Honeyberry (or haskap)

[Sylvan]

Has anyone grown honeyberries?
Some sources say you need at least 2 bushes for pollination. Others say the bushes have to be different varieties. Presumably, to stand any chance of getting different varieties you'd have to buy them from different places.
Could potentially become expensive.

[Olorin2001]

You need different varieties to get any reasonable crop.
Some places off two plant deals on account of this.

[Alison]

Not grown them but found the taste to be quite yucky when I tried them once. Was expecting something honey tasting I suppose but thought they were rather strange in flavour but guess it must be an acquired taste

[Sylvan]

Thanks

[Olorin2001]

Not grown them but found the taste to be quite yucky when I tried them once. Was expecting something honey tasting I suppose but thought they were rather strange in flavour but guess it must be an acquired taste

While the name doesn't match the flavour, they make a very good jam.
If they look ripe but if they are still green inside they are not ripe.

[FlawlessVictory]

I've purchased three of these plants only to read everyone saying they taste horrible... should have done my research and not bought into the word 'honey'!

[Sylvan]

I don't like honey anyway so as long as they make a decent jam I'll be happy

[whiskyman]

I actually like the taste, not as tasty as blueberries but different. They are tarty, but I won't say they yucky tho. Sylvan they do make nice jam. Probably best for cooking/jams than eating fresh.

[FlawlessVictory]

I actually like the taste, not as tasty as blueberries but different. They are tarty, but I won't say they yucky tho. Sylvan they do make nice jam. Probably best for cooking/jams than eating fresh.

I read that the ones that aren't good taste like tonic water (which I like). I'll just give them a punt it can't do any harm, the bush looks quite ornamental as well and I am a fan of homemade jams!

[BUFFS]

plenty of promise

we went out yesterday to a big garden centre about 30 miles away (they are not so thick on the ground around here) and picked up 2 honeyberry plants @ £9.99 each, that doesn't seem so good until you get the size of them, both were 2-3ft tall and about 18-24 ins across, really bushy and looking very healthy, they are planted out now and look like they have been there ages ,no drooping or wilting so I am looking forward to getting some fruit next year as I reckon they are already 3-4yrs old, so should be about ready to produce, so I am just looking forward to tasting now.....

[fishpond]

Having never heard of them, I did a little walk around tinternet.
Pollination and harvesting
It may be worth considering pollination by hand to increase yield of fruit. They flower late winter to very early spring when there is little pollinating insect activity. Hand pollination can be done by lightly brushing over the flowers with a small, soft paint brush.

The fruit is harvested about late-spring early-summer. The berries turns blue and develops a whitish bloom when ripe; however check to make sure that the flesh is purple-red as green under-ripe fruits can be very sour. A mature plant can produce about 6kg of fruit. It can take up to two years before you will get a crop.

Not many bees about at that time of the year down here, I imagine even less up there.
I think they are also older than 3-4 years, maybe 5-6 years?
As long as you are happy to pollinate, I think you got a bargain.
It would be interesting to know what they taste like.

[BUFFS]

I have spotted bumbles at the end of feb/start of march as we do not get severe winters usually because of the gulf stream, but because I hand pollinate the peaches and apricots already, it will be no great burden, I use a child size little soft paintbrush and it works very well, the apricots are now nearly the size of pullets eggs (small eggs) and the peaches are about the size of silver onions at the moment and the sun came out today for the first time in over a week, yippee..., as for taste, I am told by a person who grows them that they taste like blueberries with a hint of honey(a little bit sweeter) so I am hoping to get at least a few next year..

[burnie]

Honey Berries

Just planted one, I'm told they come from Siberia and get to about 2 metres round(the bush not the berries), anyone grown them?

[stevejohnson53]

I too have just bought one then found out you need two for pollination. I am in the process of investigating this. My variety is Madena (or something like that)

No doubt someone who knows more will be along soon.....

[veggiechicken]

A few other threads about them!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_79530.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...pot_69009.html