How to grow dogwood in Belarus

Dogwood is a very useful fruit plant that can be used for decorative purposes. Berries and leaves have medicinal properties (recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as a diuretic, restorative and in other cases). All this makes dogwood a very popular plant. However, in the cold climate of Belarus with the cultivation of this thermophilic shrub can be a problem. Nevertheless, with the right choice of variety and following a number of recommendations, residents of Belarus can also enjoy these wonderful berries.

Is it possible to grow dogwood in Belarus

Dogwood is widely grown in the Caucasus and Transcarpathia, and in Belarus is not yet well known.

Dogwood - what is it

Dogwood grows in nature in Central Asia, the Caucasus, as well as in Europe. It is a shrub or tree, sometimes very solid in size - up to 10 m tall. Shoots usually grow vertically. Long (up to 10 cm), elliptical, pointed leaves have a very unpleasant feature - on both of their surfaces there are bristles that strongly irritate the skin when touched. Dogwood blooms quite spectacularly. Bright yellow color small flowers are collected in inflorescences of 10-12 mm in diameter, bloom before the leaves.

Due to its beautiful flowering, dogwood is often used for decorative purposes.

The fruits ripen in August-September. Inside the juicy, slightly astringent sweet and sour flesh, there may be 1-2 bones. Shape, size and color vary greatly depending on the variety. The name of the bush comes from the Tatar word "dogwood", which means "red".

Video: benefit dogwood

Despite its thermophilicity, dogwood quite successfully adapts to various climatic conditions. For example, many varieties are successfully cultivated in Russia, even in the rather cold climate of the Leningrad Region. Consequently, in Belarus, growing dogwood is quite possible. This is confirmed by the reviews of Belarusian gardeners, and the offers of garden and berry nurseries in Belarus for the sale of cornel seedlings. Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that the taste of berries will be more acidic than that of the crops in the southern regions.

Dogwood landing in Belarus

The best type of planting material is grafted seedlings of 2 years of age, with well-developed roots and a strong, healthy trunk.

Some gardeners believe that it is better to purchase seedlings (unvaccinated plants) dogwood. It is believed that they are more frost-resistant.

When planting dogwood in open ground, it is imperative to take into account a number of important factors (place and timing of planting, soil type, groundwater level).

In a temperate climate, dogwood should be planted in the spring so that the plant has time to take root before frost. Planting is carried out in the stage of kidney swelling, but not earlier than the soil temperature reaches 15 ^aboutC. In extreme cases, you can plant a dogwood in the fall, but this must be done after the leaves fall and at least 1 month before the onset of frost.

When planning to plant a dogwood, you need to choose well-developed seedlings and follow the simple rules of planting

Since even dogwood varieties adapted to harsh climates prefer heat, for planting it is necessary to choose places well warmed by the sun on the south or south-west side of the site. Dogwood can grow in partial shade, but not in complete shade, so you need to retreat from fences and other trees by 3-3.5 m.

Important! To obtain full harvest of dogwood, you need to plant at least 2 plants per site.

Soil is preferred with an alkaline reaction; liming is required if necessary. Groundwater should be located no closer than 2 m from the surface, as cornel extremely poorly tolerates moisture stagnation. If the site is located in a lowland, it is necessary to plant the plant on an artificial hill or to lay a drainage system.

The soil for planting is prepared in advance for 5-6 months. For this it is necessary to eliminate weeds, to conduct a deep (50-60 cm) digging of the soil with the simultaneous introduction of manure (1.5-2 buckets per 1 m²), mineral fertilizers (20 g / m each)² phosphorus and potassium). To add lime for acidic soils (for heavy acidic clay - 0.9-1 kg / m², for slightly acidic sandy loam - 0.3-0.4 kg / m²).

Dogwood landing rules

1. A landing pit is prepared 2-3 weeks before planting. In Belarus, the dimensions of the landing pit should be 50x50 cm and a depth of 40-50 cm. To prevent moisture stagnation at the roots, a layer (8-10 cm) of broken brick or crushed stone is poured onto the bottom of the pit, over which the pit is filled 2/3 with nutrient a mixture of soil, manure or compost (1 bucket) and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (1-1.5 cups). A stake is driven into the center of the pit.
2. Before planting, the seedling is inspected, removing broken branches and roots. It is advisable to immerse the root system in water with the addition of a growth stimulant for 6-8 hours before planting. If the seedling is highly dried, it is immersed in water completely for 12-20 hours.
3. The prepared seedling is placed in a hole, the roots are straightened and sprinkled with soil, compacting it in layers. The root neck should remain 3-4 cm above the soil level. The plant is tied to a peg and watered with settled water (1-2 buckets).

Video: dogwood general, landing and care rules

Features of growing and caring for dogwood in Belarus

Dogwood care consists of regular top dressing, loosening the soil, pruning and watering.

In the conditions of Belarus it is recommended to grow dogwood in the form of a bush - so it will easily tolerate winter. Crown form in the first 3-4 years of life. The height of the stem should be no more than 50 cm. 5-7 main shoots are left on the stem. Every year, sick and dry branches, thickening shoots should be removed. Trees that have reached the age of 20 years need periodic rejuvenation.

Video: dogwood trim

When frozen to -30 ^aboutC, you don’t have to think about sheltering the bush for the winter, and in more severe frosts, you should mulch the trunk circle with sawdust or peat, bend the bush to the ground and cover it with straw or lapnik.

Dogwood should be fertilized annually 2 times per season: in spring - with mineral fertilizers (15-20 g / m² urea and 10-12 g / m² potassium sulfate), and in the fall - compost or other organic fertilizers (2-3 kg / m²), as well as phosphorus compounds. In addition, dogwood responds well to calcium, therefore, chalk or other substances containing calcium should be added to the soil periodically.

Photo gallery: the best fertilizer for dogwood

Dogwood roots are located close to the surface and absorb rain moisture well. In dry weather, the tree needs additional watering (usually enough 3 times during the summer): at the beginning of the growing season, 14-15 days before harvesting and 20-24 days after harvesting.

The soil of the trunk circle must be regularly cleaned of weeds and loosen. Since the roots are not deep, loosen carefully (with forks) to a depth of 6-7 cm.

Dogwood varieties suitable for growing in Belarus

Dogwood is quite resistant to frost and can grow in almost any climate. Problems may arise with the harvest: early flowering makes the plant very vulnerable to spring frosts, and with the early onset of cold weather in autumn, the berries do not have time to ripen. Therefore, under short summer conditions, it is better to choose varieties of early and medium ripening.

In Belarus, you can successfully grow dogwood varieties of breeding Klimenko S.V .: Vladimirsky, Elegant, Gentle and others. In addition, some nurseries in Minsk (Nursery of fruit and berry crops "VICTORY GARDEN", ​​"Garden World", GoldenSad) offer Crimean and Original varieties, as well as dogwood seedlings.

Vladimirsky

Vladimirsky is a large-fruited, high-yielding variety. Shiny, red or black-red, large (on average 7.5 g, up to a maximum of 9.5 g), slightly flattened oval fruits turn black at the time of full ripeness. The berries are firmly attached to the stem. The pulp with a dense cartilaginous structure has a sour-sweet taste. About one tenth of the mass of the fetus falls on the bone.
Ripening occurs on the 20th of August. Fruits Vladimir regularly and abundantly - an adult plant gives up to 60 kg of berries.

Dogwood variety Vladimirsky is one of the most common in Belarus

Vydubetskiy

Vydubetskiy also belongs to large-fruited varieties, although the sizes of the fruits are inferior to Vladimirsky - the average weight is 6.5 g, maximum 7.6 g. The berries are burgundy, oval-pear-shaped. A thin, glossy peel covers the dark red, juicy flesh of a sweet and sour taste and with a pronounced aroma of dogwood. Ripe berries almost do not crumble. Ripens in the 20th of August and gives regular large yields (50-60 kg from an adult tree).

Vydubetskiy - large-fruited high-yielding variety of dogwood

Eugene

The berries of this dogwood have the correct oval shape, are covered with a thin and dense glossy skin of dark red, and then - almost black. The sweetish-sour tender flesh has the same color as the skin. The size of the fruit is the same as that of Vydubitsky, the stone is small (8.5% of the weight of the berry). It ripens a little later than the previously described varieties - from the last days of August to September 5. The variety is characterized by high productivity - up to 50 kg of berries can be obtained from a 15-year-old tree.
The ripening of the crop is friendly, the crumbling is small. Berries can be stored for 4-6 weeks, they have the ability to ripen during storage. It is considered one of the best varieties in terms of nutrient content: sugars - 11%, vitamin C - an average of 168 mg per 100 g, pectins - 1.3%. Berries retain their qualities well when frozen.

Dogwood variety Eugene gives delicious fruits with a high content of vitamins

Helena

Harvest of dogwood Elena ripens in the early stages (first half of August). Fruits are not too big - on average 5 g, maximum 6 g. Berries of a round-ovoid shape have a bright red or dark red color and are covered with a gleaming, not thick skin. The red shade of the pulp is juicier and has a delicate, medium-dense structure, the taste is sweet with sourness. Small bone is about 9% of the total mass.
The fruits, re-ripening, fall to the ground, so it is recommended to collect them 5-6 days before full ripeness.

Good for table consumption, as well as for the preparation of juice, wine, jam and other preparations.

The variety of dogwood Elena is characterized by high productivity

Coral Brand

Coral Brand - a kind of variety with unusual barrel-shaped berries of pink-orange color. This color is explained by the origin of the variety from the crossbreeding of the Amber dogwood (yellow fruit) with red-fruit varieties. Fruits of medium size (weight 6 g, maximum 6.8 g). Fully ripened berries become transparent. Pink flesh of sweet, with a slight sourness, taste resembles cherries. Ripening occurs in the medium term - August 15-20. Plants bear fruit annually, bringing 35-40 kg of berries from 1 tree.
The fruits are tasty and fresh, and in processed form. Especially high qualities are characterized by jellies, jams and juices made from this dogwood.

Dogwood varieties Coral Brand is distinguished by an unusual color of the fruit

Elegant

Elegant - an early variety ripening in early August, and sometimes in late July. Smooth beautiful berries are in the shape of an elegant bottle. The fruit weighs 4.5-5 g. The color of ripe berries is cherry-black, the flesh is dark red, with a delicate structure and a pleasant taste. Berries are very well kept on branches, do not crumble to the very frosts.
Plants are stunted (up to 2 m tall), characterized by a fairly wide sparse crown. Productivity is high - 30-50 kg from trees of 15 years of age. Typically, berries of this variety are consumed fresh.

Dogwood varieties Elegant ripens in the early stages, and the berries can stay on branches until frost

Original

Dogwood Original early ripening (from August 20 to September 10). It is characterized by high frost and drought resistance. The fruits are quite large (5.6 - 6.5 g), beautiful, pear-shaped. A thin glossy red peel covers the same red flesh, not too dense, sweet and sour taste. Productivity of a tree is high - 45-50 kg.

Adult original dogwood tree annually brings up to 50 kg of beautiful pear-shaped fruits

Reviews

My dogwood, planted in the spring of this year, began to have corrugated leaves, but the tips of some leaves seemed to be burnt. Now the burnt tips have dried. Earlier, the former owners of my dacha in this place grew wild rose. The site has been running for several years. We uprooted him, brought in fertile soil and fertilized. What can be with dogwood? Watering at least 1 time per week. Other cultures grow nearby, this is not on them. A month later: My dogwood came to my senses. I cut the damaged leaves, sprayed with Bordeaux liquid, and my tree came to life. And about the seedlings - yes, I bought seedlings from the gardener, as they are more resistant to frost. Do not freeze, unlike high-quality seedlings.

Geniss, Belarus, near Novogrudok

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In western Belarus, the dogwood of S. Klimenko breeding has been growing for 6 years. I grow almost in bush form (stamb 20-40 cm). Now the height of the dogwood is around 2 meters. The first years grew very slowly, the main increase was in the past and present years (compare photos 1 and 2). There are no problems with growing this crop in my conditions. Varieties - Gentle, Nikolka, Firefly, Elegant, Vladimirovsky. Productivity is gradually growing over the years, it is enough for itself, and the need arose to sell the surplus. So it was the first time this year that I presented the dogwood berry to familiarize the population of our region with it. Dogwood is actually a new and still rare culture in Belarus. I mean its cultivars. There are no cultivated varieties on sale; only seedlings of unknown forms or varieties are rarely found on the markets. It is clear that growing cultivars grafted onto seedlings is a very troublesome business. But the source material for dogwood breeding in Belarus is; there would be enthusiasts to do this.

Victor 2, Belarus, Bridges

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Dogwood needs cross-pollination when my dogwood blossoms (4 trees aged 35 to 20 years) there are so many bees that it’s hard to go through (as if all the flowers were covered with bees, the buzz is like a working transformer) Then the bees almost do not visit my site, and I began to prepare a dwelling for single bees, (I cut reeds with a partition on one side, a hole of about 8 mm was settled by bees similar to bumblebees (they work well on cherries, pear apples) currants and other shrubs I have better pollinated by another type similar to a small bee. This year pic Royle and house them took timber of 15 cm diameter and 25-30 cm in length at the ends on both sides drilled hole diameter of 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 mm to a depth of 10-12 cm now for such a bit houses populated.

Udachnik, Zaporozhye

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Dogwood blooms immediately after the snow melts, with us on average somewhere in late March, but more often in early April. Flowering seedlings begins at 5-7 year. The first year may not start, but the second usually will have fruit. The presence of a second plant is mandatory for pollination. My oldest bush is about 10 years old, but during this time it grew to 1.5 meters only. And the so-called wrong "dogwood" rushing about a meter a year. We also have such a plant, some woe traders in the market are trying to persuade the people.

Vladimir, Belgorod region

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With the right choice of variety, competent planting and care dogwood can quite successfully be grown in Belarus. With low labor costs for the implementation of the simplest rules of agricultural technology, you can provide yourself with tasty and healthy berries.