Among the many varieties of gooseberries, gardeners give considerable preference to gooseberries Grushenka. This variety owes its appearance to the All-Russian Institute of Horticulture and Nursery.
Description and characteristics of the plant
Gooseberry Grushenka is a medium-sized bush with dense foliage. The branches do not scatter much, but are in a bunch. It is characterized by excellent branching of annual shoots. It has a strong ability to form new shoots, the thickness of which is medium in size. They lack spikes and close internodes. On branches, leaves grow with a bright green color and a slight presence of luster. Inflorescence can be two-and three-color. Due to the fact that the gooseberry Grushenka belongs to the medium-late variety, its flowers are rarely exposed to spring frosts. It is resistant to diseases such as powdery mildew.
Berry
Gooseberry variety Grushenka berries has a round-pear-shaped medium size. The weight of the berry is a little more than 4 g. They grow along the entire branch of two years of age, as well as last year's shoots. They have a pleasant sweet and sour taste.
How to plant gooseberries?
This fastidious plant needs certain growing conditions. It loves a lot of light and does not bear fruit in shaded places. Gooseberry Grushenka does not like excess moisture, so this plant can not be planted in waterlogged areas or on those located in the lowland. It is not recommended to plant the plant in those places where the currant or gooseberry bush was previously located. This is due to the fact that previous plants could have a disease such as a glass-case or scabbard, and a young bush can easily catch these diseases. It takes root and grows very well in those areas where vegetables were previously sown.
How to plant gooseberries? Before planting, it is necessary to clear the soil of all weeds. The most favorable time for planting is early autumn. First, pits with a diameter of more than 40 cm are dug. Fertilizers must be poured into it, since after planting the young plant will need abundant top dressing. How to feed gooseberries? As fertilizer, humus or compost is introduced under one bush. You can put 200 g of superphosphate or twice as much wood ash. If gooseberries sits on acidic soil, then it is additionally recommended to add 150 g of chalk. Instead, you can use dolomite flour in the same amount.
It is necessary to carry out constant watering. In dry weather, he will need two buckets of water. Further, the soil is mulched with dry lawn grass or humus. If several seedlings sit down at the same time, then the pits for them dig at a distance of 2 m.
Gooseberries: spring care
Like any other plant, the fruiting bush needs care. It is necessary to systematically remove all weeds, loosen the soil, carry out fertilizing, watering, pruning. The root system of the bush is small, therefore it is shallow. In hot weather, moisture from the topsoil evaporates quickly, so the bush must be carefully watered to prevent the root system from drying out . To get a good harvest, the gooseberry Grushenka is watered in early spring, during the ovary. At the same time of the year, before budding, it is recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizer under the bush. A year after planting, in the autumn, phosphate-potash and organic fertilizers can be added to the bush. In order that the branches of gooseberry do not interfere with the care of the bush, they must be raised from the ground with the help of supports.
Pruning bushes
Pruning of bushes must be carried out in early spring, until the buds have blossomed. Since the bulk of the crop falls on branches up to the age of three, the old ones must be removed. Withered and diseased branches are cut off, as well as a small bush thickening the bush. Pruning is carried out at the soil level at the very base of the bush. It is recommended to cover the places of cuts with garden var. A similar procedure is recommended to be done every two years. Otherwise, the bush will become dense, and the fruits inside it will be too small.
Gooseberry propagation
After the winter, when the snow has completely melted, grooves of small depth are dug near the bushes. They put long annual shoots in them, without taking them off from the bush. In order to keep them in this position, they are pinned to the ground with a hook made either of wood or of aluminum wire. The stitched branches are sprinkled with earth and carefully watered. Throughout the season, the soil in this place should be constantly loosened and moistened. With proper care, the root system appears after one year. After its appearance, the seedling is separated from the bush, dug and transplanted to a prepared place.
Reproduction can also be carried out by vertical layering. Before budding, weak basal shoots are removed, the soil around the bush is dug up, compost and water are introduced. Inside the bush, a “pillow” is made of humus and any mulching material. Its height should be about 30 cm. Throughout the season there is abundant top dressing of the bush with mullein infusion. The root system on the layering will appear in the coming fall. They are immediately separated and transplanted to a permanent place.
In the autumn, it is possible to carry out the separation of bushes, which are already more than 5 years old. To implement this process, they need to be completely dug up. In order for the root system to be clearly visible, the earth is completely shaken off it. Then, using a sharp secateurs, it is divided into several parts. For better rooting in a new place, the fruiting branches need to be removed, and only young shoots should be left, shortening them to 30 cm. This will help the bush direct all its efforts to good rooting, and not to the development of the fruit.
Gooseberry Disease and Treatment
Many are interested in how gooseberries should receive spring care for diseases. Among the numerous diseases, septoria is most common. On the leaves of the bush spots appear gray. Then black dots form on them, spreading throughout the sheet. This leads to its premature drying and falling off. It should be noted that the disease does not disappear after the leaves fall. Therefore, if such a problem appears, fallen leaves need to be burned.
Zinc, manganese sulfate and boron will help get rid of this disease. They can also be used to prevent this disease, to prevent its occurrence.
Another common disease is powdery mildew, which is the most dangerous for any plant. The first signs are a white coating that forms at the bottom of the leaf. If you do not notice it, then rough brown seals form on it. It is already very difficult to save such a gooseberry, but it is also impossible to leave it in this state, since the disease can easily affect the neighboring bush. In this case, you will need a solution of boron, manganese sulfate or copper, which is introduced into the soil around the bush.
Gooseberry Pests
But diseases are not the only danger in the growth and development of the bush. Insects can also damage the crop and have a detrimental effect on the leaves and root system. The gooseberry sawfly causes the greatest harm. When it appears, gooseberries must be treated with tincture of tobacco, wormwood or yarrow. No less effective is spraying with a soapy solution.
To prevent the appearance of harmful insects before the start of winter, the soil around the bush must be dug to a depth of more than 10 cm. This will help to destroy all insects hidden in the winter.