Siniglaska

Season Overview

Description

The honeyberry, actually Kamchatka honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica) or May berry, Siberian blueberry, Haskap berry or Gimolost is a wild fruit of the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). It is found in Siberia, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands and is related to the native red honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum). The Kamchatka honeysuckle grows as an upright, densely branched, deciduous shrub and reaches heights of 1 to 2.5 meters. In width, it can take up to 1.2 meters. The plant is a shallow-rooting plant. The creamy white flowers open as early as March. The first fruits are often ripe by the end of April and May at the latest. The wild fruit has juicy, sweet, oval to cylindrical, narrow, smooth fruits with a fruity, aromatic flavor. They are light to black-blue and are 1 to 3 centimetres long. The fruit juice is deep purple. The fruits taste similarly sweet, but slightly less aromatic than blueberries. They can be eaten fresh or processed into jam, compote, puree and juice. The "Siniglaska" honeyberry is characterized by its compact and bushy growth. It reaches a height of 150 to 200 cm and a width of 100 to 150 cm. The variety flowers from March to May. The 10 to 15 mm long, cylindrical, dark blue-colored fruits can be harvested from June to July. They taste fruity, sweet and sour with a slightly bitter note.

Growing tips

The best time to plant is in the fall, as the plants are already well rooted by spring. Honeyberry is not self-pollinating, so at least two varieties must always be planted. Kamchatka honeysuckle is very frost-hardy. It thrives in sunny to semi-shady locations, preferring light shade. The plant thrives in almost any soil. It tolerates fresh to moist, acidic to neutral, sandy-humus, gravelly or rocky, shallow soils. The honeyberry is grateful for a compost application before budding and fertilization with nettle manure in April-May. The plant should be watered during dry periods, otherwise no watering is required. Honeyberries are pruned in a similar way to currants. Once a year, preferably immediately after the harvest, old, senescent shoots are removed close to the ground. No more than 3 ground shoots should be left standing after radical pruning. It is advisable to protect the shrub from bird damage with a protective net. The "Siniglaska" honeyberry prefers fresh, moist and sunny locations and a loose, well-drained, nutrient-rich and lime-free soil. To ensure fertilization, at least two specimens should be planted together. The variety can be cultivated well in large containers (25 - 30 liters).

Details

Light requirement

Semi-shaded

Water requirement

Dry

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Plant distance

120 cm

Row spacing

120 cm

Seeding depth

10 cm