Lingonberry
Vassinium vitis idaea L. Cranberries grows on acidic forest soils, in dry and humid places, in lowlands and highlands. This is a favorite berry for making compotes. Gather the cranberries completely ripe. It ripens gradually from July to the end of September.
The generic name is formed from the Latin bass, changed in vacca - berry. Species definition comes from vitis - the vine and idaea - growing on the Ida mountain range on the island of Crete.
General information: cranberries , long growing in our coniferous forests, is also introduced into the culture. In the US and Europe, this happened in the 70-80's, in Russia - in the early 80's. Cowberry - an evergreen shrub up to 25 cm high with a creeping rhizome, located under the ground at a depth of 5-10 cm. On the rhizome, buds are formed, of which daughter bushes grow. Leaves are leathery, shiny. Flowers of bell-shaped form, more than 5 mm in size, white or pink, fragrant, collected in dense, drooping brushes. Blossoms of red bilberry in May. Berries can be from 5 to 12 mm in size from light pink to maroon.
Fresh cranberries are not widely used. Wet lingonberries do not deteriorate, as it contains benzoic acid - a natural preservative. In lingonberries there are also organic acids - lemon and apple, as well as oxalic acid( patients with nephrolithiasis should be cautious).Lingonberry also contains sugars, vitamin C( about 20 mg%), carotene, arbutin and vatsionin glycosides, acting against inflammation of the ureters, flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanins, many minerals, mainly potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
Among the wild berries of cranberries occupies a special place. Due to its nutritional and therapeutic and prophylactic properties, its berries have long been used in everyday life, finds application in the food and medicines of the pharmaceutical industry. Leaves and shoots of cranberries, containing curative substances, are also widely used in folk and official medicine. The value of food and therapeutic-prophylactic properties of this species is determined by the content of a significant number of physiologically active compounds in the berries, leaves and shoots: organic acids, sugars, pectins, vitamins, phenolic compounds, arbutin and trace elements. The fruits of cranberries, thanks to the high content of benzoic acid, are well preserved. All this causes a high demand for this valuable berry. However, recently due to the increased exploitation of forest resources, the activity of industrial enterprises, the areas of wild berries are sharply reduced. Now in the forest, cranberries have become a scarce berry, the harvesting of it has dropped significantly. The proposed measures of protection and the cultivation of natural thickets do not solve the problem of stabilizing the resources of berries. Therefore, in the late sixties and early seventies of the twentieth century, researchers from several countries-Sweden, Finland, the United States, and others, began to introduce cranberries into culture. But by now almost no large industrial plantations of this berry have been created anywhere in the world, and the technology of its industrial cultivation has not been developed to a sufficient degree. Therefore, it makes sense to grow lingonberries on homesteads and suburban areas. In addition, it is not only a valuable food and medicinal plant. Cowberry is of interest from the point of view of decorative value. She has a number of features that allow her to be recommended in this capacity. Firstly, it is an evergreen plant, thanks to which it is decorative in
any season: in summer, and in spring, and in autumn and even in winter, in the absence of snow cover or when plants are lightly sprinkled with snow. Secondly, varietal cowberry in the culture almost twice a year for the season blossoms and fructifies. Thanks to this in May, very beautiful look white and pink flowers against the background of bright green shiny leaves. In July-August, very bright green bushes of cranberries look very original, on which a lot of white-pink flowers open simultaneously with bright red berries. And, finally, in September-October, plantings of cranberries, literally strewn with bright red berries, are distinguished by high decorative qualities. In late autumn, in winter and early spring, plantings do not lose their ornamentality, since the plant does not shed its leaves. Therefore, it is not necessary to allocate a bed for berries among berries. From it you can create beautiful undersized evergreen curbs. It can be used to create berry meadows in the garden, as well as in various compositions when planting plots near the house. Planting cranberries along the paths near the house or in the form of a spot on the lawn, as an ornament, you can simultaneously collect her berries for personal needs. Cut shoots with leaves can be used as medicinal raw materials.
Cowberry is a typical representative of the genus Vaccinium( Vaccinium).The species Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. has been described by C. Linnaeus. The Latin name in translation means "the vine from Mount Ida."Russian-cowberry - comes from the word "redwood" - red. In the literature there is another Latin name for bilberries - Rodococcum vitis-idaea( L.) Avr., But most often the first name is used. Cowberry is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere. It grows in Northern and Central Europe, Siberia, North America. The southern border of the spread of red bilberries passes in the Pyrenees, the Apennines, the Carpathians, in Serbia and Bulgaria, on the territory of the former USSR it almost coincides with the pine distribution boundary, crossing the Ural Range at 54 ° N, meets in the Caucasus Mountains to a height of 2,750 m, andalso in the Altai and the Himalayas. The northern limit of the distribution of red bilberries passes in Norway at 717'N, grabbing east of the whole north of Russia, entering Vaigach and Novaya Zemlya, moving north of Siberia to the shores of the Bering Sea, entering the Amur, Sakhalin, the mountains of Japan and the Kuril Islands. In North America, it passes through the Arctic part of Alaska, British Columbia, capturing the states of Maine and Massachusetts. In eastern Greenland, cranberries are found at 75 ° N.In the mountains, it rises to a high altitude, especially in the southern regions. So in the Swiss Alps, it meets up to 3000 m above sea level.
Historical data
Information on the first attempts to cultivate cranberries dates back to 1745.In the Central Historical Archives of St. Petersburg there is a verbal decree by Elizabeth Petrovna, in which she was instructed in the Tsarskoye Selo Gardens "to clean the parterre with cranberries and bushbombs", as well as the decree of the Chancellery of 1765 from the buildings, instructing Master Fock to find ways to cobble in Peterhof, Monplaisirand at the Chess mountain instead of bushbom something else, for example cranberries, because with a bush "from the great frosts exuding".But the present cultivation of red bilberries was carried out relatively recently. Almost simultaneously in a number of countries in Europe and the United States from the late 60's - early 70's began to conduct research in this direction.
The first experiments on the introduction of cranberries in the culture started in Sweden in 1966 on a farm in Ottarne in the county of Smaland( southern part of the country).The area of the first plantation, laid on sandy soil, was 5 hectares. Later, small plantations were planted in the middle and northern parts of the country. The research was carried out by the Gardening Institute of the city of Balsgaard( county of Skane) under the direction of prof. Ingevald Fernqvist. Different ways of reproduction of cranberries, features of its mineral nutrition, the effectiveness of herbicides in combating weed vegetation, the influence of soil substrates on the growth and fruiting of plants, the species composition of diseases and pests, as well as measures to combat them have been studied. Yield in the experiments reached 3-5 t / ha, in natural conditions - 2.5-3.8 t / ha. Since 1978, work with cranberries was started in the breeding department of the Swedish University of Agricultural Research( Balsgaard).Initially, the cowberry forms, selected by the Danish professor Sven Dalbro, were studied in the forest of Smalanda. On their basis, by free pollination, two varieties of cowberry were obtained: Sanna and Sussi. In the experiments, the average yield of each well-developed plant was 300-400 g, which at a planting density of 4000 pieces / ha is 10 tons per 1 ha. In 1977, two new varieties were registered - Linnaeus and Ida, obtained in the breeding department of the University of Balsgard.
Since 1968, experiments on the cultivation of red bilberries started in Finland. Here, researchers from the Research Institute of Horticulture in Pikkil together with several experimental stations studied under the single program 120 clones of cowberry from different regions of the country. At the same time, methods of mineral nutrition and plant protection from weeds were practiced, and breeding and breeding issues were also studied.
At about the same time, research began on the cultivation of red bilberries in Holland. In 1969, H. Smith selected from a wild population grade Coral, highly evaluated by specialists. Up to the present time it is the most high-yielding variety of cowberry. Later in this country, another variety was selected: Red Pearl.
The leader in the cultivation of red bilberries in Western Europe for a long time was Germany. For the first time, cultivation of cranberries in Germany in 1970 began to deal with V. Dirking. He was assisted in this work by the professor of the Fraysig Institute of Fruit Growing, Dr. G. Libster. Studies were carried out on the response of cranberries of the Coral variety to soil mulching and the introduction of mineral fertilizers, as well as the selection, study and vegetative reproduction of local forms of cowberry. In the sixties A. Zilmer in the swamp between Ninburg and Minden discovered a high-yielding clover of red bilberries, fruit bearing twice a season, which was called Erntedank. Later, A. Tsilmer found two more clones in the same swamp, later becoming Erntekrene and Erntezegen( this grade was awarded a gold medal at the horticultural exhibition in 1981 in Kassel).Since 1973, research on the development of technology for growing cowberry in culture has been carried out by the Fruit Growing Institute in Vaengstephan. As a result of many years of experimental work, scientists of the country expressed the idea of the possibility of complete mechanization of work in plantation cultivation of cranberries. The Institute of Horticulture Technology of the University of Hanover has developed a series of mechanisms for the industrial cultivation of cranberries, including a machine for harvesting berries.
By the early 90s, the area of cranberry plantations in the FRG was 35 hectares, with a yield of 1 kg / m2.Planting material is supplied by farms, one of which, owned by V. Dirkingu, annually sells 200,000 pcs.seedlings with a closed root system.
In Poland, research on the cultivation of red bilberries began in 1977 with experiments on its vegetative reproduction. Since 1981, the Warsaw University of Agriculture has been conducting research on the effects of nitrogen fertilizers and mulching with various materials( peat, pine needles, bark, sand) on growth processes and the reproductive function of the Coral variety. In the same year, Lehom Kavetsky in the vicinity of Warsaw found a large-fruited and yielding form, which after studying the name Mazovia. Later one more grade was identified - Runo Belyavske.
In the USA, the first studies on cowberry cultivation were started by Dr. Arvo Kallio in 1965 at an agricultural experimental station in Fernbanks, Alaska State University. At the initial stage, work was carried out on the selection of the optimal substrate for its cultivation. In the future, the range of research has expanded. The search for optimal substrates for seed germination and rooting of cuttings began, the influence of various illumination conditions on cowberry productivity was studied, growth processes and mineral metabolism were studied in growing on various substrates. The Department of fruit crops of the University of Minnesota conducted experiments on the reproduction of cowberry in vitro. A series of experiments with cranberries was also conducted at the University of Wisconsin. Since 1990, there is also variety research and selection work with European varieties and forms of cowberry. From the Finnish forms of cowberry at the experimental station in Hankok, promising seedlings were selected that gave rise to the first American varieties of cowberries Splendor and Regal.
In the former Soviet Union, research on the cultivation of wild red bilberries has been carried out since 1968 in Ukraine, since 1969 in Lithuania, since 1976 in Belarus, since 1977 in Latvia and since 1980 in Russia. As with other berry plants, research on the possibility of growing it in culture was begun with the study of berry-berry plants of natural origin. In nature and culture, biology and ecology of plants were studied in experimental areas, the issues of breeding and growing agricultural techniques were solved, methods of protecting plants from weeds, diseases and pests were practiced. The study of varietal red bilberries began in Belarus in 1987.At the Gantsevichi Scientific and Experimental Base of the Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus( Brest Region), 5 varieties of red bilberries were brought from the Warsaw Agricultural University, which were later reproduced and planted on the collection site for introductory research. After further breeding, varieties of cowberries were transferred to other research institutions in Belarus and other union republics, including Russia( at the CSBSR of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk, at Kostromskaya J10C, etc.).In Russia, the most large-scale research on the introduction of cowberry was carried out on Kostroma LOC and the result of these were three own varieties: Kostroma pink, Kostromichka and Rubin.
Botanical description. Evergreen shrub, up to 30 cm high. The branches are creeping, rooted and raised. Young shoots whitish, pubescent, with age their bark becomes brownish in color. The leaves are alternate, leathery, back-ovate or elliptical, tapering or slightly serrate, the edge of the leaf blade wrapped upwards, dark green, shiny, the lower surface is paler, matte, with dark-brown pointlets. Flowers are collected at the ends of last year's shoots in short thick drooping brushes, consisting of 3-15 flowers. Pale pink flowers have a weak pleasant aroma. Calyx is 4-5-dentate; teeth are reddish, round in shape. Corolla campanulate with 4-5 turned lobes. Stamens 8-10;their filaments are pubescent, anthers do not have appendages. Ovary four-cavity. The pestle protrudes from the corolla. Fruit - globular, dark red, shiny berry with a diameter of 4-10 mm, sour-tart taste. At the top of the berries are the remains of a cup.
Seeds of semilunar form, mesh, reddish-brown.
Blossoms in May - June, fruits ripen in the second half of August - early September.
The root system begins to form from the formation of the seed of the primary root, which in the first year grows by 2-3 cm and branches intensively. Further, a system of small roots, densely spanning the soil, develops.
It is impossible to select the main one among them. The root system of cranberries, like other representatives of this genus, does not have root hairs. Absorption of water and nutrients is carried out by cells of the epidermis or mycelium mycelium. In addition to the roots of cranberries, a large number of underground shoots or rhizome is formed. Underground shoots of light brown color, with filmy leaves, in the sinuses of which are the kidneys. Rhizomes of cranberries strongly branched and very long( 2-4 m and more), 2-3 mm thick, are located in the soil at a shallow depth( 2-10 cm).
Cowberry usually grows with curtains of various sizes, pure in composition or together with mosses and lichens, blueberries, blueberries, Ledum, mixed herbs. In cranberry curtains it is difficult to distinguish individual individuals. The rhizome of cranberries, combining from several pieces to several dozen partial bushes, determines the structure and properties of cowberry as a single organism. It also determines the life expectancy of cranberries: if the life span of individual partial bushes does not exceed 10-15 years, the rhizome can live several centuries.
The cranberry of cranberries is formed as follows. From the germinating seed by the end of the first year, an shoot of 1-2 cm in height develops. Its growth is completed by the formation of the wintering apex bud. In the spring of the second year, an escape from the continuation of the main axis develops from this kidney. The main axis of cranberries dies after 3-4 years and is replaced by lateral shoots. As a result of branching, a small primary bush is formed. Shoots of the second order usually grow from the axillary buds at the base of the maternal axis in the 2-8th year of the life of the seedling of cranberries. The last ones reveal the sleeping buds of cotyledons. Growing from them under the ground shoots grow 3-5 years, then the apical bud in such stolonovidnye rhizomes dies. The next year, shoots of the third order grow from the axillary buds of the stolon, which come to the surface and grow
like the mother axis, forming a new branch on the branch. The new partial shrub lives 11-18 years. During this time, new stolons grow out of the sleeping buds at the base of the bush, which, with further branching, form partial bushes.
When growing cowberry in a culture, bud swelling, as a rule, begins in April, flowering in May, ripening of berries - in August. A number of forms and varieties have secondary flowering in July-August, and secondary fruiting at the end of September and the first half of October.
Geographical spread of .Cowberry is common throughout the forest zone of the country in dry pine, spruce and mixed forests, on sphagnum marshes. It grows in the tundra and forest-tundra. Often found in the mountains( in the Caucasus rises to 2750 m above sea level).Loves sandy and stony soils.
grows in Byelorussia, Western and Southern Europe( reaching the Pyrenees), including the Balkan and Apennine peninsulas;in Northern Mongolia, Korea, Manchuria, on the American continent - in British Columbia, in Alaska, Labrador, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
In the tundra of Europe, Asia and North America, a similar species grows - small cowberries - Phodococcum minus( Lodd.) Avr., Harvested and used in the same way as the common. Between these species are often formed hybrid forms.
Features of growth in natural conditions
In natural conditions, lingonberries grow on nutrient-poor soils. Occurs in various conifers( spruce, pine, larch) and coniferous-small-leaved forests, being a subdominant of the second tier. On wetlands, it grows along the edge of the marshes on the border with the forest. With regard to soils, cranberries are not very demanding, but are more common on acidic soils of different mechanical composition with a pH of 3.4-5.3 and humidity of 14-72%, and can grow on bare rocks. However, the experience of growing in culture in Finland, Sweden, Germany showed that it is the substrate that has the strongest influence on the growth of cowberry. The best results were obtained when growing on peat or a mixture of peat with sand.
Relative to the moisture of cowberry, it has a wide ecological plasticity. It occurs both on dry and in wetlands. However, in bogged areas of red bilberry grows by microincrement( remains of stumps, hummocks, etc.).The moisture content of soils on which cranberries occur naturally varies very widely. However, the highest productivity of plants is noted with a soil moisture content of 60-70% of the total field moisture capacity. Such moistening conditions are typical for most mesophyte plants, which are adapted to conditions of moderate moisture and are able to tolerate both a temporary excess of water and its deficiency.
The hydrological regime of the site is very important. The experience of cultivation of cranberries showed that it can not stand the stagnation of water. With a high level of groundwater with periodic flooding of the root system, shrubs of cranberries are killed. Under these conditions, plants tend to suffer not so much from excess moisture as from lack of oxygen in the soil. The survival of cranberries with a temporary lack of water is facilitated by a xeromorphic structuralist, but with prolonged drought, cranberries may also die.
The good aeration of the substrate( ie, the presence of air in the soil) is no less important for the successful growth of cranberries. For this reason, it does not occur on heavy loam and clay soils, which, due to their high moisture capacity and low permeability, are practically unsuitable for the growth of this species. Lack of oxygen in the root zone with excess moisture leads to the death of the root system and the death of plants. The ratio of water and air in soil is optimal for cowberry when soil humidity is 60-70% of its total field moisture capacity.
With respect to the heat of cranberries, it has a pronounced ecological plasticity, growing in a wide range of climatic conditions - from the Arctic latitudes to the Caucasus. At the same time, it is a very cold-resistant plant that can tolerate snowless frosty winters. In the wild, cranberries are widely distributed in Siberia and Europe( the northern boundary of the distribution coincides with the boundary of the continent, entering the islands of Vaigach and Novaya Zemlya), and in North America( from Alaska to Labrador and Greenland).In the mountain areas of cranberries it goes very high( there are data on its location at an altitude of up to 3000 m above sea level).In this regard, it is of interest for cultivation in countries with a short vegetation period and a low amount of positive temperatures during the vegetative period. In the regions from which West European varieties of cowberries originate, the minimum temperature in winter falls to -28-38 ° C, and the length of the vegetation period is 135-150 days. In the Moscow region, most varieties of bilberries have enough heat and length of the growing season to form two crops( summer and autumn).But at the same time, there is a danger of damage to vegetating plants in spring and autumn frosts.
Illumination is one of the most important factors in the formation of plants when grown in natural conditions. Plants respond to changes in the intensity of illumination by changing both biological indicators and anatomical structure, especially the leaves. In cowberry, shading increases the area and mass of leaves, but yields are significantly reduced. With increasing light intensity, the total height of the shrub and the increment of lateral, basal and rhizome shoots decrease, and the number of berries in the brush and the yield increase. Therefore, when growing lingonberries on the plot of land to obtain a good harvest, it is advisable to choose a well-lit place for it.
Site selection
You can grow varietal cranberries practically at any site. The relief of the area chosen for cranberries must be flat, horizontally planned. If the site is located on a slope, then it is necessary to conduct its terracing. Considering the fact that a good crop of cranberries can be obtained with adequate supply of moisture and light to the plant, the site should be located in a well-lit place and preferably near the source of water supply. It is recommended to avoid troughs and closed depressions, where there is a predisposition to accumulation and stagnation of surface waters, as well as stagnation of cold air, which is associated with the danger of damage to plants by frost.
Various types of soils are suitable for cranberries: peaty, loamy, sandy loamy, sandy, but it is best to grow and grow on peat soil or a mixture of peat with sand. A common requirement for all soils is the acid reaction of the environment. As mentioned earlier, cranberries grow well and develop at pH 3-5.Approximately the acidity of the soil can be determined from the indicator plants as described in the "Cranberry" section. For plantation cultivation of cowberries, well-developed sand quarries are also quite suitable, which are subject to reclamation.
Soil preparation
If it is planned to grow lingonberries in a sufficiently large area, then after determining the site of planting it is necessary to conduct its deep plowing and thoroughly clean the entire area of the weeds. Special attention should be paid to the rhizomes of perennials, in particular wheat grass, bindweed, etc. Poor soils before planting cranberries need to be enriched with organic fertilizer( peat, compost, etc.) and mineral fertilizer. At 100 m2.it is recommended to add 4-6 m3.peat, 4-7 kg of full mineral fertilizer, enriched with microelements, and 6-8 kg of superphosphate. Sandy or loamy soil is desirable to be covered with peat. If the area under the cranberries occupies several square meters, then in this case the best solution for planting on any soil, including heavy clay, will be a bed, prepared on the basis of peat. To do this, after removing the rhizomes of weeds, remove the top layer of the soil( to a depth of 20-25 cm) and the resulting depression is filled with peat moss. If you can not buy peat turf or it is very small it is possible to prepare another soil mixture. To do this, take any peat( upland, lowland, transitional), sawdust, opavshuyu needles, overgrazed forest litter and mix in any ratio. In this mixture, you can add a little sand. The same should be done if you decide to grow lingonberries in a sand quarry or ravine. After filling the bed with peat or a mixture prepared by you, its surface is sprinkled with sulfur( 40-60 g per 1 m2), the substrate is mixed, compacted and mulched with sand( 3-5 cm layer).To adjust the pH of the so prepared soil, it is desirable to water the prepared bed with acidified water at a rate of 10 liters of water per 1 m2.For acidification, solutions of various acids can be used, as we described it for cranberries. After this, you can start planting plants.
Planting
Wild planting material can be used as a planting stock. For planting on the site, partial bushes or pieces of rhizome from externally healthy and well-fertile plants are excavated from the forest. But in this case you can not know how your seedlings behave in the conditions of culture. As a rule, the planting material is not homogeneous, the bushes have different heights and often after fruit transplantation the fruit is weak or does not bear fruit at all. Therefore, it is safer to use seedlings of already proven cultivars. In this case, you will grow shrubs of equal height, regularly giving a decent harvest of berries. Cultural varieties and forms reproduce by cuttings, from which during one growing season in a film greenhouse, it is possible to obtain seedlings 5-7 cm in height with a well-formed root system. Such plants are quite suitable for planting in a permanent place. By the way, wild cranberries can also be propagated in the same way, so as not to damage its populations in the wild by digging out bushes and damaging the rhizomes.
Planting young plants on a permanent place is best done in the spring, when the soil completely wakes up and warms up to 5-8 ° C.Approximately this is at the end of April. You can plant the plants in the first half of May. But it is possible and autumn planting in September, two-year or three-year-old seedlings.
It is known that their plant development and productivity largely depend on the density of plants planting. Therefore, an important point is the application of the optimal scheme of plant placement, which provides them with the best light and nutrition. After the preparation of the soil, the site is marked depending on the scheme by which the plants will be planted in the soil. Plant cranberries in rows at a distance of 30-40 cm row from the row. The distance between the plants in the row is 25-30 cm. In larger areas, with mechanized planting, the distance between rows can be longer and depends on the aggregates used for this.
When planting, the plants are buried 1.0-1.5 cm deeper than they grew in the uterine area or in the container. After planting, the site is watered to compact the soil around the plants. During the first ten days after planting, watering should be done regularly, especially in the spring, if the weather is warm and sunny. Otherwise, young plants will die from lack of moisture. In the future, watering is carried out as necessary, based on weather conditions.
Water supply
As already mentioned, abundant watering of cranberries is carried out immediately after planting plants on a permanent place. Then the site is regularly watered in the first 7-10 days after the transplant. In the future, until the end of the growing season and in subsequent years of cultivation, the level of moistening is maintained taking into account the natural precipitation and air temperature, maintaining the necessary optimum ratio in the soil of water and air( which is created at 60-70% of the total field moisture capacity of the soil).
With regard to extreme conditions, the bilberry responds negatively to both the lack of moisture and its excess. Since practically the entire root system of cranberries is in the upper soil layer( at a depth of 10-15 cm), it is sensitive to soil drought. On a little water-intensive and quickly dried sandy soils and sandy loam without regular watering, the shoot growth significantly decreases, as well as the harvest of berries. Maintaining a normal moisture regime is especially important in hot periods, when the soil surface is not only drained, but also overheated, and plants consume large amounts of water. In this case, you need cooling watering( 1 bucket of water per 1 m2).Such watering is carried out during the peak of high temperatures( at 12-13 and 15-16 hours of the day).Poured from a hose with a sprayer or from a watering can with a strainer straight through the plants. Excess moisture in the soil, in turn, leads to the displacement of air containing oxygen, without which the vital activity of the root system is disrupted, which can lead to the death of cranberry plants. Therefore, it is necessary to provide drainage at the site for the discharge of excess water. This will be especially important in the period of prolonged rains.
In large areas, it is possible to regulate the water regime of the soil and by changing the level of standing of groundwater. Optimal conditions for the growth and development of cowberry are formed at a groundwater level of 30-40 cm from the soil surface. A low level of groundwater can be compensated for by artificial sprinkling. From the high standing of groundwater it is necessary to get rid by draining the territory with open or closed drainage. If there is no possibility to regulate the groundwater level, sprinkling can be used. In dry, hot weather it is desirable to water daily. It is best to use small-drop irrigation, using special nozzles for irrigation hoses. Irrigation is carried out until the saturation of the soil root layer with moisture is complete.
The need for additional irrigation of the site is determined by the state of the soil.
The pH of the water used for irrigation is very important. If the plantings are regularly watered with water that has a neutral or, worse, alkaline reaction, then its deoxidation gradually takes place. When the pH is raised to 6 units or higher, mycorrhiza ceases to work, and cranberry plants begin to suffer from a lack of nutrition. On the leaves there are signs of starvation( chlorosis and other symptoms), plant growth slows down, yield decreases. If you do not eliminate the cause of starvation in time, the plants may die. To maintain the optimum level of soil acidity, it is necessary to water the plantings of cranberries with acidified water once every 10-15 days.
Mineral nutrition
Cowberry culture is still very young, only a few dozen years old and therefore many questions of its cultivation are not well researched. This is also the question of mineral nutrition.
The influence of mineral fertilizers on the growth and fructification of cranberries in natural thickets and on experimental plots is controversial, since the effect of mineral fertilizers depends on various factors: the type of soil, the type and doses of mineral fertilizers, the time and frequency of their application. But all researchers agree on one thing: mineral fertilizers for cranberries are needed in very small doses, and only on poor soils. In favor of this statement, the ability of cranberries to grow naturally and grow on acidic, non-fertile soils is also evidence. Excess fertilizers are harmful to this plant. According to German and Belarusian researchers, a high level of mineral nutrition( especially nitrogen and calcium) causes death of cranberry plants.
In amateur gardening it is very important to comply with the norms of fertilizing and not apply fertilizers "by eye" or by the principle "the more, the better."Overfeeding cranberries is much more dangerous than underfeeding. Of fertilizers, preference should be given to sulphate forms, since they allow maintaining acid reaction of the soil environment, and sulfur, which is part of their composition, is a very important element of mineral nutrition of all plants of the cowberry family, without exception.
Based on the biological characteristics of cranberries, two stages can be distinguished in the application of fertilizers. The first stage - from planting to the beginning of fruiting, which lasts 1-2 years. During this period there is an increase in the vegetative mass, therefore the main role in nutrition belongs to nitrogen( 1M).However, this does not mean that it is not necessary to introduce phosphorus( P) and potassium( K), or to introduce high doses of nitrogen. Researchers recommend applying a mixture of mineral fertilizers only for the second year after planting in a permanent place. Fertilizers are applied in spring and not more than 10 kg / ha( 1 g / m2) of full mineral fertilizer( the optimal ratio is N: P: K 1: 2: 1, but it can be replaced by the ready fertilizer "Kemira-Universal").The second stage is full fruiting. During this period, it is necessary to reduce the rate of nitrogen fertilizer and increase the amount of phosphorus and potassium. Since the bilberry bushes by this time increase their height and volume due to the growth of the vegetative mass, the fertilizer dose also increases. But it should not exceed 25 kg / ha( 2.5 g / m2) of a mixture of N: P: K in a ratio of 1: 2: 2 or 1: 3: 3.These mixtures can be replaced with the ready fertilizer "Kemira - Autumn".On peat soil it is generally not recommended to apply any fertilizer for cranberries.
With regard to the use of microfertilizers, almost no studies have been conducted on this issue. Microfertilizers are naturally needed, but microfertilizers can be used to plant cranberries, only in very small doses and very rarely( once every 5-7 years). To do this, you can use the finished mixture of microfertilizers and recommendations for its use contained on their packaging.
Separately, I want to say about organic fertilizers. If you want your cranberries to grow and bear fruit, do not put them into the soil and do not feed the plants with organic fertilizers, namely manure, chicken litter, compost. By this you will destroy the plants of cranberries. The exception is the upland very acidic peat, which can be added to sandy, sandy loamy or loamy soil in any amount.
Mulching
Mulching of plantings of cranberries favorably affects not only the processes of growth and development of plants, but also on their re-wintering, and is also one of the methods for controlling weeds. Various materials can be used as mulch: peat, fallen pine needles, bark, chopped straw, shavings, sawdust, sand, gravel. On mineral soils, the best effect is achieved using materials of organic origin( bark, peat, sawdust), while on peat soil - mineral substrates( sand, gravel).When mulching peat land on sandy soil, the latter is enriched with organic substances.
In addition, the substrate is acidified, its moisture capacity is increased, it is enriched with nutrients. The sanding of landings on peat soil levels the temperature and humidity in the habitat zone of the roots, improves the illumination of plantings, reduces their clogging, and also significantly reduces pest purity and disease damage. But wood chips and shavings are most effective against weeds on all types of soils.
The first mulching is carried out immediately after planting the plants in a permanent place. The mulch material is spread evenly between the plants 3-5 cm. In the first year after planting in a permanent place, it is advisable to cover the beds in autumn to insulate the root system, in order to allow it to winter well and adapt to the conditions of life in the open ground. In the future, the frequency of mulching is once in 2-3 years.
Protection against frosts
Due to the high cold resistance of snowless winters, cranberries carry almost without prejudice to themselves. Therefore, in winter, the protection against freezing is not required. Nevertheless, it will not be superfluous if, in the fall period, you cover the planting of cranberries 2-3 cm with a layer of mulch, and with the onset of cold weather, cover them with a spunbond. In very cold snowless winters this will protect your plants from drying out.
The danger for cranberries represents late spring frosts, since opening buds, young shoots, buds, flowers and ovaries have low frost resistance. The lack of protection during this period often leads to the loss of the summer harvest. But in a number of forms and varieties of cranberries, secondary flowering is observed in July-August, when there is no danger of damage by frost. But then comes secondary fruiting in September-October. This is especially characteristic of the variety Coral, which forms the main crop in the autumn. In this case, early frosts can cause significant damage, damaging the immature fruit. Protect cowberries during the spring and autumn frosts can be by abundant watering the day before, sprinkling during freezing, as well as sheltering plantings with various materials: a 2-3-layer spunbond, straw, cloth, lapnik, foam rubber or at least polyethylene film. In an extreme case, for the heating of the surface layer of air and preventing frost, smoke chips are used, smoke is created with the help of heaps of rubbish, foliage, peat briquettes. Smoke devices should be located on the windward side.
Pruning
When growing cowberry in a culture, starting from 7-8, the productivity of shrubs is reduced, and in 12-15 years they may even die.
The rejuvenating pruning is the most important agrotechnical method, which contributes to the restoration of fading plant growth and slows down their aging process. As a rule, for rejuvenation, the bushes are cut at a height of 4-6 cm, so that not less than 4-6 leaves remain on the stump( preferably if there are more of them).Cutting time - early spring, before the beginning of the sap flow. The shoots are cut with a pruner or other convenient cutting tool. For better renewal of shrubs, it is recommended that they be fed with small doses of mineral fertilizers. A year after pruning, lingonberries begin to bear fruit, and for 3-4 years after pruning the productivity of plantations is completely restored, and sometimes exceeds the previous level of yield. Cut off shoots can be used as planting material for plant propagation or as medicinal raw materials. You can do "sparing" rejuvenating pruning. To do this, either remove 1/3 to 1/2 branches from the middle of the bush, or the bush is cut to 1 /31/ 2 heights.
Wind protection
The productivity of planting cranberries also increases if the site is protected from wind. This is due to the fact that in this area is much warmer than in the open space. Therefore, vegetation here begins a little earlier and ends a little later, much less the probability of damage to plants by frost. Because of the absence of wind, evaporation of water leaves and drying of the soil, so the conditions for growth and fruiting of plants improve. On warmer, sunny areas, insects work better, which has a favorable effect on pollination of plantings and, accordingly, increase in their yield due to an increase in the number of berries on the bushes. Improves the quality of berries and their size. As protection it is possible to use a fence located from the northern part of the site, as well as wings and hedges from coniferous and deciduous trees and bushes, walls of various buildings.
Pollination of
Cowberry is an entomophilous plant, i.e.she pollinated with the help of insects. Bumblebee pollens are bumblebees, less frequently bees and other insects. There is practically no self-pollination in cranberries. Therefore, when growing it in culture, it is necessary to take care of creating favorable conditions for the life of bumblebee families. In particular, they need to provide them with a place to place "nests", to fight against rodents that destroy bumblebeans nests. If there is a need to protect plants from diseases or pests, treatment with pesticides must be carried out in the evening, when insects finish collecting honey, which in turn excludes the danger of death of bumblebees and other pollinators from poisoning. Of toxic chemicals it is desirable to use the least toxic.
Weed protection
When we cultivate cranberries in culture, weed control is a big trouble. This is the most complex of agricultural techniques in its cultivation. Due to the shallow root system of cowberry, the use of machinery in controlling weeds is difficult. But because of low competitiveness, the plants of cranberries are not able to successfully resist weeds. Therefore, if you do not conduct any struggle, cowberries can be forced out of the cultures of the cenosis. Planting cranberries are populated by a wide variety of species of weeds. There are species from humid, moderate and dry habitats. The number of weed species in cranberry plantations exceeds a hundred. The most expansive of them, expanding, form a continuous coating and lead a tough competition with cranberries for the elements of nutrition, light and space, usually defeating it and completely pushing it out of the site. Plants of red bilberries are not able to withstand the expansion of numerous weeds. To combat the latter apply a variety of techniques: mulching, manual weeding, inter-row cultivation of soil, the use of herbicides.
In large plantations, herbicides are used: roundup and its derivatives( 2-3 l / ha), touchon( 60-70 kg / ha), and others. This is one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to reduce plantation debris. In garden areas, the use of chemical means to control weeds is not desirable. The main attention should be paid to timely weeding. Good results are obtained by mulching the plantings with sawdust or sand, with a layer of 3-5 cm. Inter-row soil cultivation is also effective. In this case, mechanical loosening and weeding are carried out simultaneously. Early soil cultivation suppresses cranberry competitors even before the growth processes begin and further facilitates control over the level of plantation or bedding debris. In addition, the planting of cowberries must be protected from the introduction of weed seeds from neighboring areas( you can simply mow the weeds regularly, not allowing their insemination).
Protection against diseases and pests
Providing optimal conditions for the growth and development of plants simultaneously guarantees a significant reduction in the number of pests and the degree of plant damage by pathogens. But still, it is not possible to completely protect cowberry from diseases only with the help of agrotechnical measures, as well as other cultures. We have to use pesticides. In order to properly organize the protection of plantings of cranberries, you need to know the underlying diseases and the pests that live on it, as well as the timing, doses and methods of using the drugs to combat them.
The dominant role in the complex of pests of cranberries is played by leaf-eating lepidopterans, mainly leaf rollers.18 species of leaf rollers were recorded on the wild cranberries. Caterpillars feed on buds and buds, and then damage young leaves, flowers and ovaries. The yield of cranberries is significantly reduced, and in some years the generative kidneys are completely destroyed. In addition, damage to leaf rollers contributes to the disease of berries by various kinds of fungal and viral diseases. There are other types of leaf-eating and sucking insects( aphids, scutes, etc.).On plantings of varietal cranberries, there was no noticeable effect of pests on the growth and yield of plants. But if pests have appeared on your plantings, it is necessary to treat the plants with insecticides recommended for combating this or that type of insect pests. It is important to comply with the timing and recommended rates of the drug used. To do this, you need to carefully study the instructions attached to it. For preventive purposes, pest control measures should be carried out early in the spring, before the intensive growth of shoots and the release of caterpillars after wintering or their hatching out of eggs.
Of mushroom diseases on cowberries, the following are noted:
Exobasidiosis - the affected leaves acquire a whitish or pinkish tinge and grow strongly. Stems, flowers and pedicels are also affected. The bush thus, as a rule, does not die and continues development of vegetative and generative organs.
Gibber spot - the stoma of the fungal parasite forms a black crust on the plants. The infection of bushes occurs at the level of the moss cover and leads to a gradual drying of their upper parts.
Mikosferlieriosis - on the leaves there are spots, first reddish black, then dirty. On the upper side of the leaf there are dotted fruit organs.
Rust - causes the formation of dark brown spots on the leaves. Sclerotinia - causes mummification of berries.
Moniliose - young shoots, leaves and flowers take on an unusual shape, increase in size, the stems gradually wither.
Various fungicides are used against fungal parasites. One of the ways to combat fungal diseases is spraying with a solution of Bordeaux liquid. The first spraying is carried out before flowering, the second - at the end of flowering, the third - 2-3 weeks after the second. With a strong defeat of cranberries, parasitic fungi also carry a fourth spraying. Good results are obtained by treatment with 0.1% solution( 1 g per 1 liter of water) of the spring before the vegetative season and in the autumn after harvesting. In the spring, prior to the beginning of the formation of the ovaries, you can spray the plants three times with a 0.2% solution( 2 g per 1 liter of water) of euparen or benomyl( the interval between treatments is 7-10 days).
In addition to those listed, three diseases of viral origin and one of mycoplasma have been identified on cowberry. Mycoplasmal disease is characterized by the fact that it causes dwarfism of plants( small leaves, flowers and berries).The shoots of the diseased mycoplasma plants are thin, elongated, with small leaves, grow strictly vertically. Instead of the usual flower brushes, small small flowers are formed in the axils of the leaves. Plants affected by this disease, unlike plants affected by other pathogens, do not return to their original healthy state.
There are no effective methods for mass healing of plants in the field under viral and mycoplasma diseases. Preventive measures include pre-plant soil disinfection, spatial isolation of uterine plantations from production, timely culling of infected plants and destruction of foci of infection, as well as the fight against insect vectors that transmit pathogens. An effective way to obtain a healthy planting material is green cuttings.
All work on the protection of cowberry from diseases and pests should include a set of measures that include agrotechnical measures and chemical treatments.
The effectiveness of pesticides is determined by the choice of the required time for their use, the concentration of the working solution and the rate of application of the drug.
To protect cowberries from diseases and pests, only those pesticides that are authorized by the State Inspectorate are used: for example, against fungi-pathogens - topsin M, copper oxychloride, kuprozan, against pests - actinicus and ambush( in 0.1% concentration), etc. When working with pesticides it is necessary to observe all the precautions specified in the "Sanitary rules for the storage, transportation and use of pesticides in agriculture".
It should be noted that cultural plantings of cranberries are now very few, and diseases and pests have not yet become widespread. Therefore, use pesticides only when necessary. More attention should be paid at this stage to agrotechnical measures that promote good growth, development and fruit bearing of cowberry.
Collection and drying. Prepare leaves of cranberries. The collection is made in two terms: in the spring, before the beginning of flowering, and in the autumn, in September - October, at the gathering of berries. In the summer, the leaves are not harvested, as when drying they become brown. Collect carefully to avoid damage to the plant. On the same site, repeated billets are possible only after 5-10 years.
Dry in the air, in a shady place( in the attic, under a canopy), ensuring good ventilation. Drying should be fast, as the delay leads to a darkening of the leaves.
Medicinal raw materials - Folium Vitis idaeae - individual leathery leaves on short petioles from 30 mm long, width - up to 15 mm, from above dark green, from below light green of the structure described. Taste bitter, astringent, have no smell. Numerical indicators( according to FS 42-1700-81): moisture content not more than 13%;total ash content is not more than 7%, browned and darkened leaves not more than 7%, crushed - no more than 2%, other parts of the plant cranberries not more than 1%;organic impurity not more than 1%;mineral impurity not more than 0.5%, the content of arbutin glycoside is not lower than 4%.
The leaves are packed in bags or bales of 25-50 kg. Store in a dry, well ventilated room.
Cowberry berries are a valuable food raw material. Used in the canning, wine and confectionery industries, as well as home canning. Gather mature healthy fruits( in August - September).Unripe fruit( "white-tailed"), artificially dosed, have a lower biological value, stored much worse than the berries ripe on the mother plant.
Fresh cranberries should meet the following numerical values (GOST 20450-75): immature not more than 1%;Overripe( submissive-led) no more than 1%;crushed, preserved in their own juice: when filling into casks no more than 5%, when packing into baskets no more than 3%;other edible plants( cranberries, etc.) no more than 2 organic impurities not more than 1%.
Chemical composition of .The leaves present numerous groups of biologically active compounds, contain up to 9% of arbutin glycoside, splitting into glucose and phenol hydroquinone, which has antiseptic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects, especially in diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract;there is a methyl arbutene( 3%) and free hydroquinone. The leaves are rich in tannic substances( up to 10%), phenolic acids and flavonoids( hyperoside, aviculary, isokvetsitrin, kaempferol).Phenolic glycoside me-lampospin, salidroside, ideichloride, ursolic, quinine, tartaric, ellagic and gallic acid, as well as a lot of vitamin C( up to 270 mg / 100 g), coumarins with the ability to prevent thrombosis of blood vessels are also contained. They are also characterized by vasodilator, soothing, analgesic, choleretic and diuretic action.
Berries contain sugars, organic acids, pectins( 0.2-0.3%), tannins and colorants. The main sugars are fructose, glucose and sucrose;Among organic acids, citric, malic, benzoic, ursolic, very little tartaric acid prevail. The presence of benzoic acid, both free and bound in the form of a glycoside vaccinine, explains the high stability of cranberry berries during storage. Ursolic acid, the main amount of which is concentrated in the skin of the fruit, has a hormonal effect, similar in nature to the action of hormones in the cortical portion of the adrenal glands.
Fresh berries contain in 100 grams 0,01-0,12 mg of carotene, 8-20 mg of ascorbic acid and 0.13 mg of vitamin B2( riboflavin), flavonoids( over 400 mg / 100 g of raw material) and phenolic acids havemanganese compounds. Found arbutin, but in smaller quantities than in leaves.
Grades
To date, foreign and domestic breeders from wild populations have selected a number of highly productive clones, conducted their perezapylenie among themselves, the first hybrid plants were obtained. Many of the selected clones and hybrid seedlings are studied and recorded as varieties. Below, we present a description of varieties known to date.
Coral( Koralle) is a Dutch variety. The very first variety of lingonberry. Selected in the arboretum Reenvik( Netherlands) X. Vander-Smith as the best form of seedlings of wild cranberries. It was registered in 1969.Until now, it is the most decorative and high-yielding variety. Bushy height and diameter of more than 30 cm, with long erect shoots, oval leaves and weak partiation. The yield is high( 0.2-0.4 and more kg per bush).Berries of medium size( 0,8-0,9 cm in diameter), light red, sweet and sour with light bitter taste. In our conditions, twice a vegetation season forms a crop.
The first - in late July - the first half of August, the second( main) - in late September - first half of October.
Red Pearl is also a Dutch variety. Selected from populations of wild bilberries in Boscoop( Netherlands) by A. Blanken. It was registered in 1981.Tall and widely sprawling, densely branched plants reach a height of 20-30 cm. The leaves are large, round, dark green. Berries are large( 7-12mm), roundish, dark red, good taste( sweet and sour with light bitter taste).It is capable of forming two crops during the growing season.
Ammerland( Ammerland) is a German variety. Selected from populations of wild cowberry in Westerstede( Germany) E. Kruger and J. Viting. The bush reaches a height of 30 cm and has approximately the same diameter. In our conditions, it forms a crop twice during the growing season. The first - in late July - the first half of August, the second - in late September - first half of October. Productivity is high( 0.2-0.3 and more kg per bush).Berries of medium size( 0,9 - 1,1 cm in diameter), light red, sweet and sour.
The variety forms a few rhizome shoots, but the above-ground part of the plant grows well, forming tall, compact, abundant fruiting, globular bushes, similar to the Coral variety.
Erntedank is a German variety. Selected by A. Tsilmer from populations of wild cowberry in the Grou swamp to the west of Ukhta in the Federal Republic of Germany. It was registered in 1975.The bushes are low( up to 20 cm), with light green leaves, but they have good yield. The berries are light red, small( smaller in size than in the Coral), moderately sour taste. Almost every year the variety forms two crops, but the yield is lower than that of the Coral variety almost twice. Because of the small berries is not widely used and is not recommended for industrial plantation.
Erntekrene( Encekgye) is a German variety. Selected by A. Tsilmer from populations of wild cowberry in the Grou swamp to the west of Ukhta in the Federal Republic of Germany. It was registered in 1978.The bushes are also low( up to 20 cm).The berry is somewhat larger than the Coral variety( 0.9-1.1 cm in diameter), dark red, with very good taste qualities( sour-sweet with light bitterness), juicy. Annually forms two crops, but summer fructification is not stable. Productivity is lower than that of Coral variety by about one and a half times.
Erntesegen is a German variety. Selected by A. Tsilmer from populations of wild cowberry in the Grou swamp to the west of Ukhta in the Federal Republic of Germany. It was registered in 1981.It is characterized by high growth( up to 40 cm).Shoots flexible, long, leaves large, elongated. The largest fruited variety( diameter of berries is 1.2-1.4 cm).Berries are light red with very good taste qualities( sour-sweet with light bitter taste).Yield is half that of Coral. One of the best varieties for gardening.
Masovia( Masovia) is a Polish variety. Selected in the Bolimovsky forest 60 km west of Warsaw L. Kavetsky. It was registered in 1985.Small shrubs( up to 15 cm).
Forms many rhizomes and very quickly covers the soil with a continuous carpet. The berries are dark red, medium-sized, with good taste qualities( sweet-sour).Ripen in late August. The yield is good, but lower than that of Coral. A beautiful ground cover and one of the best varieties for alpine hills.
Runo Bielawskie is a Polish variety. The bush is low( 15-20 cm), dense, spherical.
The fruits are large. It has very high resistance to frost and good yield.
Linnea is a Swedish variety.
Obtained by free pollination of the BV-82 form in Smaland( Sweden).It was registered in 1997.Forms strong, high( height up to 25 cm), weakly-branched bushes with large leaves. Partiation is weak. Flowering early. Berries from medium to large( 0.35-0.45 g), bright red, sweet-sour with light bitter taste. Early ripening variety( ripening from the middle of August).Plants are capable of weak secondary bloom. The crop at the age of three averages 150 g per plant.
Ida( Ida) is a Swedish variety. Obtained as a result of free pollination form BV-68 in the province of Smaland( Sweden).It was registered in 1997.The bushes are characterized by intensive growth, dense and compact, in the form of a dense sphere. The height is 15-20 cm. The leaves are large, with convex veins on the upper side. Partiation is weak. Flowers are collected in rare brushes. The fruits are large( 1.0-1.1 cm in diameter and 0.5-0.8 g in weight), bright red, sour-sweet, ripen from the middle to the end of August. The variety is capable of secondary flowering and fruit bearing. The second crop ripens in autumn in late September - early October. The yield at the age of three is 140 g per plant. A perfect variety for planting on the lawn and curbs.
Regal is obtained as a result of free pollination of the WI 108 form, selected among the clones of cowberry growing in the vicinity of Lieto village in the southwestern part of Finland. Selection of seedlings was carried out at the experimental station of Hancock University pc. Wisconsin( USA).It was registered in 1990.A tall variety. Fruit-bearing plants have a height of 18-22 cm. The intensity of rhizome formation is moderate and comparable to the Erntedank cultivar. Berries in diameter 8.5 mm and weight 0.33 g, red, sweet-acid. Gives two crops per season. The autumn harvest prevails, which ripens at the end of September.
Sanna is obtained from seedlings from free pollination of form BV 35( Smaland province, Sweden) by Danish professor Sven Dalbro. It was registered in 1988.The bushes are erect, 15-25 cm in height. The variety is characterized by intensive partiation and quickly forms a continuous carpet. The leaves are elliptical or back-ovoid. Blossoms in the middle of May. The fruits are red, round, weighing 0.4 g, sweet-sour, ripen in mid-August. The yield of adult bushes is 300-400 g per plant.
Scarlet is a Norwegian variety. Seeded from seedlings obtained as a result of pollination of clones of cowberry pollen of the variety Coral.
The bushes are 30-40 cm high and have a crown diameter of 40-45 cm. Very good grade for curbs.
Splendor - obtained as a result of free pollination of the WI 102 form, selected among the clones of cranberries growing in the vicinity of the village of Lieto in the southwestern part of Finland. Selection of seedlings was carried out at the experimental station of Hancock University pc.
Wisconsin( USA). Registered in 1990.The height of fruiting bushes is 15-20 cm. The intensity of rhizome formation is moderate. Forms two crops per season. The average fruit size is 10 mm, the mass of one berry is 0.41 g. The carmine-red fruits are shiny, sweet-sour, with slight bitterness. Fruits of the first, insignificant crop ripen in the first half of August. The main crop ripens in autumn in the period from the middle to the end of September.
Sussi was obtained as a result of free pollination of the BV 401 form selected among the clones of cowberry grown in the vicinity of Lieto village in the southwestern part of Finland by the Danish professor Sven Dalbro. It was registered in 1988.The bushes are undersized with vertically growing shoots, 10-20 cm high. Blooms in late May. The harvest ripens in the third decade of August. The berries are round, dark red, large, 0.4 g, sour-sweet. The yield of the variety is slightly lower than that of the Sanna variety.
Kostroma pink is a Russian variety, selected from populations of wild cowberry on Kostroma VOC GV Tyak, LIAltukhova and A.F.Cherkasov. It was registered in 1995.The bushes are medium-sized, 15 cm high, evenly branched. The middle-ripening, self-fertilized variety, in the conditions of the Kostroma region, ripens on August 15-20.The fruits are rounded, 9-10 mm in diameter, pink in color and sweet and sour taste. The average weight of one berry is 0.34 g, the maximum is 1.2 g. The yield of berries is 0.76-2.68 kg / m2.Kostromichka is a Russian variety, selected from populations of wild cowberry on Kostroma LOS GV.Tyak, L.I.Altukhova and A.F. Cherkasov. It was registered in 1995.The bushes are 15-18 cm high, very dense, densely branched. Early ripening variety, in the conditions of the Kostroma region ripens on August 10-15.The fruits are round, with a diameter of 7-8 mm, dark red, sweet-sour. The average weight of one berry is 0.24 g, the maximum is 0.73 g. The yield of berries is 0.96-2.48 kg / m2.
Rubin is a Russian variety, selected from populations of wild cowberry in Kostroma LOC.Tyak, L.I.Altukhova and A.F.Cherkasov. It was registered in 1995.The bushes are medium-sized, 15-20 cm tall, intensively growing, evenly and densely branched. Is characterized by an intense partition. Late-ripening, self-fertile variety. In the Kostroma region ripens on August 20-25.Fruits are roundish, dark red, sweet-sour. The average weight of one berry is 0.22 g, the maximum is 0.60 g. The yield of berries is 0.94-2.88 kg / m2.A good ground-covering plant.
Reproduction of
Cowberry can be propagated either by seeds or vegetatively by means of stem and rhizome cuttings, or partial shrubs. Cultural varieties reproduce only vegetatively, since this method ensures a complete transfer to the new generation of varietal characteristics of the mother plant.
Seed propagation
Extracting seeds from berries and sowing is carried out as in the case of blueberries. But unlike blueberries, the germination of seeds in cowberries is not high. Seedlings appear after 20-30 days. When the seedlings appear 4-5 real leaves, they are dived into boxes, at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Dore in the greenhouse for a year. It is regularly watered, but not fed, as cranberries are very sensitive to excess elements of food( especially nitrogen) and young plants can die. In August, the hothouses remove the shelter, and at the end of October the garden bed with the seedlings is mulched with peat and covered with a spunbond. In the spring the shelter is removed and the plants are transplanted into the school, where they are grown for 1-2 years, after which they can be planted on a permanent place. After 2-3 years, it will be possible to cull and select the most suitable for growing bushes.
Vegetative propagation
In order to immediately obtain varietal saplings of cranberries propagate vegetatively with the help of rhizomes, partial bushes or stem cuttings. Rooting of stem cuttings is carried out exclusively in the greenhouse, the rest can be used in the open field. Preparation of beds for planting cuttings and partial bushes is carried out as well as for rooting of cranberries.
Reproduction by partial bushes
Since cranberries, in addition to above-ground ones, also form underground rhizome shoots, called stolons, from buds located on these shoots young plants are formed, called partial shrubs and associated with the mother's bush with the help of rhizome. For reproduction, young, well-developed partial shrubs with a formed root system are used. In early spring or autumn, they are excavated from the soil and separated from the mother plant, and then planted either in containers or in a prepared bed. Spring transplantation is more effective, since seedlings have enough time to form their own root system and anchor them in the soil. Transplanted in autumn, young partial bushes do not always have time to gain a foothold in the ground. Therefore, autumn planting for the winter must necessarily be covered with peat or sawdust and covered with a spunbond. This will prevent the drying of stems and the death of plants in the winter. A year after the partial bushes form a well developed root system of their own, they can be planted in a permanent place.
Propagation by shoots with part of the rhizome and segments of the rhizome
This way the plants can be rooted in a greenhouse or in the open ground, just like a low-brow blueberry. Similarly, prepare beds and harvest planting material. From the harvested rhizomes cut lengths of 10-15 cm, with a kidney or shoot. Store harvested cuttings in containers with water or, pre-moisturized, put in plastic bags. You can also pour abundantly and cover with a wet rag. On a prepared spade shovel make furrows about 10 cm deep. Planted in furrows, as well as low-brow blueberries. Over the beds set wire arcs and cover them with a spunbond. Within a month, plantings are regularly watered, not allowing the upper layer of the soil to dry out. After rooting, the shelter is removed, but continues to be watered regularly. By the end of the growing season, young plants are formed from the planted material, which are left to winter on the same bed.
Reproduction by cuttings
Root of cuttings of cranberries in a greenhouse, on beds, prepared as well as for rooting of rhizome cuttings.
Seed stock preparation and rooting can be done twice a season: in spring and summer. For spring propagation shoots are harvested in late March - early April, before the plants move into growth. For summer propagation, cuttings are harvested during the summer rest period. Depending on the climatic parameters of the growing area and the specific season of vegetation, this may occur at the end of June or the middle of July, when the first wave of shoot growth ends, and secondary growth has not yet begun. The timing of harvesting cuttings during this period is limited to 7-10 days.
For reproduction, one-year old, well-ripened shoots are harvested, which are bundled and stored either in a refrigerator with a temperature of 3-5 ° C, or in a cold cellar. From the harvested shoots cut cuttings 5-7 cm long. From the bottom of the cuttings remove the leaves( by 1 / 2-1 / 4 length).After this cuttings are planted on the bed so that the leaves on them do not overlap each other. The beds are watered, wire arcs are placed over it and covered with polyethylene film, and over it also with a spunbond to maintain high air humidity, as well as shading and protection against overheating. The process of rooting lasts at least 3 weeks. All this time the cuttings should be regularly watered, the beds should be ventilated, treated with diseases and pests, and monitor the temperature regime in the greenhouse( avoid overheating and strong cooling).After rooting, the shelter is removed from the ridges, and young plants are regularly watered, but not fed. At the end of August, the hothouses are removed from the greenhouses. In October, the plants are covered with a layer of peat or sawdust about 3 cm thick, and in the beginning of November, beds with plants are covered with spunbond. In this form, young plants hibernate. In spring, when the soil recoils, they are planted in a school or in containers for growing.
Usage: berries are used both in fresh and in wet form, from them jam, jam, jam, compotes, juices and tinctures are prepared. Almost equally valuable are the leaves used for a variety of medicinal purposes, for example, as an excellent diuretic. In addition, in many countries cranberries are planted as a decorative ground cover plant.
Cowberry is considered to be a medicinal plant, its leaves are curative, containing biologically active substances - arbutin, flavoids, tannins and organic acids, sugars, vitamins, anthocyanins. They have a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect, have a diuretic and anti-diarrheal properties. Strengthen the effect of treatment for diabetes. Cowberry is also dried, added to sauces to game, sirloin on sour cream( "dumplings").Compote from cowberries is served to game, especially to meat of roe deer, pheasant, partridge. Compote can be cooked in a mixture with pears.
In the fall, in the mushroom season, on the marsh moss or on the pine bedding of a pine forest, the crimson tassels of cranberries burn in the sun. This evergreen shrub gave the name to a whole family of plants. The cowberry itself got its name from the Old Slavonic "brusn", which means "red", and is distinguished by oval leathery dark green leaves. It blossoms in May-June with white and pink flowers-bells, collected in drooping brushes. Red berries appear at the end of August. Sometimes there is nowhere to go - the whole earth is covered with a carpet of leaves and berries cranberries.
Cowberry berries contain up to 12% of sugars and organic acids, including a lot of benzoic acid, which has a bactericidal effect. Therefore berries cranberries are unique - they are perfectly preserved throughout the winter without sugar and preservatives and completely retain their freshness and healing properties. Cowberry also contains carotene, pectin, tannins, vitamins C, PP, essential oil. On the usefulness of berries in no way inferior and the leaves of this plant.
Cowberry has a pronounced antiscorbutic effect, it can be used to prevent periodontal disease, with avitaminosis. The water infusion of berries quenches thirst well, therefore it is given to patients in feverish conditions. Berries help with gastritis with low acidity, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, diarrhea, hypertension, gout, rheumatism, liver and gallbladder diseases, kidneys, urinary tract. With different diseases of the joints, cranberries can and should be eaten at any time and in any quantities. Unsurpassed property of cranberries is the ability to exert a curative effect in chronic pancreatic diseases( pancreatitis).Cowberry helps to remove slags from the digestive tract, helps with psoriasis, heart failure, atherosclerosis, insomnia.
Cowberry leaves have a bactericidal and diuretic effect. Infusions and decoctions - a long-known remedy used for kidney stones, gout, rheumatism, diarrhea, urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, with inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, with a cold. They have astringent, hemostatic and restorative action, they excite appetite.
Berries are harvested during their full ripeness, and leaves - either during the flowering of the plant or during its fruiting( along with berries).Dried leaves do not lose their medicinal properties for three years.
With curative purpose, leaves of cranberries and berries are used more often. Water infusion berries - a fortifying agent, quenches thirst.
Decoction of leaves has a diuretic, astringent and weak antiseptic effect, reminiscent of the action of bearberry leaves, but somewhat weaker. In diseases of the kidneys, the bladder is used in the form of infusions and broths at a rate of 20 g per 200 ml of water. Assign 1 tablespoon to the reception 3-4 times a day before meals.
Leaves of cranberries are released in the form of briquettes, from which the infusions are made at home: the briquettes are poured into a glass of boiling water, insist 30 minutes, filter and take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. Infusion and decoction can be prepared from leaves in a similar way.
Cowberry berries are widely used in everyday life and the food industry as a valuable and tasty product.
Leaves and fruits have the ability to lower blood sugar, so they are used as an aid for mild forms of diabetes mellitus.
Decoctions and infusions of leaves are also taken with cystitis, urethritis, bronchitis( mild expectorant), whites, uterine bleeding, colds, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, and also as an appetizing and digestive remedy. They are also useful for diarrhea.
Berries are used in the treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis and gastritis with reduced acidity. Morse from berries has a mild laxative effect. In folk medicine, berries are considered useful for headaches, flu, colds. Cowberry juice is used in the treatment of lichens and scabies( in the form of lotions and irrigation).