Table of honeysuckle pollinators - types and methods of pollination

Gardeners value honeysuckle for its ease of cultivation, stable yield, and healthy and juicy fruits. They are eaten fresh or used to make vitamin jam and marmalade. Unlike other fruit and berry crops, most honeysuckle varieties are self-sterile and require pollination.

The article will tell you how edible honeysuckle is pollinated and what is required for this.

Does honeysuckle require pollination?

Honeysuckle is a self-fertile plant and therefore requires pollination to bear fruit. To get a rich harvest, several different varieties must grow on the site. Otherwise, there is a high probability of being left without tasty and healthy berries: during self-pollination, the fruits set poorly or do not set at all.

Interesting! Will honeysuckle cross-pollinate the following year? Yes, cross-pollination occurs regardless of what crop grew last season.

For convenience, seedlings are sold not individually, but in pairs or groups. The success of fruiting depends on the selection of suitable varieties. As a rule, honeysuckle is purchased this way in specialized nurseries.

What is cross pollination

There are no bisexual crop varieties, so at least 3 seedlings are grown in one area. It is recommended to plant them in a row. Some flowers contain only pistils, others have stamens. Insects, wind or rain are important for cross-pollination. Cross-pollinated honeysuckle is divided into monoecious and dioecious.In monoecious plants, flowers with male stamens and female pistils occur on the same plant. In dioecious plants, female and male flowers are located on different plants.

Interesting! If the garden area is small, it is recommended to agree with neighbors about joint planting. The distance between plants should be at least 1 m.

How is honeysuckle pollinated? Most often, cross-pollination occurs with the help of bumblebees and bees. Insects are attracted by the sweet aroma of flowers, they sit on them and extract nectar with their proboscis. They carry pollen on their bodies and wings to other plants. This is how cross-pollination occurs. As a result, the berries grow larger and tastier. Bees and bumblebees pollinate up to 90% of flowers and increase useful ovaries.

Cross pollination of Kamchatka honeysuckle

Like most other varieties, popular Kamchatka honeysuckle requires cross pollination. 2-3 plants are grown on the site, their compatibility is studied in advance. The culture gives a good harvest in a duet with the Turchaninova and Blue Spindle varieties.

Which varieties of honeysuckle need to be planted together for pollination?

Fruiting of the crop begins in the second year after planting. For convenience, experienced gardeners recommend studying the table of honeysuckle pollinators. It will help you understand which varieties are compatible with each other best:

How to choose the right pollinator

Before purchasing seedlings, study the characteristics of each variety. The young plant should have high yields, bloom at the same time as other shrubs, and comply with the climatic conditions of the growing region. Descriptions and technical characteristics of varieties are presented on the website of the State Register of the Russian Federation.

Conclusion

To grow tasty and large honeysuckle, 2-3 different varieties are planted on the site. This is required for successful cross-pollination. Participants in the process are bumblebees and bees, which transfer nectar from one plant to another. This happens mainly during the flowering period: the flowers attract pollinators with their aroma. Seedlings are purchased in groups, having selected compatible varieties in advance. A table of pollinators will help you choose productive plants.