It so happened that plants that require constant care and attention are always given the best place in the garden, and unpretentious modest bushes always leave a place in the backyard, because they absolutely do not care where to grow. A similar situation very often develops with irga, and meanwhile this berry is not only a bottomless storehouse of vitamins, but also a wonderful ornamental shrub that can decorate any area. And all this is combined with ease of care, cultivation and reproduction. You will learn how to choose the right place for planting, which variety of irgi to choose and much more, including photos of the varieties of this berry, from this article.

Most of all, irga has become widespread in Europe and North America. Only in Canada in recent years, breeders have bred many new varieties of shadberry. In our regions, they are not yet available, but there are several species that are considered the most suitable both as an ornamental and as a berry crop.

Landing irgi

Irga is considered a long-liver, because a shrub grows for about 70 years, and its trunks eventually become like trees. You can choose absolutely any place for landing, because the irga is unpretentious and can grow with any shading, it is not afraid of winds and drought. If you have a sunny place for a shrub, then it is ideal, because in this case the branches do not have to reach up in search of sunlight. But even if such a place was not found: the irga will easily endure it. This berry is also not demanding on the soil. The main thing is that the place should not be swampy. But it is worth remembering that the more fertile the soil, the healthier your plant and the higher the yield.

Advice. Gardeners are advised not to plant the game near the parking lot, because falling dark berries can leave marks on the car. In addition, they leave traces on the paths of light stone.

The site for irgi can be prepared in advance by clearing it of weeds. Before planting, the site is dug up with the addition of phosphate and potash fertilizers. For 1 sq. m accounts for up to 40 g of each type of fertilizer.

Blooming shadberry

Seedlings aged one or two years are suitable for planting. If you plan to plant several bushes, it is recommended to plant them in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of up to one and a half meters from each other. A layer of earth dug out of a hole must be mixed with sand and compost, adhering to a ratio of 3: 1: 1. At the bottom of the pit, you need to add a little humus, potash and phosphate fertilizers. The seedling is sprinkled with the previously made mixture and watered abundantly. When the soil absorbs moisture, you need to add earth, leveling the hole to the level of the surrounding surface, and mulch the soil on top. After the bush must be cut so that no more than 4 buds remain on each shoot.

plant care

Many gardeners claim that after planting the irgi, you can not remember about it until the very time when you need to harvest. But it will still be nice if the shrub gets minimal attention from you. It consists in regular watering. Sometimes the plant requires pruning so that a beautiful ornamental shrub does not lose its visual appeal. Yes, and the rejuvenation of the bush is beneficial to the crop. From time to time it is necessary to weed weeds if they appear near the bush.

Advice. Irga has a very developed root system, therefore, experts recommend watering it only in drought, using a sprayer, at the same time washing off the dust from the leaves.

Fertilizer and top dressing

The first fertilizers for irge begin to be given when the shrub reaches 5 years. Once a year, the trunk circle must be dug up with fertilizers. Necessary:

• superphosphate - 300 g;
• potash fertilizers without chlorine - 200 g;
• humus - 1 bucket.

An unpretentious plant sometimes needs to be fed

In addition, from spring to mid-summer, you can feed the game with liquid organic matter. Chicken manure diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10 is well suited. One bush needs about 5 liters of solution.

Advice. Liquid fertilizers are best applied in the evening, after watering the shrub abundantly. Dry fertilizers are dug up along with the trunk circle, after which the plant is watered.

Irgi reproduction

Irga propagates both by seeds and vegetatively, but it must be remembered that when propagated by seeds, only species characteristics remain, while varietal characteristics are lost.

• At propagation by seeds it is enough to extract them from a ripe berry and immediately plant them in the ground. It is not worth placing seeds deeper than 2 cm. Also, be sure to water them well and leave a layer of mulch on top. In winter, the seeds will undergo a natural stratification and young shoots will appear in the spring. By the way, shoots may appear in the same autumn. Within two years it is necessary to remove weeds around the shoots, and in the third year the plants can be transferred to the main habitat.

Irgi seeds

• Another way to reproduce is green cuttings. To do this, cuttings up to 15 cm long are cut from an adult bush, on which all leaves are removed, except for the top two. The lower cut must be placed in a root-forming solution for the period specified in the instructions for the product, after which the cuttings should be washed with cold water and planted in a greenhouse at an angle. Sprinkle a small layer of sand on top. The distance between the dome of the greenhouse and the tops of the cuttings should be at least 20 cm. When watering the cuttings, make sure that water does not pour onto the root part, but splashes. The temperature in the greenhouse must be kept at 25 degrees and periodically ventilated. The soil is also best kept slightly moist. After three weeks, the cuttings will already take root enough, and it will be possible to open the greenhouse during the day, and after some time, when the shoots get stronger, and at night. At this time, the cuttings can be transplanted to a small bed and a little mineral fertilizer can be applied. Already next autumn, young plants will be ready for transplanting to a permanent habitat.

The easiest way to propagate irgi is green cuttings.

• Another way to breed irgi is layering. To do this, choose strong young shoots up to two years. It is best to dig in early spring. First you need to dig the ground under the selected shoots, draw grooves in it and lay the shoots in them. The tops need to be pinched. When the young shoots reach 10 cm from the buds of dug branches, fill them with earth to half. After a couple of weeks, the shoots will lengthen by another 15 cm, cover them halfway with earth again. Already in the fall, you can transplant rooted layering to the place you need, or you can do it next spring.

Diseases and pests of irgi

Irga has a fairly strong immune system, but still gets sick from time to time tuberculosis. With this disease, the leaves of the plant first turn brown, after which they begin to dry out and fall off. Following the leaves, the branches are also subject to drying out, on which small red tubercles appear. If symptoms are detected, it is necessary to cut off the diseased branches and burn them, and spray the plant with Bordeaux liquid or blue vitriol. In order to prevent, you can spray the shrub in the spring.

rust damage

In addition to tuberculosis, it can sometimes be found on the irga phyllostic spotting. It is also manifested by wilting of the leaves, on which brown spots appear. The leaves must be burned, and the plant must be treated with Bordeaux liquid before flowering and after.

The third most common disease gray rot. It manifests itself in the appearance of spots on the leaves, which spread, the leaves begin to turn yellow, and then become covered with a fluffy gray mold and fall off. The cause of this disease is most often an excess of moisture, so the first step is to eliminate the cause, if possible, but if not, transplant the irga to a less humid place. For treatment and prevention, as in the first two cases, Bordeaux liquid can be used.

moth foxglove

Irga, planting and caring for which will not bring you unnecessary trouble and will not take a lot of time, will not only decorate your site, but also reward you with a mass of tasty and healthy fruits.

Growing irgi: video

Irga is not very common in summer cottages, gardeners have only heard about it and are in no hurry to breed this plant, but in vain. This shrub is very decorative: green foliage flaunts on reddish shoots with a slight silvery sheen on the back of the plate, and fragrant white-pink brushes bloom in spring. But the main advantage of the culture is the small purple-black fruits that ripen in mid-summer. Sweet pulp is very tasty and healthy, both fresh and dried.

Irga takes root very well, is not demanding on the soil, can forgive forgotten watering, and also has high frost resistance.

One of the perennial breeding options is the spring planting of seedlings, which allows you to get a stronger young bush by winter, which is not afraid of low temperatures. What is worth knowing about how to plant irgu in the spring? First of all, you should pay attention to such points:

• seedling selection;
• choice of landing site;
• landing pit preparation.

Where to get seedlings?

The best option would be to purchase a seedling from a local horticultural nursery - there you can choose the right varieties and get a healthy plant. When going shopping, it is worth deciding for what purposes cultivation is planned.

As an ornamental plant, it is better to purchase the Lamarck variety, and large fruits in large quantities (up to 10 kg per bush) will please the alder-leaved shadberry.

If you wish, you can grow a seedling yourself by sowing seeds of the desired species. A full-fledged bush, ready for planting in open ground, will be in 2-3 years.

Where to plant?

Despite the fact that the irga is unpretentious, deeply shady areas are not her choice. There, the bushes will stretch out strongly, and the crop will shrink, decline and lose its sweetness. Light penumbra for shrubs is best suited. Regarding the soil, it is worth excluding places where water stagnates, otherwise the irga will be able to develop in any soil.

Since the culture has been growing in one place for more than 50 years, and all this time it has been actively growing to the sides, it is necessary to provide it with at least 3 m of free space.

How to plant?

In the chosen place, dig a landing hole to a depth of 0.5 m (the root system of the irgi is very powerful) and about the same width. Pour humus, wood ash into the pit and mix everything a little. Plant a seedling, water abundantly and mulch the soil with compost. To give the bush shape and stimulate the formation of side shoots, you can cut the branches, leaving up to 5 buds on each.

Irga is a berry shrub, but it is not found in every garden. Planting and caring for the irga is not particularly difficult, but requires certain rules to be followed. The article discusses the features of planting and growing shrubs, as well as methods of its reproduction.

Spreading

Most of all, irga has become popular in Europe and North America. Only in Canada in recent years, breeders have bred many new varieties of shadberry. They have not yet appeared on the territory of Russia, but there are several varieties that are considered the most suitable not only in terms of berries, but also as an ornamental crop.

Kinds

In nature, there are about 25 species of shadberry, but only a few varieties are grown, and not all of them produce high-quality berries. Often shrubs are planted solely to decorate a garden or a personal plot.

The shrub reaches a height of about three meters. It is characterized by a wide crown, forming thin branches. Initially, they are gray in color, but as they mature, the plants turn brown. Pinkish-white buds bloom for 10 days. At this time, the shrub has an unusual appearance.

The species of irgi is able to grow for 15 years, taking root in one place. The advantages include endurance, resistance to cold, drought and winds. Fruiting occurs 4 years after planting in open ground.

Ornamental plant - grows as a bush or small tree. In the spring, white or pale pink flowers appear on the irga. The advantages of this species include increased resistance to pests and diseases, resistance to frost. The plant is able to endure even frosts at a temperature of -50 degrees, for which it is especially appreciated by the inhabitants of the north of Russia.

The berries are small, weighing about 5-8 g. As they ripen, the peel changes from a pale green hue to raspberry, then to dark blue or black. The plant has a well-developed, shallow root system. The height of the tree does not exceed five meters. The leaves are matte, ovoid, green. The taste of the fruit is good, sweetish, but cloying.

The blood-red irga is a shrub, the height reaches no more than three meters. Its fruits ripen late, have a flattened shape.

Berries taste mediocre, they are not eaten by birds, due to the minimum content of seeds. The berries weigh no more than 8 g. The pulp of the fruit is light, like the juice. Up to 5 kg of berries are obtained from one bush.

This is a six-meter shrub or tree up to 10-12 meters high. There are a lot of leaves when blooming, which gives splendor to the plant, making it silvery. The plant is especially decorative at the time of flowering, completely covered with tassels of white flowers. There are few fruits, but they are tasty and large, contain many acids and sugars.

This species is characterized by good winter hardiness, but in severe winters it can freeze slightly. Landing is carried out in the spring or before winter. Cuttings are considered to be an effective method of propagation. The plant is easy to care for, it practically does not need watering and is easy to trim.

In the middle lane, the shrub grows in height, reaching 2-4 meters. At the end of May, white flowers form on it, then small berries are tied, the weight of which does not exceed 2 g. There can be up to 14 berries in the brush. The harvest ripens amicably, it is harvested several times. Berries have an excellent taste, contain acids and sugars in equal proportions.

Alder-leaved irga is a moisture-loving plant. Found on the banks of rivers, streams, on wet slopes, but will not grow in swampy areas. The plant is recommended to be planted in spring or autumn. Two methods of propagation are used - from seeds and cuttings. Irga needs regular watering. Withstands winter. Fruiting occurs 5 years after planting.

Irga Lamarck is a decorative species cultivated in gardens and parks in Europe. It is rare in Russia, although the variety is considered very cold-resistant and pleases with its appearance throughout the season. It grows in oak and birch forests with acidic soils, also on peat bogs.

The size of the shrub is high, the leaves, fruits and flowers are large. The leaves are 4-9 cm long, oval in shape and copper-purple in color in both spring and autumn. The flowers are collected in a drooping brush. Berries are dark blue. From one bush get from 5 to 7 kg of berries.

Choice of location and soil

Irga is a fruitful berry shrub, it needs indirect sunlight. The best crop is harvested from plants planted on sandy loamy soddy-podzolic and loamy fertile soils.

The plant is not afraid of shaded areas and lack of moisture, due to which it is permissible to land on the territory along the fence. Irgu is also planted in the same way as other berry bushes, such as gooseberries or currants.

In the spring-autumn period, seedlings are inserted 8 cm deeper than they grew before. This is necessary for the growth of more basal shoots. Many gardeners choose the most convenient way for them - planting irgi as a hedge. So the area is changing.

Landing

For planting, it is recommended to give preference to frost-resistant species and varieties characterized by a high yield of tasty berries. If the irga is an ornamental plant, the yield in this case does not matter. In the first place should be the age of the seedlings. It is believed that one- and two-year-old plants take root faster.

When choosing a seedling, gardeners pay attention to a healthy root system: there should be no signs of drying and rot. It is equally important to inspect the trunk of the seedling so that it is well developed and there are no damages on the bark.

Nurseries offer seedlings with a closed root system grown in large containers. For landing it is better to choose them. Such a plant will not have to spend time to restore the root system damaged during transplantation, it will take root faster and begin to grow. Container seedlings have no restrictions on the timing of planting - it is allowed to plant during the entire growing season.

Irga is a long-lived plant, therefore the place for it is carefully selected, taking into account the size, as well as the requirements for growing conditions.

The choice of location is based on the following rules:

• The site should be well lit - this will contribute to good yields.
• The value of soil acidity should not exceed 6.5-7.
• Irgi is planted on soils with a low level of standing groundwater.
• The mechanical composition of the soil should be light (sandy loam or loose loam with a high content of humus).

All weeds are removed from the selected area. It is better if the soil in the previous season was kept under "black" fallow. It is optimal to sow it with legumes - they improve fertility. Before digging, up to 10 kilos of rotted compost or humus, 40 grams of phosphorus and potash fertilizers are applied per square meter.

Irgu is planted in the ground in early spring or late autumn. When planting in spring, make sure that the buds do not swell. When planting in the autumn, the tree should already shed its leaves, but in order to have another 3 weeks before frost, this is the time required for rooting. Each seedling needs an area of ​​\u200b\u200bup to 4 squares, so the distance between them should be about two meters. When forming a hedge, seedlings are planted at a distance of up to a meter from each other.

Planting procedure:

1. Dig a hole 60x60 cm in size, discarding the top fertile layer in a separate pile.
2. For a hedge, dig a trench measuring 40x30 cm.
3. Mix the top layer with a bucket of humus, adding 200 g of potassium salt or 1 kg of ash, as well as 300 g of superphosphate.
4. Pour the prepared mixture into the bottom of the pit with a mound.
5. Install the seedling, carefully straightening its roots. If there are damages, they are removed.
6. Cover the root system with soil so that the root collar remains just above the level of the pit.
7. Pour a bucket of water under the bush, mulch the soil with humus.

The video below will serve as an example of landing an irgi:

If damage to the root system is noticed during planting, it is necessary to shorten the stem of the seedling by cutting it into 4-5 buds.

Growing features

There are some requirements regarding the care of plants. The growth and development of plants, as well as productivity, depend on their implementation.

Watering

Irgi shrubs take root well after planting and do not need special care. Plants grow and bear fruit, but with regular and abundant watering, the number of fruits will become noticeably larger. Moist soil better protects the roots and allows the shrub to always be healthy and strong.

top dressing

When the tree turns 4-5 years old, annually 300 g of superphosphate, 200 g of potash fertilizers without chlorine, and several buckets of humus are added to the near-stem circle for digging. Be sure to retreat 20-30 cm from the root collar. From spring to mid-summer, the irgu is fed with liquid organic matter - 5 liters of a 10% solution of chicken manure for each bush.

It is recommended to apply liquid fertilizers at night after heavy watering or rain, and scatter dry fertilizers around the trunk circle, retreating 30 cm from the bush, planting them in the soil, and then watering the area. As it grows, the amount of fertilizer increases.

pruning

Although the irga tolerates pruning without complications, this procedure is carried out only if necessary. To do this less often, follow some recommendations:

• plant a plant in a well-lit area so that the rays of the sun penetrate into the very thick of the bush;
• cut only low varieties of shadberry, since tall bushes cannot be cut when fully grown even when using a ladder;
• pruning is done 1-2 years after planting the bush;
• the procedure is carried out in early spring before the start of sap flow.

The first years of growth of the shadberry leave only a few of the strongest zero shoots from the root shoots, the rest are removed. When the shrub has enough trunks, the two oldest are removed annually, and the same amount is left in return from the root growth - this contributes to the annual rejuvenation of the plant without reducing yields.

In young plants, all vertical shoots are shortened by a quarter of last year's growth. In other years, side branches are cut to stimulate the growth of the crown in breadth, otherwise it will be difficult to remove ripe berries from branches that have grown upwards in the future. It is not necessary to process cuts on annual shoots, but on adult branches it is necessary to process them with garden pitch (but not in cold weather).

In addition to pruning to form a crown, a sanitary procedure is also carried out. To do this, remove broken, dry and thickening shoots of the plant, that is, branches growing inside the bush. Be sure to fight with root shoots. To rejuvenate an old shrub, it is cut, as they say, "under the stump."

Irga in autumn

In the autumn period, after the end of fruiting, they carry out sanitary and thinning pruning of the shadberry, if necessary, apply fertilizer by digging the site and getting rid of the fallen leaves. These are all procedures that are carried out for a plant at the end of the growing season. Irga hibernates without shelter, which is facilitated by increased resistance to frost.

reproduction

There are several ways to reproduce irgi. These include cuttings, grafting, growing from seeds, dividing the bush. Irgu is also propagated by layering. Each method has its own characteristics and negative points.

cuttings

Propagation by green cuttings in irgi is carried out successfully and with little or no difficulty. The effectiveness of the method lies in the possibility of rooting 95% of cut shoots. Green cuttings are cut during the intensive growth of shoots - this is the period from the end of June to July 10. Cuttings are cut from the top of 5-6 year old branches. The length of the cuttings should be at least 12-15 cm. The lower leaves are removed from them, leaving only two pairs of upper leaves.

Next, it is necessary to process the lower cut of the cutting in the root former and plant it obliquely at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Plant cuttings in greenhouses, where the correct humidity regime is observed - at the level of 70-80%. The cutting takes root in 3-4 weeks. After that, the films are removed so that the plant grows in the open. Water the plants regularly and fertilize. The plants are transplanted in the spring of the following year.

Graft

In the first or second summer month, cuttings are cut from 5-year-old shrubs from the top of 5-6 year old branches. The length of the cuttings should be no more than 15 cm. The lower leaves are removed from them, leaving a few upper ones. Place the cuttings for 12 hours in the root former, then rinse the roots in clean water. The plant is ready for planting in clean soil in a cool greenhouse. This is done at an inclination at a distance of 4 cm. The soil is sprinkled on top with a layer of sand 10 cm thick. It is better that the cuttings are 20 cm below the ceiling of the greenhouse.

After planting the cuttings, they are carefully watered. In the greenhouse, the temperature is optimally set to 25 degrees. To do this, sometimes they remove the top of the greenhouse and ventilate the cuttings. It is important to keep the soil moist. After the rooting of the cuttings, the film is removed during the day, and after complete strengthening, the plants are no longer covered.

After 20-25 days, the cuttings will have a strong root system, which will allow them to be transplanted to a temporary bed, where they are fertilized with manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:8. Care for cuttings is the same as for adult plants. The following autumn, the plants are transplanted to a permanent site.

Reproduction by layering

This method requires taking well-developed branches of a one- or two-year-old plant. Layering is desirable to do in early spring. Near the bush, the soil is furrowed, where the layering is laid. The laid shoots are fixed with metal brackets, and the tops of the shoots are made shorter. After the buds of the allotted branches of green shoots grow from the buds (to a height of 10-12 cm), sprinkle them with earth to half the height, repeat the procedure after 3 weeks. In autumn, transplant to a permanent place.

Growing from seeds

This method is considered the best for reproduction. But its disadvantage is the duration of the procedure. Seeds are bought in specialized stores or collected independently from ripe berries. Seeds must not be dried, mixed with sand, or stored in a cold room before sowing. If you pre-prepare the seeds, the seedlings will be fast. They are placed between cotton wool soaked in hydrogen peroxide and wrapped in plastic wrap. So store for 4 months.

In spring, seeds are sown under the film at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Shoots will appear in 14-20 days. It is allowed to sow seeds in beds prepared in advance in the fall. So after sowing in open ground, the seeds will sprout in the spring.

The division of the bush

This method is used only in an extremely rare case, if there is a need to transplant a bush from one area to another. The best time for the procedure is considered to be early spring, before the buds swell or autumn, a month before frost.

The bush is removed from the ground, cut. After removing the old branches, and gently shaking the earth from the roots, the rhizome is divided into several parts. Sometimes an ax is used. Each part is checked - it must have a healthy aerial part, consisting of at least two shoots, and a well-developed root system. It is recommended to remove old roots, trim the rest. Next, parts of the bush are planted in prepared pits.

Diseases, pests and prevention

Irga is a plant that is characterized by good health. But sometimes shrubs are exposed to some diseases and pests:

Name of the disease/pest

Symptoms

Fighting methods The ripening of the fruits of irgi occurs non-simultaneously on the brush, which brings a lot of inconvenience during harvesting, but at the same time gives an extraordinary color. Starting with the largest fruits at the base of the inflorescence-brush, they successively change their hue from red to dark purple. Harvested several times as the berries ripen. Fruits for fresh consumption are stored for several days at room temperature. When stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 0 degrees, the shelf life is significantly increased. This video will tell you how to harvest only a ripe crop of irgi: Beneficial features Irgi contains sugars (glucose and fructose), some organic acids. When the berries ripen, they accumulate vitamin C in large quantities. Also, the fruits are rich in vitamins A, B, B2, carotene, mineral salts, tannins, trace elements - manganese, copper, iodine, iron, cobalt. Irgu is used to make homemade wine, candied fruit, jam, jelly, jam, compote, marshmallow. Berries are allowed to freeze, preserve, dry. Juice can be easily squeezed out a week after picking the berries. Irgu is often used as a substitute for raisins. 2 City: Krivoy Rog Publications: 110

In pursuit of exotic trees and shrubs, whimsical, requiring increased attention, gardeners lose sight of unpretentious plants, many of which are no less useful and decorative. Planting and caring for the shadberry is so unpretentious, and the shrub itself is interesting and unusual, that you never cease to wonder how it could end up in the backyards of our gardens.

Unusual berry - something between a hawthorn and garden blueberries

garden kingdom cinderella

Irga ordinary belongs to the group of deciduous shrubs growing in the Northern Hemisphere - in Canada, the USA, the temperate zone of Europe, including Russia, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, Siberia. The closest known relatives in the Apple tribe are mountain ash (varietal crops are often grafted onto it), chokeberry, apple tree, medlar, hawthorn.

The cultivation of shadberry in Europe began in the 16th century, but it received genuine recognition in the 19th century in the USA and Canada, which became centers of industrial cultivation and selection of fruit crops.

Note! Most large-fruited varieties with improved fruit taste belong to the Canadian breeding school. We sell varieties of Honeywood (berries ø18 mm), Northline with pear-shaped fruits, especially frost-resistant Pembina, super-early Slate, etc.

The plant occupies an intermediate position between trees and shrubs. Low-growing forms (up to 2.5 m) are often cultivated in the form of a bush, but there are also multi-stemmed trees reaching a height of 4–6 m. The leaves are simple in shape, rounded, dark green in summer and painted with bright crimson in autumn. Irga blooms profusely, with white or cream fluffy tassels, on the shoots of last year's growth, turning into a tender and slender bride for several weeks.

The further transformation of Cinderella into a princess occurs with the appearance of fruits. They are often called berries, but these are miniature apples, shaped like hawthorn or chokeberry. During the fruiting period, the shadberry plantings are covered with multi-colored earrings - first cream with a pink side, and then turning into more saturated shades - red, purple-lilac, dark purple. The fruits are insipid-sweet, of a pleasant taste, collected in clusters of 7-15 pieces, in large-fruited varieties they reach 18 mm in diameter.

It is interesting! In different regions, the shrub can be found under different names. The word irga is of Mongolian or Kalmyk origin, in Russia it is cinnamon, bushmula, wine berry, among the British - June berry, shady shrub, among Americans - Saskatoon.

5 unusual properties of Irgi ordinary

In botany, the species name of plants is often supplemented with the definition of the usual (th). Irga is no exception, although the shrub belongs rather to the category of unusual crops. We counted at least five such characteristics.

1. It is one of the hardiest fruit crops. Growing shadberry is possible even in regions where apple and pear trees do not grow, and cherries bear fruit every other time. It withstands low temperatures with a mark of -50⁰ C, withering winter winds, return spring frosts, and the arid climate of the steppe regions.
2. The shrub strikes with unpretentiousness to soils. It will grow on sandy, rocky soils, fertile chernozems and depleted loams. Thanks to a powerful root system that goes to a depth of 2–3 m, it is not afraid of drying out or temporary stagnation of moisture.
3. By and large, the plant does not need care, gardeners monitor the irga, cutting and feeding it in spring and autumn, not because it is necessary for the growing season, but in order to increase productivity and decorativeness. "Leaving" in the forest, the shrub is able to live up to 60-70 years.
4. There are legends about the healing properties of irgi. In terms of multivitamin composition, it is close to sea buckthorn, contains a large amount of flavonoids that strengthen the cardiovascular system, and has pronounced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
5. And, finally, often we may not even be aware of the biological presence of shadberry in the garden. The fact is that this is one of the most reliable rootstocks for dwarf forms of pears and apple trees.

Of the minuses, which, however, speak of the vitality of the plant, it should be noted abundant and uncontrolled growth. In this, it is similar to sea buckthorn, therefore, a shrub is grown on the periphery of the site or as a hedge.

Growing irgi on a personal plot

In order for the cultivation of shadberry in an amateur garden to be successful and bring a tangible harvest, it is necessary to choose the right variety, determine the right number of plants, planting site, ensure a good start for the seedling, at least occasionally feed fruit plantations. But first things first.

Hardy and productive varieties

More than a dozen plant species are found in cultivation. Here are some of them.

• - a tall species that has become the basis of many large-fruited varieties (Thiessen, Smokey, Pembina, Forestburg).
• - early hardy species of medium-sized type with small blue-black fruits.
• I. alder-leaved - a variety that can grow and bear fruit in the shade.
• I. ordinary or Korinka is a short, drought-resistant species, suitable for the southern regions.
• characterized by increased decorativeness, it is often used to decorate the landscape.

In order to have enough berries for summer consumption and winter harvesting, at least 3-4 bushes are planted.

The right choice of location

When deciding where to plant an irgu on a site, you need to remember the following. First, choose a well-lit area. The plant easily tolerates any inconvenience, except for shading. Here it will stretch, significantly reduce yields, and reduce resistance to fungal infections and pests.

Secondly, you need to remove the shrub from the beds and flower beds, otherwise you will be tormented to fight the root growth, which will come out in the most inappropriate places.

Thirdly, remember that due to deep roots, a transplant of irgi is highly undesirable. She needs to choose a permanent place right away.

Landing Features

It is possible to plant seedlings of irgi in autumn and spring. In the latter case, it is important to do this as early as possible, before the start of sap flow and bud break.

A landing pit is prepared standard for fruit bushes - 60x60 around the perimeter and at least half a meter deep. To give a good start to a 1–2-year-old seedling and ensure growth for the next 2–3 years, it is filled with humus (10–12 kg), wood ash (a glass), superphosphate (200–300 g). All this is thoroughly mixed with garden soil, a mound is made at the bottom of the hole, along the “slopes” of which the roots of the seedling are straightened. When planting, the root neck is deepened by 5–7 cm - this will give an increase in zero shoots in spring to form a bush. After planting, the soil is compacted, watered abundantly and mulched with dry earth or peat. In order for the seedling to take root better, its aerial part is cut off, leaving no more than 4-5 buds on each shoot.

Advice! If you plant several bushes, leave a distance of 1–1.5 m between them. This will provide a feeding area and uniform illumination of the crown.

Irga care

The main care for the irga falls on spring and autumn. In the spring, the plant is fed and pruned. How do they do it? Remove all frozen, dried, broken branches, cut the crown, removing the shoots growing inside. This inhibits the growth of the shrub upwards, stimulates the formation of side branches, on which a crop will be tied in a year. In autumn, thin out the root shoots. When the optimal number of main stems is formed (up to 15 in a bush), anti-aging pruning begins. 1-2 oldest branches are removed, and young stems are left instead.

top dressing

If the soil was well filled during planting, fertilizing begins no earlier than 3-4 years of vegetation. When choosing how to feed the irgu in the spring, give preference to organic fertilizers with a prevailing nitrogen content. This can be humus for digging (5–6 kg / m²), watering with a solution of mullein (1:10), bird droppings (1:20). Do not forget that you need to apply concentrated organic matter on moist soil - after rain or watering.

In autumn, the shrub is fed with mineral fertilizers - superphosphate (200 g per bush), wood ash (1 cup). Fertilizers are applied dry, after which they are watered abundantly.

The nuances of fruiting

There is no definite answer to the question of when the irga begins to bear fruit after planting. Species forms planted at the age of 2 years will give the first fruits in 3–4 years, and will bear fruit in full force in a couple of years. But there are also more precocious representatives. So, annual seedlings of the Honeywood, Rainbov variety begin to bear fruit in the 2nd–3rd year after planting.

The shrub is characterized by an extended period of fruit ripening, from June to August. Early varieties Northline, Slate, Martin are distinguished by friendly ripening in June.

Transplantation of an adult plant

As we have already said, transplanting an adult irgi bush is undesirable. If you still have to do this, pay attention to the following points. The optimal transplant time is autumn, a month and a half before the onset of frost. In order for the plant to take root, it is necessary to keep the tap root at least 70 cm long, the lateral ones - 1–1.2 m. Based on this, calculate the size of the earthy coma. As with planting a seedling, the soil in the near-stem zone is compacted, watered, and mulched.

What is Irga sick with?

With proper agricultural technology, the culture is resistant to most fungal diseases and garden pests. Let us briefly dwell on the diseases and pests of irgi and measures to combat them.

• Monilinia affects the fruits of shadberry - they are covered with brown rot with a white coating of sporulation. Mummified berries are subject to destruction, and the plant itself is sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux liquid (3%) in the spring of next year.
• A symptom of cytosporosis is the drying out of young branches. The fungus clogs the vessels of the shoots, preventing their supply with moisture and nutrients. Control measure - cutting and burning the affected shoots, spring treatment of bushes with antifungal drugs, rarefaction of the crown for better ventilation, lighting.
• Phyllosticosis is found as rusty spots on the leaves. To destroy the infection, the plant is sprayed with Bordeaux liquid (1%), a fungicide solution.
• With a large defeat of garden plants with apple aphids (green), it can also move to the irga. To prevent this from happening, you need to remove the excess root shoots in a timely manner. With a high density of aphids, insecticides are used.
• The threat to the young foliage of the shadberry, flower buds is the moth caterpillars and leafworms. If pests are found, plantings are treated with insecticides (Decis Profi, Confidor, Calypso).

The use of berry bushes for decorative purposes

Designers recommend using well-groomed, neatly trimmed bushes or trees of irgi to decorate the site. The plant is decorative in all seasons. In spring it blooms beautifully and profusely, in summer it retains clean dark green foliage, colored with earrings of original fruits, in autumn it glows with purple, even in winter slender trees with a branched crown look elegant.

Many are afraid of root shoots and do not know what to plant next to the irga. It can be other berry bushes - gooseberries, currants, raspberries.

I. spiky is ideal for hedges. It quickly forms picturesque and impenetrable thickets.

For solo plantings, I. Lamarck or the Canadian variety of Rainbows is suitable. In autumn, like a real rainbow, it shimmers with red, orange and purple hues.

There are plants for which it is worth overcoming stereotypes, fears and bias. Irga is one of them.

The irga shrub is perfect for growing in harsh climates, however, despite this fact, it has not yet gained popularity among our gardeners, despite the fact that more than a dozen of its species have been tested.

These species are endowed with unique decorative properties and produce delicious berries.

Varieties and types

The most famous representative of the genus from the northeastern part of North America. Reaches 6 meters in height, and even sometimes turns into a tree up to 10 meters high. Foliage up to 10 cm long, blooming, has a brown-green color, in autumn - crimson-golden.

During the flowering period of 7-10 days, the plant is densely covered with tassels, consisting of 5-12 whitish flowers, which look especially nice against the background of young reddish stems. The berries have a rounded shape, a dark purple color with a bluish bloom and a pleasant sweet taste.

In comparison with other species, it stands out even more decorative, inherent in it all season. It is mainly recommended as a landscaping for group plantings, and, along with the previous species, it is excellent as a stock for pears and apple trees, increasing the frost resistance of the scion, and giving it the ability to grow in waterlogged soils.

It is cultivated in the European zone of the Russian Federation and on the Crimean peninsula, which is the birthplace of this species. This shrub is characterized by growth of 0.5-2.5 meters, erect branches and ovate leaves with jagged edges.

Blooming, the young foliage is pubescent in the lower part, then this species feature disappears, but another remains - the tassels formed by the flowers have a corymbose shape and look especially elegant during flowering in early May. Fruits of black color with a bluish tinge ripen in the middle of summer, starting from the age of 5.

It grows in North America as a deciduous shrub, sometimes a tree up to 5 meters in height. Numerous dark gray (old) and red-brown (young) stems form a dense oval crown. The foliage is dark green in summer and red-orange in autumn. Flowers with a fragrant aroma can be white or pinkish.

The berries are as tasty as those of the "relatives", up to 0.9 cm in diameter, red-black, covered with a bluish bloom. Its decorative qualities, especially noticeable during flowering in the middle part of May and fruit ripening in the first days of August, have found application in the arrangement of hedges. Fruits from 4 years.

Also from North America, in our conditions forms a bush up to 4 meters in height. Almost all parts of this plant, starting with the stems and ending with the blossoming leaves and inflorescences, are pubescent. The berries are black, slightly oblong, appear from the age of 5.

In autumn, the foliage of this shadberry is especially good, when it turns yellow-orange. Flowering begins in late spring, and fruit ripening should be expected after mid-summer.

Also known as " irga ordinary ” occurs naturally in Southern Europe, the Crimea and the Caucasus. Growing up to 2.5 meters in height, the shrub forms a spreading crown on young stems, silvery from pubescence, which later turn out to be bare, shiny, purple-brown. The ovate foliage is dark green in summer and red-orange in autumn.

Berries of a bluish-black color with a bluish bloom ripen in July-August, starting at the age of 5 years. Flowering begins in the first days of May. In addition to showiness during the growing season, the species is also characterized by high phytoncidal properties.

Not a particularly common variety with large, tasty and very fragrant berries. Taking into account the spreading of each individual bush, they are planted at a mutual distance of at least 3 meters from each other. The variety is characterized by relatively weak resistance to drought compared to others.

It grows up to 3 meters in height, sometimes becoming a tree. Berries - medium in diameter, fragrant and sweet, ripen in mid-July.

Another species from North America that grows up to 3.5 meters in our climate. Compact crowns are oval in shape. With the onset of the annual flowering period, lasting more than 2 weeks from the first half of May, the shoots are covered with copper-brownish-pinkish leaves, which bring high decorativeness, especially against the green background from the surrounding vegetation.

This effect is complemented by racemose inflorescences, which are formed from 7-12 flowers with pale pink petals. Blooming bushes of smooth shadberry combine irresistible beauty with elegance of color and shape.

Do not lag behind other parts of the plant and its berries - 0.5-0.7 cm in diameter, creamy-yellowish in color with a pinkish barrel, eventually acquiring a reddish color and no less delicious in taste when compared with other species. Bears fruit from 4 years. Flowering begins in late spring.

Irga planting and care in the open field

Pre-planting preparation includes steps that are relevant for currants. Autumn planting is preferred and, in any case, seedlings should be 1-2 years old.

They are planted 5-8 cm deeper, comparable to the depth in the nursery, according to the scheme 4x2, 5x3 meters or in a checkerboard pattern (for hedges), keeping a distance in rows of 0.5-1.8 meters. Having prepared deep furrows for planting, they are taken for organizing planting pits 50-80 wide and 30-40 cm deep.

The plant takes root well and is practically not demanding in care, the elements of which are sawing out old trunks, removing excessively long branches and diseased shoots.

After planting, it is recommended to irrigate in the amount of 8-10 liters of water per pit. Then it is also important to mulch the soil surface with peat or humus and shorten the aerial part to 10 cm, leaving 4-5 good buds above the soil surface.

For successful planting of irgi, you will need to mix the top soil layer with 1-2 buckets of humus, and also add superphosphate (300-500 grams) and potassium salt (150-200 grams) to it. This mixture is then poured into the planting pits.

Irgi transplant

An adult irga tolerates a transplant with difficulty, since its roots go far deep into the soil - almost 2 meters. In this regard, for a 7-, 8-year-old bush, the required diameter of a transplanted earth clod is 1.25 meters with a depth of around 70 cm. With an increase in the age of the bush, this indicator increases.

Top dressing irgi

Top dressing of shadberry for the first year should be carried out using a solution of ammonium nitrate in the amount of 50 grams per 10 liters of water, introducing it into the near-trunk circles. For these purposes, a solution of bird droppings or slurry is also suitable.

After 5-6 years, top dressing is carried out with organic (2-3 buckets per bush) and mineral (500 grams of ammonium nitrate and potassium salt plus 1 kg of superphosphate per bush) fertilizers, alternating them over the years.

Pruning irgi

In the first 2-3 years, it is better to leave only strong zero stems, later - 2-3 shoots, pruning everything else and forming a bush consisting of 10-15 branches of various ages.

The following pruning procedures involve the removal of accumulated basal stems and weakened, old, diseased, broken branches.

If there is a slowdown in the growth of branches, rejuvenating pruning is necessary, which is carried out once every 3-4 years for wood 2-4 years old. Irga perfectly tolerates pruning, subsequently independently growing with root offspring.

Irga is a very winter-hardy plant, able to withstand cold down to -52℃ and frosts in spring under -7℃. This makes it possible to use it as a protective culture towards the prevailing winds and, at the same time, preserve the decorativeness of the front part of the garden.

Irga propagation by cuttings

To propagate irgi with root cuttings, they are cut 10-15 cm long from root shoots, seated vertically and mulched with humus.

Immediately you need to perform abundant watering, and then make sure that the soil moisture is high. In autumn, annual analogues of the parent plant are formed from cuttings.

Irgi propagation by green cuttings

Green cuttings for propagation are cut of the same length from the tops of the branches of developed 5-, 6-year-old bushes. This is carried out in the first half of summer with the removal of the lower leaves from the cuttings, leaving 1-2 pairs of the upper ones.

The soil for planting should be sprinkled with sand to a thickness of 7-10 cm. The height of the greenhouse dome should be 15-20 cm more than the cuttings. Further care involves moistening the soil through a fine sieve spraying water, maintaining a temperature of at least 25 ℃ and opening the greenhouse after 3 weeks, when the rooting of the cuttings occurs.

3-week-old cuttings have a fairly developed root system that allows them to be planted on the training site. After they take root, you can feed them with 30 grams of ammonium nitrate dissolved in a bucket of water, take care of them like adults and, next fall, transplant them to a permanent site.

Diseases and pests

Irga is not susceptible to shading, air pollution, pests and diseases. Its main enemies are the seed-eater and the moth.

• Exposure to the former can lead to loss of fruiting, as the seed-eaters feed on the seeds and pupate in the berries.
• The parsley moth causes the leaves to dry out and crumble. Both in the first and in the second case, treatment with Actellik, Fufanon or Karbofos helps well.

Irga useful properties and contraindications

In addition, the fruits reduce blood pressure and have a strengthening effect on the walls of blood vessels. Accordingly, a contraindication to the use of irgi is low blood pressure.

Irgi tincture on vodka

To prepare the tincture of shadberry on vodka - the most popular traditional medicine - you will need 1 kg of dried berries of shadberry and 1.5 liters of vodka. Berries in a container are poured with vodka and left to infuse for a day in a dark room.

After the liquid is decanted, the container is filled with fresh berries and poured with the previously expressed liquid. We leave the mixture to infuse for another 2 days, and the drink is ready to drink.

Irgi jam

For jam from shadberry you need 1.5 kg of berries, 200 grams of boiled water and 800 grams of sugar. Berries fall asleep in a saucepan, add water and put on a strong fire. After 30 minutes, the mixture is stirred and sugar is added. Cook it for another 30 minutes, but now on low heat.

Next, you should cool the cooked to room temperature and, using a submersible blender, it is good to break the berries to a state of porridge. Spilling everything into jars and leaving to cool, we get a uniquely tasty jam in the form of jam.

Wine from irgi

The recipe for wine from irgi is as follows. Ripe fruits are crushed, crushed a little, heated to 60-70 C and squeezed after one day. After squeezing, the juice is mixed with water in equal proportions and 0.3-0.4 kg of sugar per 1 liter of juice is added and poured into a container for fermentation under an aqueous solution.

After 2-3 weeks, the wine is removed from the sediment, poured into a bottle, corked and placed in a cool room for 3-4 months.

It is recommended to store in a cellar or in the dark and cool, tilting the neck down. The resulting wine will have a dark red color with a purple hue and a slightly tart taste that will last for 10-15 years.

Morse from irgi

Morse from irgi is extremely simple to prepare. After washing the berries of irgi (250 grams), they are kneaded and the juice is squeezed out. Squeezed fruits are boiled for 10 minutes, then the broth is mixed with squeezed juice, sugar (100 grams) and water (1 liter) are added. Then stand for 10-12 hours and serve cold.