Chokeberry(Aronia melanocarpa) is a shrub that is quite rare in allotment gardens. The reason is probably the not very interesting taste of its fruit - they are bitter and sour, not very suitable for direct consumption. Meanwhile, aronia is a perfect plant for amateur cultivation - it has low cultivation requirements, it is highly frost-resistant, it is extremely rarely attacked by diseases or pests, andaronia fruits , perfect for preserves, are a treasure trove of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. See whatgrowing chokeberry on the plotlooks like, when is the best time toplanting chokeberryand what to use its nutritious fruit for.
Black chokeberry - ripe fruit
Requirements and cultivation of chokeberry
"Chokeberry is a species belonging to the rose family, native to the eastern shores of North America. This shrub is perfect for growing in our climate - it is fully frost-resistant and also insensitive to late autumn frosts (it usually blooms only after cold gardeners, which eliminates the risk of freezing flowers). Thanks to thisthe cultivation of chokeberryis possible in all regions of Poland.Soil requirements of chokeberryare low, it will cope with both light, sandy and quite heavy, clay soils. Since its roots are shallow, it is not disturbed by areas with a high level of groundwater. Thrives best in slightly acidic or neutral soils. "
"This plant is very rarely attacked by diseases and pests.As Dr. Józef Kleparski wrote in the article published in Horticulture (No. dark mucosa and tortillas.
Aronia fruits can become a delicacy of birds - field squirrels and starlings, but they also cause losses very sporadically. Thanks to this, chokeberry cultivation can take place without the use of any pesticides, this shrub is more and more often appreciated in organic farms. "
Black chokeberry - flowers
The decorative qualities of chokeberry are also appreciated more and more often. In spring, most often from the second half of May, small white flowers appear on the shrubs, usually with a slightly pinkish tinge, gathered 20-30 in corymbs. The flowers decorate the bushes for two weeks. On the other hand, in autumn, the lush green chokeberry leaves change color beautifully to brick-red or orange.
Therefore, it is difficult to imagine a better and less troublesome plant for amateur cultivation in an allotment garden. In fact, the only thing we need to provide for chokeberry is a sunny position, because it produces less fruit in the shade.
Black chokeberry - autumn color of leaves
Aronia planting
Planting date
BestAronia planting dateis late autumn - October and November. If we decide toplanting chokeberryin spring, it must be done from the end of March to mid-April and remember to water the bushes regularly (planted in spring are more susceptible to drying out).Site preparation
When preparing to plant chokeberry, the soil should be dug, cleaned of weeds and leveled. It is good to fertilize it by adding compost or well-distributed manure.
Method of planting chokeberry
If we plant several bushes in a row, place them at a distance of 1.5 m.Bushes are planted 2-3 cm deeper than they grew in the nursery. After planting, mulch the soil around the shrubs with a 15-20 cm layer of bark or sawdust to prevent weeds from growing.
Cutting chokeberryIf we managed to buy he althy, strong plants with many shoots and a well-developed root system after planting, you do not need to cut them, or you can shorten the shoots by 1/3 of their length. If, on the other hand, we plant plants with poorly developed roots, with only 1-3 shoots, or we plant them in very weak, light soils - cut all the shoots in half.
Harvesting and use of chokeberry
The firstaronia harvestis usually possible already in the next year after planting, and abundant fruiting appears from the 2nd or 3rd year of cultivation. The fruits can be harvested in the second half of August, andthe harvesting of chokeberry fruitscan be continued until mid-September.Ripe fruits are black, round or slightly elongated, covered with a wax coating, slightly shiny.When eaten fresh, they are tart and bitter, but they are perfect for all kinds of preserves - juices, jams, plum jam, jellies, marmalades and a delicious chokeberry tincture. They can also be dried by spreading them out in a thin layer in airy and shady place. They contain a large amount of anthocyanins, tannins, pectins, vitamins (including a lot of vitamin C and P) and mineral s alts. They should include them in their diet, among others. people struggling with hypertension and stomach problems.
