultivation.

Description of the honeysuckle variety Nightingale

Nightingale is a mid-season popular variety of edible honeysuckle, which is also planted for decorative purposes.

Origin and development, history of breeding

Nightingale was obtained by crossing the Primorsky variety with Pavlovskaya honeysuckle. Breeding was carried out by breeders from the Pavlovsk experimental station, located in the Leningrad region.

In 2002, the Nightingale was included in the State Register of Russia, but is now popular in other countries of the world with suitable climatic conditions.

Description of appearance, taste

Nightingale bushes grow up to 1.3 m, dense, with a squat, obverse-conical crown. The shoots are thin, pubescent. The leaves are green, dense, and shaped like an elongated oval. The berries have a lumpy surface, externally resembling a spindle, with a pronounced saucer at the top. The weight of the berries is small - up to 1 g. Under the thick skin hides a delicate pulp with a sweet and sour taste.

Reference. The tasting rating of the fruit is 4.6 points out of 5. The berries have a low calorie content - 42 kcal per 100 g.

Features of the use of this variety

Nightingale honeysuckle is an edible variety suitable for dessert use and fruit processing (compotes, jams, syrups, tinctures).

Productivity and ripening period

From each bush they collect from 1.1 to 2.5 kg. In mid-latitudes, the flowering period begins in early May, and the fruits ripen at the end of June. In the south, the harvest is harvested 2-3 weeks earlier. In the northern regions, the fruits are picked in mid- or late July.

Resistance to diseases and pests, cold and drought

The variety has stable immunity to most diseases and pests.

Nightingale has good frost resistance, withstanding cold temperatures down to -45°C. But this honeysuckle does not like drought; due to lack of moisture, the berries become bitter.

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

The variety grows well in most regions of the country, with the exception of places where the thermometer drops below -45°C in winter. Honeysuckle is also grown in arid areas, subject to watering rules. Nightingale shows the best results in central Russia.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The positive qualities of the variety include:

• strong immunity;
• frost resistance;
• good taste of fruits;
• versatility of use;
• resistance to sudden temperature changes;
• non-shattering of berries;
• ease of care;
• good yield;
• decorativeness.

Disadvantages:

• moisture deficiency affects the taste of berries;
• self-sterility, which is why third-party pollinators are necessarily planted nearby.

What is the difference from other varieties and hybrids

The nightingale is not prone to shedding after maturation. The fruits last for about 7-10 days after maturity.

Agricultural technology

Honeysuckle Nightingale does not require much effort when planting and caring.

Choosing a place in the garden and preparing holes

For planting seedlings of this variety, select a well-lit area. It is important to protect the planting from strong winds and drafts. The soil needs to be well moistened, but without stagnant water - this will cause the root system of the seedling to begin to rot.

It is preferable to plant honeysuckle in an area where potatoes, legumes, carrots, and pumpkins were previously grown.

The holes are prepared with a diameter of 0.8 m and a depth of 0.4 m. A distance of at least 1.5 m is maintained between them.

Preparing for landing

Before planting, seedlings are carefully examined for mechanical damage or signs of disease. The optimal age of the seedling is 2 years. It should have a strong root system and several large shoots.

Soil requirements

Loose, sandy and loamy soils with a neutral pH (5-7) are best suited.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

In edible honeysuckle, the process of sap flow is considered early, so seedlings are placed in the ground in the fall, in late September - early October. In this case, the seedling will quickly take root and begin to grow actively in the spring.

Procedure:

1. A small amount of topsoil mixed with humus in a 1:1 ratio is poured into the bottom of the prepared holes. Add 2 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 tbsp. wood ash.
2. Small mounds are built from the resulting soil mixture.
3. The roots of the seedlings are spread on them, and the remaining soil is poured on top.
4. The soil is lightly tamped down and watered - one bucket for each bush.

Features of cultivation

To prevent moisture from evaporating too quickly, the soil around the seedlings after planting is mulched with sawdust, dry humus or crushed peat.

The fertilizers used at the very beginning will last for 2 seasons.. The next procedure is carried out in the third year. If you do this ahead of schedule, the bushes will begin to actively grow and produce little fruit.

Since planting is done in the fall, the soil is covered with fallen leaves. In regions with strong cold winds, the branches are covered with burlap without pinching them.

Nuances of care

Water the honeysuckle, not allowing the soil to dry out completely, 2 times a week - 1 bucket of water. If the summer is rainy, then watering is reduced to 2-3 times a month.

Fertilizers are applied in the third year. Use humus (10 kg for each bush), ammonium nitrate (15 g per square meter) or urea solution (1 tbsp per bucket of water).

For the first 2-3 years, only spring sanitary pruning, removing damaged dry shoots. In the future, every autumn they do formative pruning, designed to thin out the dense crown. Remove stems that grow from the soil or are too short or weak.

Pollinators

Gardeners recommend planting next to the Nightingale for pollination the following varieties of honeysuckle:

• Morena;
• blue birdsy;
• Start;
• Malvina;
• Blue spindle.

Disease and pest control

The nightingale is famous for its strong immunity, but if the rules of care are not followed or if there is a rainy and cold summer, the variety’s resistance to diseases and pests decreases.

Dangerous insects include:

• honeysuckle sawflies striped and variable;
• leaf honeysuckle gall midge;
• biennial leaf roller.

Insects destroy foliage and fruits and feed on plant juices. Insecticides “Fufanon”, “Inta-Vir”, “Aktellik”, “Kemifos” or “Kinmiks” will help to cope with pests.

Common diseases:

1. Brown spot. Leaves fall off due to the formation of necrotic spots. The fungus is treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture or the preparations “HOM” and “Abiga-Pik”.
2. Powdery mildew. Due to the white coating, the foliage falls off and frost resistance decreases. The drugs “Chistotsvet” and “Tiovit Jet” are used.
3. Light gray honeysuckle spot. It affects foliage and is treated in the same way as brown spot.

Preparing for winter

Adult plants are not covered for the winter, as they easily tolerate frosts down to -45°C. Young seedlings need protection, so the soil around the bushes is covered with a layer of dry leaves up to 0.5 m. At the end of autumn, the bushes are fed with any potassium fertilizer to increase immunity.

Reproduction

The variety is propagated in several ways:

1. By cuttings. Several shoots are cut from the bush, on which at least 2 buds are formed. They are rooted in a suitable container, watered regularly and kept in a well-lit place. After roots and several small shoots have appeared, the cuttings can be moved to open ground.
2. Dividing the bush. An adult bush is dug up, divided into several parts and planted in holes.
3. Seeds. It's a long process, so it's rarely used. Such bushes produce a harvest only for the 4th year.

Harvesting

The berries do not ripen at the same time; the upper fruits ripen first, moving deeper into the bush, and then going down.

How and when to collect

Harvest in June. This is done gradually or after waiting for some time until the fruits on the entire bush ripen. At room temperature, the fruits will last 4 days, in the refrigerator - 10. The berries tolerate transportation well.

What difficulties may there be when growing

Frequent problems:

1. Due to lack of moisture, the berries become bitter.
2. With an excess of fertilizers, the bushes grow well, but the yield decreases.
3. Nightingale honeysuckle is self-sterile, so it is better to plant several different varieties so that pollination occurs on time and many ovaries are formed.

Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners about the variety

General impressions about the Nightingale variety are positive.

Elena Smirnova, Leningrad region: “The Nightingale’s bushes are beautiful, with lush greenery, but they quickly become dense. I thin them out regularly, and then the harvest is richer. The berries are dense and can be stored in the refrigerator for almost 2 weeks. Delicious both fresh and canned.”

Oleg Lopyrev, Krasnodar region: “I’ve been raising nightingales for 4 years. This is the best variety of honeysuckle. He is not afraid of frosts and does not get sick. But you need to water often, otherwise the berries will be rough and bitter.”

Conclusion

The variety of edible honeysuckle Nightingale is rightfully considered one of the best. It is easy to care for, it easily tolerates severe frosts and is not afraid of diseases and pests, and the fruits have excellent taste. This plant can be grown in almost every corner of Russia.