Where is the best place to plant honeysuckle: in the shade or in the sun, and by what other criteria to choose a place

The correct planting site is one of the main conditions for the quality development and fruiting of honeysuckle. The choice of the site depends on the growth rate, resistance to diseases, yield, fruit quality, fruiting timing and longevity. The right place will allow you to enjoy harvests for 20 years or more.

Where is it better to plant honeysuckle: in the shade or in the sun

Honeysuckle generally unpretentious, but requires attention and labor. The choice of a landing site begins with determining the level of illumination of the site. There are some simple rules:

1. For most varieties, especially the climbing and edible varieties, open, sunny areas are ideal.
2. With good lighting of the upper branches, it is desirable that the lower ones are in the shade.
3. In a light shade, honeysuckle develops normally, but fruiting in such conditions is significantly reduced.
4. Forest varieties tolerate openwork shade well and feel great under the shade of trees and large shrubs.
5. Heavy shading slows down the development of honeysuckle.

What is the reason

Good lighting is required for honeysuckle for the following reasons:

• the plant belongs to light-loving crops;
• the shrub does not bloom well in the shade, which negatively affects its yield and decorative effect;
• in open places, pollination of plants is more effective than in shady;
• berries ripened in the sun are tastier.

Almost all varieties of honeysuckle thrive in sunny places. and only a few forms can tolerate shading without compromising their ornamental or fruitful qualities. For this reason when planting a bush give preference to illuminated areas.

Other requirements for choosing a location

In addition to light, factors such as humidity, soil quality, wind protection. Given these features, you can get strong bushes and avoid the need to transplant them.

Soil moisture

Soils suitable for growing honeysuckle, must be:

• loose in structure (have good water and air permeability);
• moisture-absorbing (retain moisture);
• drained (without stagnation of groundwater, since the shrub is not intended for growing on swampy heavy soils, especially in closed hollows).

If necessary, plant honeysuckle in wetlands make bulk hills from loose fertile soil. The height of the hill is at least 50 cm (the depth of the roots), the diameter is 150-200 cm. When planting on waterlogged soils, a drainage layer of crushed stone, gravel or broken brick is laid on the bottom of the planting pit. Layer thickness - at least 7 cm.

Soil quality

The culture is not demanding on the composition of the soil... However, on poor sandy soils, the shrub does not develop well. The ideal potting soil mix for a planting hole or mound for growing honeysuckle contains the following ingredients:

• sod land - 3 parts;
• humus or peat - 1 part;
• sand - 1 part.

By pH, the substrate requires a neutral, with an indicator of 7-8... The culture especially does not like acidic soil (pH 1-5). Sour soil 6 months before planting is sprinkled with dolomite flour: 500 g per 1 sq. m with highly acidified lands and 400 g per 1 sq. m with slightly acidic indicators (5-6.5).

Windiness

The culture does not like windy areas. Lack of wind protection can lead to the following consequences:

• despite the high winter hardiness of the plant, winds in frosty weather can severely damage the branches and buds;
• honeysuckle flowers and fruits have a weak attachment to the stalk, which increases the risk of shedding in windy weather.

Taller trees can provide wind protection for honeysuckle and shrubs, buildings and fences.

Important. Observe planting conditions under which windbreaks or buildings will not shade the crop.

Neighborhood rules for honeysuckle

Choice of neighbors for a crop - the most important condition for yield... Some plants harm honeysuckle, others themselves suffer from such coexistence.

Possible neighborhood:

1. Black and red currants. Due to the great similarity of crops and their high chemical compatibility, the plants not only get along well, but even increase each other's yield.
2. Gooseberries coexist well with honeysuckle, provided that the distance between seedlings is at least 150 cm.
3. The shrub gets along with such ornamental crops as juniper, rosehip, fir, garden maple, hawthorn.
4. Honeysuckle is well influenced by annual crops, increasing its productivity: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, watermelons.
5. Excellent neighbors are flowers with a pronounced aroma: forget-me-nots, lilies of the valley, calendula and others. They attract insects, which has a positive effect on the pollination of the plant.

Unwanted neighborhood:

1. An apple tree growing next to honeysuckle will compete for nutrients, and both crops will suffer.
2. Raspberry is a rather aggressive shrub that interferes with the normal life of nearby plants.
3. Cherries provide more shade and strong growth, which over time will create unfavorable conditions for growing crops.
4. Honeysuckle has a depressing effect on the pear.

Good neighbors for honeysuckle are others honeysuckle varietiesas it is a cross-pollinated plant.

At what distance to plant bushes

The choice of the layout of honeysuckle bushes depends on functional purpose of landings.

For a high yield the distance between seedlings in a row is 150-200 cm. There should be at least 200 cm between rows.

Creating decorative groups from honeysuckle bushes, the distance is kept within 250-300 cm.When growing a hedge, the distance between seedlings can be reduced to 50-100 cm.

Attention. When planting honeysuckle next to fences or buildings, you must step back from them by 50-150 cm.

Features of choosing a place on the site for edible honeysuckle

For a rich harvest of edible honeysuckle, the site for planting choose especially carefully. It is important to observe the following conditions:

• the place is open to sunlight throughout the day;
• plants are protected from strong winds;
• other large plants are planted at a distance of at least 4 m;
• the area of ​​the site allows you to grow several varieties of honeysuckle for pollination;
• a place with a loose soil structure and a rich nutrient composition is selected or prepared;
• provides for the possibility of timely watering, fertilizing and mulching the bush.

Compliance with all the necessary conditions during planting will save you from further labor costs for care behind the plant and will ensure high yields.

For decorative

Decorative forms of honeysuckle less demanding on space, however in this case, some requirements must be met:

• curly forms are photophilous, require support and do not tolerate winter winds;
• other ornamental varieties tolerate light shade and proximity to large plants;
• soil fertility is an important factor for lush greenery and flowering.

Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, the choice of location plays an important role for its development and appearance.

What mistakes to avoid when choosing a landing site

The main mistakes that gardeners make when choosing a place for a culture are to the following results:

• prolonged shading affects the yield and quality of berries;
• lack of wind protection significantly reduces the yield;
• poor soil does not provide full growth and development of the plant;
• large plants growing nearby deprive the shrub of the necessary nutrition;
• the proximity of groundwater has a detrimental effect on the root system of the shrub;
• acidic soils adversely affect the fruiting and decorativeness of honeysuckle: there are few berries, the leaves turn pale, the plant looks sick.

Conclusion

With proper care, honeysuckle decorates the site and gives a rich harvest of valuable berries. A well-chosen place - fertile, lighted and protected from the winds - is the key to the successful development of the shrub, its decorative effect and longevity.