Characteristic differences of the cranberry plant, recommendations for growing in the garden, how to reproduce, protection against diseases and pests, notes for gardeners, species and varieties.
Cranberry (Oxycoccus) belongs to the genus of flowering representatives of the flora, which are included in the Heather family (Ericaceae) or, as it is also called, Ericaceae. This family has united various shrubs, which are characterized by evergreen foliage and creeping shoots. Basically, all representatives of the cranberry species are from the Northern Hemisphere, namely North America. In those places, this berry shrub is found in swampy areas. For two centuries, cranberries have been cultivated on an industrial scale in Europe and the United States.
| Family name | Heather or Erik |
| Growth cycle | Perennial |
| Growth form | Shrub |
| Reproduction type | Seed or vegetative (green cuttings) |
| Transplant time to the garden | March, after thawing of the soil to a depth of 10 cm |
| Disembarkation scheme | Distance between plants 20 cm |
| Substrate | Very wet, even swampy, peaty or mossy forest |
| Indicators of soil acidity, pH | 3, 5-4, 5 (strongly acidic) |
| Lighting level | Very bright sunlight |
| Recommended humidity | A week after planting humidification - every day, then in moderation, in the heat, daily watering is needed |
| Special Requirements | High humidity and lighting |
| Height indicators | 0, 15–0, 3 m, maximum up to 0, 6 m |
| Color of flowers | Pink or pale purple |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Solitary |
| Flowering time | May June |
| Color and shape of berries | Bright red, globular, ovoid or elliptical |
| Fruiting time | From late August to mid-autumn |
| Decorative period | Spring-autumn |
| Places of application | Berry plantations, as a ground cover |
| USDA zone | 2–6 |
Its scientific name cranberry is due to the combination of two words in Latin "oxic" and "kokkoc", which means "sour" and "berry", respectively, forming the term "oxycoccus". However, the first settlers who appeared on the territory of the American continent called the plant "cranberry" - which translates as "crane berry". This is because when the buds opened on the branches, their outlines very much resembled the head of a crane bent on a long neck. From here it also takes another name for cranberries - crane. But in the 17th century in the northeastern United States there was a nickname "bearberries", that is, "bear berry", as people noticed that clubfoot were not averse to refreshing themselves with cranberries.
Varieties of cranberries have a shrubby form of growth and creeping shoots, covered with evergreen foliage. The stems of the plant are flexible, with threadlike outlines and the ability to quickly root at the nodes. The length of the shoots varies within 15–30 cm, reaching a maximum of 0.6 m. The root system of bear berries has a rod-like shape. It is important to note that the formation of a fungus occurs on the root processes, which has a tight connection with the root cells, while the formation of mycorrhiza occurs. This term means symbiosis between the existence of the root system of higher plants and the mycelium of the fungus, since the fungal filaments can receive nutrients from the substrate and then transfer them to the roots.
The cranberry foliage grows in succession. Its parameters are 3–15 mm in length and about 1–6 mm in width. The leaves are attached to the twigs by means of short cuttings. The leaf plate is painted on top in a dark green color, and its reverse side is whitish or ashy. For the winter, the foliage remains on the bush. Since the crane often grows in nature on rather wet soils and almost in water, a waxy coating is provided on the underside of the leaves. It is this layer that prevents the flooding of leaf stomata with water and allows the normal functioning of the plant.
On the territory of the European part of Russia, the flowering process stretches from May to July, depending on the species and variety. Usually, each flower lives on a branch for only 18 days. The corolla has regular outlines with a deep division into 4 parts, however, there are species with five petals. The color of the petals can be either pale crimson or pink. The tops of the petals are folded back. Inside the corolla there are 4 pairs of stamens and a single pistil. Each flower is crowned with an elongated peduncle, which, for example, in the species of common cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris) reaches almost 5 cm. Since the stigma of the flower is turned down, that is, drooping, their shape resembles a bowed bird's head on a long neck.
After the pollination of the flowers takes place, the fruits ripen, which are famous in cranberries for many useful properties. This process also directly depends on the type of plant or its variety - from early to mid-autumn. If berries are harvested from cranberry bushes growing in swamps, then the diameter of the fruit can be 1, 6 cm. Colored spherical, ovoid or elliptical cranberry berries in a red tint. The fruits are characterized by ornithochoria, that is, they are carried by birds that eat berries. Each of the bushes can yield a harvest of several hundred fruits. The best taste of cranberries appears when they are a little "stuck" in the frost, but some of the vitamins may be lost. Fruits are harvested when they become soft.
The plant is not exclusively forest and, with some observance of the rules, you can delight yourself in the garden with the most useful fruits. In one place, such bush plantings spend about 30 years, and in nature this period increases to 60. They are easy to transplant, so they can be grown on a personal plot.
Recommendations for growing cranberries in the garden
Choosing a place for planting cranes
Most of all, the plant likes a good level of lighting, so such bushes are planted in a sunny location, but at the same time it is necessary to provide protection from the wind. You can choose the location among tree-like or shrub garden plantings, where the sun's rays pass, and higher "neighbors" will provide the necessary protection from drafts and gusts of cold air. They will also give their crowns a slight shade that will not damage the cranberry bushes. It is curious that even in winter, a cranberry plantation will delight the eye with a green deciduous mass. But at the same time it is worth remembering that, despite the frost resistance, growing cranberries is not an easy task, since it is necessary to provide a natural microclimate.
Important
In the same place, cranberry bushes can grow quietly for several decades without losing their yield and decorative effect.
The factor that you must immediately pay attention to is the moisture-loving nature of the bear berry, so the presence of groundwater will be favorable. At the same time, for species of garden cranberries, this parameter should be approximately 40–45 cm deep, while marsh plants require an even shallower depth of groundwater passage - about 30–35 cm. A lower level of their occurrence is often observed - 20–25 cm or less. … According to observations, even a swampy place is suitable. This is due to the fact that cranberries have air chambers that allow the berries to freely adhere to the surface of the water.
Ground for planting cranberries
It is understood that a high level of moisture is required to support subsequent normal growth and yield. They can be loam, sandy loam, poor soil with high acidity is also suitable. The acidity index for any soil mixture should be pH 3, 5–4, 5 (strongly acidic). Most of all, cranberries will be comfortable on peat soil or mossy soil brought from the forest.
Planting cranberries
Before placing the bushes of cranes in open ground, it is necessary to carry out pre-planting site preparation. If the soil is peaty, then this is very good, otherwise it will be necessary to mix river sand into it and carry out weeding from weeds. In the case of a completely unsuitable substrate on the site, it is recommended to follow these recommendations:
- A place with parameters 140x400 cm is allocated for the future garden bed (more is possible). It is important that the mini-plantation is not trampled.
- Using a shovel, you need to remove a layer of fertile soil from above, reaching a depth of 0, 3–0, 4 m.
- The soil is mixed with high (or mixed high and low) peat in a ratio of 2: 1, respectively.
- A deepening of the marked area for planting cranberries is carried out to half a meter, if the soil is clayey and heavy.
- It is required to install bumpers on a garden bed made of wood or plastic, which will protrude above the soil surface by 0.2-0.25 m.
- The bottom of the pit is lined with a drainage layer of 10 cm, on top of which a film with pre-made holes is placed, allowing moisture residues to drain off.
- A new layer will be mulch from foliage, twigs and grass remnants, the height of which will not exceed 15–20 cm; humus from horse manure will be poured on top of it. Everything is thoroughly moisturized.
- The pit is filled to the top with a peat-sand mixture in a ratio of 3: 1.
- To improve the planting properties of the substrate, part of the semi-rotted sawdust from pine bark and horse compost is mixed into it.
- The top layer will be soil mixed with peat chips, fresh sawdust of coniferous trees.
- For mulching future cranberry bushes, river sand, chopped sphagnum moss, pine needles or sawdust of coniferous trees (which will be easiest to get) are used.
Cranberry seedlings are planted in the open ground as soon as it thaws 8–10 cm. The hole is dug a little larger than the earthen clod (the planting container in which the plant was purchased or was still grown). The distance between the seedlings is maintained about 20 cm, the depth is no more than 10 cm. The cranes are taken out without destroying the earthen coma and placed in a prepared place. After planting, abundant watering and mulching of the bush is carried out.
Watering
After the cranberry seedlings have been planted, it is required to moisten the soil daily for the first 14 days, but then they try to keep the substrate in a slightly moist state. And at least once a week, you can simply fill in the soil. In the period May-June, watering is recommended to be done in moderation and only on hot days they are done daily. From the end of summer to October, the moistening of cranberry plantings becomes regular, while the soil should be soaked to the depth at which the root system of plants lies.
Fertilizers for cranberries
are made regularly. For bushes planted this year, feeding will be required from the beginning of spring to the end of July days with a frequency of once every 14 days. The first time fertilizers are applied after 20 days from the moment of planting. In the middle of the last month of summer and in October, potassium-phosphorus fertilizing is required. When the cranberries are 2-3 years old, it is recommended to use the same formula and fertilization regimen, but after reaching 4 years from the moment of planting, the solutions are used in a lower concentration for the bear berry, while the number of dressings should be only 6 times per season.
Pruning cranberry bushes
perform in May. The bush is molded for the first 3 years, then the old or dried branches are removed annually.
How to reproduce cranberries at home?
To get new bushes of a bear berry, a seed or vegetative propagation method is used, the latter includes rooting cuttings and planting seedlings.
- Cranberry cuttings. It is recommended to take blanks from adult crane bushes. Their length should be at least 7-15 cm. Planting is carried out to a depth of 3-4 cm according to the 3x6 cm scheme. In order for rooting to be quick and successful, it is necessary to use a soil mixture based on peat and sand; … Already a month later, the cuttings grow root shoots, all due to the fact that, even in natural conditions, the shoots can independently root in the nodes, simply by touching the ground. After the cranberry cuttings are rooted, they can be carefully transferred to a prepared spot in the garden. After a couple of months, the shoots will already reach 25-30 cm in length. In order for the soil moisture to remain high, it is recommended to cover the planting site with plastic wrap or place plastic bottles with cut bottoms on top of them.
- Seed propagation of cranberries. This method does not guarantee the preservation of the varietal qualities of the future plant. It is used when the future bush will serve for decorative purposes. In order for the seeds to germinate, it is required to carry out stratification for 4–5 months, that is, to withstand the sowing material for the specified time at a heat level of 5 degrees. The bottom shelf of the refrigerator may come in here. After that, the seeds are placed in open ground, where they sprout rather quickly. You will have to wait for the harvest of such plants only after 5–6 years, and even then, providing proper care for the cranberries.
- Propagation by cranberry seedlings. This method is recognized as the most convenient and fastest. At the same time, it is necessary to dig out young bear berry bushes in the forest, not exceeding 15 cm in height, or the planting material is bought in nurseries. After that, the landing is performed according to the above rules.
If there are plantings of cranberry bushes in the garden, then you can see that their branches easily take root by themselves, therefore, having separated such "young growth" (part of the shrub), you can transplant it into a garden container for growing or to a new place.
Protecting cranberries from diseases and pests
When growing cranberry plantings, botanists have identified about forty species of insect pests that harm the leaves and shoots (eat them), as well as flowers. The most common species are the cabbage scoop and black-headed lingonberry roll, apple comma-shaped scabbard and heather moth. Problems are created by the unpaired silkworm.
But since these pests do not cause tangible damage, it is important to comply with the conditions for growing cranberry bushes and conduct regular inspections. If the number of pests has increased, then during the periods of greatest vulnerability for them, it is possible to resort to treatment with pesticide preparations. However, even without using pesticides, there are a lot of natural enemies to destroy these "uninvited guests."
When caring for cranberries, it is recommended to carry out a constant fight against weeds, which begin to oppress small bushes in height, and can also provoke the transfer of pests that calmly live on it. Promotes the appearance of harmful insects and the violent growth of cranberry shoots, caused by an excess of nitrogenous fertilizers.
Of the diseases that occur on the bushes of cranes, there are:
- Snow mold manifested from early to mid-spring. At the same time, a brown-red tint appears on the leaves and buds, on top of which a yellow mycelium is seen. In May, the affected leaves turn gray and fall off. If you do not take measures to combat the disease, then such foci grow and destroy all cranberry bushes. Spraying with fungicidal preparations is recommended, and in winter, the area where cranberries grow is gradually filled with water so that its layers are frozen.
- Red spot having a fungal etiology. In this case, deformation of the branches occurs, followed by their death. In addition to shoots, the buds, pedicels and the buds of the plant themselves, which become red in color, are affected. The foliage unfolding from such affected buds has the shape of roses. For the fight, you also need to use fungicides, such as Fundazol or Topsin M., diluting 2 grams of the product in a liter can of water.
- Monilial burn arises from a fungus, under the influence of which the tops of the branches become brown and dry out. When the weather is humid, the lesion takes on a yellow color, and the cranberry bush covers plaque due to conidial sporulation. During bud formation, the infection is transferred from the affected parts to the newly formed flowers, ovaries and buds. After that, the flowers and buds dry out, but at the same time the diseased ovaries continue their development and the fruits formed over time will turn out to be rotten. The best fungicides for fighting this disease are Ditan, Topsin M or Ronilan with Beyleton. Some gardeners use copper oxychloride.
- Phomopsis, arising in dry and hot weather. Because of it, the tops of the shoots begin to dry out, but at the same time they do not look wilted. The color of the foliage changes in the initial stages, first to yellow, but then it acquires a bronze or orange tint. At the same time, no leaf fall is observed. The entire surface of the stems is covered with spots of a dirty gray tone, which eventually become ulcers. Flowers and berries turn brown. At the very initial stage, treatment with Topsin M fungicide or another systemic drug with a similar spectrum of action is carried out. Before the active growing season begins, it is recommended to spray the cranberry bushes with Bordeaux liquid.
- Cytosporosis, provoking black rot of the fruit of a crane, the causative agent of the disease penetrates in August through microtrauma on the plant. As a preventive measure, at the beginning and end of the growing season, spray with Bordeaux liquid or a systemic fungicide (such as copper oxychloride or Fundazol, Topsin M).
Notes for gardeners about the cranberry berry
The official year of the beginning of the cultivation of cranberries as a crop is considered to be 1816, when an amateur gardener from Massachusetts (USA) named Henry Hall. By chance, he noticed that wild cranberry bushes, sprinkled with sand taken from the neighboring dunes, yielded better than those that were left without such shelter. The creation of the first industrial cranberry plantation dates back to 1833. After that, in the United States and other countries, such plantings become a family business. Only at the end of the 19th century, the first cranberry plantation was created in Russia, on the territory of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden, by the gardener Eduard Regel (1815–1892), but with the advent of the 20th century, all work was suspended. Interest in the cultivation of cranberries returns in the 60-70s of the last century, and the plant is cultivated in Belarus, as well as in Lithuania and Latvia.
Cranberries, rich in vitamins and minerals, are actively used in cooking, and aromatic tea can be brewed from the foliage. Not only the food, but also the alcoholic beverage industry did not ignore the sour berries. For a long time, the berries were stored until the new harvest, poured into wooden barrels, which were filled with water.
The increased content of nutrients made it possible to use cranberries for scurvy, vitamin deficiency or colds, to help in the treatment of rheumatism or sore throat.
Cranberry-based drinks not only help quench your thirst or refresh, but also tone up and improve your appetite.
Important!!
Despite all the usefulness of cranberries, there are also contraindications. You can not take any products based on its fruits if the patient suffers from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as gastritis. It is not recommended to get carried away with cranberry berries for people with unhealthy liver and weak, thinned tooth enamel.
Types and varieties of cranberries
The subgenus of cranberry has the following divisions:
- large-fruited cranberry (Oxycoccus macrocarpus);
- four-petal cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) or marsh cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris);
- small-fruited cranberries (Oxycoccus microcarpus);
- giant cranberry (Oxycoccus gigas).
Varietal forms and bred hybrids of groups 1 and 2 are usually cultivated. We will dwell on them in more detail:
Marsh cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris)
is a native of European territory, it has been grown in the Baltic countries and Russia since the end of the 20th century. Often the plant is called Common cranberries … It is a small shrub. All parts of the plant are quite small, except for the fruits. The leaf plates are tiny, the stems are creeping, refined. The width of the stems can be equal to the diameter of a common thread, while their lignification and high strength are observed. Only this year's growths on the branches remain soft and have a fluffy cover. The length of the creeping branches can approach a meter in a few decades.
The foliage is leathery, its edges are wrapped, which allows wintering under the snow cover. The leaf plates are glossy, painted in dark green on top, whitish below, with a waxy bloom. The blossoming flowers are small but graceful. The flowering thin stem is crowned with bell-shaped buds with pale pink petals. When stamens grow together, a pair of pollen tubes is formed. There is a shortened pistil in the central part of the flower. On summer days, berries ripen in the place of flowers, which are first whitish, then take on a red color by August. The shape of the berries, rounded or elongated, the diameter is slightly more than 1.5 cm. Since the branches are thin, the fruits are scattered over the moss of colorful shades (whitish, yellowish or red).
Today, the following varieties are recognized as popular:
- Gift of Kostroma - characterized by a high yield and large fruits. Medium early variety, bearing berries from the 20th of August. The berries have a ribbed surface, juicy colored with cherry or bright red color. Their shape is flat-round, the stalk has a deep notch. The taste is sour.
- Sominskaya - also the owner of large berries and medium early fruiting. The yield is high. The fruit is juicy with a sour taste. The color of the bumpy berries is red or cherry, their shape is asymmetric and heart-shaped.
- Sazonovskaya. This variety is characterized by an average ripening period (early September). The shape of juicy fruits is heart-shaped, the surface is ribbed-tuberous, with pronounced asymmetry. The size of the berries is medium, the color is red-purple, the taste is sweet and sour.
- Beauty of the North. Differs in yield, but late ripening of fruits (about the second decade of September). The berries are very large, their shape is rounded-oval. The color can be of various tones of carmine color, while there is always a light red barrel.
- Scarlet reserved. It is characterized by a late but high harvest. Fruits are globular, juicy, with a sour taste. The berries are painted in a bright red tone. Their size can be either medium or large.
The varieties Severyanka and Khotavetskaya have also proven themselves quite well in cultivation.
Large cranberry (Oxycoccus macrocarpus)
- the owner of almost two hundred varieties. The native area of natural growth falls on the territory of North America. Among gardeners, the following varieties are successful:
- Ben Lear also referred to as Early black - it has a high yield and early fruiting period. The berries reach a diameter of 2 cm, their shape is round, the taste is pleasant sugary. Storage is difficult, therefore, after collection, they are quickly processed (within 4 months) or frozen. When harvested, the yield from 1 m2 can reach almost 2 kg.
- Franklin has an average ripening period and increased resistance to diseases. The size of the fruits does not exceed 1.5 cm in diameter. Their color is dark red. From each square meter, you can get up to 1.5 kg of fruits
- Searles. The dark red berries with a speckled matte surface of this variety can be stored for a long time. The flesh of the fruit is dense, the diameter is 2.3 cm.
- Stevens is considered one of the best varietal forms, characterized by high yield rates. The fruits have a rounded oval shape, the flesh is dense, the color of the berries is dark red, the diameter is not more than 2.5 cm. When grown from 1 m2 of the plantation, a two liter jar of berries is harvested. It can be stored for about a year without processing.
- Pilgrim - a variety with late harvest ripening. The fruits appear large, oval in shape. The color is crimson-red with a waxy bloom of yellow tones, while the color is uneven.
But there are many more varieties that are successful in horticultural cultivation, including Black Whale, Beckwith, McFaorlin and others.
Video about growing cranberries in the garden:
