Irga useful properties
Irga - a shrub or a tree 2-3 meters high. Young shoots are felt-viscous. The leaves are simple, regular, jagged along the rim, dark green on top, pale green from below;young are covered with a grayish-white felt pubescence. In autumn the leaves turn red. Flowers are regular, white or cream, located in the corymb-like brushes at the ends of the shoots. Blossoms in April-May. Fruits - round, at first red, in a mature state - black or red-violet with a waxy touch, sweet and pleasant taste. Fruiting is annual and abundant. Ripen fruit shortly before frost.
In our country, only one species of irgi is distributed, which grows wild in the Crimea and the Caucasus and up to the northern regions of Russia. Widespread as a culture got igra oval, this shrub grows well in the suburbs.
In its fruits, up to 12% of sugars, about 1% of organic acids, as the fruit ripens, the amount of sugars increases almost 2 times, and organic acids - gradually decreases.
Of the P-active substances, the erga contains a large number of anthocyanins - up to 3.75%.The composition of the fruit includes carotene, and from trace elements - manganese, copper, lead, cobalt.
Most species of irgi grow in North America.
About 25 species of this fruit bush are known, among which there are very hardy, which have become widespread in our country, in particular, the horny, Canadian, round-leaved, abundantly flowering;growing in the wild in the middle zone of Russia, in the North Caucasus and in the Crimea.
Irga pomegranate before the others was spread in culture - back in the 16th century. In Russia, irriga round-leaved got from Europe. She is extremely unpretentious.
In the cold northern regions, this is almost the only fruit plant, as it grows where you can not find apples, pears and plums.
The root system is superficial, it lies at a depth of 30-40 cm. It blooms in May, the flowers survive spring frosts to -5-7 ° С.Irga is self-fertile, early in fruiting, most productive after reaching 10 years of age. Irga is a durable plant. Individual trunks live up to 20 years, bushes - up to 60-70 years.
In the people of the Irg called the ginger for the similarity of dried berries irgi with raisins. In addition to fruits, Irg is appreciated for its exterior decorativeness: it has small, oval-shaped jagged leaves, gray-green in spring and orange or red in autumn. From 3-4 years of age, simultaneously with the opening of leaves, dense brushes appear, each containing 5-8 white flowers. Irga is a good honey plant.
The French call the Irgu a rock loaf, the Germans are a "rock pear." This is due to the nature of the habitats in the rocks and the shape of the fruit, slightly enlarged from above. We are most like a bird cherry, especially during the flowering period.
But the main value of this shrub is all-the same fruits that begin to ripen since July. They are dark purple with a dense bluish coating, sweet and very juicy
Requirements: igra is a culture that is undemanding to the conditions of growth, winter hardiness( it tolerates frosts to -40-50 ° С).Relievesthe region does not play a special role for the irgi, although the best growth and high yields of berries can be obtained only on fertile loamy and sandy-loamy soddy-podzolic soils that are sufficiently moist. Irga, like any berry bushes, prefers lighted areas, but does not like hot direct sunlight
Irga is a shade-tolerant and drought-resistant shrub that can be planted along a fence on any soil, but it develops best on fertile soil with a neutral reaction of the environment.
Ingredients: Irrigates contain sugars( mainly glucose and fructose), a small amount of organic acids, a lot of vitamin C and substances of P-vitamin action. Astringency and astringent properties of berries give tannins. The taste of the fruit is weakly acidic, as there are few organic acids in them, almost half of this amount falls on the apple one. The fruits are rich in vitamin A. They also contain iodine.
Landing: The landing technique is no different from the planting of other berry bushes. The method of pre-plant preparation of the soil is the same as for currant and gooseberry. Plant irgu 1-2-year-old seedlings in spring or autumn by 5-8 cm deeper than they grew in the nursery, to grow a larger number of strong root shoots. The usual scheme of planting of the Irgi is 4-5 x 2-3 m. It is also often planted in a staggered manner by the type of a hedgerow, with distances between the plants in the rows from 0.5 to 1.8 m. The planting is carried out into deep furrows. In the garden it is enough to plant 1-2 plants, each for 16 m2 on loamy fertile soils and up to 6-9 m2 for poorer sandy loamy soils. The seedlings are placed in planting pits with a width of 50-80 and a depth of 30-40 cm. After planting, the plants are watered( 8-10 liters of water per planting pit), the soil surface is mulched with the same soil, peat or humus, and the aerial part is shortened to 10 cm,leaving above the soil level 4-5 well-developed kidneys.
Irgi species
Irga round-leaved, or common, - shrub or small tree 2-4 m high. Leaves are ovoid to rounded, dark green on top and lighter from below, dense, coarse-serrate or serrate to half. Blooms in the middle of May. Flowers white, in straight 5-8-color-kovyh dense brushes. Fruits( from rounded to backward-pear-shaped) with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm, during ripening( the second half of July) are red, in a mature state purple, almost black, with a bluish wax coating, edible, with a juicy sweet pulp and characteristic after-taste, Simultaneously.
Irga spiny is a taller plant( a bush or a tree with a height of 3-6 m).Leaves ovate, sharp-toothed. Blooms in May, 2-3 days earlier than the Irgia round-lipped. Flowers with white or bright pink petals in dense erect brushes. Fruits( 6-8 mm in diameter) ripen about a week later, purplish-black, with a bluish tinge, edible, to taste reminiscent of the fruits of irrigated ciliate.
Irga Canadian - the most vigorous species( its height varies from 2 to 18 m).From other species it is distinguished by thin drooping branches that form a wide-crowned crown on open ground. The leaves are oblong, large, thin, serrate-dentate at the edges. Blossoms in the middle of May. Flowers white or yellowish-white, in straight or drooping hands. In spring the leaves are pinkish and silvery-white with a strong felt felt. In autumn the plant changes its outfit to intensely red. The fruits are roundish, large( up to 1.7 cm in diameter), dark purple, almost black, with a bluish coating, sweet and juicy, of the highest taste. Ripen in late July - early August.
Care: in the first 3 years the plant needs timely loosening of the soil, weeding weeds and applying fertilizers in the same norms as for the currant. With the beginning of fruiting, for the fourth year, it may be necessary to tie the bushes with various materials to prevent strong bending of the shoots under the weight of the crop. With age, the trunks become stable, and the need for a garter disappears. It is very responsive to fertilizers, so for the second year after planting, to increase growth, it is fed with nitrogen fertilizers or a solution of bird droppings. In the fall, superphosphate( 100 g) and potassium salt( 50 grams per bush) are introduced under the digging.
Propagates by the irgai itself by root shoots and seeds. Of the largest, ripe berries, seeds are selected and planted on a bed to a depth of 1-2 cm in July-August. This plant is resistant to pests and diseases. But sometimes along the edge of a sheet the caterpillar of an irrigated mole-pestrel makes narrow mine runs, and the caterpillar of a currant leaf-roll in the beginning of summer folds a leaf plate in the form of a tube.
Pruning: Irgu is better to form in the form of a multi-strung bush of strong root shoots. Weak shoots completely cut out.
In the first 2-3 years after planting, all strong zero shoots are left, and in subsequent years - 2-3 shoots. The formed shrub should have 10-15 different branches. Subsequent pruning is the removal of an excessive number of root shoots, weak, diseased, broken and old branches, replacing them with a corresponding number of strong root shoots. If the growth of the branches worsens, once in 3-4 years, a slight rejuvenating pruning is carried out for 2-4 years of wood. For the convenience of care and harvesting, the height is limited by pruning.
When pruning a bush, remove the excessive root shoots, leaving no more than 2-3 shoots a year in the bush, there should be 10-15 trunks in the bush. The height of plants is limited to cutting at a level of 2-2.5 m;annually apply periodic rejuvenating pruning. Irga grows well after pruning and grows independently by root offspring.
Harvesting: the fruits of the mushroom ripen simultaneously on the brush, it is inconvenient for harvesting, but gives some piquancy to their coloring: starting from the largest fruits in the base of the inflorescence, they consistently change their color from red to dark purple. Harvesting is performed in several receptions as the berries mature. Berries for fresh consumption can be stored for 2-3 days in room conditions. When stored in the refrigerator at 0 ° C, this period is significantly increased. Great damage to the crop is caused by birds, especially thrushes-mountainers. Birds start to eat fruits long before their ripening.
The benefits of
Medicinal raw materials are fruits, leaves, bark and flowers. Fruits are taken for prophylaxis of hypo- and avitaminosis, for rinsing in the form of infusion from fruits in angina. From the leaves and bark, infusion and decoctions are prepared for gastrointestinal diseases.
Fruits are used to prevent and treat hypo-and avitaminosis. In folk medicine, the juice of irgi is used to rinse with angina. Infusion of flowers has a tonic effect on the heart and lowers blood pressure.
Juice from freshly picked fruits is almost not wrung out, but after 7-10 days of them you can squeeze 70 % juice. Thanks to the valuable substances contained in the fruits, the irga has medicinal properties. Juice prevents the formation of blood clots. Berries are used for the prevention of peptic ulcer, as a fixative and as anti-inflammatory when rinsing the mouth;they are a remedy for gum disease, eye diseases, are useful in disorders of the gastrointestinal tract( as an anti-inflammatory drug).
Irgi fruits can be used to prevent and treat atherosclerosis( contained in them beta-sitosterone antagonist of cholesterol) and other cardiovascular diseases. In Irg there is a large number of P-active compounds with a vasoconstrictive effect. Therefore, elderly people are recommended to consume fresh fruits of irgi and juice from them: it helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, increases their elasticity and prevents myocardial infarction and varicose veins. Irgi juice, which has astringent properties, has long been used in folk medicine as an astringent and enveloping agent for gastrointestinal diseases.
Sometimes curative astringent beverages are prepared from a mixture of irgi with wild apples and pears. The same curative properties are possessed by decoction of leaves and bark of irgia, which contain a lot of tannic substances( the broth is prepared at the rate of 1 part of the raw material for 10 parts of water, cook in a water bath under the lid for 30 minutes, insist 15 minutes and strain).
Irga has the property to normalize sleep and strengthen the body. The use of fresh berries and juice is beneficial for both adults and children: it contributes to greater peace and balance, strengthens sleep and improves well-being.
P all kinds of eggs are eaten in raw and dried form, as a substitute for raisins. Of ripe fruits, jam, jelly, pastille, jelly and high-quality wine of pleasant taste and reddish-violet color are prepared. In compotes and jams, irgu is used in a mixture with other berries and fruits.
Syrup from Irgi
Juice from irgi - 1 l;sugar - 500 g.
In the juice of the irgi pour sugar, dissolve, bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Prepared syrup in sterile bottles, cork and store in a cool place.
Juice from irgi. The berries are washed, squeezed juice with a juicer. You can add the juice of red currant, bring to a boil, pour into sterilized jars, roll up with lids.
Morse from Irgi
Juice from berries irgi -400 g;sugar -200 g;water -1L.
Berries are washed, kneaded and squeezed out of them juice. Squeeze paddies with water and boil for 10 minutes. Decoction to filter, mix with the squeezed juice, add sugar, stir and leave for 10-12 hours. Serve on the table in a refrigerated state.
Jam from jirga
Irgi berries 1 kg;sugar - 1,2 kg;water - 400 g.
Berries pick and rinse. Cook the sugar syrup, pour the berries and cook until ready. Prepack the jam in clean jars, cover with lids or parchment paper.
Marmalade from Irgi
Irish puree puree - 1 kg;sugar - 500 g.
Ripe berries of irgi blanch 2-3 minutes, folded in a colander and let drain off. Then wipe them through a sieve and add sugar to the resulting puree. Stir, cook for 15 minutes, in a hot form, put in sterile jars and close with lids.
Irga with milk
Irgi berries - 200 g;milk - 400 g.
Berries irrigated, washed and sprinkled with sugar. Allow to stand for 1 hour, then pour cold milk and serve. Separately serve crispy cornflakes.
From berries of yorga cook very tasty compote. Berries( 400 g) are put in boiling syrup( 8 glasses of water - 60 g of sugar), again bring to a boil and cool. In the compote, you can add 1 g of citric acid.
Dried fruits of irgi - an excellent component of compotes from dried fruits, providing a pleasant dark red color of the finished product. Dried fruits of irgi are used as a surrogate of a mote and raisins. A good jam is obtained from two pieces of irgi, one part of black currant and two parts of sugar.