Varietal variety of irgi. Types and varieties of irgi Irga varieties for the middle lane

There is probably no gardener who would not know Irgu. As children, we tore it from the bush and ate handfuls. Now I am over 40 years old, and those bushes from which we picked berries bear fruit even now. True, they grew strongly, thickened, and the berries on them became small. We do not perceive irgu as a fruit crop. Collected from time to time and even planted over the fence, leaving her without care. Of course, in such conditions, the berries become smaller. I want to stand up for the irga and tell you how to grow it large.

Irga loves watering

To begin with, I also did not notice my irga for a long time. I picked berries only in compote to give it a beautiful color. She grew in the corner of the garden and often forgot to water her. Then they decided to build a barn in the garden, and the shadberry bush had to be replanted. The place was found near a large tank, in which water was collected during centralized irrigation. When we were not there, the water from the tank overflowed just under the shadberry bush. How has she changed! The berries are bigger and more juicy. Now it was a pity to leave them to the birds. To save the harvest, they hung shiny rain and tinsel on the branches. Fluttering in the wind, they scared away the birds. Now we use old computer disks.

Berries are very useful

The taste of irgi is fresh, so many do not appreciate it. However, there are a lot of useful substances in berries (about them a little later). Let me tell you about my own positive experience. My first son was allergic to all red berries. Of course, we didn't give them. But one day they didn’t see it, and the kid tore off the irgu, which hung on the lower branches of the bush. To our surprise, there was no allergic reaction. We began to give our son fresh berries and juice squeezed out of them. Since then, I have even more respect for Irga. She began to feed her, like currants and gooseberries, and cut them off, preventing thickening. Irga immediately thanked her: the harvest of berries increased. Now they are enough not only to eat, but also for jam. For sourness, we add currants and gooseberries.

Look for varietal irgu

For the first time I learned about varietal irga three years ago. I found a photo on the Internet where Irgu was compared with cherries. At first I didn’t even believe that such berries exist, they were so large.

But this year I saw a large irga in one garden. A little smaller than cherries, but still much larger than everyone else. The owner of the garden was not there, and I could not ask for layering. But now I know for sure that large-fruited varieties exist, I will look for them at exhibitions and in nurseries. They say that there are such people in the Timiryazev Academy.

Irga is a drought-resistant crop. But with a lack of watering, the berries become smaller. If you don’t want to specifically water the irga, plant it near a pumping water or where you often drain water (but not soapy). On sandy soil, a place near the drain of water from the roof is suitable.

About varieties

To know which varieties to ask, I studied the information on the Internet. It turns out that varieties are often called different types of irgi. I also faced this. At the exhibition, you ask what varieties you have, and they answer you: Canadian and spiked. These are the most common species that are cultivated with us.

In Canada and the USA, irgu is considered a full-fledged fruit crop. Large-fruited varieties with a berry diameter of 16-18 mm were obtained there (this is just the size of a cherry). In addition to varieties with dark berries (Foresburg, mandam, pembina), there is a white-fruited variety - altanglow.

Here are a few more varieties.

Smokey (Smoky) gives unusually fragrant and sweet fruits the size of a large cherry (14 mm). Bush 2-3 m high.

Slate- a variety of early ripening. The tree is undersized, 1.5-2 m. The berry is large, oblong. The taste is purely sweet.

Thiessen and Martin- very strong, productive grades. early flowering, large fruit up to 17 mm.

north line- excellent taste of a berry with a diameter of 16 mm. Flowering is 4-8 days later than other varieties.

frostberg- has long brushes with large, fleshy, sweet fruits, bush 2.5-3 m in height.

Krasnoyarsk- a variety of late ripening. Tree up to 4 m. Berry above average size, pear-shaped. The taste is sweet with a slight sourness, very good.

All varieties are self-fertile. They begin to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting.

reproduction

Irgu is propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Large-fruited varieties only in the second way - root offspring, green cuttings or grafting.

On sale you can find varietal shadberry grafted onto mountain ash or seedlings of shadberry. When growing grafted plants, the lower shoots from mountain ash or wildling should be regularly removed. Usually two-year-old seedlings are sold. By the third year they are already blooming.

When sowing seeds, the large-fruited property is not preserved. But the berries can still be larger than those of ordinary shadberry. Seedlings bear fruit for 4-5 years.

To grow a large irga, plant it in a bright place, water it enough and cut out excess shoots, preventing the crown from thickening.

Advantages of irgi

The plant is undemanding to soil fertility, drought-resistant and frost-resistant. In the northern regions, where many varieties of apple trees freeze out, the irga successfully winters and bears fruit steadily. At least in our conditions (the north of the Nizhny Novgorod region), we have never been left without a harvest.

What kind of irga we have - I don’t know. Of the common species, the most winter-hardy are the irga spiky and abundantly flowering. They endure frosts down to -50 C.

Irgi has almost no pests (yet), it does not need to be sprayed, like other garden crops, from various diseases.

In spring, the irga blooms beautifully with white flowers collected in a brush. And in autumn it turns red-orange and wonderfully decorates the garden. Sometimes the autumn color is weak. This may be due to the characteristics of the species or landing in the shade. In the sun, the irga is very bright. Decorative varieties with especially spectacular foliage have been created - Helvetia, Altaglow, Regent.

Beneficial features

Irga is an excellent multivitamin remedy. No wonder it is called “northern raisin”. In terms of carotene content, it surpasses cherries and blackberries, and in vitamin C - apples.

It is important that there are few acids in irga, so it can be used by people for whom sour berries (including Victoria) are contraindicated. Irga is useful after radiation therapy and antibiotic treatment, the pectin of berries perfectly removes various toxins from the body. Infusion of irgi flowers has a strengthening effect on blood vessels, making their walls more elastic, which helps prevent varicose veins and heart disease (myocardial infarction).

Irgi berries are useful for healing the central nervous system (they improve sleep and relieve increased excitability).

With hypertension, you need to regularly use irga, it will help normalize blood pressure. It also contains a substance that prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

M. Pluzhina, Kirov

Number of impressions: 23541

This tree has settled in my garden for a long time, but I still thank myself for planting the irga. Its fruits are just a storehouse of the most valuable vitamins, and the list of their beneficial effects on the body can be continued almost endlessly! The bark and leaves can also be used medicinally.

Irga is undemanding to the composition of the soil, does not require complex care, easily propagates and at the time of flowering is an excellent honey plant. The plant easily tolerates wintering without shelter even with little snowy winters with temperatures below 40 ° C! In addition, even prolonged spring frosts will not be able to leave you without a harvest, the irga will easily and without loss transfer them. And, of course, you should not discount its magnificent appearance, which will decorate the garden at any time of the year. In spring, irga caresses the eye with abundant flowering, in summer - with clusters of bright multi-colored berries, in autumn - with exquisite purple colors of fading foliage.

Landing irgi

As I said, irga is undemanding to the composition and acidity of the soil. It grows beautifully, bears fruit and multiplies on fertile black soil. A friend behaves similarly on sandy loam. However, the plant does not like places where groundwater (marshy) constantly approaches the soil surface very high. Its root system is located 3-4 m deep into the earth. On the one hand, this is good: it helps to survive the cold winters without loss. On the other hand, it’s bad: if the roots are in a layer with groundwater, don’t expect high yields. I can’t name the exact variety of my plant, since I took a seedling from friends, but visually it looks like a round-leaved irga ( Amelanchier ovalis).

I planted it in the fall, the seedling was about 70 cm high, the root system was well developed, the main root was about 30-35 cm long. I dug a hole 50x50 cm and the same depth. The excavated soil was mixed with sand and ready-made compost (3: 1: 1) and the roots were covered with it, compacted a little and watered well. The crown was cut off by about 15-20 cm. In the spring (in the second year of life!) One flower brush already flaunted on my baby, but I carefully removed it. Where to hurry? Let it get stronger, I will have time to enjoy its fruits.

And the taste of irgi berries is excellent! I won’t say that it’s too sweet, or too fragrant, or too juicy, but it’s impossible to break away from eating a bush! I also like the fact that the berries on the brush ripen gradually. You can repeatedly go to one bush and collect only the most ripe ones, and leave the rest to ripen. In our south, irga ripens in August-September. If we don’t have time to eat everything, I put the rest in the freezer. By the way, if even the most ripe and sweet fruits (strawberries, apricots), after defrosting, give a certain amount of sourness in taste, then this is impossible with irga. I sincerely recommend freezing!

Irgi breeding

It is easily propagated by all means: seeds, cuttings, root shoots. More information about these methods can be found on the website.

Irga care

Fortunately, irga is resistant to diseases. I never found any signs of disease on my plant. Since I fertilize all fruit and vegetable crops exclusively with organic matter, then in the fall I dig up the ground by 30 cm in a radius of 1-1.5 m around the bush and lay any green manure there, most often it is tops of peas or beans. A friend, on the other hand, treats this issue in a completely different way and uses mineral fertilizers. In the spring, as soon as the irga blooms and until the moment when the last berry is plucked, it applies nitrogen fertilizers 1 time in 2 weeks. After harvesting, it is time to apply potash and phosphorus. Honestly, her berries are larger and the yield is higher, but I prefer not to treat myself to her irga.

Watering. Irga tolerates dry periods well, in principle, it can not be watered, deep roots will provide the crown and fruits with enough moisture. But I love to water my tree with a diffuser hose. Basically, to wash off the dust from the leaves and berries, because everyone knows that the most delicious berries are straight from the bush!

pruning. But this will be required, otherwise the irga will reach such a height that you will have to climb a ladder to harvest the crop. And if you do not regulate the number of trunks in the bush, then the game will thicken pretty quickly and you will have to forget about high yields. The first years of growth, leave the strongest zero shoots, and ruthlessly remove the rest. Carry out a limiting cut in height. When the right number of trunks for your bush is typed, each year remove 2-3 of the oldest and leave 2-3 new ones instead. So you will constantly rejuvenate the plant and get a decent harvest.

Types and varieties of irgi

The main types of irgi, which are widespread and used in gardening, are shadberry alder-leaved, irga blood red and irga canadian, she is also known as Irga Lamarck. The latter has especially many variations: in Canada, they pay considerable attention to selection and have bred many tasty and productive varieties. This species has the largest, juiciest and sweetest berries.

Irga Canadian (Irga Lamarck) "Gypsy"

Irga Canadian "Smoky"

How decorative are often used irga spiky and irga round-leaved, although their fruits are also edible and tasty.

Irga spiky

In culture, species are most often grown, and not varieties of shadberry, because they are the most common and freely sold in nurseries. As for the varieties, it is mostly Canadian ones that are common. In the State Register of the Russian Federation, only one variety of shadberry is currently listed, but there are already more than three dozen of them in the world. Each variety has its own characteristics associated with care, placement on the site, and the use of fruits.

Types of irgi

Of the types of irgi, two are most suitable for cultivation in culture:

• irga alder-leaved,

All types and varieties of shadberry can be grown on almost any type of soil, with the exception of areas with very close standing groundwater (less than a meter) or those areas where melt and rain water stagnates for a long time.

Read more about planting and caring for irga in the articles:

Irga alder-leaved

Irga alder-leaved is an ideal version of a plant intended for obtaining fruits and for decorating a garden.

Distinctive features:

• highest winter hardiness
• drought tolerance,
• does not get sick
• not damaged by pests.

Blooming shadberry alder-leaved

Irga alder-leaved blooms very beautifully, usually in mid-May. Its shoots almost completely cover the inflorescences with snow-white flowers, the petals of which crumble at the end of flowering, resembling falling snowflakes. Depending on the onset of spring, the timing of flowering may vary.

Photo: flowering shadberry

Fruiting shadberry alder-leaved

The fruits of shadberry alder-leaved ripen simultaneously with currants. The berries are dark purple, almost black, with a very bright, coloring juice that contains a large amount of pectin, which causes the juice to gel quickly. The taste of the fruit is pleasant, fully ripe they are sweet with a slight sourness.

The fruits also contain seeds, but unlike the same currant, where they are very clearly felt when consuming fruits fresh, in alder-leaved shadberry they are almost invisible.

The benefits of alder-leaved irgi

The seeds of shadberry contain amygdalin, which is good for the heart. Therefore, you should not spit them out - it is better to chew and eat, especially since they are very soft.

Irga canadian

Irga Canadian is more suitable for decorating the garden. Plants are low, about 3-3.5 meters, have curving shoots and light green leaves elongated by a boat. This species blooms less effectively, due to the fact that the brushes are loose, and it forms fewer fruits, but they are larger, about 0.7-0.8 g compared to 0.5-0.6 g for shadberry.

Fruit shadberry canadian slightly more interesting in taste, they contain more acid, so their taste is considered more harmonious. The fruits ripen 3-5 days earlier than those of the alder-leaved shadberry.

Of the minuses of this species, only one can be named - birds are very fond of the fruits, so if you decide to start a Canadian irgu on your site, then you will need to think about protection from birds.

Irgi varieties

As for the varieties, now it is relatively easy to get only three:

1. mendan - Canadian, reminiscent of alder-leaved irga only having larger fruits, weighing up to 0.9 g,
2. Slate - in fact, this is an improved Canadian irga - the brushes are denser, the berries are large, weighing up to 1.1 grams,
3. Starlight Night - obtained from the alder-leaved shadberry, its fruits are more palatable and reach a maximum weight of 2 g.

Irgi variety Starry night

The first Russian was included in the State Register in 2016.

Main differences:

• resistance to pests and diseases,
• increased fruit transportability due to denser skin,
• balanced taste,
• the ability of the fruits in the brush to ripen almost simultaneously.

Cultivation of irgi variety Starry night

Irgu can be placed literally anywhere on the site, but we advise you to land them on the north side. Due to the fact that plant varieties Starlight Night are fairly sprawling shrubs, they are able to protect more heat-loving crops from the cold north wind, hold snow on the site and contribute to its accumulation.

For the first 5-6 years, the variety does not need practically any care, it is enough just to irrigate if the weather is excessively dry and remove weeds in the bite zone, although the latter will rather prevent you from harvesting fruits than fully develop the plant. At about the sixth year, it is necessary to thin out the crown - remove the shoots that thicken it, as well as thin and broken ones.

Due to the fact that the fruits of the variety Starlight Night ripen in close time, you can get by with two fees.

Irgi variety Mendan

One of the most common cultivars of shadberry.

Distinctive features:

• large fruit,
• winter hardiness,
• drought tolerance,
• resistance to pests and diseases,
• restrained growth.

Adult plants of 8-9 years old are stretched no more than three meters, which allows you to harvest the entire crop with a slight elevation.

Due to its relative compactness, mendan can be placed closer to other cultures. Given that the crown of this variety resembles a candle and does not differ in sprawling, plants can be planted both on the north side of the site and on the south.

Of the minuses "Medana" can be called an extended period of fruit ripening. From the beginning of the ripening of the first fruits to the full ripening of all the berries in the brush, it sometimes takes up to a week, so in order to remove the entire crop, several collections will need to be carried out.

Variety irgi Slate

Variety Slate also quite widespread. This variety was obtained from shadberry canadian , and therefore it is more suitable for decorating the site than for growing for the sake of fruits. Many people like its light green foliage, light shoots and rather bizarre flowers, collected in loose inflorescences and having long petals.

Irgu "Slate" it is better to plant on the south side of the site, he prefers a well-lit place and is afraid of severe frost. Planting should begin in the spring, before bud break. In early May, it is advisable to feed - 1.5 matchboxes of nitroammophoska under a bush, after loosening the soil. The fruits of the variety, quite large and tasty, need to be harvested before they are pecked by birds, so you should not wait for the berries to fully ripen in the brush.

Irga Smokey

The category of less common varieties in our country includes a cultivar Smokey . The fruits are large, tasty and very fragrant. Considering the spreading of the bush, the variety should be planted at a distance of at least three meters from other plants, often cut out shoots thickening the crown and watered, because this variety is poorly resistant to drought.

Irga Northline

One of the leaders in winter hardiness is the irgi variety Northline can be placed in an area open to all winds. The fruits of the variety are very sweet (up to 13% sugar) and quite large (just over 1 g). The variety is good because it has slender shoots and restrained growth, and therefore is very convenient for harvesting. Often the fruits are harvested by mechanized methods. Northline suitable for those who have suburban areas far from home - it does not need to be watered often, and thanks to friendly ripening and dense skin, the fruits can be harvested in one go and easily brought home.

Irga Honeywood

Real sweet tooth will like a variety with a honey name Honeywood . The fruits are cloyingly sweet, rarely used for processing, they are mainly consumed fresh as a tasty and healthy dessert. The variety is winter-hardy and drought-resistant, grows on any type of soil and does well even without top dressing, the main thing is that there is enough moisture in the soil. They affect the variety of brushes, they can have up to 10-15 large fruits of dark blue color, aligned in shape.

Irga Altaglow

In the event that the collection of irgi fruits is not included in your plans at all, and you just want to decorate your site, the variety will be the most successful acquisition. Altaglow with amazing fruits of white color.

In autumn "Altaglow" It strikes with the magnificence of foliage: it becomes bright crimson and hangs without falling off until the first serious frosts, when everything around is already gray and dull. The undoubted advantages include the weak formation of root shoots and the slow thickening of the crown, which reduces work with the plant to a minimum.

New varieties of irgi

Of the new products that will be problematic to get, you can name such cultivars as:

• Cumulus ,
• Ballerina ,
• Princess Diana.

The flowers of these varieties from a distance look like miniature roses, and the fruits look like small apples.

New variety of irgi Rabin Hall

Fans of exotic plants will certainly like the cultivar Rabin Hall , in addition to high productivity and large-fruitedness, it has very interesting flowers with pink petals. The variety, like other foreign novelties, perfectly suits our conditions, it can be planted both in spring and autumn, but when planting in a hole, be sure to make drainage from pebbles, expanded clay or broken bricks, because new varieties do not tolerate stagnant water.

Irga ( Amelanchier) - shrub or tree, up to 6-8 m high. In spring, irga blooms profusely with small white flowers collected in a brush. At this time, the plant is a bit like a bird cherry. In autumn, the leaves turn golden and purple.

In culture, four types of shadberry are most common, of which Canadian shadberry ( A. canadensis) is the most decorative.

See photos of the irga shrub of the most common species in our country:

All species have edible apple-shaped fruits, similar in color and size to currants.

Irga is a frost-resistant, undemanding shrub that can tolerate both drought and slight soil salinity. The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, tolerates air pollution, is photophilous, but can also grow in partial shade, tolerates pruning, including “on the stump”, grows and rejuvenates by offspring.

Irgi makes excellent hedges, screens that protect from prying eyes, noise, and a dusty highway. In addition, irga is a good background for other shrubs. Below is a description of the bush irga, features of care and cultivation.

Description of the bush irga

This bush can be considered a "newcomer" on the territory of domestic summer cottages, but, despite this, gardeners fell in love with it. The tree grows rapidly and has several trunks, is resistant to winter cold, unpretentious to conditions, is not subject to disease and has a bountiful harvest.

The shrub has oblong, oval dark green leaves, which turn purple-orange in autumn and look especially decorative, brown-gray bark. It blooms with white flowers, which are arranged in inflorescences in the form of brushes. The berries have a sweetish taste, juicy, dark blue in color, up to 12 pieces are located on one brush.

Flowering occurs in April-May, which makes the shrub very attractive at this time. During this period, he is not afraid of frosts that occur in spring, and in winter, the bush can withstand frosts down to -30 ̊С without additional hilling.

Types and varieties of irgi for the Moscow region: photo and description

In total, there are 18 types of irgi (there is also information that 25). The shrub is classified as a member of the Rosaceae family, most of which are common in North America. He loves open sunny places, such as the edges along the forest, mountain slopes, and can grow in the tundra.

On the territory of our country, such types and varieties of irgi are considered common, such as:

Irga round-leaved ( Amelanchier rotundifolia)

Irga spiky ( Amelanchier Spicata)

Irga canadian ( Amelanchier canadensis)

Irga blood red ( Amelanchier sanguinea)

These varieties can be found running wild in nature, which grow there thanks to birds who love delicious fruits.

The listed varieties of irgi are suitable for the Moscow region, they perfectly "take care of themselves", the main thing is to plant a tree correctly. They are not afraid of drought, strong winds and almost any adverse conditions, and all thanks to the root system, which penetrates to a depth of about 2 m and spreads within a radius of 2-2.5 m. It provides the plant with all the necessary nutrients and moisture.

What kind of different varieties of irgi have, look at the photo:

Consider a more detailed description of the varieties of irgi with a photo.

round-leaved

This shrub has many trunks, grows up to 4 m. It has a smooth bark, dark gray color, oval, sometimes almost round leaves, which makes them similar to alder leaves. In autumn, they turn bright yellow. Blooms white with a slight fragrance. The berries are very sweet, large, dark blue with a purple hue. The shrub can bring up to 10 kg of fruit per crop, so it is considered the best variety of shadberry.

Canadian

This plant is distinguished by its height, which can reach 8 m. It blooms with cream or white flowers that are odorless. The branches are thin, hanging down, the leaves are oblong, elliptical, in the autumn they become dark purple, red, purple. The berries inside are dark pink in color, taste sweet, about 6 kg can be harvested in one crop.

spiky

The bush is up to 5 m in height, has a dense oval-shaped crown, a gray shade of bark and matte dark green leaves of an ovoid shape. Flowers have a bright pink or white tint, placed in racemes. The berries are dark red, almost black, with a bluish bloom. The plant begins to produce crops from the 4th year of life.

blood red

Its berries have an irregular spherical shape, reminiscent of blueberries. They taste like unripe fruits, which are neglected even by birds. Despite this, they are very juicy, so they are used to make juice based on other fruits.

Given the description of the types of shadberry, the best varieties for the Moscow region are Canadian or round-leaved. But you need to pay attention to some nuances. Since this shrub has a powerful root system, you will have to fight shoots all the time, so you should not plant this shrub near paths and buildings or decorative landscape elements. You should not do this for the reason that falling fruits leave dark spots.

Planting and caring for irga in the open field

Before you start growing this shrub, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of planting and caring for shadberry. She loves sunny areas and soil that is rich in organic matter. Depending on the preferences and features of leaving it, you can form a bush or a tree.

Planting and caring for irga in the open field have their own characteristics. For planting, seedlings are taken, aged 1-2 years, planted in prepared pits, with a diameter of about 50 cm. The distance between plants should not be less than 1 m. A trunk about 10 cm long with 4-5 healthy buds remains above the ground.

Some stages of planting irgi, see photo:

Planting a seedling in a prepared hole.

after landing.

Irgi seedlings for sale.

How to plant an irgu in the spring

Features of planting irgi and care in the Moscow region correspond to general recommendations for planting and caring for trees in general. It is desirable to plant seedlings of this shrub in autumn. According to some experts, this can also be done in March, when the weather conditions are favorable.

It is necessary to trim weak branches in time. In general, one trunk should not have more than 2-3 healthy shoots. At 3 years old, the shrub should have about 15 branches. Older plants can be periodically rejuvenated.

See the photo below for planting irgi and care features, which shows the annual method of dealing with the overgrowth of this shrub:

Young shoots, or as they are also called "zero", must be removed not above the surface of the earth, but near the root of the plant, except for those from which a shrub is subsequently formed or with the help of which its rejuvenation is carried out in the future.

How to grow irgu from seeds

Planting irgi and care, as well as reproduction - the process is not difficult not only for professional gardeners, but also for beginners too. Shrubs can be propagated by seedlings, which can be purchased or grown from seeds. Seeds are planted in fertilized beds and then well watered. When the seedlings reach 1-2 years of age, they are planted in a permanent place.

Growing irgi does not require special skills, the main thing is that the plant is taken up when planting, further care consists in feeding, crown formation, pruning weak, old or dry branches, thinning the bush.

If you are interested in how to plant irgu from seeds, you need to know how to properly prepare them for planting. To prepare the seed material, ripe fruits are taken, rubbed and washed with cool water. Bad seeds usually float to the surface. The washing procedure should be carried out until the good ones remain at the bottom.

You need to know how to properly plant an irgu using seeds if you have chosen this breeding method. In a furrow one meter long, about 300 seeds should be sown to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. Sowing is done in early spring, sometimes at the end of winter, and climbing can be expected for almost a year.

How to grow irgu when the seeds have sprouted, every gardener should know. Parostki, which grow 3-5 full-fledged leaves, dive and grow up to 1-2 years of age. For bushes grown from seeds, homogeneity is characteristic. This is presumably caused by asexual reproduction (apomixis).

Propagation of irgi by cuttings and root processes

The easiest way to propagate irgi is to use overgrowth from the roots for planting, which has to be harvested every year. This bush requires an area for life activity of 2.5-4 m, 1.5-2 m is left between future shrubs. Seedlings are planted in nurseries in a checkerboard pattern.

The work consists in choosing suitable root shoots, the diameter of which should not be less than 0.5 cm and the length 10-15 cm. It is important that the roots are healthy and well developed. The dug-in seedlings are well watered so that the humidity is constantly at a high level.

For this method of reproduction, shoots that are no more than 6 years old are suitable. It is suitable for amateur gardeners who are interested in how to plant an irgu in the spring by dividing the bushes, because no more than 4-6 full-fledged cuttings are obtained. In nurseries, preference is given to propagation by seeds in order to get more seedlings.

Propagation of irgi by cuttings consists in choosing branches that are no more than one year old and whose length is 12-15 cm. It is necessary to prepare a special greenhouse with a special earth mixture. The bottom is strewn with a layer of pebbles (30-40 cm), then a mixture of light soil with humus (25 cm) is poured, the top is covered with sand (4-5 cm).

Planted and well-watered cuttings are covered with a film until roots appear. This usually happens around the 25th day, depending on the variety. To speed up the appearance of roots on the cuttings, they are treated with special solutions. Rooted cuttings are planted in open ground the following year.

Despite the fact that the cultivation and care of this shrub does not require much effort, it is still necessary to carry out some standard activities, such as top dressing, pruning and protection from pests and birds. Birds are very fond of eating ripe fruits, so when you want to get a harvest, you need to cover the bush with a fine mesh.

Growing and caring for irga consists in the correct application of top dressing in the summer. The nutrient composition should be liquid, prepared from ammonium nitrate, 50 g of which is used per bush or 5 liters of 10% bird droppings emulsion. It is necessary to fertilize at night, when abundant watering has been done or it has rained.

How to cut the irgu in the spring

In order not to harm the bush, you need to familiarize yourself with the information on how to cut the irgu in the spring. You can start shaping the crown from 3-4 years of age. During this period, it is important to remove the basal shoots, leaving 1-2 shoots that have grown near the main trunks of the bush.

Let's consider further how to properly cut the irga in order to rejuvenate it. "Rejuvenating" pruning is done when the shrub is 8-10 years old. The condition of the bush indicates the need for rejuvenation, such as:

• a small increase per year (no more than 10 cm);
• increased bush density;
• the appearance of weak and dry branches.

If rejuvenation is not done, then the bush begins to lose its decorative effect, bears fruit worse and is exposed to pests. How to prune irga to rejuvenate a shrub:

• thinning (remove all unnecessary, weak shoots);
• pruning too elongated branches;
• shortening of long healthy shoots.

As a result, no more than 10-15 strong branches should remain. The cut point is processed with garden pitch.

Each amateur gardener, using basic information, will know how to care for the irga correctly, what needs to be done at each “age” period of the plant, what actions to take at different times of the year. With careful care, it can safely grow and bear fruit up to 70 years.

As you know, they don’t argue about tastes, some like sweeter fruits, others sour, some prefer the flesh to be bright, attractive, while others like the average amount of anthocyanins or their complete absence. But some average taste characteristics, using which we can say that some fruits are tasty, while others are not, are still there.

Let's first consider the types of irgi, and then its varieties for these very taste characteristics. Why did we decide to touch on species?

Because it is still not so easy to get pure-grade planting material of shadberry in our country, while species are most often propagated by simple sowing of seeds and freely sold in nurseries.

Varieties, as you know, can only be propagated vegetatively, which is not so easy to do with irga. Its cuttings do not take root well enough, and grafting on mountain ash, although it contributes to obtaining a full-fledged planting material, still leads to certain difficulties associated with a decrease in the productive age of plants and the presence of a large number of root shoots, which annually, or even several times a year must be removed.

In culture, 4 species are common - shadberry, blood-red, Canadian and alder-leaved. The fruits of the spiky shadberry ripen first, then the Canadian shadberry comes up, a little later the alder-leaved, the last to please us is the blood-red shadberry.

With this in mind, you can create a kind of fresh produce conveyor by planting all four species in your garden plot and enjoy the fruits plucked from the branch for a long time, because, alas, it will not work to keep them in their original form - the fruits lie no more than a couple of days. But is it worth planting all these species on your site, given the taste of their fruits?

Let's figure it out, and at the same time analyze the taste characteristics of those varieties that were obtained using these species, because only the name of the varieties without reference to the "parent" is unlikely to tell you anything.

Irga spiky

So, the irga is spiked.

Its fruits are the smallest among these species, 0.5 g - this is already considered quite good for her. But it’s not about the mass, the taste of the fruits of the irgi spiky is more than mediocre, although there is quite a lot of sugar in them. The not very outstanding taste of the fruit also contributed to the fact that not a single variety was bred using shadberry. In VNIIS them. I.V. Michurin (Michurinsk), employees of the department of berry crops received several selected forms from the free pollination of Canadian shadberry, but the very first tasting assessment showed that they were never destined to become varieties.

Irga blood red

The next in line is the blood-red irga. As we have already said, its fruits ripen the latest. They have an unusual shape - they are slightly flattened, like blueberries, and an interesting feature - they are never eaten by birds. Why would it? It turns out that the fruits contain a small amount of seeds, which many birds eat, and have a very mediocre taste. In this case, it cannot even be called cloyingly sweet, it is simply no. The fruits are dense, like rubber, the pulp contains almost light juice, and when eating ripe fruits, it seems as if you are chewing a completely unripe berry, but, alas, it will never get better. But from the fruits of the blood-red shadberry, quite a lot of juice is obtained, because there is little pectin in the fruits and the juice does not “curl”, like in other types of shadberry. When other juices, such as apple juice, are added to the juice, a multivitamin drink that is very interesting in terms of taste characteristics is obtained.

Irga blood-red is more productive in varieties, with its participation such masterpieces as Holland and Success. The first grade is English, its fruits have a mass of about 0.7 g and do not have a pleasant taste (it, like the species, is mediocre).

But the second variety in our small list - Success - is not without reason translated from English as "success", its fruits have a mass of about 0.8 g and they taste much more pleasant than the fruits of the species. Their taste is estimated by tasters at 4.6 points, which is not bad, but it can be described as sweet and sour and quite pleasant, refreshing, even reminiscent of the taste of cherries to some.

Irga canadian

Let's move on to the Canadian Irga. This species forms the largest fruits of the four we have named, however, its brush is very loose and there may be only a few fruitlets in it. They are simply swept away by birds even before the berries are fully ripe, at which they turn from brown-red to dark blue.

These berries are considered one of the best in terms of taste characteristics, their taste is almost perfectly balanced, both sweetness and acidity are clearly felt in it, and everything would be fine if not for one drawback - this type of shadberry has a rather weak winter hardiness, and even in Central Russia can freeze quite a bit. But Canadian breeders are not at all embarrassed by this fact, and using the Canadian shadberry, almost the largest number of varieties have been obtained. It makes no sense to name them all and list the taste characteristics of fruits for the simple reason that it is almost impossible to get them, but those that are most widespread and easily accessible should be.

I want to start with a wonderful, if not magnificent, honey-wood varieties. It is not for nothing that the word “hani” is present in its name, which means “honey”. The fruits can really be called honey, they are tasty, sweet, but at the same time not cloying, like the shadberry, but harmonious, pleasant. Lovers of "sour" will like the fruits of the variety parkhill those who want to chew the pulp, feeling its density and pleasant taste, the variety is suitable pembina those who love large fruits that are pleasant to collect and which are suitable for dessert and for all types of processing, we can recommend planting the most common variety in Russia on your site Gathering. Well, for those who prefer the traditional sweet taste of irgi fruits, coupled with their very good mass, we advise you to stop at the variety Tradition.

Irga alder-leaved

And finally, the real leader both in terms of the taste characteristics of the fruits, and in the number of varieties obtained with her participation, is the alder-leaved irga. The fruits of this species are large (average weight 1 g), tasty, they most clearly feel the harmony of acid and sugar, as well as the pleasant honey aroma of shadberry.

The fruits are juicy (however, due to the huge amount of pectin, juice from them can only be obtained by slightly drying during the day in an open place) and have a high content of anthocyanins, thanks to which the juice can be used as a natural and safe food coloring.

Of course, the varieties obtained from the alder-leaved shadberry cannot be ignored, and I want to put the first Russian variety of VNIIS them. I.V. Michurin, which has already been transferred to the GSI and whose name will appear in the State Register very soon, - Starlight Night. The variety is named so because of the color of the berries - they are dark, almost black, with tiny dots resembling stars in the night sky. The variety will delight both with tasty fruits with a harmonious content of acid and sugar, and their chic mass (1.8-2 g), and a large number of fruits in the brush (up to 14 pieces), and their ripening closer in time, thanks to which the crop can be harvested maximum two times.

But one should not forget about the good old, well-proven varieties either. The best of them in terms of fruit taste are Altaglow, which produces fruits with a very attractive aroma, and Forestburg, the fruits of which contain just an insane amount of sugars - up to 11 mg%, as well as mendan- with fruits that have unusually juicy pulp, and of course, Smokey- the most common Canadian variety, the fruits of which are ideal for making delicious wine.

So, we hope that from this huge list you will choose the type or variety that you like, and do not forget that even one tree can be placed on the site, because the self-fertility of the irgi is close to 100%, so the pollinating varieties are completely Not needed.

Types of irgi - photo

Useful properties of irgi

Irga is an underestimated culture

For areas with a harsh climate, the irga has no equal in endurance. It withstands colds down to -50°C, and the flowers do not care about spring frosts down to -7°C. Durable, lives up to 70 years. It is practically not damaged by diseases and pests, tolerates drought well, grows well and bears fruit in partial shade.

Irga is self-fertile, high-yielding, starts fruiting early. Already at the age of four, the shadberry bush will delight you with a considerable number of berries, and by the age of 10, the harvest increases to 10-15 kg per bush. The fruits ripen gradually (from mid-July to early August), which is very convenient for fresh consumption. They are not only tasty, but also healing. In a word, the culture is wonderful in every sense, but underestimated by gardeners.

soil and place

Irga is undemanding to soils. Feels good on both sandy and heavy loams. Humidity loves moderate, since a powerful root system, going 2 m deep, regularly supplies the above-ground part with water. That is why in the lowlands, in areas with a close occurrence of groundwater, it develops and bears fruit poorly.

A permanent place for irgi can be anything, even uncomfortable, somewhere near the fence or behind outbuildings. For the speedy growth of new shoots, when planting, the seedling is deepened by 5-7 cm compared to the previous position. The soil is watered, mulched, and the shoots are cut, leaving 4-5 buds.

Shaping and feeding

Irgu can be (formed both in the form of a bush and as a separate tree. The first option is more often chosen. In the first 2-3 years, all strong shoots are left, in the subsequent years, 2-3 are added, the rest are cut out. The formed bush should have 10-15 branches of different ages.

If the planting pit was filled in accordance with all the rules, then the first years can be dispensed with without additional fertilization. But starting from the 5-6th year, when the harvest becomes tangible, it is recommended to alternate organic and mineral fertilizers. In the first year, 2-3 buckets of humus are added for each plant, the next - 100 g of superphosphate, 50 g of ammonium nitrate and 30 g of potassium fertilizers.

Treats and medicine

Irgi fruits contain sugar (up to 12%), pectins, fiber, dyes and tannins, organic acids, vitamins C and group B, beta-carotene, and minerals. As a result, they have a wide range of medicinal properties.

Fresh berries help adults with insomnia, and children with restless sleep, having a calming effect on the nervous system. Juice can gargle with sore throat and use it in the treatment of purulent wounds. For rinsing the mouth with stomatitis and periodontal disease, a decoction of fruits is used. And an infusion of them thins the blood and improves heart function, prevents the formation of blood clots.

Berries can be used to prevent and treat liver and kidney diseases, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. By strengthening the walls of blood vessels, they help reduce "bad" cholesterol, reduce the likelihood of a heart attack.

The astringent and anti-inflammatory properties of the juice help in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and colitis. It relieves pain and reduces inflammation, so it can rightfully be considered a diet drink.

But not only berries are used for medicinal purposes. Healing and flowers, and leaves, and even the bark. The berries are harvested as they ripen, the flowers - in May, and the bark - in the fall, after the foliage has fallen.

Irga in the home first aid kit

For medicinal purposes, infusions and decoctions are prepared from fruits and other parts of the plant. The methods are very different.

So, with disorders of the stomach and intestines, take an infusion prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dried berries is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for 30 minutes and drunk as vitamin tea.

But an infusion of irgi flowers is used for heart failure and hypertension. It is said to work as well as drugs. A handful of flowers is poured into 500 ml of boiling water, insisted for 2 hours, then filtered and drunk 2-3 tbsp. spoons 3 times a day.

With pancreatitis, accompanied by diarrhea, an infusion is prepared from leaves with astringent properties: 1 tbsp. spoon in a glass of boiling water (brewed like tea). Drink 0.5 cup 3 times a day.

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