High-yielding, frost-resistant honeysuckle variety Tomichka

The Tomichka variety enjoys stable popularity among honeysuckle lovers. Its success is due to the pleasant taste and rich chemical composition of the berries, ease of care, frost resistance and decorative qualities of the bushes. This article details the features varieties and the nuances of its cultivation.

Description of the honeysuckle variety

Honeysuckle Tomichka is the result of the work of domestic breeders. Its fruits are characterized by an unusual shape and a pleasant sweet taste with a slight sourness. They contain 30 kcal per 100 g, up to 24 mg of ascorbic acid and about 770 mg of P-active substances.

Origin and development, history of breeding

This is a honeysuckle variety of Siberian selection, bred as a result of free pollination of the elite form of honeysuckle Turchaninov No. 68/2 at the Bakcharsky stronghold of the NIISS named after. M.A. Lisavenko. Project leaders are I.K. Gidyuk and Z.I. Luchnik.

The variety has been undergoing state testing since 1984, and was included in the State Register of Russia in 1987.

Characteristics, description of appearance, taste

The bushes are medium-sized, grow up to 1.8 m in height, round, dense and spreading. Green shoots, thin and curved. The leaves are medium-sized, oval with an elongated sharp tip, green or light green, slightly pubescent. The flowers are small, pale green.

The berries are drop-shaped or cylindrical, large, weigh on average 1 g and reach 2.5 cm in length.The peel is thin, lumpy, covered with a waxy coating, and during ripening it becomes deep purple, almost black. The pulp is soft and juicy. The taste is sweet with sourness.

Features of application

Tomichka fruits are consumed fresh, dried, frozen, used for making preserves, jams, compotes and other types of preservation. Food dyes are also made from the berries, which are used in the production of wines (for example, Georgian “Kakheti”).

Also, the bushes of this variety of honeysuckle have an attractive appearance and are used for decorative purposes.

Ripening period, yield and fruiting

This is an early ripening variety; the berries ripen in early June.

The bushes begin to bear fruit 4 years after planting. The average yield is 53 c/ha, the maximum is 110 c/ha.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The variety is characterized by resistance to diseases and pests. However, as a result of its proximity to other varieties of honeysuckle and various fruit and berry crops, it can be affected by:

• honeysuckle aphid;
• scale insect;
• mite;
• leaf roller;
• miner;
• Persian moth;
• sawfly;
• honeysuckle bug;
• fingerwing;
• fungal and viral diseases.

Resistance to cold and drought

The variety is resistant to frost. Shoots tolerate air temperatures down to -50°C, roots - down to -40°C, flower buds, ovaries and buds do not fall off at -8°C.

The bushes do not tolerate drought well, and due to lack of moisture, productivity decreases.

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

Initially, the variety was included in the State Register for the West Siberian and Northwestern regions, but due to its unpretentiousness to climatic conditions, it was successfully grow in all areas.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Pros of Tomsk:

• frost resistance;
• stable immunity to diseases and pests;
• possibility of universal use of berries;
• relatively good transportability;
• decorative shrubs;
• ease of care;
• no need for frequent transplants;
• stable fruiting for 30 years.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• poor resistance to drought;
• need for pollinators;
• shedding of berries after ripening.

What is the difference from other varieties and hybrids

Comparison of Tomichka with other early varieties:

Agricultural technology

In order for the bushes to develop well and bear fruit, it is important to choose the right seedlings and place for planting them, as well as to provide the plants with proper care.

Choosing a place in the garden and preparing holes

The place for planting honeysuckle should be well lit and protected from drafts and gusty winds.

This is a moisture-loving crop, but stagnation of water at the roots leads to their rotting. Make sure that the groundwater level is no higher than 1 m from the ground surface.

Reference. Tomichka develops well in partial shade, but in this case it reduces the yield and quality of berries.

Preparing for landing

Suitable for planting are 2-year-old seedlings 40 cm in height, with at least 2 strong shoots and healthy branched roots. Before planting on the site, they are soaked in a solution of growth stimulants (Epin, Kornevin).

The soil is cleared of plant debris in advance and dug up.

Soil requirements

Tomskaya prefers loose, fertile soil, with good moisture and air permeability and neutral acidity. The best option is loam and sandstone.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Honeysuckle's growing season ends early, so plants are planted from the end of August to the second half of November. Spring planting of seedlings is acceptable, but in this case it is necessary to do so before the start of the growing season.

Important! When planted in spring, seedlings take root worse.

Landing rules:

1. Dig planting holes on the site measuring 50x50 cm at a distance of at least 1.5 m from each other.
2. Fill them halfway with a nutrient mixture (a bucket of humus or compost, half of the dug up soil, 100 g of potassium salt and double superphosphate, 1 tbsp. wood ash) and fill with water.
3. Place the seedlings vertically in the center of the holes and straighten their roots.
4. Cover the plants with soil mixture, compact and water.
5. When the soil settles, add more nutrient mixture so that the root collar is buried a maximum of 4 cm.
6. Make ditches near the tree trunks and water generously.
7. Mulch the ground with humus, straw or sawdust.

Features of cultivation and nuances of care

When watering, they are guided by the condition of the soil: it should be moist, but stagnation of water is unacceptable. On average, the bushes are watered 2-3 times a month, pouring 10-15 liters of water under each.

After each watering and rain, the soil is loosened to avoid the formation of a dry crust on its surface and to improve the access of water and oxygen to the roots.Simultaneously with loosening, weeding is carried out, removing weeds, which take nutrients from the soil, create a favorable environment for the development of diseases and attract pests.

3 years after planting, the plants begin to be fed. At the beginning of spring, organic and nitrogen-containing fertilizers (manure, compost, ammonium nitrate, urea) are applied; in September, 100 g of wood ash is poured under each bush.

Important! This variety does not like mineral fertilizing.

In the first 5 years after planting, only sanitary pruning is carried out, removing dry, damaged shoots and excess root shoots. The remaining branches are pinched to a third of their length.

Bushes older than 6 years require rejuvenating pruning, in which old branches are cut off at ground level, leaving stumps 30-40 cm long. After the procedure, a maximum of 10 strong shoots and young shoots remain on the bush.

The bushes are pruned at the end of October, after the procedure they are treated with Bordeaux mixture.

Pollinators

Tomichka is a self-sterile, cross-pollinated variety. The most suitable pollinators are seedlings and selected forms of honeysuckle Turchaninova and Kamchatskaya, as well as varieties Blue spindle, Kamchadalka, Blue bird, Pavlovskaya, Zolushka, Bakcharskaya, Pamyati Gidzyuk, Vasyuganskaya.

Disease and pest control

Diseases and pests that can affect Tomsk:

Preparing for winter

At the end of autumn the bushes are pruned, plant debris and a layer of old mulch are removed from the ground around them and burned, the soil is loosened, a new root circle is made, watered and re-mulched with humus, peat, sawdust or straw.

To prevent diseases and pests, bushes and the ground under them are sprayed with fungicides (Gamair, Quadris, Maxim) and insecticides (Aktellik, Aktara).

Reproduction

Most often, Tomichka is propagated by vegetative methods: cuttings, dividing the bush, layering.

For cuttings, green and semi-lignified shoots are used. The cuttings are placed in a container with nutritious soil, pre-treated with growth stimulants (Kornevin, Heteroauxin), and covered with polyethylene. Plants are regularly watered and ventilated. With proper care, young seedlings will be produced by the end of the season.

Reference. This is the most difficult method, and the survival rate is low compared to other methods of reproduction.

At the end of the growing season, propagation is carried out by layering. To do this, choose a strong shoot located at the bottom, bend it to the ground, secure it and dig it in. After about a year, it forms a root system.After this, the shoot is separated from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place.

The division of the bush is carried out in early spring, before the beginning of the growing season. There is no need to completely dig up the bush. For propagation, several developed shoots are selected, dug up, taken out along with the roots and planted in a new place.

Harvesting

The harvest ripens in early June. Full ripeness occurs 5-7 days after the berries turn blue. It is important to have time to remove them from the bushes before this moment, otherwise they will fall off.

The harvest is done by hand or by shaking the berries from the bushes into a cloth spread underneath them. The fruits are stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days fresh and 3-4 years frozen.

Reference. Due to the uneven ripening of the berries, the harvest is carried out several times.

What difficulties may there be when growing

Problems when growing honeysuckle Tomichka:

• the bushes stop developing, wither and disappear - the roots are probably rotting due to excessive watering or stagnation of moisture;
• plants develop slowly, productivity is low - bushes grow in the shade;
• shoots and leaves wither - a sign of the presence of pests.

Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners about the variety

Gardeners' recommendations:

• plant honeysuckle in late summer or autumn; in spring the bushes do not take root well;
• Do not plant Tomichka after gooseberries, other varieties of honeysuckle or currants; these plants are better suited as neighbors, not predecessors.

There are both positive and negative reviews from farmers about the Tomichka variety:

Marina, Tomsk: “I’ve been growing Tomichka for a long time, I’m very pleased with this variety. I like the fact that the bushes bear fruit consistently, and are also beautiful in themselves. The berries are tasty, sweet with a slight sourness and useful. The bushes rarely get sick and grow quickly. I don’t see any disadvantages for myself in the variety.”

Victoria, Novosibirsk: “I tried to raise Tomichka several times and failed every time. Young seedlings do not tolerate winter well, even with good shelter they froze. But the cuttings do not take root at all; most of them died. The berries, of course, are tasty, but they crumble a lot and do not ripen at the same time. For me personally, there are many more disadvantages than advantages".

Conclusion

Honeysuckle Tomichka, despite the presence of some shortcomings, appealed to most gardeners. This variety does not require special care, bears fruit consistently, is frost-resistant and produces a rich harvest of tasty and healthy berries.