In the world there are more than 250 different varieties of honeysuckle. Some of them are suitable for consumption, and the second refers to poisonous crops. One of the most popular edible varieties is Velvet.

Description of varieties of honeysuckle Velvet

The popular variety of honeysuckle Velvet belongs to mid-season crops. It is suitable for planting in all regions of the country, but most often it is planted in the Moscow region.

Did you know? The name Honeysuckle comes from two words - “life” and “youth”. In America, this berry is considered a source of youth and is part of many cosmetics.

Berries of this species have a pleasant taste and aroma. They are often used for the preservation and preparation of delicious desserts. Also, the fruits can be consumed fresh.

Selection history

Variety of honeysuckle Velvet was bred in Barnaul. The seeds used were Selena variety. The culture was officially bred in 1977. In 2004, Velvet honeysuckle was included in the Russian registry. After lengthy research, it was allowed to grow in all regions of the country.

Appearance, characteristics of berries (chemical composition, size, taste), ripening time, yield

The bushes of the edible variety Velvet are characterized by strong growth. The average height of the plant is 2 m. The crown is sprawling, dense. Inflorescences are large and oval. The shoots are even, dense. The leaves on the bushes are large, cylindrical in shape. The surface is smooth and the shade is dark green.

Description of berries indicates the following characteristics:

1. The shape is oval, slightly elongated.
2. Dark-blue colour. On the surface of the peel there is a waxy coating that gives shine to the berries.
3. Weight from 0.9 to 1.2 g.
4. The pulp is dense, juicy.
5. The taste is sweet and sour, with a small bitterness.
6. There is no aroma in the fruits.

Did you know? There is an unusual variety called Japanese honeysuckle. This is the only variety suitable for indoor cultivation.

The culture is early. The berries ripen in late June. Yields are average. With quality care, up to 2.5 kg of products are collected from each bush.

The chemical composition of the fruit consists of:

• vitamins of group A, E, B1, B6 and PP;
• copper, potassium, calcium, phosphorus;
• amino acids that slow down the aging process of the skin;
• folic acid.

100 g of product contains 5 g of protein, 10 g of carbohydrates and g of fat. Given that the calorie content is only 50 kcal, this product is suitable for dietary nutrition.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

• If we consider the benefits of the variety Velvet, then they are as follows:
• A large number of products.
• Commercial quality berries.
• Rapid ripening of berries.
• Fruits do not fall off the bushes.
• High winter hardiness.

• The disadvantages of the culture include:
• The presence of a little bitterness in the taste.
• Whimsicality to top dressing.
• The need for pruning.

Agricultural technology

Planting Velvet honeysuckle is a standard procedure (selection and preparation of a seat, processing seedlings and planting in a permanent place). First you need to decide on the planting material. His purchase is made in nurseries, where only original varieties of crops are sold. In the markets, there is a chance to buy a poor-quality seedling or plant of an unnecessary variety. When buying a plant, be aware that there should be no signs of disease or damage on the surface of the planting material (white coating, cracks and rot sites).

Important! Buy only young seedlings. Their age should be 1-2 years.

After purchase, the roots of the plant are placed in a solution of manganese (40 g per 10 l of water) and incubated for 40 minutes. This is necessary for the disinfection of seedlings. Then it is washed under running water to remove residual solution.

Place selection (taking into account humidity and lighting)

Young plants need to be planted on a quality plot. Its soil must be nutritious and light. In heavy soils, the roots of the bushes are difficult to develop, which can slow down the ripening of berries.It is best to grow a crop on loamy lands. Marshy and sandy will not work.

The humidity of the seat should be moderate. Plants are difficult to tolerate, both a lack of moisture and its excess. The last time the site is watered a week before planting seedlings. Further watering is carried out after planting. Groundwater should be at a depth of 3 m.Choose areas with good lighting. Honeysuckle should be lit by sunlight for 10 hours a day.

To protect from the scorching sun, plant bushes next to trees and buildings, which will sometimes create shade. Plants must not be allowed to be constantly protected from the sun. This will lead to a delayed formation of ovaries and fruits.

Planting and care (watering and top dressing)

Planting honeysuckle varieties Velvet need in the fall according to a certain pattern. A distance of 4 m is maintained between bushes, and 3 m between rows. Since plants have a large stem height, a small distance will create shading. A month before the upcoming transplant of seedlings, you need to dig a site and remove all weed roots from it. After this, it is necessary to dig a hole measuring 50 × 50 cm. In order to fertilize the earth to the bottom, pour 100 g of superphosphate, 300 g of urea and 3 kg of humus. Pour the entire contents of the hole with 20 liters of warm water and let it soak. After this, proceed with landing, which consists of the following steps:

1. Plant a seedling vertically.
2. The roots are leveled.
3. Sprinkle the hole with soil and ram.
4. Pour 10 liters of warm water.

The next watering should be carried out 2 weeks after planting. If you live in the central regions of the country, then 10-13 liters of water are poured under each bush. For the southern regions, more water is needed, so the plants are watered 20 liters. The watering interval should be 1.5-2 weeks. A few days after irrigation of the soil, when it becomes loose, you need to weed the top layer of soil. Weeds are also removed.

Important! Given that the roots of the honeysuckle are close to the surface, the weeding should be neat. The depth of cultivation is 5–7 cm

Top dressing is applied 4 times per season:

• when the snow melts, 200 g of ammonium nitrate are introduced under the root;
• at the stage of leaf formation, each bush is watered with 2 l of potassium nitrate solution (200 g per 5 l of water);
• at the stage of fruit setting, water 3 l of urea solution (300 g per 5 l of water);
• a week before harvesting, 4 l of superphosphate solution (300 g per 10 l of water) is poured under 1 plant.

Pollination Features

A variety of honeysuckle Velvet does not apply to self-pollinated crops. Therefore, between the bushes it is best to plant plants that will act as pollinators. The best pollinators of Velvet include varieties of honeysuckle Altai, Wojtek, Gerda and Zinri.Additional elements in pollination of crops are bumblebees and bees.

Pest and Disease Control

Gardeners' reviews of the variety Velvet indicate its resistance to pests and diseases. If the care provided by the farmer is not enough, then on the bushes often there are signs of such diseases:

1. Cercosporosis. The main signs of the disease include green and brown spots that appear on the leaves. Over time, the leaves wither and wither. The fight against it consists in spraying the bushes with a solution of Bordeaux liquid (20 g per 5 l of water) or Kurpozan (1 ampoule per 10 l of water).
2. Powdery Mildew Signs of this disease include white or gray spots. They are localized over the entire surface of the plant. Over time, the bushes turn yellow and dry. The treatment consists in treating the plants with Oxychoma (200 g per 10 liters of water).

Video: Honeysuckle Disease

Of the pests, frequent aphids are noted. A solution of tobacco dust (100 g per 3 l of water) helps to fight it. Copper sulfate (40 g per 10 l of water) is used in the fight against fingergirl. Treatments against parasites and diseases are carried out once a month.

Cropping and shaping the crown

Velvet honeysuckle needs the formation of a crown, i.e. the shoots grow back quickly. So that the plant is not dense and sunlight penetrates into the bush, it is necessary to remove branches on which the ovaries have not formed. Therefore, this procedure is best done in the spring.

Trimming is done in the fall. Dry, damaged and diseased branches are removed. Pruning shears are used. Sharp instruments less damage the bark of the bush.

Wintering

The winter hardiness of the Velvet variety is high. The plant is able to withstand frosts to -30 ° C. Therefore, it does not need shelter for the winter. If in your region the temperature is lower in winter, then you need to prepare for wintering.To do this, the trunk circle is mulched with leaves, coniferous branches or humus.

You can also water each bush with 3 liters of urea solution (400 g per 5 liters of water), which will allow moisture to stay longer in the ground. In the southern regions, snowdrifts create a protective barrier on the soil surface. If landing was carried out on a site where snow does not fall, then you need to make an embankment yourself.

Harvesting and transportation of the crop (shelf life), shelf life of berries

Harvest a honeysuckle crop in plastic boxes or containers. Each container should weigh no more than 1 kg. If you place a large number of berries in them, they can choke. Variety Velvet is suitable for transportation over long distances, if properly filled containers.

The shelf life of berries depends on storage conditions. If you place the product in a dark, cool place (basement, attic or balcony), then the shelf life will be 1-1.5 months. In the refrigerator, berries are stored for no more than 3 weeks. To increase the shelf life, home-made preparations are prepared from the fruits or frozen in plastic bags.

Delicious honeysuckle berries are known for their beneficial properties. Therefore, many summer residents are trying to grow this culture on their sites, and succeed in this. Planting and caring for a variety of Velvet is simple and does not require strong physical or time costs.