Sea buckthorn is one of the few plants that should definitely be in a private garden. Fresh fruits and processed products of "Siberian pineapple" not only have excellent taste, but also have valuable medicinal properties.

At the same time, caring for sea buckthorn is not particularly difficult if you know some of the features. However, amateur gardeners, for various reasons, often do not dare to plant it in their summer cottage.

Most of our doubts and fears are associated with the unknown, so first, let's get to know the sea buckthorn better.

Nutritional value and medicinal properties of sea buckthorn berries

Sea buckthorn is known all over the world as a record holder for the content of the most vital vitamins and microelements. Its regular use has long been recognized as the best way to health and rejuvenation. So much has already been written about the composition of its berries that it makes no sense to give the percentage of all substances. Distinctive feature sea ​​buckthorn from other berries is the presence of fat-like substances (sea buckthorn oil), which improve the absorption of vitamins. Thus, sea buckthorn serves as a powerful fortifying agent and is indicated for the treatment and prevention of vitamin deficiencies in the winter-spring period and during diseases.

The main beneficial features sea ​​buckthorn berries are presented in the following list:

• bactericidal and antioxidant (sea buckthorn oil is used for inflammatory processes and for recovery from poisoning);
• wound healing and analgesic (lotions from fresh berries heal abscesses, burns and cuts);
• high serotonin content promotes recovery nervous system after stress;
• biostimulating (increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood, stimulates cell growth);
• choleretic (appetite increases, digestion is normalized).

In sea buckthorn, not only fruits are valuable, but also leaves and bark. V folk medicine they are used to treat skin diseases, inflammatory processes v oral cavity and upper respiratory tract, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and conjunctivitis.

The use of any product has its limitations and contraindications, and sea buckthorn is no exception. Its use is limited when allergic reactions and completely exclude in case of exacerbations of stomach ulcers, diseases of the pancreas and urolithiasis.

What are the best varieties to plant?

Sea buckthorn is widespread throughout Russia. In culture, it is grown everywhere, due to its high winter hardiness. The first cultural forms appeared in Siberia (Altai) - in the natural growing area. In the Altai Territory and Transbaikalia, sea buckthorn is also often found in gardens, like an apple tree in the Moscow region. Today, varieties have been bred that feel great not only in the Far East and Siberia, but also in the Urals and Central Russia.

The work on breeding varieties is going in the direction of increasing yields, eliminating thorny thorns on the branches, increasing the taste and increasing the size of the fruits. Forget grandmother's sea buckthorn with small sour berries on thorny twigs, which you don't even want to collect - modern varieties are devoid of these shortcomings. Of all the achievements of breeding, we note only the best varieties of sea buckthorn.

To begin with, let's note the varieties that meet all the basic needs of gardeners at once: they have a fairly high yield, fruits of dessert taste, compact bushes and are poorly covered with thorns or are completely devoid of them.

Naran - early ripening variety with large orange fruits of excellent taste and pleasant aroma; has a decent yield (up to 10 kg per bush); branches are poorly covered with thorns; bred for Central Russia.

Moscow beauty - variety of average ripening period; fruits are medium-sized, orange-red, slightly sour and slightly aromatic; dessert purpose; transportability is good; high yield (up to 12 kg per bush); few thorns; suitable for growing in Central Russia.

Sunny - variety of average ripening period; fruits are large, light orange, with a slight sourness; high yield (up to 15 kg per bush); medium degree covering with thorns; adapted for Central Russia.

Giant - late-ripening variety; fruits are very large, cylindrical, orange; there are no thorns; universal purpose; suitable for growing in the Urals and the Far East.

Among all the variety of sea buckthorn varieties, there is no ideal super-variety. One way or another, flaws can be found in anything that is characteristic of any culture. The presented varieties are ideal for growing in a private garden.

When choosing a variety, be sure to focus on the climatic zone. Ideally, the variety should be locally selected. The description of the variety corresponds to reality only if it is grown in a nominal one in the climatic zone where it was bred.

What should be the planting material?

Features of growing sea buckthorn are determined by its biology. It is a dioecious wind-pollinated plant. For the fruiting of the female plant, the close position of the male plant is required. Popular male varieties are Alei and Gnome.

When buying planting material, you need to choose only seedlings obtained from cuttings (they, as a rule, have a well-developed root system and a short shoot). From seedlings grown from seeds, a thorny wild will turn out, and acquiring a dug out growth (with a long growth) is akin to playing Russian roulette: there is no guarantee that a female fruit-bearing plant will be caught, since in this case it is impossible to distinguish it from a male one.

You can determine the sex of a young seedling by the following criteria:

• if the buds are large with 5 - 7 scales, then there is a male plant in front of you;
• if the buds are elongated and small with 2 scales, then it is a female plant.

This rule is true both in the spring before the blooming of flower buds, and in the fall after the shedding of the leaves.

In sea buckthorn, nodules form on the roots, which help the plant to absorb atmospheric nitrogen. Do not mistake this symbiosis for painful growths and break off or cut them off.

If space in the country is sorely lacking, then you can graft several cuttings from the male onto the female plant, thus artificially obtaining a monoecious plant.

Choosing a place in the garden, technique and planting dates

There are negative reviews of summer residents about the poor survival rate of sea buckthorn and problems with growing. This is not to say that there are no difficulties at all, but if you know and take into account its characteristics and needs, a high and stable harvest is guaranteed. We will analyze in detail how to plant and grow sea buckthorn in the country.

When choosing a place for sea buckthorn, you need to consider the following:

• its natural habitat is sandy and pebbly soils along the banks of reservoirs;
• it is quite drought-resistant, but loves moist soil;
• the root system does not at all tolerate the close location of groundwater;
• it is very light-requiring, so the site should not be shaded by other tall trees;
• despite the high frost resistance, male plants can suffer during the period of temperature changes after thaws, which is often observed in the European part of Russia, therefore
• the landing site should be on the south side and protected from the winds;
• she does not like the close proximity of trees, shrubs and even spicy herbs and flowers, therefore, the edge of the site, the area near buildings or a strip along the fence is suitable for planting;
• it does not tolerate acidic soils and reacts well to lime application;
• it has a superficial root system that extends significantly horizontally (several meters from the plant), the roots are fragile and easily injured during;
• tillage and transplanting, therefore, it is strictly forbidden to dig up near-trunk circles, and planting of seedlings should be carried out with a large earthen clod.

The planting hole is made 0.5 m wide and deep. For filling, a mixture of humus, river sand, garden soil, superphosphate and wood ash is prepared. It is better not to overdo it with fertilizers. After planting, the root collar of the seedling should remain at the level of the soil surface, taking into account shrinkage. The trunk circle is well watered and mulched. Mulch protects the young seedling from overheating, retains moisture in the soil and slows down the growth of weeds.

Plants are planted at a distance of 2 - 3 m. A male plant can be planted in the center, and up to 3 female plants can be placed around it, or all plants can be planted in a row, placing the male plant at the beginning of the row from the side of the prevailing winds.

For a successful planting, you need to know when to plant sea buckthorn in a specific region. It makes no sense to indicate specific calendar dates, since you will still have to focus on weather conditions. The only thing to consider is that sea buckthorn has a very short period of winter dormancy, therefore, in the European part of Russia, the buds can awaken after the first long thaws. For young seedlings planted in autumn, this phenomenon can be disastrous. Therefore, for Central Russia, planting sea buckthorn in the spring is more acceptable. According to the reviews of many summer residents, it is this period that gives the best results in terms of survival. In this case, the optimal planting dates are in the earliest spring. Seedlings with an open root system must be planted first, and for container material, the timing can be slightly moved. If you prepare the planting holes in the fall, then in the spring there will be less hassle.

Planting sea buckthorn in autumn is also possible, but there is a risk of plant loss. It is carried out in September - mid-October before the first frost. The seedlings do not need shelter.

Subtleties of sea buckthorn care

During the period of active growth, sea buckthorn loves moderate fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Do not overdo it with nitrogen and organics. It makes no sense to apply fertilizer to the trunk circles of an adult bush.

Throughout the growing season, sea buckthorn needs good watering, but water stagnation should not be allowed.

Fruiting of sea buckthorn begins 3-4 years after planting the seedling. Until then, formative pruning is important to create the correct crown shape for the bush. It is carried out in early spring before bud break, removing abnormally growing young growth and diseased shoots. After 8 - 10 years after planting, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, leaving only 3-year-old shoots. Annual sanitary pruning helps to clear the bush of dry, diseased and frozen shoots.

Sea buckthorn can be affected by diseases and pests. To combat them, it is better to start with biological and mechanical methods, since the application chemicals negatively affect medicinal properties ah fruit.

Harvesting and processing

Sea buckthorn begins to bear fruit very early and its yield quickly reaches its maximum value. Modern varieties yield from 10 to 30 kg or more per bush. Harvesting is hampered by another feature of sea buckthorn - the berries have a short stalk and sit very tightly on the branch. Therefore, it is useful to know how to harvest sea buckthorn quickly and efficiently.
The collection of fruits can be carried out in two terms: in the fall after full ripening and at the beginning of winter after frost. Freezing does not affect the medicinal properties of berries in any way. The harvested crop can be stored until processing for no more than 3 days in a cool and without access to sunlight. Frozen berries retain vitamins for up to 6 months.

Homemade scraper for picking berries

You can collect frozen fruits by simply shaking them off on clean matter. For autumn harvesting, there is a clever device for collecting sea buckthorn - spring tweezers for sniffing. This method of collection will not harm the plant, and will preserve the marketability of the fruit. Given the juiciness and thin skin of the fruit, it is better to collect them in wooden boxes with a wide bottom.

You should definitely prepare dried leaves for your health tea. The cut branches of sea buckthorn can be hung indoors at temperatures close to zero. So the berries will last until spring. When stored in the refrigerator, it is sprinkled with sugar in equal parts. Drying of fruits is carried out not in the sun, but in the oven. Sea buckthorn is very good at processing. It can be used to make vitamin juice, preserves, jam and jelly. However, it must be remembered that heat treatment and preservatives greatly reduce the content of vitamins.

Below we give simple recipes from sea buckthorn for the winter:

Sea buckthorn in sugar. The washed and dried berries are mixed with sugar in equal parts (if the berry is too acidic, then the amount of sugar can be increased) and grind with a wooden pestle to a mushy consistency. The resulting mass is placed in sterilized jars, closed with lids and lowered into the cellar.

Sea buckthorn jam with walnuts. Chopped walnut kernels (200 g) are boiled in syrup (about 4 liters of water, 1.5 kg of sugar) for 20 minutes. Then add 1 kg of fresh berries there and cook for another 20 minutes. Delicious and nutritious jam is ready!

Every year sea buckthorn gives high yield berries, but in order for this to happen, you need to select high-quality seedlings and understand the features of caring for them. For planting, medium-sized seedlings are needed, obtained by cuttings. This makes it easier to distinguish between seedlings and coppice plants.

Sea buckthorn has male and female plant species, it is pollinated by the wind, so two seedlings should be planted close to each other. Distances of 5-10 m are enough for the plant to be well pollinated and bear fruit in the fall.

Gardeners advise planting one female plant and two male ones, since the male plant is more likely to die, and in general, two plants can pollinate a female seedling much better, there will be more berries, they will taste better. Male plants can be planted next to each other, at a distance of less than 1 m.

When is the best time to plant and replant sea buckthorn?

Early spring is considered the most favorable time for plant transplanting, the earlier the better. She does not survive the winter well if the conditions are not the most favorable. For example, the thaw period has a negative effect on the shrub, and the vegetation begins early in the sea buckthorn.

An earlier transplant is needed for plants with an open root system, as well as individuals that can damage or lose the root system or part of it during excavation.

Planting a seedling from a container into the ground is an easier process, but only if the plant has existed in the container for a year or more. In this case, its root system is resistant to soil, it is not hardened by the most better conditions and the period after disembarkation will be perfectly "cured".

Even if you do not have the opportunity to plant sea buckthorn in the spring, try to do it in the summer. Some people prefer the autumn period, after harvesting, but in this case, the root system of the plant simply does not have time to get stronger before the cold weather approaches. This could injure him.

Choosing a landing site

Sea buckthorn is planted in the garden or in the vegetable garden. If you are planting plants in your garden, you need to be careful not to get too close to the planting area. The garden soil is not quite suitable for this type of shrub, and the sea buckthorn itself, with its roots branching many meters around itself underground, can cause damage to plantings. They do not lie very deep, only 20-30 cm deep, which makes the root system easy to damage. Sea buckthorn does not tolerate root injuries, it begins to hurt.

Important: Plant the plant in a place where you will not need to work and dig up the soil around it. Most often, sea buckthorn is allocated a site at the edge of a garden or vegetable garden - near a fence or next to buildings.

It is also necessary to monitor whether the plant receives enough light. You should not plant it in a place where the sun does not fall, sea buckthorn needs light, darkened places do not suit it.

How to transplant an adult sea buckthorn?

Planting sea buckthorn is a simple process, since in its structure it has almost no differences from other fruit plants. Some gardeners like to use a lot of fertilizers, which does not in the best way affect the life of the plant in the future. Do not overdo it with organic and mineral fertilizers, a bucket of compost will be enough (for transplanting, but if you are planting a young seedling, then this will be a lot), superphosphate (if the soil in your area has the ability to acidify, then use double superphosphate).

If desired, you can use a compound fertilizer, although this is not the most useful option.

When transplanting sea buckthorn from one place to another, it is necessary to carefully dig out the main part of its roots. Since they are very long, several meters in length, it is unlikely that it will be possible to dig up the plant without damaging the roots at all. So that in a new place the sea buckthorn takes root better and does not start to fade due to a damaged root system, it is worth cutting off a part of the above-ground area of ​​the plant. Of course, this will reduce her ability to bear fruit this year, but in the future such a measure will be useful.

Planting young seedlings

Sea buckthorn - propagation by green cuttings

If the plant is already large and has many branches on the sides, then they can be removed, thus making life easier for the tree. Leave only the main trunk, it will quickly overgrow with new branches.

It is ideal to plant sea buckthorn at a distance of 1-1.5 m from the border of the site, the rows between the bushes of sea buckthorn should be 2x2 m.The pit for planting should be 30-40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.The bottom of the hole should be laid out with broken brick, a shell and crushed stone, the layer should be about 10 cm. On top of this layer, you need to pour fertile soil, and above - fertilizers (do not overdo it).

A young seedling must be at least two years old. It is worth planting it straight, it is best to first place a stake in the pit, which will serve as the basis for the correct installation of the seedling. If the tree is initially planted incorrectly, then later the trunk may bend very strongly, which will lead to the fact that the tree may be damaged in the future.

A newly planted tree should be watered abundantly and the soil at its base should be compacted.

How is sea buckthorn fertilized?

After planting itself, you do not need to be zealous, fertilizing the soil. At this time, the plant needs rest, and unnecessary actions can disturb it. Make sure that the sun is enough, clear the land around the sea buckthorn from weeds, the rest will be done by nature.

If your plant is already several years old, then there are certain fertilization and feeding patterns for sea buckthorn.

Some people are used to liming the soil before planting sea buckthorn, the dosage of lime depends entirely on the type of soil in your garden. But for all plants there are certain norms of nutrients that they should receive regularly.

We fertilize the soil according to the scheme

There is a scheme for fertilizing the soil in accordance with the goals of obtaining a certain amount of fruit.

An excellent way to fertilize sea buckthorn in spring and autumn is with a garden drill. With this device, holes are made 40 cm deep, between the roots of the tree. In this case, the distance from the trunk should be equal to 1 m. The hole is covered with pebbles and gravel, after which fertilizers can be supplied through it and filled with water. Thus, the minerals will seep much deeper into the ground, due to which the plant will be nourished and replenished with energy.

There are certain rules of use different types fertilizers for sea buckthorn.

Important: sea buckthorn needs phosphorus to a greater extent than other substances, since it helps the formation of nodule bacteria that form on the roots.

Females require more care and, accordingly, they should allocate more fertilizer. Male plants are more unpretentious, they can grow in dark areas, in dry soil, and so on. But this does not mean that they do not need care - they do, but it can be less thorough.

Video - Secrets and subtleties of growing sea buckthorn

Further care of the plant

In the spring, before the first buds bloom, you need to form sea buckthorn bushes, giving them the desired shape, cutting off unnecessary branches. It is worth doing this a year or two after planting, since the aerial part of the tree during this period is already well formed.

More attention should be paid to 4-5 year old trees. During this period, there is no need to spare the fruit-bearing branches, the excess weight of the above-ground part interferes with the tree. It is best to remove shoots that grow parallel to the trunk, and it is also imperative to prune dry branches.

In older plants that bear fruit for 8 years or more, a period of diseases may begin, the branches dry out, and the fruits become less strong, which can lead to a pest attack on the plant. There are anti-aging pruning techniques that can help bring sea buckthorn back to normal and return it to its former fertility.

Interesting: in some areas, sea buckthorn is grown not for fruit, but for decorative purposes, therefore, branches are pruned regularly, because they give it the necessary shape, which can be either round or angular.

It is worth carrying out sanitary cleaning of sea buckthorn annually. It includes covering up various holes, cleaning dry branches and leaves, getting rid of the fungus. If the fungus has damaged most of the shrub, then it must be cut out and completely processed.

Picking sea buckthorn berries - shearing with scissors

Video - How to properly cut and shape sea buckthorn in the garden

What is sea buckthorn, planting and caring for it, breeding features - I will tell you about all this in this article. The valuable medicinal qualities of this culture are known all over the world today. Sea buckthorn is grown, cultivated, on its basis medical and cosmetic preparations, as well as all kinds of culinary delights are made. All parts of sea buckthorn have medicinal value and are used in folk and official medicine. Depending on the planting site and on leaving, sea buckthorn can be a low, spreading shrub or a powerful tall tree.

Photo of sea buckthorn:

Where does sea buckthorn grow

In the wild, it grows on rocky and sandy soils, in river valleys, near streams, reservoirs, on the seashore. Because of this, it is often called sea thorn, sandy berry, dune thorn. The homeland of sea buckthorn is the highlands of the Himalayas. Where does sea buckthorn grow in Russia? You can answer - everywhere, except perhaps in the regions of the Far North. Today this culture is spread all over the world. This is a representative of the sucker family. Through the efforts of breeders, many of its varieties have been bred.

Where and how sea buckthorn grows in the wild, photo:

Features, how to distinguish male from female sea buckthorn, photo

In our domestic open spaces, its name is explained quite easily - the branches of the tree are abundantly strewn, covered with bright orange fruits from all sides. The leaves are narrow, elongated, of a bluish tint, the flowers are so inconspicuous that at first glance they can be easily mistaken for leaves. As already mentioned, depending on the variety, the sea buckthorn can be short or tall.

When does sea buckthorn bloom? By the very beginning of May or closer to its middle, small short brushes bloom on the branches, each of them has 3-5 small yellowish flowers. Flowers bloom first, leaves follow.

Here it is necessary to mention one feature of sea buckthorn - only female representatives bloom, on male trees there are stamens collected in a bunch. These stamens contain pollen, which is easily carried by the wind to the female inflorescences, as a result of which pollination occurs. If you slightly disturb a flowering male branch, you can see a cloud of this very pollen. Sea buckthorn flowers do not have a scent, therefore they do not attract bees.

How sea buckthorn blooms, photo:

To get a good harvest, it is imperative to plant male and female trees together. Fruits are produced only by female plants, male plants are only pollinators. For pollination, sometimes one male representative is enough, which can grow at a considerable distance (up to 50 meters) from female specimens. Windy weather favors the process.

Sea buckthorn female and male: the difference is that a male tree can even grow from wild growth. But as for the female plant, it must be cultivated sea buckthorn. As mentioned above, the floor of a tree is determined by outward appearance kidneys. The male variety is easiest to identify in the spring or fall, while the female can be easily identified in the summer when the tree is in bloom and fruiting. Female kidneys are much smaller than male ones, covered with a pair of scales. Male buds are larger, voluminous, have from 5 to 7 covering scales.

The male sex of the sea buckthorn is on the right, the female is on the left, photo:

When does the sea buckthorn season start? When does sea buckthorn ripen? From the last weeks of August to early October, depending on the climate in the region of growth. However, there are some nuances here: the collection time depends on the purpose for which you need the berries. For freezing or eating fresh sea buckthorn, the fruits should be harvested at the very beginning of their ripening (late calendar summer-early autumn). By this time, they are already saturated with vitamins, but they are firm enough to the touch, do not ooze juice. If the berries are needed to obtain oil, prepare all kinds of jams, jams, sauces, then you should wait until they are fully ripe. Ripe fruits are filled with juice, slightly soft.

Why is it difficult to harvest sea buckthorn?

This task is quite difficult, the process can be traumatic due to the sharp thorns that cover the branches. Sea buckthorn has rather short stalks, and ripe berries are soft to the touch, easily wrinkled under the fingers. Plus, the juice of the fruit is very acidic and can irritate the skin of the hands with prolonged contact. What to do in this case?

There are radical methods in which the branches are pruned along with the fruits, but this is quite cruel in relation to the tree. Experienced gardeners found a way out of this situation. To begin with, before harvesting, put on those clothes that you will not mind getting dirty, and this will inevitably happen. The second rule is that you need to collect fruits from the top of the branch towards the bottom.

How to collect sea buckthorn:

1. The first method is a rough one, in which branches with fruits are carefully cut off and immediately frozen. Frozen berries can be easily removed from the branches, but this method is only suitable for those cases when you need them frozen.
2. The second method is manual; cherries, cherries, apricots and other fruits are harvested in the same way. It is traumatic, takes a long time, and requires increased attention.
3. The third method is "skillful hands", i.e. the manufacture of auxiliary devices. Gardeners go to various tricks: a sharp scraper is attached to a long stick with electrical tape, which, as it were, is used to comb the berries from the branches. Your helper should stand at the bottom and hold either an open bag or an open umbrella for picking berries. Sometimes a long-handled knife is used and the fruit is harvested in the same way. However, the most convenient device is considered to be "cobra" - this is a popular name that has taken root among gardeners and summer residents. The device is a loop of dense wire that is securely attached to a long handle. You can drill two holes at the end of a rounded stick and thread a wire through them. For convenience, the loop itself is slightly bent so that, when viewed from the side, it resembles a cobra's hood. The top of the loop should be slightly narrowed. The attachment point must be securely wrapped with wire or wrapped several times with insulating tape. Now you can quite conveniently cut the stalks with a "cobra", you can open the umbrella from below, where the berries will fall.

The method of collecting sea buckthorn "cobra" is the most acceptable, less traumatic.

You can also wait for the first frost, spread a cloth or a piece of polyethylene under the tree, then arm yourself with a heavy stick and attack the trunk with branches with it. Frozen fruits will separate from the branches from the blows and fall on the prepared blanket. Decide for yourself - how it will be more convenient for you.

Watch a few videos, maybe you will use ideas, picking berries with devices that are easy to do yourself, with your own hands.

How to plant sea buckthorn correctly

Before planting, you need to decide on the variety - the selected type of sea buckthorn must be adapted to the climate of your region. It is best to purchase seedlings from trusted locations, such as fruit tree nurseries or horticultural institutes. Additionally, you will be sure of the purity of the variety. It should be borne in mind that this culture has a very short dormant period, so that the sea buckthorn tree does not "wake up" in the middle of winter, choose those varieties that are designed for cultivation in your area.

When to plant sea buckthorn - in spring or autumn? Sea buckthorn seedlings can be planted with the arrival of spring and autumn. But it is preferable to do this in early spring - this way they will take root better. If you plant a tree in the fall, then a sudden winter warming can trigger its awakening.

When choosing a place, give preference to zones near buildings, paths - away from areas where active gardening is in full swing. The fact is that sea buckthorn has cordlike roots, which are located in the upper layers of the soil (about 50 cm). They are quite long, they can diverge to the sides for a distance of more than 10 meters. Thus, the roots can be damaged when digging, they are very sensitive, therefore, even with the slightest injury, the sea buckthorn can get sick. In general, it is not recommended to dig the soil in the vicinity of this tree, even if you do it carefully. Digging provokes the appearance of overgrowth, especially in the places of the "affected" roots. Lightly loosening with a hoe will suffice. For this light-loving culture, choose open, unshaded places.

Even in the fall, do not be too lazy to add sand with humus mixed in equal amounts (2 kg / 1 m² or for each hole) to the agreed place, phosphorus-potassium supplements are also relevant.

How to plant male and female sea buckthorn together, at what distance? If there are several trees, then the distance between them should be about 2-3 meters. There must be a male sea buckthorn (for pollination). As mentioned above, 1 male specimen is enough for 5-6 female trees. The process itself is no different from planting other fruit representatives: the hole should be about 70 × 70 × 70 cm, at the bottom you need to form a small hill, carefully spread the roots along its slopes.

After that, the pit is covered with soil just above the root collar. After soil shrinkage, the neck should be flush with the soil level. After planting, a wide hole is formed around the tree, which must be filled with water in the amount of about two buckets.

How to care for sea buckthorn

Caring for seedlings consists in regular watering, you should know that sea buckthorn is a moisture-loving culture. When the seedling gets stronger and becomes a tree, then it no longer needs to be watered too often, only during a drought. It makes no sense to add top dressing to the trunk circle, because the cord-like root system of the tree diverges to the sides and stretches for many meters. When sea buckthorn begins to bear fruit, it can be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers, once every 3 years (4-5 kg ​​of humus per 1 m², 20-30 potassium-phosphorus supplements).

You should also carefully remove the weeds in the area of ​​the trunk circle, do not loosen the ground too actively (without going deeper than 7-10 cm). Pruning branches and forming the crown is best done in the spring, while the buds have not yet blossomed.

After the sea buckthorn tree turns 8 years old, you can practice rejuvenating pruning - remove old branches, giving preference to three-year-old shoots. Dried, frozen, diseased fragments must also be removed.

How to propagate sea buckthorn?

The process is carried out using cuttings, shoots and seeds. It is impractical to describe in detail the seed method, since this way takes too much time. The resulting plants do not inherit the varietal qualities of the mother tree, most often the result is "wild". Often, sea buckthorn is propagated by seeds in laboratory conditions to obtain new varieties, hybrids.

With coppice propagation, the young sea buckthorn inherits all the features of the main tree. The selected representatives are regularly watered in the spring and especially in the summer. With the arrival of a new spring, the shoot is carefully cut off with a small fragment of the root, after which it is planted in a separate place of residence.

How to propagate sea buckthorn by layering? It is necessary to select those branches that are closest to the ground. In the spring, small depressions are made in the soil near these branches (about 10 cm). The branches are bent down and pinned to the ground with wire brackets. When these branches give shoots, the pinned area is covered with soil. The next year, again, with the arrival of spring, they are dug out, cut off with a secateurs and transferred to permanent place residence or rearing.

The most high-quality and productive breeding method is the cuttings method. Cutting sea buckthorn is no different from cutting other fruit trees - everything happens in a similar way. Around the middle of summer, cut off a beautiful and strong stalk (about 15-20 cm in length), pinch off the three lower leaves, treat the cut with Kornevin (optional). Dip the end of the cutting into nutrient soil, substrate, or moist vermiculite. A mixture of clean river sand, fertile soil and peat is perfect. Cover the top with a plastic transparent glass to make something like a greenhouse.

In the room where cuttings germinate, the air temperature should be approximately +26 .. + 28 ° С. Young livestock should be regularly watered, irrigated with a spray bottle, periodically ventilated (raise the glass). After about 8 weeks, the coating is removed, the stalk is fed with potassium-phosphorus additives. The cover is no longer used, the seedling is watered and a new spring is awaited. When it gets stronger, it is transferred to a permanent place of growth.

Sometimes on garden forums you can come across such a question - why doesn't sea buckthorn bear fruit? The answer is actually simple: sea buckthorn is a dioecious crop; in order to obtain fruits, the presence of male and female specimens is mandatory in the same area. If you have only "girls" growing up, then they will not bear fruit. "Boys" do not bear fruit at all, but are only pollinators. To solve the problem in the spring, you can plant a couple of shrubs of the opposite sex on the site. It is best to choose cultivated male varieties "Alei" or "Gnome". Just in case, it is better to immediately plant two male trees, suddenly one will die or freeze in winter.

Vaccination also gives good results. You can take several branches from a healthy tree of the opposite sex (for example, from a neighbor in the country) and graft them on your sea buckthorn when spring comes.

Sea buckthorn varieties, description, photo

To get a good harvest, large and juicy berries, choose only the best types of sea buckthorn that are adapted to growing in your area. Take cuttings from a "proven" tree or purchase from a nursery with good recommendations. High-quality sea buckthorn berries are always large, have a pleasant taste, juicy, do not burst in the hands, abundantly cover the branches of the tree.

Variety Krasnoplodnaya - red sea buckthorn photo:

The universal variety Moskovskaya Krasavitsa has an average yield, the shrub grows up to two and a half meters, from mid-summer to early autumn it bears fruit with large (up to 10 g) juicy berries.

Chuiskaya sea buckthorn is characterized by a sweeter taste, the branches of the tree are not too densely covered with thorns, the thorns themselves are not long, the size of the fruits is slightly smaller than that of the Moscow Beauty, but larger than average.

Sea buckthorn Krasnoplodnaya has reddish berries, which becomes clear from the name, is resistant to diseases, is distinguished by its vitality and unpretentiousness.

Sea buckthorn Elizabeth belongs to the classic varieties, bears abundant fruit, the berries have a pleasant sweetish taste, large size. Description of Elizabeth's sea buckthorn: it is a very winter-hardy variety, resistant to diseases, ripens a little later than other species, reaches medium size.

Variety "Chuiskaya", photo:

Botanical sea buckthorn is more convenient to collect, since its stalk is slightly longer than that of other species. To obtain valuable sea buckthorn oil, this particular species is most often grown.

The Giant variety fully justifies its name, the tree grows up to 3-4 meters in height, the fruits are large in size, and the branches are practically not covered with thorns. That is, the Giant variety is a sea buckthorn without thorns. The variety is winter-hardy, the berries ripen by September.

Lyubimaya sea buckthorn is another common cultivar in our open spaces. It is distinguished by large sweet berries on long stalks, it is easy to pick, it does not wrinkle under the fingers, the bushes are rather sparse, which optimizes the harvesting process (it is easy to get to the berries). This variety is winter-hardy, unpretentious, bears fruit abundantly.

In addition to its medicinal value, this culture can act as an element landscape design on your site. Its long, rope-like roots hold the soil well. With its help, you can form hedge, and in the company with the rest of the shrubs, it will look very harmonious.

From whatever side you look, everyone is good with sea buckthorn - they will not be a burden for you, since it is unpretentious, incredibly useful and looks beautiful on the site.

Sea buckthorn, despite its thorns, is loved by many gardeners. It grows as a shrub or a short tree and already in the third year yields a very useful berries... The planting technology of this culture is not much different from the rest. However, there are biological features that you should pay attention to even before buying a seedling.

Choosing a place, time and seedlings

Sea buckthorn grows in the wild on the shores of lakes, flooded sections of rivers, mountain slopes up to an altitude of 2100 m. The culture is widespread in Siberia. It is planted to fix sandy soil, road slopes, ravines. And all because the sea buckthorn has a superficial root system that envelops the top layer of the earth, and it spreads far beyond the crown of the tree. Shoots can be found within a radius of 3-5 meters. In addition, this is a dioecious plant: if you want to get a harvest, then you need to plant at least two bushes: a male and a female. When planning a plot for sea buckthorn, be sure to consider these features.

Wild sea buckthorn usually grows near water bodies and on mountain slopes

Sea buckthorn berries are a natural multivitamin concentrate. They contain many vitamins: C, PP, B1, B2, K, E and carotene, organic acids: tartaric, oxalic, malic, as well as trace elements: manganese, boron, iron.

When to plant better

The best time to plant is in spring, before the seedling buds. Even an adult sea buckthorn overwinters poorly: during winters with little snow, the surface roots freeze out, some of the branches dry out. In addition, this culture has a very short dormant period; at the very first thaw, it dissolves its buds, which fall under severe spring frosts. And a young and fragile bush has even less chances to survive as a result of an autumn planting. He needs to adapt and root well in a new site. It is impossible to do this in a short autumn. There are recommendations to plant sea buckthorn in the summer, abandoning the autumn planting. However, in summer it is better to buy seedlings with a closed root system, that is, grown in containers.

The choice of planting material

Most often, gardeners simply dig root shoots in their garden and generously share it with their neighbors. In most cases, a very thorny wild with small and sour berries grows from such planting material. The reason is that cultivated varieties are grafted onto wild ones, their root shoots repeat the properties of the rootstock, and not varietal ones. When buying seedlings, this also needs to be taken into account, unscrupulous sellers tend to use to their advantage the ability of the culture to give a lot of growth.

Features of the choice of sea buckthorn seedlings:

1. Buy only zoned varieties that are adapted to the climate in your region.
2. You need at least two seedlings: male and female, but usually 3-4 female saplings are planted on one male.
3. Male and female cannot be distinguished before entering fruiting, that is, until flower buds begin to form. Therefore, buy seedlings grown from cuttings. They both repeat the maternal properties, and are already easily distinguishable by gender.
4. The variety of the male seedling does not matter, it is needed only for pollination, there will be no berries on it. You can not buy, but take shoots from neighbors or in the wild.

In female sea buckthorn plants, the buds are small, arranged in pairs, male plants are larger, covered with many lentils

It is easy to distinguish between adult plants by sex if you have both representatives in front of you and they can be compared. In women, the kidneys are small and neat, arranged in pairs; in men, they are large, rough, covered with lenticels. Flowering takes place imperceptibly, even before the leaves bloom. In females, small green pistils appear in the axils of lentils one by one, less often 2-3, and in males - brown dusty stamens collected in a short spike.

If the plot is small or you want to plant only one sea buckthorn bush, then you can graft a stalk of a male plant into the crown of a female one. Another option: during flowering, cut off a branch with anthers in another garden or at the wild and hang it inside the crown of your sea buckthorn.

Video: how to distinguish a male sea buckthorn plant from a female

And one more feature when choosing sea buckthorn seedlings: there are round growths on its roots - nodules. Inexperienced gardeners take them for a sign of illness, refuse seedlings or cut off these formations. Meanwhile, underground nodules play an important role, with their help, sea buckthorn gets its own food - assimilates nitrogen from the air. In adult plants, such outgrowths reach the size of a hen's egg. According to the observations of gardeners, if a tree grows on fertile soil, then the growths are small, almost imperceptible, and on the poor, on the contrary, large.

Swelling on the roots of sea buckthorn is not a disease, but a biological feature of the culture

Place for sea buckthorn

Choosing a place for sea buckthorn is also not easy.

1. Plant in an area that you will not dig up, because the sea buckthorn roots spread up to 5 m in width from the tree. You cannot dig them out, pull them out or somehow injure them.
2. A place in the shade of fences, buildings and trees is not suitable. Sea buckthorn loves sunny areas.
3. You should not plant sea buckthorn along paths and near frequently visited places, the seedling will grow into a lush and thorny shrub or tree 3-5 m high.
4. A male plant can be located at a distance of 50–100 m, that is, even in a neighboring area, but between him and the female there should not be obstacles impassable to the wind in the form of houses, deaf high fences, hills, etc.

But it is better not to rely on neighbors and plant a male and 2-3 female seedlings at a distance of at least 2-2.5 m and a maximum of 50-100 m. You can position them relative to each other as you like: a triangle, a square, in one row. There is a practice of planting in different corners of the site. If some winds prevail in your region, for example, southeastern winds, then plant the male plant from this, that is, the leeward side.

Planting process

For sea buckthorn, it is not enough just to dig a hole, you need to dig the entire area that you allocated for it onto the bayonet of the shovel. Skeletal roots will spread in the top layer of the soil, and you need to fill it with fertilizers. For a one-two-year-old seedling, a plot of 2x2 m is sufficient. Scatter a bucket of humus or compost, 40 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium sulfate on 1 m². If the soil is acidic, add a glass of dolomite flour.

Planting stages:

1. In the prepared area, dig a hole 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.

   

   The planting pit should be 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter

2. Pour drainage from broken brick, rubble or shell rock on the bottom with a layer of 10 cm.

   

   The drainage layer in the pit should be about 10 cm

3. On top of the drain, in the center of the hole, make a mound of the earth taken out during digging. If the soil is heavy clay, mix it with river sand and peat in a 1: 1: 1 ratio.

   

   Sometimes it is necessary to fill in the hole not the dug earth, but its mixture with peat and river sand

4. Drive a peg into the center of the mound, which will serve as a support for the seedling.
5. Place the seedling on the south side of the peg, on the top of the knoll, and spread the roots along its slopes. In this case, the root collar should be at the level of the horizon of the earth on your site. You can put the rail on top of the pit, it will serve as a level.

   

   The root collar of the seedling should be at the level of the ground horizon

6. Cover the hole with soil, tamping lightly and constantly holding the seedling at the desired level.
7. Make a watering hole.

   

   One of effective ways watering - using a hole

8. Tie the seedling to a peg with a loose loop, water and mulch.

   

   The seedling needs to be attached to the peg

Video: planting sea buckthorn in spring

If you need a transplant

If there is an urgent need to transplant the sea buckthorn to another place, then it is better to do this also in the spring, and while the tree is still small - 2-3 years old. An adult fruiting tree will not take root, since it is impossible to dig up all of its roots that have spread over the site. From own-rooted sea buckthorn, unvaccinated, it is better to take shoots and transplant it.

1. Dig up the young plant carefully.
2. Use your hands to rake the ground around to figure out how the roots are located and to identify the main mother from them, coming from the tree.
3. Cut off the main root at a distance of 20-30 cm from the seedling.
4. Plant the young plant as shown above.

The shoots and the mother plant have a common root, which must be cut during transplantation.

In the same way, young trees are transplanted, raking the top layer of the earth in order to have an idea of ​​the location of the roots. The less you damage them, the higher the chance that the sea buckthorn will take root. If the roots are damaged, then reduce the volume of the aerial part: cut off the branches, shorten the trunks. It will be easier for the sea buckthorn to settle down, and then it will quickly restore the crown.

The planting process itself is very simple, but there are many nuances when choosing seedlings and planning a site. Sea buckthorn is a dioecious plant, so one bush will bear fruit only if there is a male plant in the neighborhood, within a radius of up to 100 m. You also need to take into account the location of the roots: they spread horizontally and far from the tree, it will be impossible to dig the ground next to the sea buckthorn. So, before buying seedlings, you need to decide whether you have such a place in the garden and is it not a pity to allocate so much land for sea buckthorn.

I would never have thought that sea buckthorn is such a harmful plant. But having planted it on the site with the help of seeds, I realized that I had made a big mistake. The berries were small, sour and tasteless, and the root system became excessively large and grew by several meters. Here I thought that most likely I had planted it incorrectly. In this article I will describe all the mistakes in growing this crop and tell you how to properly plant and handle this plant.

Sea buckthorn has many medicinal properties. With the help of berries, leaves and branches, they treat sclerosis, stomach ulcers, frostbite, gout, rheumatism, burns, indigestion, diabetes and many other diseases. Its fruits are full of different useful acids, vitamins C, E, B1, B2, PP, K, manganese, boron, carotene, iron, etc.

Irreplaceable medicinal plant for the whole organism! When and how to plant sea buckthorn and how to care for it? Seed sowing will not produce a good harvest, so the best thing is to grow seedlings. Planting sea buckthorn practically does not differ from planting other fruit trees, but it is still characterized by its own specifics.

Sea buckthorn is difficult to survive the winter months and begins the vegetative process early enough. Based on this, the best time to plant a plant is considered early spring, when the buds on the trees have not yet blossomed. For the roots of sea buckthorn, this is a favorable period to plant or transplant (when it loses part of the roots). Until autumn and cold weather, the plant manages to build up enough root system to prepare for winter and endure frosts.

If the seedling grows indoors in a certain container, then it will not be difficult to transplant it. The root system will not be damaged and the plant will adapt quickly. But such a procedure can be carried out only if the seedling is a year or more. Otherwise, it is necessary to purchase ready-made seedlings from one to two years. If the roots of the tree are sluggish and dry, they are placed in a bucket of water and soaked until elasticity returns.

It is not recommended to plant sea buckthorn in the fall, as there is a risk that it will not take root. But if necessary, then it is best to plant the plant before mid-October, before the onset of frost, so that it has time to take root well. The sooner this procedure takes place, the better. We plant sea buckthorn in autumn only if the seedling is completely healthy.

Which seedling to buy

Requirements for the purchased seedling:

• In the presence of at least three skeletal roots up to 20 cm and a large number of small root processes;
• A trunk with a minimum height of 35 cm, a maximum of 50 cm, a trunk diameter of at least 6 cm;
• The presence of shoots on the trunk;
• Elasticity of the bark without damage or wrinkling;
• The bark does not flake off, and the wood under the bark does not have a brown tint (if it does, it means that the plant is frostbitten).
• The fewer thorns on the sea buckthorn, the better the variety. The absence of thorns is also a plus.
• It is enough to have 4 female sea buckthorns and one male pollinator on the site, so that the sea buckthorn is enough for five people for the whole year.
• If there is already a male in the neighboring garden and there are less than 10-12 meters between the plants, it is enough to plant only a female plant.

Where to plant

A place. Sea buckthorn should be planted away from permanently cultivated soil. For example, a good location would be a corner on the edge of a vegetable garden, garden, lawn, near a road or building. This is due to the roots of the plant. They, like a net, develop and grow shallowly (15-35 cm from the surface), as a result of them it is not difficult to damage when digging up the earth. It should also be remembered that the roots grow several meters around the plant, they are easy to injure, and this entails the weakening of the shrub or tree. As a result, the plant produces fewer fruits and may even die.

Light

Another important factor for sea buckthorn is the availability of light. The plant does not like shady places, so you need to plant it in the sun. In a darkened area, it bears little fruit.

The soil

Sea buckthorn likes moist, light soils. On clay or acidic soil, it may not be accepted. To avoid this, the acidic soil is dug up together with ground limestone (approximately 300-450 g per square meter). First, lime is scattered over the surface of the earth, and then dug to a depth of 20-30 cm. When planting, lime is not poured into the pit so as not to burn the roots. It is advisable to do this procedure in the middle of autumn. This fertilizer is enough for 8-10 years.

The groundwater

They should be located at a depth of more than 1 m from the ground cover, since sea buckthorn does not like water stagnation.

Air

For better air penetration into the soil, you should fluff the ground near the sea buckthorn. The depth for fluffing should not exceed 10 cm, as there is a possibility of damage to the roots. On clay soils, in order for air to penetrate into the soil, it is recommended to mix the top layer of the earth with coarse river sand, adding humus in a one-to-one ratio. Optionally add up to 300 g of superphosphates and up to 50 g of potassium salt.

Wind

Sea buckthorn is a wind-pollinated crop, so males should be planted at the beginning of the row on the windy side. Or in the middle, where the female species surrounds in a circle. Sea buckthorn blooms from 7 to 12 days, so if the weather is calm outside, a branch with a flower is cut off from the "man" and shaken over female flowers pollinating them. How to tell the gender of a plant? In "men" the kidneys are half as large, have 4-7 scales, and in "women" the kidneys are longer, smaller, have only a couple of scales. For one male, 4-6 female seedlings are enough.

How to plant

If the seedling is chosen in the fall, then it would be best to plant it at home in a container, where it will overwinter and plant it on the site in early spring. Or there is a second option - we drop it in until spring. We dig a trench 25-35 cm deep, then pour sand into it and lay the seedlings nearby at an angle of 45 °. After all, bury it with earth, and in winter it is advisable to cover it with still dry leaves or peat.

We do not plant shrubs in places where fruit trees with seeds grew (apple, plum, peach, etc.), as well as after raspberries and strawberries. These shrubs have similar diseases that can be transmitted through the soil to sea buckthorn.

When boarding, you must follow some rules and conditions:

1. The plot is dug up in the fall and fertilizers are applied at the same time. Do not recommend using mineral fertilizers, better - organic (humus, peat, ash, lime).
2. The pit should be 45-65 cm deep, 65 cm wide, 65 cm long.
3. Maintain a distance of 2 meters between individuals.
4. Dig a peg 1-1.5 meters high into the center of the hole and sprinkle it with earth, forming a mound.
5. The seedling is placed in the center near the peg and the root system is spread evenly over the equipped mound.
6. The hole is covered with soil mixed with sand and humus, so that the beginning of the trunk is immersed in the soil up to 5 cm.
7. A hole is left around the tree or shrub for further watering.
8. The plant is tied to a peg.
9. Up to three buckets of water are poured into the hole.
10. After the water has been absorbed, the hole is mulched with humus or dried soil. Further, this area is leveled.
11. Every day thereafter, water the plant for a month.

When transplanting a tree to new places, many roots are lost, so you need to try to dig up as many of them as possible. Since the roots are too long, they are often cut off when digging up. In this case, you should cut off not only the root system, but also the stems and shoots themselves. We are not afraid to overdo it with pruning branches. It will be much easier for a tree or bush to adapt and grow in a new place. When we are dealing with an adult, we cut off all the branches, leaving only the trunk no more than 1.5 meters.

How to fertilize

Sea buckthorn is not harmful in terms of fertilization. Due to the wide root system, it independently finds nutrients in the soil and there is no need to fertilize it for the first years.

If desired, for better formation of new shoots of the plant in the spring, you can fertilize sea buckthorn with urea (up to 30 g per 1 bucket of water). Each tree or bush is watered with half a bucket of liquid.

It is advisable to fertilize young growth with organic fertilizers. For example, stir humus in water and water the plant around. This procedure should be carried out once every three years.

Sea buckthorn loves moisture, so it is worth watering it infrequently, but with plenty of water. Paying such attention to the plant, sea buckthorn will bring a good fruitful harvest every year and will not interfere with other plants with its roots. Get treatment, enjoy the beauty of this plant and do not forget the peculiarities of caring for it!