Honeysuckle Cinderella is famous for its delicious berries, excellent frost resistance and good resistance to diseases. Let's understand the features of growing this crop, as well as see its pros and cons.
honeysuckle variety "Cinderella"
honeysuckle “Cinderella” is one of the magnificent varieties of early ripe culture
fast growth, excellent taste, resistance to pests make the variety “Cinderella” a favorite
Breeding history
Cinderella was bred in 1974 by breeders of the Research Institute of Siberian Horticulture. M.A. Lisavenko. The copyright for the variety belongs to I.P. Kalinina, Z.I. Archer and Z.P. Zholobova. Culture trials began in 1982-1983.
However, it was listed in the State Register of Achievements of Selection of the Russian Federation (RF) only in 1991. Such honeysuckle could be grown in Eastern and Western Siberia, in the Urals. Today, the variety is included in the register for all regions of the Russian Federation.
Description of the variety
Cinderella refers to stunted shrubs that grow no more than 50-70 cm. Their crown is quite thick, and the leaves have a shape in the form of a slightly concave oval of light green color. The berries are ink-colored, with a bluish bloom.
Usually, the fruits grow in different sizes, with an elongated outline and tubercles characteristic of honeysuckle. The mass of berries can range from 0.8 to 1.5 g.
Characteristics of Cinderella
The main indicators characterizing Cinderella include:
- early maturity - decades of June depending on the region;
- productivity - 4-year-old shrubs give up to 1 kg of berries, and 7-year-old - 2.0-5.5 kg per season;
- good tolerance to low temperature conditions;
- disease resistance;
- pleasant delicate taste with a strawberry hue and slight sourness;
- evaluation of tasters by taste - 4.8-5 points.
Features of fruiting
Cinderella berries usually ripen from June 15 to 22. At the same time, they become ripe at different times, which makes them harvest in several passes. However, approximately 90% of the fruit is harvested during the first harvest.
The first time the berries appear on the bush already 2-3 years after planting. Moreover, due to the fact that the bushes are quite low in growth, it is difficult to harvest using machinery. It is more convenient to do this manually.
To pollinate Cinderella, you need neighbors. For these purposes, you can use any seedlings of honeysuckle Kamchatka selection. And experts consider such varieties as the best pollinators:
- Azure;
- Gerda;
- Amphora;
- Gidzyuk's memory;
- Tomichka;
- Kamchadalka;
- Parabel;
- Leningrad giant.
Pros and cons of the variety
Cinderella is a honeysuckle that has the following advantages:
- excellent tolerance to low temperatures;
- good resistance to various diseases;
- high yield with proper care;
- early ripening of berries;
- great taste;
- the ability to use the shrub as a decorative element for decorating the yard.
Cons of Cinderella:
- the need to plant varieties for pollination;
- possible shedding of ripe fruits;
- the likelihood of berries ripening at different times;
- inconvenient use of harvesting equipment.
Selection of seedlings
So that the culture grows and delights the harvest, choose the right seedlings:
- ideally they should be 2-3 years old;
- leaves should have a healthy shine with gloss, not be damaged;
- the plant must be healthy, without traces of diseases;
- the branches of the seedlings should be lively and flexible, not dry or broken;
- give preference to seedlings in pots, rather than with open roots;
- don't forget to purchase pollination varieties.
The correct place for honeysuckle
Cinderella is a thermophilic plant, so choose a location in a sunny, easily accessible place to plant it. A little shading will not harm the plant. However, it may adversely affect the crop.
The consistency of the soil should be light and neutral, with an acceptable pH level of 6.5-7. The soil structure is preferably loose, and the earth itself should be saturated with moisture and nutrients.
Departure dates and optimal conditions
Plant Cinderella in early spring or fall from late September to early October. In this case, the second option is preferable from the point of view that during the autumn period the honeysuckle will completely take root, and when spring comes, it will immediately grow. If you decide to plant a crop in the spring, do this before the buds begin to bloom.
Planting instructions
How to plant Cinderella:
- dig the planting holes at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other - their size should be about 40 cm;
- mix the top layer of the dug up earth with a bucket of humus or compost and 1 liter of wood ash - if the soil of heavy consistency is by itself, add some more sand;
- pour this mixture back into the planting hole about a third;
- pour the substrate in the pit;
- remove the seedling from the container where it was, together with a lump of earth - if it was with open roots, carefully spread its roots and soak for half an hour in a solution of water and Epina or Kornevin;
- in the middle of the pit, make a depression suitable for the volume of the roots of the seedling, and plant a plant in it;
- add nutrient soil and compact the well;
- Water the plantings abundantly with warm water.
During planting, remember that the root neck of the seedling should not be deepened (it should remain about 1 cm from the surface). Also plant pollinating varieties at the same time as Cinderella. Otherwise, you will not be able to enjoy the fruits of the plant.
Care activities
Any honeysuckle needs quality and competent care. The yield of the plant and its development directly depend on this. Water the crop on time, do top dressing, and trim the shrub foliage in a timely manner.
In the video below, the gardener talks about caring for the Cinderella honeysuckle:
Read an article on how to care for honeysuckle in the fall.
Watering
In the first year of life, Cinderella bushes require special moisture. If the weather is particularly arid and hot, water the plant once every 7 days. The watering portion should be 2 buckets of water per bush. After each moistening, carefully loosen the soil, remembering the roots located near the surface.
When the bushes enter the ovary and fruit ripening phase, water them even more abundantly. Now pour from 8 to 10 liters of water under each bush. If moisture is not enough for the culture, this will affect the appearance of bitterness in the taste of berries.
After harvesting the fruits, honeysuckle no longer needs such abundant and frequent hydration. When the optimal amount of rain falls, reduce watering to 3-4 times per season.
Honeysuckle top dressing
Start feeding honeysuckle in the third year of its life. Before that, she has enough funds deposited during landing. The fertilization mode is as follows:
- feed the culture for the first time in the spring, before bud break, with a urea solution (1 tablespoon per bucket of water);
- feed the plant twice a season with droppings of chicken, diluted in a proportion of 1 cup per bucket of water and infused for 1-2 days - water the bushes under the root in the evening, before the flowering of the crop and after harvesting;
- in the middle of summer after picking berries, pour Cinderella with a nitroammophoska solution (25-30 g per 10 liters of water);
- about July in the soil, or spray the honeysuckle with a solution of 100-150 g of ash mixed in a bucket of water (stir the ash until it is completely dissolved in the liquid).
Pruning and its types
Cinderella honeysuckle needs crown formation. This is necessary to increase the yield of the shrub and its attractive appearance. Especially if the plant is used as a decorative element of the yard.
Types of trimming:
- primary - carried out immediately after planting, while all weak, non-viable branches are removed (leave 3-5 of the strongest shoots, reducing them by a third);
- sanitary - involves the annual pruning of dry, damaged and diseased branches;
- rejuvenating - done at the 7th year of the plant's life (cut off all the old branches in the fall, in the place of which new ones will grow).
Reproduction methods
Cinderella can be propagated in two ways:
- By cuttings. Take a stalk of a young branch and keep it in a container of water for several hours. Then dig in the shoot at an angle 2/3 of its size.
- Layers. To propagate honeysuckle in this way, dig in the lower branch of the shrub, fixing it to the ground with a bracket.
Honeysuckle harvest
You can harvest Cinderella fruits throughout the first month of summer. Decades of ripening berries depend on the region of cultivation, growth conditions and climate. Honeysuckle is most often harvested in the first half of June.
Cinderella differs from other varieties in that its berries ripen rather unevenly. This means that you will have to harvest in several stages (usually two). Do not keep ripe fruits on the bush for a long time, otherwise they may crumble. When picking berries, place some kind of fabric under the plant to pick up the fruit that will fall during the picking process.
Diseases and Pests
Cinderella rarely suffers from any disease, but it does happen. One of the main signs of a plant infection with a viral or fungal infection is the appearance of various spots on the bush.
Diseases that can affect honeysuckle:
- Powdery mildew. To combat this disease, use a solution of copper sulfate, tobacco dust and soap.
- Moniliosis. This infectious disease causes the plant to wither and is able to spread throughout the shrub. If the honeysuckle is in the early stages of the disease, prune the infected branches, and then treat them with a preparation that contains copper. As a preventive measure, treat the culture with "Fitolavin".
- Cercosporosis. The manifestation of this disease is expressed in the formation of dark green spots, which over time can acquire a brownish tint with a dark outline. Thin shoots and remove infested foliage to combat disease. For prophylaxis, spray the shrub in the fall and early spring with “Fitolavin”.
The main parasites for honeysuckle are mites, aphids, nematodes, glass-cases and speckled moths. Fight them by cutting and destroying the affected parts of the culture. For prevention, use special chemicals.
Reviews of honeysuckle Cinderella
Irina, 42 years old, cashier, Omsk. I really like this variety for its taste - moderately sour, moderately sweet, not bitter. Moreover, the bush itself is compact and does not take up much space. True, the berries are small, especially compared to Morena.
Igor, 50 years old, worker, Vladimir. I live in Vladimir and concluded that this variety is not suitable for our region. I don’t know, maybe I'm doing something wrong, but the tips of the branches are constantly drying. It seems that the bush is missing something. Taste did not like, bitter.
Elena, 46 years old, doctor, Novokuznetsk. She planted Cinderella in her country house. She took root well, but so far it does not give much berries, although the bushes have gone for 5 years already. It tolerates frost well, a very tenacious plant. The truth ripens unevenly, you have to keep watch, otherwise they crumble. The berries taste good, but more sour than sweet.
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Honeysuckle Cinderella is an excellent shrub for growing in regions with cold climates. He is not afraid of frost, he keeps up early and has a pleasant taste. Follow the recommendations and competently look after the variety to enjoy fragrant berries in early summer.