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Honeysuckle is a berry shrub that grows from 2.5 to 3 m in height. Tall, with a fluffy crown, it is great for creating hedges and other landscape compositions. Honeysuckle ripens a few years after planting, this time depends on the selected variety. Not all shrub fruits are edible; there are also ornamental plant species.
What year after planting does honeysuckle bear fruit?
Saplings begin bearing fruit 3-4 years after planting. If the propagation of a shrub is carried out by cuttings, the berries can ripen after a year, but with a small harvest. And only after 6-7 years, the crop begins to bear fruit with a yield of more than 1 kg per year. Some varieties actively ripen a little earlier.
The volume of fruiting increases until the age of 15-17 years
In the period when the level of productivity of shrubs begins to fall, they can be renewed by cutting off some of the branches at the base.
How many years does honeysuckle bear fruit?
Younger honeysuckle seedlings bear fruit much less actively. The duration of fruiting directly depends on the selected variety of shrub, some species are capable of producing berries for 12 years, but the average period is from 5 to 7 years. During the formation of inflorescences and ripening of berries, it is important to water the honeysuckle abundantly and regularly, as well as to fertilize the soil.
Why honeysuckle does not bear fruit
There can be several reasons for the low fruiting rate of honeysuckle:
- Insufficient access to sunlight. The plant belongs to the light-loving plants, which bear fruit best in lighted areas. In shady areas, there are much fewer leaves and berries.
- The shrub was affected by frost. The culture begins to ripen early enough, when temperatures are still fluctuating. The branches and foliage of the plant are quite resistant to cold, however, especially sensitive petals can easily be damaged over one frosty night.
- The shrub lacks insects. Poor fruiting of honeysuckle can be the result of a lack of pollination. Often, the shrub begins to ripen at the end of March, when the weather becomes warmer, but there are no insects yet, then the plant cannot be pollinated.
- Disease or lack of nutrients. Most types of honeysuckle bear fruit much worse if you do not provide the shrub with additional feeding. Insects practically do not harm him. However, there is a risk of various diseases, which can also impair fruiting.
In some cases, low yields can be observed without one of the listed reasons, this can happen if the shrub is too young or, on the contrary, too old for fruiting.
Wild varieties have bitter-tasting berries, and the period of active fruiting of such plants can exceed 50 years. These types of honeysuckle also begin to ripen only 5-7 years after planting. Life expectancy is somewhat shorter, and fruiting is no more than 15 years. Aging begins after 8-10 years of growth, and then the level of yield decreases sharply. To maintain normal fruiting, honeysuckle must be pruned in time, giving the crown a spherical shape.
What to do if honeysuckle does not bear fruit
Depending on the cause of the problem, there are several ways to deal with poor shrub yield:
- Incorrect planting or lack of pollination. For honeysuckle to bear fruit better, several different varieties must be planted side by side. The optimal amount is 10-15 bushes in one area. Then each of them will be able to re-pollinate, giving a yield of up to 10-12 kg per year. It is also necessary to spray with water and sugar (for 10 liters 2 tablespoons, respectively), this will help attract more insects for pollination.
- Incorrect soil composition. Before planting a bush, the acidified soil must be filled with slaked lime. Alkaline soil should be acidified with gypsum. The best option for the normal development of culture is loamy or sandy loam soil. If the soil on the ground turned out to be heavy, it must be dug up with the addition of sand and humus.
Normal fruiting of honeysuckle is possible only on fertile land with a pH level of 5.5 to 6.5
- Insufficient moisture. The maintenance of honeysuckle on the site provides for regular watering of the shrub during flowering and ripening of fruits. With a lack of moisture, the plant ceases to bear fruit normally, begins to shed flowers and ovaries, and the few berries that appear take on a bitter taste. The most abundant watering should be carried out in May and June, 4-5 buckets per shrub. Often it is not necessary to water the plant, the optimal frequency is from 3 to 5 times a season, best in the evening.
- If the honeysuckle does not bloom and does not bear fruit due to a too thickened crown, it is necessary to carry out a thinning shearing of the shrub. As it grows, it begins to grow strongly, therefore, for the convenience of keeping the seedlings, it is better to place the seedlings at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other with row spacing of 2-2.5 m.
When a bush is affected by a disease, the berries ripen slowly, the flowers crumble, and the yield drops several times. To protect the crop from disease, the plant should be fertilized with humus in the spring, phosphorus in the summer, and ash in the fall.
Honeysuckle Care Tips
Honeysuckle easily tolerates partial shade, but bears fruit best in well-lit areas. The plant should not be planted on flooded lowlands and sandstones. Before planting a bush, the soil must be carefully dug up and all perennial weeds and wheatgrass must be removed.
The crop does not adapt well to drought, so it is important to constantly monitor the maintenance of moisture in the soil and carry out regular mulching. However, it is impossible to overflood the root system: this can disrupt the growth process and lead to the death of the plant.
The most favorable time for disembarkation is the second half of September and the first half of October. At the same time, one should also not forget about regular weeding of the soil and removing weeds from the site.
It is not recommended to plant the shrub in the spring as it starts growing early. Otherwise, the plant must be transplanted in the summer, after picking the berries.
For planting, seedlings up to 2 years old are best suited.
The selected area should be filled with lime (200-400 g per m22) and dig a landing hole 60 * 60 cm in size and up to 40 cm deep.
The first 3-5 years, the shrub does not need pruning. Starting from the 6th year, it is enough to simply remove the branches that thicken the top. The best time for pruning is autumn.
In the 15th year of growth, the skeletal branches are pruned to growth, which is located at the base. Due to the gradual renewal of the crown, the shrub will bear fruit much better, with a stable yield.
Conclusion
Honeysuckle does not ripen immediately, but several years after planting on the site. The time of the onset of fruiting and its duration depends on the selected variety of shrub, as well as on the conditions of detention.If honeysuckle does not bear fruit well, and its flowers fall off, you should pay attention to the following factors: the level of moisture in the soil and its composition, the thickening of the crown, as well as the place of planting and the age of the plant.
