The May berry inspires all along the line, because it has attributes that conventional berry bushes can hardly match. As early as March, the Lonicera kamtschatica, with its white blossoms, will add decorative accents to the previously dreary garden image and calmly accept bitterly cold late frosts. In May, their sugar-sweet, blue berries invite you to snack. Since she found her way from her Siberian home to the local house gardens, she has been gaining increasing popularity. Even the beginners among the hobby gardener manage the care of the honeyberry straight away. As a result, it is to be expected that the triumphant advance of the Mayberry as an ornamental and fruit tree will continue.
Table of Contents
Location and soil
In the wild, the Mayberry can be found in the light mountain forests and rough mountains of Siberia and Kamchatka. From this it can be concluded that the ornamental and berry bush has an excellent constitution and can cope with almost any location.
- Sunny to light penumbra do the Maibeere good.
- Fresh, slightly moist soil is welcome.
- Sandy-humic to gravelly soil does not harm the wood.
- The pH value can fluctuate between slightly acidic to slightly alkaline .
The Lonicera kamtschatica will only have a hard time with permanent waterlogging. In this regard, the honeyberry is truly no exception in the plant world. In short, the wood will thrive in any good garden soil as long as there is sufficient sunlight in it.
Tip : Since the ornamental and berry bush usually grows up to 150 cm in height, it is a wonderful eye-catcher in the bucket on the balcony and terrace.
Watering and fertilizing
If the natural rainfall during the growing season is insufficient, the experienced hobby gardener ensures that the root ball does not dry out. In the course of summer dry periods in particular, it is advisable to water the berry bush as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry. In contrast, the need for nutrients turns out to be significantly lower, so that top-up fertilization in early spring and the occasional addition of compost already meet the requirements.
- Keep the corn berries evenly moist.
- Give the irrigation water directly to the roots.
- Give a berry fertilizer in spring .
If the Mayberry is cultivated in a bucket, there is a higher need for water and nutrients due to the limited space available. The ‘thumb test’ reveals when the next ration of irrigation water is required. In addition, the bush receives liquid fertilizer every 14 days according to the manufacturer’s instructions . From July fertilization will be stopped so that the honeyberry can prepare for the cold season.
To cut
Annual pruning contributes significantly to maintaining the vitality and willingness to flower of the Siberian blueberry. Ideally, this measure is carried out immediately after the harvest in June . Since the Mayberry always bears flowers and fruits on the annual wood , you should not wait too long, because otherwise the already established buds will fall victim to the scissors.
- Cut off all biennial shoots at the base.
- An exemplary May berry has 8 to 10 young shoots.
Young shoots are characterized by their green bark, which turns red-brown over the course of summer. Older branches can be recognized by their barky bark. With a little practice, every hobby gardener can tell the difference between the two age groups at first glance.
Tip : If more than 10 new branches develop, only the strongest specimens remain on the bush. All others are cut off together with the old wood so that the wood is not overused.
Multiply
Hobby gardeners, who were able to enjoy the numerous advantages of the May berry, were usually interested in the various methods of propagating the ornamental and berry bush. Good to know that the honeyberry is so uncomplicated on this point.
Sinker
A popular method of propagation is with the help of sinkers. These are healthy, annual shoots that are encouraged by a horticultural trick to form their own roots while they are still connected to the mother plant.
- Pull a flexible shoot on the outside of the Mayberry to the ground.
- Where the center of the branch touches the ground, a spade is drawn into a groove.
- Defoliate the sinker in the middle, place it in the furrow and cover with soil.
- The tip of the branch protrudes from the end of the gutter and is attached to a wooden stick.
- Keep the sinker and soil constantly slightly moist without puddling.
Smart gardening enthusiasts have found that the rooting is accelerated if the sinker is carefully scratched in several places with a razor blade before it is buried in the channel. Experience has shown that by next spring a compact root system has developed from the wound tissue, which independently supplies the shoot so that it can be separated from the mother plant.
Tip : A stubborn sinker that simply doesn’t want to stay in the furrow is weighted down with stones or fixed with tent pegs.
Cuttings
Lonicera kamtschatica can be optimally propagated by cuttings. In the course of the summer they are cut from annual, not completely woody branches. The incision is made at an angle of 3-5 mm below one eye. The cutting tool should be freshly sharpened and disinfected with alcohol.
- The ideal length of the offshoots is 20 cm to 30 cm with at least 3-4 knots.
- The lower half is completely defoliated and the other leaves at least halved.
- Loosen up the soil at the new location and work in some compost.
- Sink the cuttings into the ground so that approx. 10 cm can still be seen.
- Alternatively, put in seed pots that are filled with a peat-sand mixture.
While the cuttings are rooting, the permanent supply of water is of crucial importance for the success of the propagation. Depending on the conditions at the location or the weather, it can take weeks or months for the cuttings to transform into small, independent plants. For the cuttings in the bedding soil, this means that they are covered with a thick layer of leaves or straw throughout the winter. The potted branches spend the cold season in a cool, dry and bright room.
Tip : The rooting process is accelerated in the seed pot if there is a thin layer of compost under the peat-sand mixture.
plant
The Lonicera kamtschatica grown by hand or bought ready-made are preferably planted in spring or autumn. Anyone who takes the effort to enrich the soil at the chosen location with compost and horn shavings will be rewarded with more luxuriant growth. In addition, it is advisable to plant several Mayberries at the same time, because fertilization works better in company. Suitable varieties are Mailon, Fialka, Maistar, Amur and Morena.
- After preparing the ground, dig a planting hole that is twice the size of the root ball.
- To protect against waterlogging, create a drainage made of gravel or pumice at the bottom of the pit.
- Place the still potted plants in a container with water for about 30 minutes.
- Then peel off the pot, plant and water the honeyberries.
If the pot has strong roots, loosen the ball a little with both hands. Alternatively, an approx. 0.5 cm deep cross is carved in several places so that the shallow root can spread quickly.
Tip : If lilies of the valley are sown in the immediate vicinity, this measure serves on the one hand the decorative effect and on the other hand strengthens the profitability.
Overwinter
In their Siberian homeland, the may berries learned to live with the extreme cold. There are various factors that contribute to the fact that the berry bush itself does not mind – 45 ° Celsius. Particularly noteworthy is the frost armor with which mother nature has endowed the ornamental wood. Each shoot is densely covered with extremely fine hair that is directed downwards. In this way, efficient protection against the Siberian cold is formed, no matter how thin the surface may be. As a result, any winter protection can be dispensed with if the Siberian blueberry is in the bed. In the bucket, the branches are equally resistant to frost, but this does not prevent the root ball from freezing through. The informed hobby gardener is aware of these relationships,
- Preferably carry to a cool, bright room like the garage.
- Alternatively, place the bucket on an insulating base, such as a block of wood.
- In addition, wrap the planter with thick fleece or bubble wrap.
If there is prolonged freezing (low temperatures below zero without snowfall), the root ball threatens to dry out. A small dose of irrigation water on a frost-free day reliably prevents this mishap.
Interesting varieties
As a variety of the blue honeysuckle, the may berry offers plenty of potential for breeding remarkable varieties, a selection of which is presented below:
Maibeere ‘Atut’ (Lonicera caerulea ssp. Kamtschatica)
- dark blue, club-shaped fruits
- Flowering from the beginning of April
- balanced sugar-acid content
Maibeere ‚Brazowa‘ (Lonicera caerulea ssp. kamtschatica)
- purple-blue, round berries
- particularly high-yielding variety
- Taste with a slight cherry aroma
Maibeere ‘Czarna’ (Lonicera caerulea ssp. Kamtschatica)
- The color of the fruit appears almost black
- very high vitamin C content
- clearly inverted fruits
Honigbeere ‚Czelabinka‘ (Lonicera caerulea ssp. kamtschatica)
- elongated, blue fruits
- light yellow bloom from the beginning of May
- turquoise green foliage
Maibeere ‚Duet‘ (Lonicera caerulea ssp. kamtschatica)
- bears the sweetest fruit of all
- the aroma is reminiscent of blueberries
- cylindrical fruits
Maibeere ‚Rebekah ‘(Lonicera caerulea ssp. Kamtschatica)
- the variety with the largest fruits
- decorative, pink-red stems in spring
- only needs a cut every 5-6 years
May berries are extremely popular in their Russian homeland and are found in numerous dishes and drinks. The garden enthusiasts there rarely leave it at two or three bushes, but instead create meter-long hedges with them.
Conclusion
The may berry is worth considering for cultivation in the home garden. Hardened by the climate in Siberia and Kamchatka, even their white to cream-colored flowers are frost-resistant down to -8 ° Celsius in the local latitudes. Following the early flowering in March and April, it is often possible to harvest the honey-sweet fruits as early as May and preferably to eat them fresh. Thanks to its well-formed habit, the honeyberry is also ideal as a decorative container plant. Their maintenance revolves around a few factors that are easy to manage even for novice gardeners.
