Late, frost-resistant honeysuckle variety "Roxana"

Roxana is an edible honeysuckle variety suitable for growing in the northern regions. In addition to frost resistance, it is characterized by large berries, pleasant taste and good immunity to diseases and pests. In the article we will give a description of the Roxana honeysuckle variety, we will talk in detail about what requirements for planting and care it makes, its advantages and disadvantages.

Description

Roxana is a honeysuckle variety bred by Russian breeders. 100 g of berries contain 33% vitamin C, 66% potassium, 5.4% magnesium, 2% calcium, 86 g each of water and carbohydrates. The fruits do not contain fats, proteins and dietary fiber. The calorie content is 41 kcal / 100 g.

Origin and development

Roxana's honeysuckle was bred in the Bakchar nursery of northern gardening (Tomsk region), whose specialists are engaged in the selection of frost-resistant crops suitable for growing in a northern climate.

The variety was declared for registration in 1987 and included in the State Register of Russia in 2002.

Characteristics, description of appearance, taste

The plant is a medium-sized (1.5-1.7 m high) bushes with a rounded medium thickened crown 60-70 cm in diameter and erect shoots thickened at the base with a pinkish bark at the ends.

The leaf plates are large, saturated dark green, slightly pubescent at the edges and underside.

The berries are oblong-elongated, large: they reach 3 cm in length, 1 cm in diameter and weigh 0.9-1.3 g. They are covered with a thin skin of dark purple, and when fully ripe, they are almost black in color with a dense layer of wax bloom.

The pulp is dense, fibrous. The fruits are characterized by a pleasant sweet and sour taste without bitterness and a strawberry aftertaste.

Application features

Roxanne fruits are consumed fresh, dried, dried, frozen, used for making jams, preserves or confiture.

Due to their decorative appearance, bushes are often planted to decorate the site.

Ripening period, yield and fruiting

Roxana is a late-ripening variety, the harvest ripens in mid-July or late June when Roxana is grown in the southern regions.

The bushes begin to bear fruit 3 years after landing, yield - 3.5 kg per bush.

Reference. Subject to compliance with all agrotechnical requirements, fruiting lasts at least 15 years.

Disease and pest resistance

The variety is resistant to diseases and pests, but as a result of improper care, bushes can infect cercosporiasis, mosaic, rust, powdery mildew, spotting, tuberculariosis, spider mites, aphids and scale insects.

Cold and drought resistant

The variety is cold-resistant - the bushes continue to bear fruit even after winter, when the frosts reach -40 ° C.

A lack of moisture leads to a decrease in yield and a deterioration in the quality of fruits, excessive watering and waterlogging of the soil provoke rotting of the root system.

Growing regions and climate requirements

Due to its unpretentiousness and frost resistance, the variety is successfully cultivated in all, including northern, regions of Russia.

Advantages and disadvantages

Roxana's main advantages:

• pleasant sweet and sour taste;
• large-fruited;
• good immunity to diseases and pests;
• unpretentiousness;
• frost resistance;
• stable yield;
• decorative type of bushes.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• low resistance to drought;
• the tendency to shedding berries when ripe.

Difference from other varieties and hybrids

The table shows a comparison of Roxana with other late-maturing honeysuckle varieties.

Agrotechnics

For honeysuckle cultivation to bring a positive result, it is important to choose the right seedlings and where they are planted, as well as provide the plants with proper care.

Choosing a place in the garden

To plant Roxanne choose a well-lit place on the southern side of the site, located about 3 m from buildings or fruit trees, which will serve as protection from the cold gusty wind.

Reference. A large amount of sunlight accelerates the ripening of the crop and has a positive effect on the taste of the berries, increasing their sugar content.

Stagnation of moisture in the soil leads to decay of the roots, therefore, the depth of the groundwater should be 2.5-3 m.

Preparing for landing

When buying seedlings, preference is given to specimens 50 cm high with developed roots 30-35 cm long, without signs of disease and pests.

For disinfection, seedlings are sprayed with a solution of colloidal sulfur (30 g per 10 l of water) before planting, which is washed off under running water after 3-5 hours. The roots are soaked for at least 6 hours in a solution of a growth stimulant (Kornevin, Heteroauxin). This speeds up the development and rooting of the bushes.

The site is prepared one month before planting. To do this, 1 sq. m of land, 10 kg of humus is introduced, after which the soil is carefully dug up.

Ground requirements

Roxana grows well and develops in light, loose and fertile soil with medium or neutral acidity, good air and moisture permeability. The best option is loam and black soil.

Timing, scheme and landing rules

Planting is carried out in spring (in April) or in autumn (in September):

1. In the selected area, rows are made at a distance of 2 m from each other.
2. They dig planting holes in them 50 × 70 cm in size.
3. A drainage layer of broken brick, pebbles, expanded clay or sawdust is placed at the bottom of each.
4. Pour 1 bucket of peat and 1 tbsp on top. wood ash.
5. A seedling is placed in the center, its roots are straightened, sprinkled with earth and tamped, eliminating the formation of voids.
6. Water the plantings, mulch the soil with peat.

The distance between the bushes should be 3 m.

Growing features

Watering is carried out as the soil dries out. On average, honeysuckle is watered once every 5-10 days - 3 buckets of water for young bushes and 5-6 for adults.

After each watering, the top layer of the soil is loosened so that moisture does not linger near the roots, provoking their rotting. Weeding is carried out as needed - as soon as the height of the weed reaches a height of 20 cm.

Fertilizers are applied from the second year after planting according to the scheme:

• at the end of April - 3-4 kg of humus for each bush;
• a week before harvest - watering with potassium solution (100 g of potassium nitrate per 10 liters of water) at the rate of 3 liters per bush;
• at the beginning of September - 1 liter of superphosphate solution (200 g per 10 liters of water) for each plant.

Pruning of bushes is carried out from 2-3 years of their life. In the spring, remove all dry, damaged shoots and growths that can reduce yields. 10-12 years after planting, all old branches are cut off, as they cease to bear fruit.

Formative pruning of Roxane is not required, the exception is excessive thickening. In this case, a third of the crown is removed, cutting off the shoots to 5 buds.

Pollinators

Roxana is a self-fertile variety, so the bushes do not need pollinators. Productivity increases significantly if such varieties of honeysuckle as Kamchadalka, Tomichka, Parabelskaya grow nearby.

Disease and pest control

Diseases and pests that can affect Roxanne are described in the table.

Spraying is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 15-20 days. To prevent pest attacks in spring, the bushes are watered with hot (+ 80 ... + 90 ° C) water to kill the larvae.

Growing difficulties

Possible problems when cultivating Roxana:

• low productivity or the formation of small and sour berries - the bushes do not have enough sunlight;
• yellowing, deformation, twisting of leaves are signs of a pest attack;
• bushes stop developing, stop bearing fruit, deteriorate and die - symptoms of decay of the root system.

Preparing for winter

Due to the high degree of frost resistance, Roxanne honeysuckle bushes do not need winter shelter. An exception is growing in regions where the air temperature in winter drops below -40 ° C.

In this case, an additional layer of mulch is created, and the bushes are covered with agrofibre or plastic wrap, which are removed in late April - early May.

Reproduction

Roxanne is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering.

With seed reproduction ripe berries are rubbed on a paper towel, covered with a layer of paper and the planting material is stored at room temperature. In June, the seeds are sown in a container with moist soil, deepening by 1 mm, and covered with foil. Seedlings appear in 20 days, at the end of autumn they are transplanted into open ground.

Reference. This method is most often used by breeders.

For grafting use young strong shoots with a diameter of 8 mm and a length of 15-18 cm. Cuttings are planted in the ground, deepening by 10 cm so that at least 2 buds remain above the soil surface, and covered with a film to accelerate the development of the root system. Rooting takes about a month.

When propagating by layering at the beginning of summer, several strong young shoots are selected at the base of an adult bush, tilted to the ground, fixed and sprinkled with soil. Until spring, regular watering is carried out, and then they are separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Harvesting and storage

Harvested in mid-July, in the south - at the end of June. This is done in several stages, as the berries ripen, since the fruits are prone to shedding.

In a dark, dry and cool room, honeysuckle is stored for 3-4 months, in the freezer - for 7 months.

It is interesting:

Features of planting and caring for honeysuckle in the Urals

Kamchatka honeysuckle - description and the best varieties

Ornamental curly honeysuckle - growing, reproduction and care

Advice and feedback from experienced gardeners

Experienced gardeners recommend:

• when using agrofibre or polyethylene as a winter shelter, open the bushes daily for 1.5-2 hours to ventilate and eliminate the risk of developing diseases;
• to preserve moisture and slow down the growth of weeds, mulch the ground with peat or humus;
• cover the bushes for the winter with gauze to protect the buds from birds.

Gardeners speak positively about the variety, noting the decorativeness of the bushes, the taste of berries and high yield.

Sergey, Novosibirsk: “Roxanne is a great honeysuckle. Fruiting steadily, berries are large and tasty, not bitter at all. I read that they recommend planting other varieties nearby and followed the advice - I planted several Tomichka bushes nearby. As a result, the yield increased, and the fruits became sweeter and larger. "

Maria, Perm: “I chose Roxanne on the advice of neighbors and was satisfied. The bushes are beautiful, decorate the site, and the berries are simply delicious - juicy, sweet with a slight sourness. The yield is also pleasing - there is enough fresh berries to eat and jam to make ”.

Conclusion

Roxana is an unpretentious frost-resistant variety of honeysuckle, ideal for growing in northern regions with a harsh climate. It is characterized by large fruit size, pleasant sweet and sour taste, stable productivity and decorative type of bushes. Among the disadvantages, only low drought tolerance and a tendency to shedding berries are noted.