Chokeberry planting and care in the open field in siberia

The importance of chokeberry - the medicinal property of the fruit, which occupy a leading position in the content of antioxidants.

The crop has a special genetics that contribute to high and stable yields even with minimal maintenance.

Crop requirements for growing conditions

Chokeberry - the result of crossing black chokeberry and common mountain ash.

The habitat of the natural species of chokeberry is swamps, sandy plains and mountain slopes of North America. This is an unsightly and undersized shrub, which is radically different from the well-known chokeberry.

The shrub owes its cultivation and popularity in Russia to the Russian breeder I.V. Michurin. As a result of numerous experiences and practical tests a completely new culture was obtained - chokeberry.

Due to its high winter hardiness, disease resistance, unpretentiousness to climatic and soil conditions, the shrub quickly spread over vast areas.

To grow chokeberry, you need to choose well-lit areas. The shrub will develop painlessly in the shade, but the yield and quality of the fruit will be significantly reduced.

Lowlands are good, where the occurrence of groundwater is not more than 2 m. This is isolated by the relatively shallow occurrence of plant roots, the bulk of which is located up to 60 cm, and the tap roots rarely reach a depth of 2 meters.

With a lack of moisture in the root layer, winter hardiness and productivity of the shrub decreases.

Chokeberry grows well on different soil types: chernozems, gray forest, drained peat bogs, sod-podzolic. Stony, swampy and saline soils are absolutely unsuitable for its cultivation.

Chokeberry can be planted in a combined hedge or as a specimen plant to decorate a spacious area.

This is a good option to strengthen the ravines or the perimeter of the personal plotlocated along a cliff or river mouth.

To grow chokeberry, you need to choose well-lit areas with a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil.

Choosing a seedling and varieties of chokeberry

Breeders have introduced many varieties and hybrids of chokeberry. Popular varieties:

• Hakkia;
• Black-eyed;
• Rubin;
• Kutno;
• Viking.

Their signs are almost similar, there are minor differences in taste and fruiting timing.

therefore the main criterion when choosing a seedling should be purchase of planting material adapted to the conditions of the region.

This means that you need to purchase a seedling in local nurseries or consider a shrub growing in neighboring areas as a mother plant.

For planting, you need to purchase a one- or two-year-old seedling, while it is important to pay attention to quality indicators.

These are: height up to 1.3 m, healthy bark without traces of damage, developed taproots of at least 25 cm with a mass of overgrown roots.

For planting, you need to purchase a one- or two-year-old seedling in the nursery

The productive period of chokeberry in the middle zone is 25-30 years... All this time, it has a stable and high yield.

Therefore, to provide one family with fruits, it is enough to plant 1-2 shrubs, which will enter fruiting in 2-3 years.

When to plant: fall or spring?

Chokeberry can be planted in spring or autumn... The most preferable for the development of a seedling and a gardener is an autumn planting. At this time, you can buy planting material with fresh roots at a bargain price.

In the middle lane, chokeberry planted from mid-September to the third decade of October... During this period, the shrub gradually enters a state of relative dormancy, but its roots will develop until the soil temperature drops to -4 ° C.

Therefore, in the spring, the plant will immediately begin to build up its vegetative mass. This gives a great advantage to the seedlings of autumn planting, which are ahead in development of plants planted in spring by more than 20 days.

Autumn planting can be considered a relatively minor violation of the natural development of the shrub, so they are more winter hardy. The same cannot be said about spring seedlings, which go through a long storage stage.

Benefits of autumn planting for the gardener - saving time, the plant does not need additional care, except for a shelter for the winter.

When planting in spring it will be necessary to control the likelihood of return frosts, exposure to dry winds and temperature drops.

Regardless of the general recommendations, when planting a seedling, you need to focus on the average temperature indicators of the region. You can plant at least 20 days before the first frost.... If the deadlines are missed, the seedling needs to be dug in the ridge until spring.

In the spring, the plant is planted before bud breakwhen the air temperature warms up to + 15 ° С.

You can plant at least 20 days before the first frost. If the deadlines are missed, the seedling needs to be dug in the ridge until spring.

How to plant: stages of work

The planting pit and the seedling substrate are prepared in advance, preferably in 1-2 months. During this time, the soil mixture is structured, and the nutrients will take forms that are easily digestible by the roots of the plant. The optimal pit size is 60x60x50 (cm), the landing pattern is 2.5x4 (m).

To prepare the substrate, you will need the top layer of soil removed during the digging of the hole. It is supplemented with components:

• humus or compost 2 buckets;
• superphosphate 120 g;
• potassium sulfate 60 g.

A drainage layer of broken brick or crushed stone is laid at the bottom of the pit, no more than 15-20% of the total volume.

Before planting, the seedling needs to be inspected again.... If damaged roots are found, problem areas are cut off to healthy skin, and dried ones are placed in water for 10 hours.

For better survival, the roots are dipped in a mash made from oily clay, mullein and water.

In order for the chokeberry to take root and grow well, it must be planted deeper than it grew in the nursery. This is necessary for deepening the basal shoots (awl) growing from the root collar.

In light soils, the seedling is buried by 6 cm, in heavy soils by 2-3 cm... Thus, the root collar of the shrub after shrinkage of the soil should remain 1-3 cm below the ground level.

I am guided by the recommended criteria; at the bottom of the pit, a mound is formed from the prepared substrate. The roots of the seedling are evenly distributed on its surface. It is important to ensure that there are no unnatural folds.

In light soils, the seedling is buried 6 cm, in heavy soils by 2-3 cm, the root collar should remain 1-3 cm below ground level

The roots are covered with soil mixture, periodically shaking the stem to avoid the formation of voids. After compacting the trunk circle and watering the seedling, need to form a layer of mulch... Well suited for this: peat, sawdust, grass cuttings or wood chips.

After planting, the aerial part of the seedling is cut, leaving only 20 cm in length... For autumn planting, the procedure is postponed until spring and carried out until bud break.

Care after landing

The care requirements for the shrub are minimal. Besides it is rarely affected by pests and diseases... This makes it especially attractive for cultivation in the country, where the presence of the gardener is not constant.

Shelter for the winter

A seedling planted in the fall must be prepared for the first winter season. For this he is bent to the ground and pressed with boards... It is important to do this until the air temperature drops to -1 ° С-2 ° С.

Otherwise, the stem of the bush will lose its elasticity and may break. While bending the bush it is important to ensure that the height of the arc does not exceed 20-30 cm.

Additionally the seedling is covered with spruce branches, and the layer of mulch is made higher. In winters with little snow, the bush is covered with snow.

In the spring, with the establishment of a stable temperature, the plant needs to be straightened. If it is kept in a bent state for a long time, the apical shoots can support it.

A black chokeberry seedling is bent to the ground and pressed, covered with spruce branches

Do I need to prune the shoots?

A feature of black chokeberry is the rapid formation of shoots, which leads to a strong thickening of the crown. Therefore, in young bushes, root shoots are annually removed, leaving only 5-6 stronger ones and growing in the right direction.

For the right balance of stability and yield an adult shrub should have 30-50 strong trunks.

Sanitary pruning is in the removal of old, rotten and bare branches. The shrub lays fruit buds on annual shoots, so they should not be shortened.

To increase the productivity and lifespan of the shrub, anti-aging pruning should be done every 3-4 years... During the procedure, the shoots of the chokeberry are shortened by half their height.

Top dressing

Chokeberry responds well to feeding, which must be carried out twice a year... To do this, in the near-trunk circle per 1 m2, you need to close up:

• ammonium nitrate 20 g (in spring);
• potassium salt 20 g, superphosphate 30 g (in autumn).

Good results are obtained foliar feeding of shrubs after floweringwhen the fruits begin to set. To do this, it is sprayed with an aqueous solution of urea (20g / 10l).

Chokeberry responds well to fertilizing, which must be carried out twice a year.

With the accumulation of an excessive amount of nitrogen, the growth and duration of the formation of basal shoots increases. In young shoots, the bark does not have time to lignify, and the apical bud does not form.

This leads to severe freezing even in the most favorable winter. therefore in the second half of the growing season, nitrogen fertilization should not be done.

Watering and loosening the soil

Chokeberry - a moisture-loving culture... Watering is especially important for her at the beginning of the growing season and during fruit formation.

In persistent hot weather, the shrub is watered every week. Water norm for an adult shrub 30 liters.

For this, irrigation furrows can be made at a distance of 30-40 cm from the shrub trunks. With this method, water will penetrate all the roots of the plant.

Twice a season it is necessary to loosen the soil in the near-trunk circle, while removing weeds. The autumn procedure is especially important.

Excessive soil compaction contributes to severe soil freezing in the root layers, which significantly reduces the winter hardiness of the shrub.

Prevention of diseases and pests

After harvesting and in the spring before bud break, the shrub must be treated with fungicides. For this it is sprayed with 1% bordeaux liquid.

Shrub resistant to pest infestation... The reason for the spread of insects to black chokeberry can be a massive damage to the site by pests.

In these cases, it is necessary to apply a cardinal measure - spraying with chemicals.

Chokeberry is resistant to pest damage, for prevention it is sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid

Aronia fruits are good for culinary preparations. and are especially valuable for their medicinal properties. The shrub is also attractive for its decorative effect.

Hedge from a plant will transform the backdrop of the infield three times a year, from white during flowering to purple leaves in late fall.

Planting and caring for chokeberry:

Chokeberry is a fruit and medicinal plant. Its cultivation in garden plots became possible after Michurin's selection. You can grow a bush from seeds, cuttings or dividing the root system. We will tell in the article about growing chokeberry from seeds in the country, when to plant, what kind of care is needed and the best varieties.

Growing rowan from seeds

Chokeberry is a self-pollinated plant. Even if only one bush grows in the garden, it will bloom and bear fruit. Growing a bush from seeds is the longest, but simplest. Seeds are squeezed out of ripe berries, dried and stored in a dark place. Seeds are sown in the ground in autumn (September to October) or spring.

Chokeberry berries ripen at the end of September.

Council number 1. For spring planting, seeds are stored in a basement in wet sand.

The seed planting process is as follows:

1. Seeds are evenly sown into the furrows made up to 8 cm deep.
2. The furrows are covered by 0.5 cm with earth, and a layer of sawdust is placed on top.
3. After the emergence of two leaves on the shoots, the seedlings are thinned out. The distance between the seedlings should not exceed 3 cm.The next thinning is done when five leaves grow, the distance between the bushes is 6 cm.

In total, three thinnings are made, the last one is done in the spring after a year.The soil must be loosened, watered and fertilized. For 1 sq. M. the site will require 5 kg of mullein solution.Read also the article: → "Fertilizing the soil with manure."

Reproduction of black mountain ash by cuttings

There are two types of cuttings for growing a bush:

• woody;
• green young stems.

In the first case, annual shoots are taken, on which more than two young branches have formed. Cut the cuttings in autumn in September and plant them in the same period. Before winter, they have time to take root. We give the technology for preparing cuttings for planting in the table.

Parameters	Description
Shaft length	15-20 cm.
Slicing	The upper cut is made on the kidney obliquely at 45º, the lower one - 2 cm below the kidney.
The number of buds on the handle	5-6, cut off the extra ones.
Number of buds above ground	Two buds are left on top of the soil and two are buried in the ground.
Distance of planting cuttings in a row	10-15 cm.
Distance between rows with cuttings	60-70 cm.

Council number 2. Do not take perennial shoots for grafting, because they take root worse and there is a chance that the cutting will die.

After planting the seedlings, the soil around the stalk is pressed and mulched with peat. In order for the cuttings to take root better, the soil is loosened in the first month and do not allow dryness.If you grow mountain ash from green cuttings, then a good root system is formed in the seedling in a year. Cuttings are cut only from large bushes, up to three seedlings are obtained per year. The requirements for planting cuttings are given in the table.

Parameters	Description
Shaft length	10-15 cm.
Incisions	An incision is made above each kidney, in the lower part - up to three incisions above the kidney.
Number of leaves	Three upper leaves are left, the lower ones are cut off.
Number of kidneys	5-6.
Planting depth of cuttings	7-10 cm.
Distance of planting cuttings in a row	3-4 cm.
Distance to the top of the greenhouse	15-20 cm.

The root part of the cuttings is dipped in a growth stimulator solution for 12 hours, then planted in a greenhouse.

Sapling growing technology:

1. Within a month, the soil is abundantly watered from a watering can. The greenhouse must be closed.
2. The greenhouse is ventilated if the air temperature in it exceeds 25 degrees.
3. After a month, the film is opened for a day, and closed at night.
4. After 10 days, when the seedlings take root, the greenhouse is left open overnight. Then the bushes are transplanted into open ground.
5. After transplantation, the bushes are fertilized. Choose liquid nitrogen fertilizers or mullein infusion.

There are several ways to increase the survival rate of rowan seedlings. Hardening, top dressing and proper care are used, which consists in abundant watering, mulching and loosening the soil. To increase the survival rate, there are modern complex fertilizers.

In addition, they increase yields and disease resistance. When planting seedlings for the root system, growth stimulants are used. These are "Kornevin", "Epin", "Zircon" and others. It is enough to soak the root in the solution.When planting and during watering, a complex organic-mineral fertilizer of the BioMaster type is used. The survival rate in this case is from 70 to 100%.

Planting rowan seedlings in spring and autumn

Chokeberry is not whimsical to growing conditions. Sunny and shaded areas are suitable. As for the soil, the bush prefers sandy loam and loamy soils, but black soil or other fertile soils do not lead to an increase in yield. Saline soils are also not suitable.

Rowan loves moisture and neutral soil, grows well near the places of occurrence of groundwater, because the roots grow only 50 cm deep.The northern regions are more suitable for the chokeberry than the southern ones.The bush is planted in September, but the plant takes root in the spring and even in the summer.

For planting, choose healthy seedlings with a well-developed root system.

When buying a seedling, pay attention to the root. Its length is at least 25 cm, and the number of branches is at least three.Only living roots will take root in the ground, if for some reason the roots have become dry or sluggish, then they are kept in water for three days, and then planted in the ground.

Saplings are planted in cloudy weather or in the evening. Before that, a hole is dug 60x60x45 cm in size.Fertilizer is laid at the bottom, which consists of the following components:

• 10 kg of peat, compost or humus;
• 300 g of ash;
• 60 g of potassium sulfate;
• 150 g superphosphate.

On top of the fertilizers, 1/2 hole is covered with soil and poured with a bucket of water. The seedling is placed in the center, the root should be at a depth of 1.5 underground. Carefully, so as not to damage the root system, the pit is filled up, tamped around the stem and watered. From above, the soil is mulched with peat or sawdust. Layer thickness 5-10 cm.Spring planting is similar to autumn planting. Gardeners prefer to plant seedlings in the fall, in which case the earth will be compacted during the winter, and in the spring the bush will grow.

Caring for shrubs in the garden

Care consists of abundant watering, pruning and fertilizing. Work begins on the formation of the bush at the beginning of April:

1. Cut off dry and diseased branches, and also form the bush itself. Leave up to 20 shoots, remove the excess. The length of the branches should be up to 1 m from the root. Read also the article: → "Cutting trees and shrubs."
2. The lower part of the crown is treated with lime.
3. Nitrogen fertilizers or organic matter (humus or manure) are introduced.
4. They treat the bush for diseases. This is done before the formation of the kidneys. Apply Bordeaux mixture.

In May, weeds are removed that sprout around the bush.To renew the bush, some shoots are cut at the root, in which case the bush bears fruit and grows up to 20 years in one place. Rowan needs watering during the growing season and during the formation of fruits. 20-30 liters of water are poured over the bush. In dry summers, rowan is watered daily.

Rowan loves abundant watering. Water both the root and the entire bush.

Water is not poured at the root. Furrows are made around the bush at a distance of 30 cm from the crown and water is poured into them. After watering, the soil is loosened and weeded from weeds. In total, they do five loosening, one in the spring, and the rest in the summer. The latter is carried out after harvesting, then the soil is mulched.

For the winter, the bush is treated for pests, and the trunk is highlighted and covered with mulch. Five-year-old bushes do not need to be mulched. As for pruning, the first is done immediately after planting the seedling. 4 buds are left, about 20 cm high from the soil surface.

After a year, the branches are cut to form a bush. Leave 12 branches, make sure that the shoots do not thicken. Shoots are cut off at the root on seven-year-old bushes, instead of them young branches grow.

Fertilization and pest control

• In the summer, during flowering, potash is added. Complex preparations are selected, for example, "Kemira Universal" or "BioMaster".
• Fertilizers in granules are applied directly under the root, the soil is loosened and watered to dissolve the product.
• Liquid dressing is used during watering, as well as for spraying the entire bush.

If organic and mineral fertilizers are applied during planting, then the bush is not fertilized for two years so as not to overfeed it.

Chokeberry rarely gets sick, but in summer a lot of pests appear. Allocate spider and red mites, apple aphids. The bush is regularly examined and, in case of symptoms of the disease, the plant is treated with special compounds. Even folk remedies are used. For brown spots on the leaves, fungicides are used. For pests, insecticides such as Intavir are used.

Popular varieties of chokeberry

In Russia, two varieties of mountain ash are popular: Siberian and Michurin's chokeberry. They are adapted for growing in the northern regions of Russia. The following varieties of bushes have also proven themselves well:

1. Viking. The variety obtained as a result of Finnish selection, is distinguished by its yield and frost resistance.For planting seedlings, sunny areas are chosen, preference is given to loamy or sod-podzolic soils with a neutral environment. Berries are larger in size than black currant fruits.
2. Hugin. Suitable for the decoration of the site. The bush grows up to 2 m. The seedlings are placed at a distance of 3 m from each other. Despite the increased winter hardiness, the branches are cut with special care to prevent the death of the bush.
3. Nero. Suitable for growing in climatic regions with harsh winters, as well as in shaded areas. The fruits contain an increased amount of vitamins.
4. Black-eyed. Possesses increased resistance to diseases, mountain ash is not whimsical to care for. Loves sunny areas. The berries are not tart, unlike other varieties.
5. In nurseries near Moscow, you can also find varieties of Aron, Hakkia, Karkhumyaki, Rubin, Venis and Egert.

In the central regions of Russia, seedlings of the varieties Viking, Nero, Chernookaya and Khugin are grown.

Answers to frequently asked questions about planting, care and reproduction of chokeberry

Question number 1. When are seedlings transplanted?

When growing a bush from seeds in the second year of life, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. This is done in early spring. The bush must be fertilized and watered so that it takes root.

Question number 2. When to cut green cuttings from a bush?

Cut the cuttings in early summer in order to immediately plant them in cold greenhouses. In this case, we get a ready-made seedling before winter. Cut from the top or side branches of the bush. Cuttings are taken from all shoots in the fall.

Question number 3. When are cuttings transplanted from greenhouses?

If a seedling is planted before mid-summer, then by the end of August it is transplanted into open ground. Cuttings planted in autumn grow in a greenhouse until spring, and then they are planted in a garden plot.

Question number 4. What fertilizers are suitable for rowan seedlings?

It is better to alternate top dressing. Mineral and organic fertilizers are used. The plant responds well to nitrogen fertilization. 30 g of ammonium nitrate are diluted in a bucket of water. Mullein infusions are used as organic dressings, slurry is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 6. Peat, compost are also used, and wood ash is used to neutralize the soil. For 1 sq. M. you will need 400 g of the product. Read also the article: → "Features of soil fertilization with peat."

Question number 5. What are the ways of mountain ash propagation?

The bush is propagated by seeds, cuttings, branches (horizontal and vertical), grafting and root processes.

Errors of gardeners for growing rowan

Here are some common mistakes:

1. Planted cuttings must be mulched. Sawdust mixed with manure is used. If this is not done, the seedlings will freeze and not take root. Through a layer of mulch, the soil must be watered.
2. Seeds and cuttings are stored in wet sand in a cellar, otherwise they will die.
3. When planting bushes in sunny areas, the distance between plants should exceed 2 m. This will facilitate maintenance, and the bushes will grow large and branched.
4. Before planting, the seedling is inspected. It must have green bark, all dry and diseased roots are cut off, otherwise the plant will not take root.
5. Do not overfeed the plant with fertilizers, otherwise the foliage will grow thick, and the yield, along with winter hardiness, will decrease.

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The pink family unites about 3 thousand species of different plants. Among them there are two most interesting genera - Aronia and Rowan. These are related plants, it is not for nothing that the popular name for chokeberry is chokeberry. But in addition to general features, they are very different in appearance, structure of leaves, area of ​​distribution, according to the requirements for growing conditions.

Rowan black chokeberry (chokeberry)

Chokeberry is a shrub that grows up to 3 meters in height and has a spreading crown.The bush consists of uneven-aged stems, it is fast-growing - it begins to bear fruit a year after planting.

Chokeberry is widely known and is grown in gardens as a fruit and medicinal crop.

Chokeberry is not capricious. Winter hardiness, disease resistance, undemanding soil fertility, easy survival in a new place are the characteristic features of this culture. Its globular, coal-black fruit has a sweet-sour flavor and astringent astringency. They are real treasures of usefulness: vitamins and minerals. Aronia berries are universal in use: jams, compotes, jellies, juices from them are very tasty and retain all the healing properties.

Growing chokeberry

It is not at all difficult to grow a chokeberry bush, caring for it does not require much care and effort. It is important to know the characteristics of the plant and properly organize the preparatory work: choosing a site for planting, preparing the soil, selecting seedlings.

Choosing a place and a predecessor in the garden

Blackberry does not have any special requirements for soil fertility. It can grow on any soil, but active development and good fruiting is achieved on light neutral loams. High soil fertility can lead to excessive formation of the green mass of the plant, while the yield will suffer. Well-lit areas are comfortable for the plant, but even with light openwork shading, the bushes also grow and bear fruit well. Aronia is quite tolerant of the close location of groundwater, since its roots do not go deeper into the ground than half a meter.

Note! Chokeberry is often used to organize hedges.

The chokeberry hedge has an excellent appearance, a dense crown, short stature and ease of pruning and caring for it

Chokeberry is a perennial plant, therefore, the choice of a site for planting must be approached responsibly. Mistakes made will not only adversely affect the plant, but can also create problems with the transfer of an adult bush to another place.

Important! It is best to keep the place under the chokeberry under steam a year before planting or grow green manure plants on it: clover, lupine, alfalfa. They will increase the content of organic matter in the soil, contribute to the accumulation of nitrogen and the high-quality distribution of mineral fertilizers.

Planting pit preparation

The planting pit for chokeberry should correspond to the size of the root system. Its approximate dimensions are 60x50x50. The infertile soil layer removed from the pit must be mixed with the following fertilizers:

• superphosphate (10 tablespoons);
• potassium sulfate (2 tablespoons) or wood ash (1 glass);
• a bucket of compost or humus.

Useful advice! To improve the structure of the clay soil, a bucket of peat should be added. This will increase the looseness of the soil, its moisture and air permeability.

Planting and transplanting

The best time to plant and transplant chokeberry is September-October or March-April. For the middle lane and southern regions, autumn planting is preferable: it reduces the risk of immature seedlings falling into drought. In the northern regions, on the contrary, it is better to plant the chokeberry in the spring in order to avoid exposure to severe frosts on the young plant.

It is important to choose healthy seedlings for planting. This is evidenced by the condition of the root system, and not by the length of the shoots. It should be strong, healthy in appearance, have a greenish inner side of the bark, and 2–3 rather long (about 30 cm) branches.

The closed root system of the seedling provides a higher survival rate, since the planting is carried out together with a clod of earth

Note! If the seedling has an open root system, then it must be inspected, the roots with breaks and damage must be removed, and before planting, dipped in a muddle made of clay.

The planting process is carried out in compliance with the following stages:

1. The pit is filled with a third of the volume of the prepared soil mixture, watered and waited for moisture to be absorbed.

   A nutritious soil mixture is poured at the bottom of the planting pit

2. The roots of the seedling are spread in the planting pit. The root collar is placed 1.5–2 cm below ground level.
3. The plant is covered with earth, the soil is compacted around the trunk and again spilled with water.

   A slight deepening of the root collar prevents the appearance of a large number of adventitious shoots

4. It is recommended to mulch the space near the trunk.

Important! When planting several chokeberry bushes on a site, it is recommended to leave at least 2 meters of free space between them, otherwise the plants will shade each other, starve due to lack of space for nutrition.

Video: planting chokeberry

Chokeberry transplant

When a situation arises of the need to transfer an adult chokeberry bush to a new place, it is important to correctly assess the feasibility, choose a favorable time and the best method. The best time to transplant is early spring. It is carried out as follows:

1. You need to dig up the plant.
   

   Around the bush, they dig a trench 25 cm wide and about 50 cm deep, and then with a crowbar or shovels they lift the roots together with a lump of earth, straighten them from their place

2. Delete old branches from it.
   

   It is necessary to cut out old, usually lower branches

3. Clear roots.
4. Place the bush in a pre-prepared planting hole.

   A bush is placed in the prepared planting hole, watered and buried with fertile soil

Note! If necessary, an adult bush is divided into several parts. This is done with a sharp instrument, and the cuts are treated with charcoal.

The bush is dissected so that each part has 1-2 young branches and a good root system

Chokeberry care

Black chokeberry does not require much attention from its owners. There are no special subtleties when caring for her, all measures are standard and well-known:

• in early spring, the stems of the plant are whitened and, if necessary, treated against parasites and pathogens that overwintered in the soil and cracks in the bark;
• the trunk circle must be kept clean and loose;
• in the summer, the plant is periodically inspected in order to notice signs of disease or the appearance of pests in time;
• in early spring and autumn, pruning of the bush is carried out;
• young plants are recommended to huddle high and cover for the winter with spruce branches, foliage.

Aronia is a drought-resistant plant, it will survive in a rainless summer, but it can bear little fruit, the fruits will be small, and the appearance of the plant will also suffer. Watering for the crop is desirable during the following growing seasons:

• at the beginning of active life, especially if there was little snow in winter, and the spring was dry;
• during the period of pouring and ripening berries;
• in the fall, when preparing the plant for winter.

Irrigation rate - 20-30 liters of water for each bush

Fertilizing culture

During the season, chokeberry is recommended to be fed three times:

1. The first nitrogen fertilization is carried out in the spring before bud break: 50 g of ammonium nitrate under a bush.
2. The second top dressing is recommended for poor soils. For her, use an infusion of organic matter at the rate of a bucket per bush.
3. For the third feeding, you need superphosphate (50 g) and wood ash (1 glass) in a bucket of water. Consumption - 10 liters of solution for a seedling and 20 liters for a fruiting bush.

Sprinkling wood ash on the soil surface under the bush not only fertilizes the plant, but also protects the trunk and leaves from pests

Carrying out pruning and crown formation

In early spring and autumn, you need to prune the bush. This procedure is organized for the following purposes:

• for plant formation;
• to improve illumination;
• for plant rejuvenation;
• for removing dead, damaged branches (sanitary pruning).

The formation of the bush begins almost immediately after planting. It is recommended to remove weak branches and cut off the rest at a height of 15–20 cm from the ground, so that not a single shoot becomes the leading one. The next year, up to 5 strong stems are selected from the root shoot and equalized. The rest of the growth is cut at the base. In the third year of life, the bush is replenished with 4–5 more branches.

Note! A full-fledged chokeberry bush should contain about 12 branches of different ages. A larger amount leads to thickening, shading, creating favorable conditions for pests and other pathogens.

At least twice a year, the bush is examined, damaged, with signs of diseases, weak, drying up branches, and excess young growth are removed.

On the left - a bush before holding a monkey, on the right - a bush after pruning

To rejuvenate the bush, branches over 8 years old are removed. A strong basal branch is left instead of the cut ones. When choosing new shoots from the growth, it is important to ensure that the base of the bush does not increase.

Useful advice! Complete rejuvenation will help radically renew the blackberry bush. When it is carried out, all branches are cut to the base. A young chokeberry bush is formed from the new root growth.

Vegetative and seed propagation of chokeberry

Culture can be propagated in various ways. We have already talked about one of them - dividing a bush. A fairly practiced method of obtaining new plants is seed. It is carried out as follows:

1. Seeds are harvested from ripe, large fruits.
   

   Each chokeberry fruit contains 4 to 8 small seeds

2. The seeds are kept in water for 24 hours, which is periodically changed.

   The seeds are placed in a small gauze bag and soaked in water at room temperature

3. The seeds are placed in wet sawdust and stored at room temperature for a week, and then the container with sawdust and seeds is closed with a lid and sent to the refrigerator (or dropped into the snow). In the cold, seeds are stored for about 3 months. They get them out of there a few days before landing.

   During storage of the container with seeds, it is necessary to ensure that the sawdust is wet

4. Sowing seeds can be done at home, in a greenhouse or directly into open ground. Do this in the spring in well-warmed soil. The seeds are placed in furrows with a depth of about 6 cm, covered with soil by 0.5 cm and mulched with sawdust.
5. After the appearance of real leaves, the crops are thinned out, leaving the seedlings at a distance of about 3 cm.
6. In the phase of 4–5 leaves, a second thinning is carried out, removing excess plants at a distance of 6 cm from each other.
7. During the season, the seedbed with seeds is systematically watered, weeds are removed, and the soil is loosened.
8. The next spring, plantings are fed with mullein infusion (1:10), and then the last thinning is carried out in 10 cm increments.
9. Landing at a permanent place is carried out in the fall.

   By the fall of the 2nd year, the seedlings reach a standard size and are ready for transplanting to a permanent place.

Vegetative propagation of chokeberry

Chokeberry can be propagated quickly and efficiently with the help of root suckers, which grow annually around the bush. With a sharp tool, they are cut off from the parent bush and transplanted to a new site. The tip of the offspring is cut off after transplantation, leaving about 5 buds on the shoot.

The method of propagation of black chops by cuttings is simple in execution. Harvesting green cuttings is carried out in May or early June:

1. Take a young branch of the plant about 15 cm long.
2. The lower part is freed from the leaves, several cuts are made on it.
3. In the upper part, an incision is made under the bud and the leaves are shortened by 1/3.
4. Then the cuttings are soaked in any rooting stimulator and planted in a container with a fertile mixture (earth + compost + ash).

   The optimum temperature for rooting green cuttings is 20 ° C, if it is much higher, open and ventilate the planting containers

5. After 2 weeks, the cuttings can be planted in open ground for further cultivation.
6. Planting young plants in a permanent place is carried out in the fall of the next season.

For reproduction, you can also use lignified chokeberry cuttings.

Note! The survival rate of green chokeberry cuttings is about 95%, and lignified - no more than 30%.

The vegetative method of propagation by layering is inexpensive and effective. To do this, in the spring, when digging the soil around the shrub, last year's healthy branch is selected and placed in the made furrow. After a while, young shoots will appear from the buds. Weeds are weeded around them, moisten the soil, carry out low hilling, sprinkle with humus. By the next spring, the rooted cut is separated from the parent bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

So that the branch lies firmly on the ground, it is pinned with staples

Video: Planting and caring for chokeberry

Mountain ash

The rowan, although it is called ordinary, in fact has a lot of extraordinary qualities: it is decorative, it bears tasty and healthy fruits, it is not demanding of heat and soil, is not afraid of the winds and, according to the beliefs of our ancestors, protects the courtyard from evil spirits. The underside of the rowan berry resembles a star in shape, and this is a symbol of protection, one of the main pagan symbols.

If you look closely at the underside of the rowan berry, you will notice that in shape it is an equilateral five-pointed star, and this is one of the most important ancient pagan symbols - a symbol of protection

Rowan is most often a rather tall tree: in adulthood, it can reach 10-15 m in height. She has large leaves, consisting of 7-15 leaves, medium-sized white flowers are collected in large inflorescences.

Rowan blooms very beautifully - in large clusters of white lush flowers, which are strewn with the entire crown

Note! Rowan is a seed crop. Its fruits are considered apples. They ripen at the very beginning of autumn, but they acquire an amazing taste after hanging on a tree for a long time and freezing cold.

Growing common mountain ash in a personal plot

Planting rowan trees must be approached thoughtfully and seriously. The tree should grow in comfortable conditions, but since it is planted for more than a dozen years, then you should think over the layout of the site for the future so that you do not have to transplant the mountain ash to a new place or get rid of it.

Choosing a site for planting and preparing the soil

Rowan is a tall tree, so it is better to plant it on the border of the site, you can along the perimeter of the garden. With such a planting, it will not shade fruit trees and ridges, and will protect them from cold northern winds. Rowan alleys growing along wide paths, as well as joint plantings with conifers and flowering shrubs, look beautiful.

Rowan Alley will amaze with its beauty at any time of the year

Rowan berries can grow in fairly shaded corners of the garden, but if you want to get a good harvest of berries, then it is better to choose an open, sunny place.

Note! Spruce, pine, cherry and raspberry coexist well next to the mountain ash. But the neighborhood with viburnum, lilac, jasmine, barberry, acacia, chestnut is unfavorable.

Common mountain ash, as well as chokeberry, is best planted after perennial grasses, vegetables and grain crops and green manure plants. It will grow normally on almost any soil, but the most suitable for it are light and fertile loams without excessive moisture. Wetlands and areas with a close occurrence of groundwater for mountain ash will not be comfortable.

Important! Acidified soils must be calcareous before planting mountain ash.

Planting and transplanting

The optimal timing for planting common mountain ash is mid-autumn or early spring. Spring planting is recommended for areas with severe winters with little snow.The technology for preparing a planting pit and planting seedlings does not differ from planting chokeberry.

Pay attention to the location of the root collar after soil subsidence: it should be at ground level

Video: planting a rowan seedling

Rowan transplant

If a 4–5-year-old tree is transferred to a new place, then the event is carried out according to the rules for planting a young seedling.

Important! The only difference is that the plant must be dug up first. Remember that this must be done with caution, since rowan has a branched root system, which it is advisable not to damage.

Transplanting an adult tree is a complex and time-consuming procedure:

1. During transplantation, the tree must be in a state of biological dormancy.
2. A ditch is dug at a distance of 1 meter from the trunk. Large roots of mountain ash, caught in the way, are pruned.

   When the root system is clearly visible, the tree must be carefully tilted in different directions in order to determine in which direction it is more convenient to put it.

3. With the help of levers, the mountain ash is removed from the pit along with a lump of earth.
4. An earthen ball on the root system is wrapped in burlap, laid on a film or an iron shield and dragged to a new place.
5. The planting pit should exceed the size of the earthen coma by about 40 cm.
6. A drainage layer is made at the bottom of the pit.
7. The tree is moved into the hole, maintaining its orientation to the cardinal points, buried and compacted with the earth around the trunk.
8. Produce abundant watering, then mulch the soil in the near-trunk circle.

Important! Trees exceeding 3 meters in height cannot be transplanted.

Rowan care

The growing season of mountain ash begins early, so the main plant care activities are carried out as early as possible. All of these procedures are self-explanatory and include:

• removal of root growth;
• watering;
• weeding in the area of ​​the trunk circle; mulching;
• top dressing;
• loosening the soil.

Note! Abundant watering of the plant is carried out during the fruiting period.

If the planting pits were well filled, then the first two years of feeding the mountain ash are not needed. In the third year of life and all subsequent years, it is recommended to feed the plant as follows:

1. Before flowering - 20 g of nitrogen, 25 g of phosphorus and 15 g of potash fertilizers per 1 sq. m landings.
2. In the summer - 15 g of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, 10 g of potash fertilizers.
3. After harvesting - 10 g each of phosphorus and potash fertilizers.

Fertilizers are scattered in the trunk circle and embedded in the soil shallowly.

Useful advice! Once a year, the tree can be fed with infusion of mullein (1: 5) or bird droppings (1:10).

Organic dressings are very useful for mountain ash

Sanitary pruning of mountain ash (removal of diseased and damaged branches) can be carried out year-round. Shaping pruning is best done in early spring before sap begins to flow. The crown of the tree begins to form at a young age. Only in this case the mountain ash will look beautiful and well-groomed and bear fruit abundantly. When pruning, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• shorten the central conductor, cut out its competitors so that the mountain ash does not grow high up;
• shorten strong annual growths by 1/3 in order to induce the formation of lateral ramifications;
• partially remove the branches going inside the crown;
• cut out intertwining branches, which will help to avoid thickening and create good breathability and light.

Video: trimming rowan

Reproduction

Red mountain ash, like chokeberry, can be propagated in several ways. The most practiced option is seed propagation. It is neither time-consuming nor labor-intensive.

Seeds are squeezed out of fully ripe fruits, washed and dried

Using this method of reproduction, it is necessary to take into account that seedlings do not always retain varietal characteristics and later enter the fruiting period. The technology for propagating rowan seeds by seeds is as follows:

1. The harvested seeds are stratified following the example of black chokeberry.
2. In early spring, the prepared seeds are planted in the ground and watered.
3. The plot is covered with foliage or straw.
4. In the fall, young shoots are transplanted into a nursery school for growing.

Autumn sowing of seeds can also be carried out. For the winter, such plantings must be insulated so that freezing does not occur. Reproduction of common mountain ash by cuttings according to the technology corresponds to the reproduction of black chokeberry in this way.

Important! When using the grafting method of reproduction, it is practiced to carry out inoculation in the cleft.

Rowan and chokeberry varieties, especially their cultivation in different regions

The distribution area of ​​mountain ash and chokeberry is very wide. It is grown everywhere, and this process is not much different in different regions. In zones with a milder climate, the culture shows the highest productivity, requires less attention in care. Since most varieties of mountain ash are frost-resistant, they tolerate the harsh Siberian conditions quite well. Only winters with little snow are dangerous, in which the roots of the plant can freeze out.

In the northern regions, it is recommended to bend the branches of shrub forms to the ground in order to prevent freezing of the shoots above the level of the snow cover.

When choosing mountain ash for a specific region, you should pay attention to the resistance of the variety to certain types of diseases. For example, in Siberia, in the Urals, in Yakutia, mountain ash is often affected by brown spot, and in the western regions the greatest danger is posed by such pests as the May beetle, raspberry beetle, and scale insect. The correct choice of a variety, knowledge of its characteristics will help to avoid many problems, to grow a productive and healthy tree.

Table: varieties of chokeberry and mountain ash

Photo gallery: varieties of mountain ash and chokeberry

Reviews of rowan varieties

Diseases and pests: one for two

Aronia and mountain ash are plants that are resistant to the absolute majority of diseases and pests. But occasionally they can suffer from diseases, so a preventive examination of bushes and trees is important, which will help in time to identify signs of disease or the presence of pests. Timely measures are the key to success in combating these problems.

Table: diseases of chokeberry and mountain ash, methods of dealing with them

Photo gallery: diseases of chokeberry and mountain ash

If the mountain ash first becomes covered with an orange bloom, and then begins to dry out and dies, it means that the plant was attacked by rust Warm (plus 24 - 28 degrees) and humid (at least 75%) weather favor the rapid development of fruit rot, thickened plantings The causative agent of cancer penetrates through unprotected areas bark - wounds and cracks If rowan leaves turn black and die, and the next year the amount of harvest decreases markedly, it is most likely a brown spot Viral ring mosaic creates a pattern similar to a yellow-green mosaic Spores of mycelium, a microscopic fungus, are visible on the leaves in the form white bloom that can be easily removed with your fingers

Table: pests of chokeberry and mountain ash, control measures

Photo gallery: pests of chokeberry and mountain ash

With a massive spread of the fruit mite, the yield loss can be up to 30%. The mountain ash moth hibernates in the form of a pupa in the upper layer of the soil, its emergence to the surface coincides with the flowering of apple and mountain ash. strong infestation significantly weaken the plant, which affects the yield Aphids, developing on fruit trees and shrubs, turned into a real living pump, pumping out vegetable juice from them. , and later the foliage of young trees

Important! Plant processing with chemicals must be stopped a month before harvesting!

Birds can cause great damage to the harvest of mountain ash and chokeberry.To scare them away, they use various shiny objects (used computer disks, New Year's tinsel), scarecrows, as well as devices that make unpleasant sounds from contact with each other or from gusts of wind - tied aluminum cans, cut plastic bottles. If the death of the crop due to bird raids occurs constantly, then you should think about purchasing an ultrasonic bird repeller.

Photo gallery: bird scarers

The discs, sparkling in the sun, and creating a specific noise, will scare away birds Rotating from gusts of wind, the spinner creates a noise that scares away birds Bioacoustic scarers are designed to scare away any species of birds: crows, jackdaws, rooks, magpies, sparrows, starlings, swallows, etc.

Rowan is a classic of the Russian landscape. It is extremely beautiful, and its decorative effect does not depend on the season. It is unique during the flowering period with fragrant clusters of white flowers. its leaves are attractive, which turn orange and crimson in autumn. And the berries ripened on the branches are scarlet, red, yellow, pink, white and black, which are not afraid of frost and stay on the tree for a long time! Its fruits can be used to make delicious desserts and juices; their medicinal and dietary qualities are valuable. Given the ancient beliefs that mountain ash is able to protect the house from evil spirits, it is worth thinking about growing this plant in your courtyard. And it doesn't matter at all which mountain ash you choose - black or ordinary.

Hello! My name is Ludmila. Higher education, graduated from the Minsk Institute of Culture. I live in Belarus.

Chokeberry, or chokeberry, once a year, in the fall, turns purple, which draws attention to it as a decorative culture. In addition, chokeberry has a huge number of useful properties - the exact translation of the name of the plant from Greek sounds like "useful black fruit".

Cultivation history

Black chokeberry, known as black chokeberry or, in the common people, black chokeberry, in fact, has nothing in common with mountain ash, they are different genera of the same family. The whole physiognomic appearance, the composition of chemical elements and the requirements for the environment distinguish the black chokeberry from the common mountain ash. Aronia was separated into a separate genus already in 1935.

Black chokeberry, called black chokeberry, has nothing in common with mountain ash, except for similar fruits

Historically, the black chokeberry has grown along rivers and lakes in eastern North America, where at least 20 shrub species can be found. In Europe, chokeberry until the 19th century was bred as an ornamental culture, and only I.V. Michurin noticed the unpretentiousness of the chokeberry. He bred a subspecies of chokeberry - chokeberry Michurin, which was obtained as a result of crossing chokeberry and mountain ash proper.

Thanks to the breeding work of I.V. Michurin and the natural unpretentiousness of the chokeberry itself, the culture spread en masse to different parts of the world. Blackberry is successfully grown in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Baltic States and Belarus. On the territory of Russia, it is found in the undergrowth and forest edges, it is most widespread in the Volga region, the Central region and the North Caucasus, it is grown in the Urals, in Siberia. Cultivated on an industrial scale in Altai.

Chokeberry assortment

Black chokeberry is a fruit and berry crop that is popular all over the world, which is why the number of varieties is constantly increasing. So, at present, in addition to domestic varieties, there are varieties of Finnish, Polish, Danish and Swedish selections.

Black Pearl

Recommended variety for growing in all climatic zones. This is a tall shrub characterized by powerful shoots and up to 3 m in height. The crown diameter can reach 2 m. The bark of young shoots has a slight reddish tint, which disappears by the second year, being replaced by a dark gray color. The flowers are bisexual. The berries are large (one weighs up to 1.2 g), purple-black, covered with a grayish bloom. The fruit tastes sweet and sour, slightly astringent.

Chokeberry fruits of the Black Pearl variety are sweet and sour, slightly astringent in taste

Viking

Finnish variety. It stands out for its cherry-like leaves. In the autumn, they become yellow-burgundy. The inflorescences consist of twenty white-pink flowers that bloom in May. Fruits are anthracite in color, flat-round, no more than 1 cm in diameter, mass ripening occurs in early autumn. Aronia Viking is an extremely decorative variety that can serve as an element of landscape design.

The Viking variety has cherry-like leaves.

Nero

Large-fruited variety of German selection. Aronia Nero is compact, with a shrub size of up to 2 m, but it has a fast growth rate - an average annual growth rate of 0.3–0.5 m. Strong branching. Inflorescences are snow-white flowers with reddish stamens. Leaves turn red by autumn. Fruits weighing 1–1.2 g, are collected in denser than other varieties of clusters, blue-black. The taste is sweet, juicy. Mass ripening occurs in August - September. The variety is one of the most frost-resistant.

Aronia Nero is one of the most frost-resistant varieties

Black-eyed

Black-eyed Aronia is a melliferous, extremely unpretentious and frost-resistant variety, also remarkable for its resistance to various types of diseases. Fruits are round, up to 1 cm in diameter, ripen in early autumn, the least astringent of all varieties of chokeberries. The authorship is attributed to the breeder T. K. Poplavskaya.

The Black-eyed variety was presumably bred by the breeder T.K. Poplavskaya

Hugin

A variety of Swedish selection. The height of the bush is up to 2 m. By the end of the season, the leaves turn from dark green to bright scarlet. The berries are large, glossy, with a rich black skin. It is recommended to approach the pruning of the variety with caution so as not to lose its decorative effect.

Hugin - a variety of Swedish selection

Aron

Honey variety of Danish selection. Fruit diameter reaches 1 cm, mass ripening is observed in the second half of August - early September. Inflorescences of a variety of snow-white flowers with reddish stamens.

Aron is a honey variety bred in Denmark

Nadzey and Venisa

Varieties of Belarusian selection, included in the State Register of Belarus in 2008. The bushes are medium-sized, spreading, not requiring pollinating varieties. The beginning of fruiting is recorded from 3-4 years after planting. The average weight of one berry is 1.3 g. Fruits are slightly oval, collected in 18 pieces. The varieties Venisa and Nedzeya are relatively resistant to diseases and insects.

Aronia Venisa does not require pollinating varieties

Landing

In general, the plant does not impose requirements on soil conditions, takes root well and bears fruit on almost all types of soils. The only exceptions are saline soils. The most lush flowering and abundant fruiting is observed on illuminated moist loamy soils with a neutral reaction. The root system of the blackberry is predominantly located no deeper than 0.6 m, therefore, groundwater does not have any effect on the culture.

Aronia is undemanding to the composition of the soil

Aronia grown as a tapeworm (a free-standing plant) should be planted taking into account its growth - 3 m from tree and shrub plantations and structures. When forming a hedge, seedlings are planted every 0.5 m.

Like any fruit and berry crop, the black chokeberry has two main planting dates: spring (until the last days of April) and autumn (from late September to early November).

1. Planting in the spring.A mixture of soil, buckets of humus, 0.3 kg of ash and 0.15 kg of superphosphate is placed in a previously prepared hole with dimensions of 0.5x0.5 m at 1/3 of the depth. Then a fertile substrate is poured to half the depth and 10 liters of water are poured out. The seedling is centered, the root system is evenly distributed along the bottom. When backfilling the seat, it is necessary to constantly monitor that the root collar of the shrub is not too deeply buried in the ground (the maximum permissible value is 2 cm). 10 liters of water are poured into the compacted space near the trunk and 5–10 cm of mulching material is poured. A peg can be placed in the pit before planting to tie up the young shrub. It is recommended to shorten the shoots by 1/3, leaving 4-5 buds on each.
2. Autumn planting is not much different from spring planting. However, many gardeners prefer it, since the plant spends energy on survival, and not on the formation and maintenance of leaves, which guarantees active development in the next season.

Reproduction

The shrub reproduces both by the generative parts of the plant: by root suckers, green and lignified cuttings, by dividing the bush, by grafting, and by vegetative ones, that is, by seeds. The most commonly used method is seed and propagation by cuttings.

Seed propagation

Chokeberry seeds are extracted from ripe fruits by grinding them through a sieve. Then they are dipped in water to remove the remnants of the pulp.

The seeds for planting are extracted from the fruit of the chokeberry

Before planting, it is imperative to carry out pre-sowing seed preparation - stratification. To do this, the washed seeds are laid out in a container with calcined river sand (proportion 1: 3), after which they are placed in the vegetable box of the refrigerator. The sand in which the seeds are located must be constantly kept moist. The complexity of the method is that the seeds may hatch ahead of time, then the temperature of their content must be lowered to 0 ºC.

The planting process is carried out as follows:

1. Seeds are planted at the end of April in grooves 6–8 cm deep, after which they are sealed and covered with any mulching material.
2. After the emergence of two true leaves at the seedlings, they are thinned out, leaving 3 cm between the seedlings.
3. When the seedling has 4–5 leaves, the plantings are thinned so that at least 6 cm remains between the shoots.
4. The next spring, the last thinning is carried out, in which the distance between young plants should be about 10 cm.
5. By the fall of the second year, the plants are ready for transplantation to a permanent place.

In the process of cultivation, a bed with seedlings is regularly loosened, watered, and weeds are removed, which are the main competitors of young plantings in the fight for nutrients. Once (in the spring), future planting material is fertilized by pouring slurry.

Generative reproduction

Reproduction of a plant in a generative way (by parts of shoots, root suckers, whiskers, dividing a bush) is one of the keys to success. With generative reproduction, in most cases, all the characteristics of the mother plant are preserved, with seed propagation, this is extremely rare.

Propagation by cuttings can be carried out in two ways, depending on the type of cuttings harvested.

Table: requirements for planting chokeberry by cuttings

Root offspring

Black chokeberry is a culture that actively forms root suckers that can be used for plant propagation.

The root shoots are separated with a sharp shovel from the mother plant along with the root system. Shoots are cut so that 2-4 buds remain on them.

Caring for such planting material is not at all different from caring for any other seedlings: from time to time it is necessary to loosen the soil, maintain cleanliness in the trunk circle and carry out regular watering.

Layers

The procedure is carried out in the spring, while the soil under the plant is dug to a depth of about 15–20 cm. For reproduction, strong healthy shoots of the last year are selected, which are bent to the ground and fixed with hairpins. Pinch the top of the shoot. Care for future layers is the same as for an adult plant: weeding from weeds, timely watering.

To obtain layering, the shoots are bent to the ground and fixed with hairpins

When new shoots from the cuttings reach a length of 12 cm, they must be sprinkled with humus. The procedure is repeated several times as it grows. Separating and replanting the daughter plant is recommended next spring.

Dividing the bush

Black chokeberry is characterized by a superficial root system, the highest concentration of roots is observed at a depth of about 0.6 m in the near-stem circle. In April, the plant is dug up and divided so that each new plant has young roots and several new shoots. In this case, it is recommended to remove age shoots, and the places where the roots and stems are cut must be treated with crushed coal.

Planting is carried out in pre-prepared pits, at the bottom of which a mixture of humus and superphosphate is laid. Each new specimen of chokeberry should be no closer than 2 m to another. In general, the procedures for planting and caring for divisions do not differ from caring for seedlings.

Graft

Chokeberry grafting is carried out in the spring, before sap flow begins. Young rowan seedlings are used as a stock. On the scion at the cut with a sharp knife, a split is made. The graft shoot is cut in a wedge-shaped manner, after which the places of the cuts are aligned as closely as possible and tightly wrapped with elastic material.

Experts recommend wrapping the splice with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. After about 30 days, the film is removed.

Video: inoculation of chokeberry chokeberry

Care

As a fruit crop, chokeberry does not require special care: timely feeding to stimulate yield, competent pruning to prevent uncontrolled thickening of the crown, as well as preventive treatments against diseases and pests.

Fertilization

The key to a bountiful harvest is regular feeding. Aronia, growing on fertile soils, almost does not need fertilizers, it is enough to apply 50 g of ammonium nitrate in the spring and fill the trunk circle with a layer of organic fertilizer as a mulching material (manure, compost, or humus).

As a top dressing of chokeberry, ammonium nitrate is used in the spring.

Plants in poor soils need re-fertilization after spring feeding. So, at the beginning of summer, under each chokeberry bush, they bring:

1. A bucket of mullein solution in a 1: 5 ratio.
2. A bucket of 1:10 poultry manure solution.

In the autumn, after harvesting, the plant is fertilized with a mixture of 0.5 liters of wood ash and 100 g of superphosphate.

Pruning

Chokeberry is prone to thickening of the crown, which quickly reduces the yield. Without pruning, it stretches up and expands in breadth, forming fruits only on the peripheral shoots, which get at least a drop of light. Pruning of almost all fruit trees and shrubs is carried out in two main periods: in spring and in autumn.

Chokeberry pruning scheme

In spring, young chokeberry seedlings are cut at a height of about 0.2 m. The next year, several of the strongest shoots are selected from the emerging shoots, they are leveled to the same height, and the rest are removed. The procedure is repeated annually, until the number of branches reaches ten.

In order to prevent overconsolidation of the crown, thinning pruning is regularly carried out, they try to combine them with sanitary ones: all sick, weak or drying out, low-value shoots are removed on which fruits are not tied, as well as those that grow inside the crown.

Chokeberry pruning should be done annually.

It is believed that chokeberry fruiting occurs only on branches younger than 8 years old. Branches that have reached this age must be removed from the bush, cutting as close to the base as possible; instead of such a branch, it is worth leaving a couple of strong shoots from the root growth.It is recommended to carry out 2-3 such replacements annually, rejuvenating the bush. In addition, aging shrubs can be pruned to rejuvenate. The entire bush is cut to the base of the branches, that is, "planted on a stump." The next spring, from the emerging shoots, molding begins, like a young seedling.

Additional sanitary pruning is done after harvest. During it, all broken, shriveled or infected branches are removed. Cuts of large branches are recommended to be processed with garden pitch or crushed coal in order to prevent the penetration of infections into the organs of the plant.

Chokeberry shaping into one barrel

Black chokeberry is a plant that initially has the appearance of a bush, massively forming shoots at the roots. To make the chokeberry look like a small tree, all root shoots are removed, except for the strongest one. Several apical buds are left on top of this leader annually. After the stem reaches the desired height, the growth point at the top of the shoot is removed, which stimulates lateral branching. In the future, work is carried out on the formation of the crown.

The formation of a stem is not recommended by many specialists, although the culture tolerates molding pruning well: such an event is fundamentally contrary to the nature of the chokeberry itself.

Protection from pests and diseases

Aronia is considered to be extremely resistant to insect infestation. In addition, she is almost not susceptible to any diseases. However, climatic conditions, proximity to infected plants and illiterate agricultural techniques can lead the plant to a general weakening, which will also affect its immunity.

As a prophylaxis, the bushes are treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid before bud break, in the fall, repeated treatment with the same drug or 7% urea solution is permissible.

As a preventive measure, in spring and autumn, chokeberry is treated with Bordeaux liquid

In addition, in the fall, it is recommended to carefully cut out and immediately burn damaged and diseased shoots, peel off lichens and any growths from the bark, remove leaf litter and carrion from the trunk circle, and dig up the soil in the trunk circle. Weeding and weeding, and picking up construction and other debris can also significantly reduce the risk of plant disease in your garden.

Chokeberry pests

Many fruit and berry plants and shrubs in the garden are susceptible to insects, which pose a danger to chokeberry, and this significantly increases the risk. There are at least 20 species of insects and mites that can develop on the chokeberry.

Table: pests and control

Photo gallery: chokeberry pests

Diseases of chokeberry

Infection of a plant with any virus and colonization by insects are interrelated. A rare insect is able to settle on an unsuppressed, completely healthy specimen. In chokeberry, the following types of diseases are most often diagnosed:

1. Peripheral rot is a sign that accompanies the settlement of mushrooms. Severely affected plant specimens must be removed from the root and burned by treating the soil with fungicides. Only infected bushes are treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid and any fungicides.
2. Moniliosis - fruits affected by fruit rot soften, and then mummify and partially remain on the branches. Any fruit showing signs of disease must be destroyed. It is recommended to treat infected trees with solutions of Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate.
3. Septoria - diseased leaves are covered in July with light brown spots with a dark border, the inner part of which "falls out" over time, forming through holes. At the end of the growing season, the fallen leaves are removed from the trunk circle and burned. At the beginning and end of the growing season, the soil under the plants and the chokeberry bushes themselves are treated with Bordeaux liquid.
4. Brown spot - the disease manifests itself in the form of small brown spots on the leaves, which form a whitish bloom on the underside. Severely damaged leaves dry out and fall off. At the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to treat the bushes with 1% Bordeaux liquid, and destroy the leaf litter.
5. Bacterial necrosis (bark cancer) - chokeberry is affected by necrosis much less frequently than stone fruits. It manifests itself in the form of areas of weeping and falling off the bark, which at the same time exudes an unpleasant odor. All affected areas must be cleaned 8-10 cm below the damaged tissue, disinfected, and treated with garden varnish. Severely affected bushes are cut and destroyed.
6. Rust is a fungal disease that is yellow spots, on the back of which (the underside of the leaf) spores are located. Affected branches are destroyed, as well as leaf litter at the end of the growing season, chokeberry bushes are treated with 1% Bordeaux liquid.
7. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects young shoots and leaves. It is a whitish bloom, which darkens by autumn. The disease spreads quickly in thickened plantings, humid warm weather contributes to the development. For treatment, spraying with a solution of colloidal sulfur is carried out.
8. Grebenshik is a thin, leathery, grayish-brown mushroom that is most often a sign of root rot. When the bodies of the fungus are found, the bushes are treated twice with solutions of Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate during the season.

Photo gallery: diseases of chokeberry

Features of growing in the regions

Observations of chokeberry grown in different climatic zones show that it is most productive within the following boundaries:

• in the north - in Leningrad, Novgorod, Vladimir, Ivanovsk, Perm, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo regions, in Gorno-Altaysk;
• in the south, the area is limited to Kursk, Voronezh, Saratov, Samara, Orenburg.

Moscow suburbs

The process of growing black chokeberry in the Moscow region differs little from growing in the Central region. This area is located in climatic conditions where chokeberry shows the highest productivity. In addition, the climate in the region is much milder than the Siberian one. The danger can only be a snowless winter, since the roots of chokeberry begin to freeze out at temperatures as low as -11 ° C. Among gardeners near Moscow, the following varieties are most popular: Black-eyed, Nero, Dabrovice, Viking.

Siberia, Ural and Yakutia

The introduction of shrubs into the culture in the region was initially carried out by the M.A.Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture in Siberia.

Chokeberry can withstand temperatures as low as -30–35 ° C, which allows it to be grown in harsh Siberian conditions. In order to prevent freezing of shoots above the level of snow cover, it is recommended to bend them to the ground before winter (practiced in the regions of Petrozavodsk, Vologda, Perm, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Omsk and Barnaul). However, you should carefully monitor the application of nitrogen fertilizers, which will not allow the bushes to prepare for wintering in time, and, accordingly, will lead to freezing or death of the plant. Most often, chokeberry in this area is affected by brown spot. Mass ripening of fruits occurs in late August - early September.

Chokeberry is freely grown both in Altai and Siberia

Ukraine and Belarus

In Ukraine, the black chokeberry is cultivated in Donetsk, South-West and other regions. The culture successfully grows in Kazakhstan and almost throughout Belarus. Chokeberry grown in Ukraine is often diagnosed with infestation by pests that are not typical for other regions - a raspberry beetle, a scale insect, a May beetle. Fruit ripening occurs in September, harvesting may be delayed until early to mid-October.In Ukraine, some experts have noticed a tendency to use chokeberry in gardening yards.

In Belarus, the total area of ​​chokeberry plantations is more than 400 hectares. Local varieties of Venisa and Nadzey are considered the most resistant. Ripening of the crop begins in the second half of August.

Reviews

Exceptional decorativeness and indulgence to growing conditions distinguish the chokeberry as an excellent plant for creating seasonal accents of tree and shrub groups in the garden, as well as for use in hedges. The blackberry will be a decoration of the garden at any time of the year. In addition, the plant will delight its owners with delicious fruits.