Haskap - Lonicera kamtschatica

,Docz Velikana,

Height: can reach up to 1.8m, 1.5m wide

Growing conditions in Latvia’s climate zones: can be planted throughout the territory of Latvia.

Crown: a vigorous, oval-shaped shrub; young shoots are green, mature ones brown.

Flowers: blooms in April with pale yellow, inconspicuous, soft, funnel-shaped flowers. During the blooming period, the flowers can withstand temperatures down to -8°C for nine hours. Self-sterile; for pollination, another variety of this species is required, for example, , Leningradskij Velikan,

Fruit: oval-elongated, dark blue berries with an uneven surface and a fine waxy coating; very tasty, sweet-sour, dessert-type berries. Ripen 30-40 days after flowering - at the beginning of June. Fruit weight 1.8-2.5g, suitable both for processing and for fresh consumption.

The most convenient harvesting method: spread cloth or other material under the shrub and, for example, shake the shrub with a rake handle so that the berries fall onto the cloth. But they can also be picked by hand.

Foliage: leaves rounded-elongated, 6-10cm long, bluish green.

Winter hardiness: very winter-hardy throughout the territory of Latvia. Frost hardiness -34^oC to -40^oC

Growing conditions: choose a sunny location for planting haskap. It requires humus-rich, moist but not wet soil, with a soil reaction of 5.5-7 pH. Prepare a planting hole 50 x50cm in depth and width, filling it with compost or other organic fertiliser. Plant the plant as deep as it grew in the container, and water thoroughly. As haskap has a shallow root system, watering during the growing season is recommended, as it is sensitive to drying out. Planting distance from one another 1m. Mulching is recommended to preserve moisture.

Important to know! If the soil is too dry for a long time, bitterness may appear in the fruit.

Protect from hares! They gnaw off the young shoots, and haskap bears fruit on this year’s annual shoots!

Care:Fertilising. In spring, on moist soil, apply 30g of ammonium nitrate around the plant. Well-rotted manure or compost can be incorporated. Later in the growing season, fertilise with a комплексное NPK fertiliser. Loosen the soil around the shrub very carefully and shallowly so as not to injure the root collar and roots.

Shaping: After planting in a permanent location, haskap is usually not pruned for at least 5-6 years. Sanitary pruning is needed no earlier than after 6-7 years. The best time for pruning is after harvest. On fruiting haskap shrubs, the tips of the shoots must not be cut, because that is where the flower buds that will form the crop are concentrated to the greatest extent. Skeletal branches must also not be cut out at the base, because crown renewal takes place thanks to dormant buds at the base of the skeletal branches.

Medicinal value. The fruit is rich in vitamins, macro- and microelements (magnesium, iron, copper, iodine), and contains antioxidants, sugars, tannins, fibre, pectins, and organic acids. These activate metabolism in the human body. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

The berries can be eaten fresh, dried or frozen. They can be used to make jams, compotes, juices and jellies.