Experience with Honeyberry

General Fruit Growing
82

That is pretty much as expected. The straight Russian genetics is more sour.
Not sure the reason most are smaller?

I bought one gallon plants of 2 of the Japanese kind in 2012 (Blue Moon and Blue Velvet), and sold them for ‘edible landscaping’…but I did get to taste some of them a year or more later. I liked them, even if probably a little underripe as the birds had found them.
Later I bought Tundra and one other I have forgot…the Tundra I liked but it didn’t bear much.
Either I sold it or it died. Currently I’ve got one or more of Aurora, Beauty, Beast, Honeybee, Tana, Giants Heart (Berries Unlimited) and I think one other from Dr. Thompsons cultivars. Indigo Gem and Blizzard died…being tiny plants.

Did you save seed this year? I didn’t have enough fruit.

And at least one Aurora has buds expanding since yesterday…as it’s been a 45 degree spike in our temperatures since 2 days ago.

83

I forgot to save seeds. I do want to grow out some. I have so many unique brambles from growing out seeds. Some were intentional crosses and some I let nature do it. I also kept some volunteers. I have a purple primocane fruiting raspberry. First ever developed as far as I know. That was a volunteer. I’m too dense to have thought about doing a cross myself. Most purples are boring in flavor this one is anything but boring. Tart, intense, reminds me of boysenberries. Except it’s extremely hardy unlike Boysenberry. And also primocane fruiting. I did tip root last year to make a backup.

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84

sounds interesting

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85

Do deer or other vermin (rabbits, voles, etc)
eat honey berry plants?

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86

birds like them, like blueberries. I would suspect anyone who around you eats blueberry would eat them

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87

all of the above, some people say they leave them along, but others report the opposite, probably has to do with what other options are available. Id suggest plan for the worst and hope for the best.

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88

I have noticed very little deer damage on my handful of honeyberries. The deer dont eat the invasive honeysuckle, and it doesnt appear that they eat its tasty cousin.

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89

In my experience, deer will eat every flower and new leaf the moment the bushes start to bloom. I have to cover mine just before they bloom, which is really annoying because they’re also the first flowers hummingbirds will go to in the spring and I don’t want to stop them from coming. Once the leaves mature and the fruit sets the only other pest I’ve seen on them are robins, but they don’t really take very much, especially if the bushes are covered.

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