Gooseberry

Family Grossulariaceae. The English call the gooseberry "goose berry" for the ovoid shape of the fruits, the Germans "thorny berry" for the fearsome spines, the Italians "bristly grape", the French "the chubby one"… Among Old Russian names there was the word "kryzhak". The modern name "gooseberry" derived from it.

In the countries of Northern Europe with their cool climate, the prolific gooseberry has for time immemorial been the main dessert and winemaking crop. In the absence of grapes, Dutch peasants, Scandinavian Vikings, Scottish warriors and knights of the Baltic lands livened themselves with gooseberry wine infused with the leaves of the cucumber herb.

In England, attention to the thorny bushes intensified during the reign of Henry VIII. The polygamous king loved gooseberries no less than women, and encouraged their spread in British gardens. The English still make wine from unripe gooseberries.

Flavor shades of ripe gooseberries include plum, grape, raspberry; the color palette ranges from pale green, almost white, to dark purple, almost black. There are varieties with brick-red berries with an orange tint, and berries that are dark violet with a waxy bloom. Fruit size and weight are also unique: the largest English cultivars have fruits weighing up to 40-50 g and reaching the size of a ripe plum.

Gooseberry varieties:

Early

• 'Родник'. Dessert type. Among the green-fruited varieties it is the largest-fruited. Ripe berries fall off quickly, so they must be picked in time. There are few spines, so harvesting is easy. Resistant to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca), almost not damaged by the gooseberry moth. Winter-hardy.
• 'Юбилейный' - the variety produces large amber-yellow berries. Highly self-fruitful, almost does not need pollinators. Very thorny - spines are sparse but thin and sharp. Winter-hardy, moderately resistant to powdery mildew, practically not damaged by the gooseberry moth.
• 'Розовый-2' - an upright vigorous bush. Berries are large. Moderately resistant to powdery mildew, requires protection from the moth.
• 'Русский желтый' - large amber-yellow berries, sweet. Resistant to powdery mildew, weakly affected by the gooseberry moth. Winter hardiness is average. Good self-fertility. A universal pollinator for other gooseberry varieties.

Mid-late

• 'Каптиватор' - berries of brownish-pink color, pear-shaped, mildly sweet with a "gingerbread" aftertaste. The bush is moderately spreading, branches sparsely thorny. Resistant to powdery mildew and the moth. Winter hardiness is average.
• 'Нежный' - large-fruited and sparsely thorny. Berries are light pink and can hang on the bush for a long time without losing quality. Thick skin. Resistant to powdery mildew and the moth. Winter-hardy. Good self-fertility.

Gooseberry is notable for high yields. Under favorable conditions and with proper care, one bush can produce 10-15 kg of berries.

Every year, of the newly emerged basal shoots, 3-5 of the best ones are left, spaced evenly; the rest are cut off at ground level. It is also necessary to remove severely frost-damaged, diseased and damaged branches. On mature plants, branches older than 6-8 years are removed - they no longer fruit abundantly and the berries on them become smaller.

Loosen the soil once every 2-3 weeks to prevent the formation of a soil crust, suppress weed growth, retain moisture and provide air to the roots. It is especially important to maintain the soil in this condition during the first 2-3 years after planting. The depth of loosening should not exceed 10-12 cm, otherwise the root system can be damaged. Alternatively, you can simply mulch the soil around the bush - at the rate of one bucket of peat (or other organic material) per bush. When mulching with black film, make cross-shaped cuts for fertilizers and watering. In autumn remove the film and dig over the soil in the crown radius.

Gooseberry does not like excess moisture, but tolerates drought easily if it is not prolonged. During long droughts, especially in critical growth periods, it needs to be watered. The first watering is during fruit-set (second half of May - first ten days of June). The second is during fruit formation and filling (second–third ten-day periods of June). To stimulate root growth and prepare for winter, a so-called water-charging irrigation is necessary (third ten days of September - first ten days of October). Do not water gooseberries with a watering can or hose - soil is washed away from the base of the bush and the root collar can become waterlogged. It is necessary to dig a shallow basin around the bush in the so-called "rain zone", that is where the crown ends, and feed water into it - about 30 L per bush.

If the planting holes were well filled with a nutrient mix, fertilizers may not be needed for the first two years. Starting from the third year, in autumn during digging apply fertilizers per 1 sq. m: organic - 4-6 kg, phosphorus - 30 g, potassium - 20 g. A top-dressing applied in the first or second ten-day period of June works well - it helps shoot growth and berry filling. It is usually combined with watering. Dilute cow manure (farmyard manure) with 3-4 parts water and water the plants with this suspension - 1 bucket per bush. Mineral feeding is done as follows: per bush - 10 L of water in which 10 g of nitrogenous, 15 g of potassium and 20 g of phosphorus fertilizers are dissolved.

Gooseberry is especially prone to two diseases - American powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca) and septoria (white spot). Among insect pests, the gooseberry moth and the yellow gooseberry sawfly cause the most trouble.

Most modern gooseberry varieties are resistant to powdery mildew. However, the disease acts selectively - it affects young plants more severely. Therefore they need protection - treatments with "Topaz", "Vektra" or "Strobi" (dosage and application methods are indicated on the packaging). The first spraying is after leaf unfolding, at the bud stage. The second is 10-14 days later.

There are no varieties absolutely resistant to septoria. Before flowering and after harvest it is necessary to treat the bushes and the soil under them with "Oxychloride" and "Skor", and in autumn be sure to add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and dig the soil under the bushes.

To control the moth and the sawfly, spray the bushes in early spring (after bud separation, and also immediately after flowering) with carbophos or biological agents - Bitoxibacillin or Lepidocid. In autumn, dig the soil under the bushes to a depth of 8-10 cm and mound the soil in the crown radius so that a soil cushion 10-12 cm high is formed. In spring, two weeks after flowering, remove the earthing up from the bushes once.