The fruits of sea buckthorn are of very great value compared to other berry crops. They are rich in vitamins, carotene, trace elements, sugars and organic acids necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Many gardeners want to have such a shrub in their infield. Unfortunately, it often happens that, having acquired a plant and giving it the necessary care, the gardener does not receive fruits. The fact is that plants are divided into male and female. How to distinguish female buckthorn from male? Is it obligatory to have both bushes on the plot for guaranteed harvesting?
How to distinguish?
How to distinguish female buckthorn from male? You can determine this by the following signs:
- The shape of the buds of a shrub . On female plants, they are located one by one with a small distance from each other, on a male tree they are collected in some inflorescences of several pieces that look like cones. Unfortunately, this difference is imperceptible on plants under the age of 3-4 years.
- Female flowers have a yellow tint and are collected in inflorescences, male flowers are greenish-silver.
- In late spring, when the leaves had already grown to their final size, their shade was greener on female bushes. Male plants have a bluish coating on the foliage.
- The shape of the leaves in the male trees is flat, in the female - resembling a bowl in shape.
When buying shrub saplings, you need to know how to distinguish female buckthorn from male, but on young plants it is almost impossible to determine gender, you have to rely on the words of the seller. Therefore, it is recommended to acquire adult plants that are 3 years old. How to distinguish between male and female sea buckthorn, the photo will show clearly.
The nuances of growing
The shrub is dioecious - this means that for the appearance of fruits, a female plant must be pollinated by a male. That is why it is important to know how to distinguish female buckthorn from male when buying seedlings.
Pollination of plants occurs through the work of insects and wind. One male plant is able to pollinate five female plants at a distance of 10 meters from it. Of course, a female shrub of sea buckthorn, located at a distance of up to 50 meters from a male, can be pollinated, however, to get the best result, plants are planted nearby.
Where to plant sea buckthorn in the country
After we learned how to distinguish a male tree of sea buckthorn from a female, it is worth considering the right place to plant. The shrub is quite photophilous, so it is important to place it on a site with sufficient lighting, avoiding close proximity to tall trees with a spreading crown.
The soil for planting shrubs should be fertile, nutritious, loose, with a neutral ph. In swampy and waterlogged soils, the tree will not bear fruit, in addition, the probability of its death is high.
When watering and applying fertilizers, the fact that the root system is superficial and has a diameter that is 2 times the height of the crown should be taken into account. The plant responds positively to the introduction of phosphorus and loosening the soil.
The correct selection of varieties of shrubs
The fruit bearing depends on the correct choice of tree variety. Since it is desirable to select one type of sea buckthorn for successful pollination, it is important to understand how to distinguish a male plant from a female one. A variety of shrubs should fit the climatic conditions of the region, as well as the characteristics of the soil.
For a temperate climate, shrubs with small growth (up to 2 meters), weak spiky, high productivity, large-fruited are ideal. According to these parameters, such varieties as Orange, Excellent, Chuyskaya, Amber, Moscow Beauty, Gift to the Garden are most suitable.
Planting and caring for plants
Before planting sea buckthorn, how to distinguish between female and male bushes, you need to know not to accidentally plant two same-sex bushes, because in this case there will be no harvest.
How is the sea buckthorn planted:
- For planting, dig a hole about 50 cm deep and 50 cm wide.
- Soil from the pit combines with fertilizers - compost, potassium phosphate and superphosphate.
- Part of the nutrient soil is poured into the bottom of the pit.
- The seedling is fixed in an upright position and is covered with soil residues. The root neck should be deepened by 5 cm.
- The newly planted plant is poured with a bucket of water, into which 1 cup of dolomite flour was added per 10 liters of liquid.
With proper planting, plants should be located at a distance of 2 meters from each other due to the developed root system.
Sea buckthorn care consists of regular watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing and removing weeds around the shrub. In hot weather, watering should be especially plentiful and preferably done by sprinkling. Formative pruning is required periodically.
In the cultivation of sea buckthorn there are no special difficulties, for a plentiful harvest you only need to correctly select and plant heterosexual plants.