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Chubushnik Komsomolets is a bright hybrid representative of its kind. In the fifties of the last century, Academician Vekhov N.K. bred a new frost-resistant variety based on the famous French jasmines: Komsomolets surpassed the maternal variants in its decorative qualities.
Chubushnik is often called jasmine. It is possible that this is due to the external similarity and aroma of the plants. In fact, chubushnik and jasmine belong to different families. Chubushnik belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family and is a real shrub. Jasmine is classified as Olive and belongs to evergreen vines. But the main difference between the two types of plants lies in the different winter hardiness and requirements for growing conditions.
Description of jasmine Komsomolets
Chubushnik Komsomolets is a compact bush reaching a height of one and a half meters. Erect stems and slightly curved flowering shoots fall apart and retain their shape during development.
Petiolate, on top - dark green serrated leaves in the axils of the veins are covered with small hairs. The bottom of the sheet is much lighter than its top side. The color of the foliage does not change with the seasons. Sometimes the leaves turn a little yellow by autumn.
Jasmine (1) and Chubushnik (2) in the picture:
How the mock-orange Komsomolets blooms
Chubushnik flowers are located on deflected flowering shoots. At a distance of half a meter, up to 11 strong shoots can develop, ending in dense bundles of inflorescences that contain up to 9 white double flowers.
Flowers of the mock-orange Komsomolets are very beautiful. The lower petals are thin lanceolate. The middle ones are twisted into a ball through which light yellow stamens can be seen. Fragrant inflorescences are located along the entire length of the flowering shoot.
Chubushnik (jasmine) flowers Komsomolets in the photo:
Chubushnik Komsomolets refers to crops with an early flowering period. Snow-white flowers cover the shrub from early summer to mid-summer.
Komsomolets can be grown in areas with low light. But in order for the flowering to be lush and long, you need to plant a shrub in a place that is illuminated by the sun for most of the day.
Main characteristics
A feature of the Komsomolets variety is its frost resistance. In central Russia, in Siberia and the Urals, you can grow an ornamental shrub without shelter for the winter.
The Komsomolets chubushnik is not afraid of return spring frosts and sharp continental winds. Occasionally, in winters with little snow, young shoots can suffer from frost. But this almost does not affect the decorative qualities of the shrub.
The Komsomolets variety is distinguished by its high resistance to diseases, which often affect the chubushnik. With proper care and timely thinning of damaged shoots, remedies for fungus and other diseases will not be required.
Breeding features
Komsomolets use all methods to reproduce the mock-orange.But given that Komsomolets is a hybrid variety, when a new plant is grown from seeds, its main varietal qualities may be lost.
The division of the bush is carried out in old highly overgrown shrubs. The dug out plant is divided into several parts so that enough roots remain on the new seedling. This method is laborious. It is difficult to dig out a powerful branched root system without damaging it.
It is easy to propagate the Komsomolets chubushnik by cuttings. Shoots of the first year of life (green) and older, lignified shoots are suitable for this. Cuttings are cut and rooted. Young healthy seedlings can be planted in a permanent place within 2 - 3 months after cutting the cuttings.
It is very easy to dilute the Komsomolets mock-orange on the site of layering. This method does not require much effort and care. The lower branches are buried in early spring and watered during the season along with the main plant. By autumn, the seedlings can be separated from the mother bush and planted separately.
Planting and leaving
Planting and caring for a chubushnik is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to take into account the requirements specified in the description of the Komsomolets chubushnik variety.
Recommended timing
Chubushnik can be planted in spring and autumn. An autumn procedure is preferred, which is usually carried out from early September to mid-October, depending on the climate in the region. A young chubushnik seedling needs to have time to take root before the onset of frost.
The spring period of planting the mock-orange is very short. It is necessary to determine the seedling in a permanent place before the first leaves appear on the trees.
Site selection and soil preparation
Chubushnik gardeners refer to crops with minimal requirements for growing conditions. But even for this unpretentious shrub, it is worth choosing the right place in the garden in order to reveal the full potential of the Komsomolets jasmine (mock orange), indicated in the description of the variety. Photos and reviews of the owners of Komsomolets indicate that the shrubs need a lighted area with fertile soil.
Chubushnik is too freedom-loving to grow it next to large trees and shrubs. Garden jasmine does not tolerate thickening. From this, its inflorescences become smaller and decorativeness is lost.
He does not like the chubushnik and the close occurrence of groundwater. In a damp area, the root system of a crop can suffer from root rot or other diseases caused by high humidity.
Chubushnik can grow on loam. But flowering when grown in dense soil will be scarce. For planting shrubs in the garden, it is necessary to prepare a fertile soil mixture from sod land and high-quality humus. On clay soils, sand is required. An artificial soil loosening agent (vermiculite) can be used to improve the air permeability of the soil.
For normal development, a young chubushnik will need a lot of nutrients. To improve the quality of the soil, add a glass of wood ash and 1 - 2 tablespoons of superphosphate to the soil mixture.
Landing algorithm
The planting hole must be prepared in accordance with the size of the seedling root system. When planting several bushes, they must be placed no closer than half a meter from each other. The depth of the hole should be 50 - 60 cm.
The prepared hole must be filled with a large drainage mixture. Broken bricks, pebbles, or artificial drainage can be used. The layer should fill the hole for about a quarter.
Chubushnik takes root well when planting "in the mud". The pit is filled with water and the seedling is set vertically together with a lump of earth.
Evenly poured soil mixture must be squeezed to avoid air pockets around the root. For several days you need to observe the state of the trunk circle.If the soil shrinks heavily, you should add soil until it is level with the surrounding area. After that, you can mulch the trunk circle.
Deepening of the root collar can reach 2 - 3 cm. This will accelerate the growth of shoots, but slightly delay the beginning of flowering.
To speed up the growth of shoots, gardeners cut off most of the shoots from the seedling.
Growing rules
The unpretentiousness of the chubushnik allows you to grow a shrub with little or no maintenance. But for hybrid varieties, such as Komsomolets, this method is not suitable. In order for a hybrid variety to appear in all its glory, it needs regular feeding and watering.
Watering schedule
You need to water the chubushnik regularly. The shrub is especially picky about soil moisture during the flowering period. Lack of moisture can cause early fall of delicate snow-white flowers.
After the end of flowering, you can water the chubushnik as needed during the dry period. An excess of moisture is harmful to the plant.
Weeding, loosening, mulching
As with caring for any plant, it is necessary to remove weeds from the trunk circle. Then the chubushnik will not have to share the nutrients that he needs for normal development with weeds.
Loosening is carried out 3 - 4 times per season to a depth of about 5 - 6 cm. This technique will prevent soil caking and provide air access to the root system.
It is recommended to mulch the tree trunk every time after watering. A layer of mulch in the trunk circle will help maintain moisture levels.
Feeding schedule
If the composition of the soil during planting was sufficiently saturated with useful substances, then the first top dressing can be carried out in the third year after planting the mock orange in the garden.
Chubushnik is fed no more than twice a season. More nitrogen fertilization is required in the spring. Organic or mineral mixtures with a high nitrogen content can be used.
Fertilizers can be applied in the spring dry or in the form of a solution. Nitrogen-containing preparations are scattered over the snow cover around the bush in early spring. The disadvantage of this method of feeding is the inability to correctly calculate the rate of the drug due to the action of melt water.
Gardeners with experience in growing ornamental shrubs are advised to add a bucket of mullein solution (1 in 10) or bird droppings (1 in 20) under the chubushnik bush
Autumn feeding should prepare the shrub for wintering. To ripen young shoots and increase frost resistance in September - early October, the mock-orange is fed with complex preparations of potassium and phosphorus.
Pruning
Formative pruning is carried out gradually, starting from the third year of the shrub's life. The required shape of the bush is formed within 2 - 3 years. In the future, the crown is corrected by cutting the regrown branches that have got out of the composition.
A sanitary haircut is carried out in early spring. All damaged and dried branches are removed. In rare cases, shoots that grow inside the bush and interfere with the movement of air in the crown are removed.
The main pruning is recommended after flowering. During this period, you can remove the tips of flowering shoots, cut out excess young growth and remove old branches (more than 8 years old).
Preparing for winter
Chubushnik bushes require special preparation for winter for 1 - 2 years. Older bushes of Komsomolets winter well in open ground without shelter.
Young shrubs need to be pulled together with twine and covered with a cloth. The trunk circle can be mulched with a thick layer of peat or rotted manure. In this case, you should not feed the bush in the spring in order to avoid fattening.
Pests and diseases
Komsomolets is particularly resistant to disease. Only with improper care, planting in a wetland or over-watering can the root system suffer from rot. This disease is easier to prevent than to cure.
For treatment, it is necessary to drain the area around the bush and treat it with standard fungicides. If the disease is started, then the bush will die in a short time.
Among pests, bean aphids, leaf weevils and spider mites love to feast on sap and foliage of shrubs. Insects are especially dangerous for young seedlings. For pest control, it is recommended to use general purpose systemic insecticides.
Conclusion
Chubushnik Komsomolets goes well with flowering shrubs of different colors. You can create a unique fragrant corner in the garden by planting mock orange, lilac and weigela next to it.
