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Honeyberry / Haskap Care At A Glance

Edible blue honeysuckles native to Northern California, Pacific Northwest, and Canada as well as Russia and Japan.
Not dependent on low soil acidity like Blueberry plants are.
Suitable for USDA zones 3-8. (See additional notes about cultivars below)
All varieties require cross-pollination.
First crop harvests usually 1-2 years from planting.

Honeyberry / Haskap Planting Instructions

Bare root plants

Soak roots for 8 to 24 hrs. prior to planting.
Plant within 72 hrs. after receiving. Dormant plants require cold weather establishment.
Plant in full sun, in well-draining soil amended with ample amounts of organic material.
Dig a large hole 2-3 times the size of the rootball.
Plant with the top of the rootball no more than 1 inch below the natural soil grade, ensuring the crown remains above the soil surface.
Remove any grass or competing weeds from a 2 ft. circumference around the new plants.
Top-dress over the root zone with 2-3 inches of fresh compost or mulch.
Immediately after planting, tip prune all stems back by 1/3 to 1/2.

Potted plants

No root soaking is required, however, do harden plants off for 7-10 days prior to planting out to acclimate them to the local conditions.
Follow other planting instructions above.
Protect newly planted Honeyberries / Haskap from hard frosts by covering them with frost cloth, burlap, or home linens.

NOTE: If plants are affected by frost, or transplant shock, do not panic, simply cut stems back by 1/3 to 1/2, which will initiate new bud and shoot growth in 6-8 weeks or sooner.

NOTE: All varieties require cross-pollination. Using an alternating grid planting pattern or planting in rows of alternating varieties with similar bloom periods ensures the best pollination. Bumble bees are the best pollinators for Honeyberries / Haskap due to how and when they typically forage.

Watering

The watering rule of thumb is 1 in. of water per week, per plant, which equates to approx. 2.5-3 gal. of water every 2-3 days through the growing season.
Do not rely on or consider rain events as they are too unreliable and sporadic.
Honeyberries / Haskap do not tolerate heavy wet clay soils or standing water.
Amend soils well, prior to planting to avoid long-term issues or slow deterioration.

Honeyberry / Haskap Care - Maintenance After Establishment Maintenance

Allow plants to grow to full size for the first several years before pruning.
Fruits are produced on 1-year-old wood.
Prune using thinning cuts during dormancy to remove any damaged, diseased, and older branches to encourage an open growth habit of sunlight penetration and air circulation.
Never prune branch tips. Flowers and fruits are produced at the ends of branches.
Fertilize in early spring with 1/2 dose and another 1/2 again after harvest with 10-10-10 all-purpose or an organic with 3-5-3 formulation.
Top-dressing with fresh compost/aged manure blend in early spring and again in mid-summer is also beneficial.
Most honeyberries / haskap are susceptible to powdery mildew, especially early in the season. Wettable sulfur fungicide has shown to be the best preventative, as well as other proper cultural sanitation methods.

Honeyberry / Haskap Cultivars & Pollination Details

Blue Moon™ & Blue Velvet™

Two Russian Honeyberry varieties that are shipped as 1-2 ft. well-rooted bare-root plants.
These varieties are best suited for planting in colder zones of 3a to 4b.
Pre-soak roots prior to planting for at least 8 hrs.
Prune stems back by at least 1/3 immediately after planting to encourage new growth.
Plants mature at 3-4 ft. high & wide.
Best fruit yields come from plantings of 5-8 plants, spaced 4-6 ft. apart in alternating single rows or in a grid.

Canadian Honeyberries / Haskap

Canadian varieties and Berry Blue™ shipped as small; greenhouse-grown potted plants.
Most suitable for USDA zones 4b-8a. (The warmer the climate the more disease susceptibilities can occur).
Harden off for 7-10 days prior to planting. After planting in spring, protect plants if frost threatens.
If plants are still completely dormant, they can be planted out at any time.
Plant size varies by cultivar, but the range is from 3 to 6 ft., and typically begins bearing fruit 2-3 years from planting.
At least two different varieties with similar bloom periods are needed for proper cross-pollination.
For best fruit production, plant at least 5-8 plants with a spacing of 6 to 8 ft. by alternating variety or in a grid pattern.

'Aurora' is long, mid-early season flowering. Plant it with other early or mid-types like 'Honey Bee', 'Tundra', 'Berry Blue™', or 'Borealis'.

'Boreal Blizzard', 'Boreal Beast', and 'Boreal Beauty' are all mid to late-blooming and good partners for cross-pollination with one another.

'Boreal Beauty' is the best late-blooming cultivar to pair with Russian varieties for potential cross-pollination.