Description of black gooseberry varieties and its reproduction, cultivation and care

Gooseberries are appreciated by consumers for their benefits and excellent taste. The only drawback, due to which not every summer resident undertakes to grow it, is the large number of thorns that make it difficult to pick berries. Among the wide variety, experts especially highlight the black gooseberry variety, comparing it with grapes in taste. Let's see why it is so useful, and in what conditions it is necessary to grow black gooseberries.

Features of culture

The main feature of a culture that distinguishes it from other varieties is not its appearance or taste, but its useful properties. Black gooseberry is especially appreciated by nutritionists and recommend its use to their patients. Its berries have an unusual appearance, and the skin looks more like black velvet. Breeders have developed many black gooseberry hybrids that have unusual properties. The general virtues of culture include:

pleasant appearance;
resistance to adverse weather conditions;
strong immunity.

Technical description and external parameters

The external parameters of black gooseberries differ from the usual ones. The bush grows in breadth by about 1.5 meters, and in some cases, with proper care, up to 2 meters. The branches of the black gooseberry are thick and strong, covered with a lot of thorns. The size of the berries and their appearance vary depending on the selected variety, but they are united by:

pleasant, strong aroma;
bright taste.

Note! After ripening, black gooseberries do not crumble and stay on the branches for a long period of time.

How is it different from regular gooseberry

Black differs from more common gooseberry varieties in the following properties:

the proportion of vitamin C contained in one berry of dark varieties is several times higher than standard indicators;
natural antioxidant;
systematic use allows you to cleanse the body, ridding it of unnecessary toxins and harmful substances;
long-liver among other cultures. The bush lives quietly for twenty or more years;
contains a large amount of minerals that enrich the body.

How to plant and grow bushes

Gooseberry bushes are not very capricious, and even a novice gardener can grow them.However, it is necessary to adhere to the general breeding rules, without which no culture grows. These include:

disembarkation within the allotted time;
conformity of the soil;
correct preparation of the landing site;
the use of basic seating schemes, thanks to which the gooseberry bushes develop harmoniously.

Follow these rules, and your gooseberries will take root on the site without any problems.

Disembarkation dates

Planting dates are common for all crops. Allocate:

autumn landing;
spring landing.

Autumn is considered a more favorable time. The bush manages to build up the root system, and next spring it already begins to yield. This method is suitable for regions with warm to moderately cold autumn.

In cool regions, planting begins in the second half of August, in warm regions - from late September to early October.

In the spring, gooseberries are planted by those gardeners who did not have time to do this during the fall. The main thing here is to find the right moment. The fact is that the culture is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. An unexpected spring thaw or severe frosts will destroy the immature seedling. The time is best when the buds have not yet begun to swell, and the earth has thawed from the winter frosts.

Ground requirements

The plant has no particular preference for soil, showing good growth dynamics under any conditions. If you highlight the preferred soil compositions, choose places:

loamy soils;
slightly acidic or neutral.

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Otherwise, there are no special preferences, and the gardener chooses a place based on his own preferences.

Preparation of plants and planting pit

Plant requirements before planting:

the roots of the seedling are soaked in a solution with organic fertilizers for a day before planting;
if the root system looks packed, gently slide your fingers along the border of the earthen coma, straightening the small roots.

Landing pit requirements:

foreign plants and weeds are removed at the planting site;
the soil is dug up and enriched with fertilizers with a high potassium content;
landing pit - at least 50 centimeters wide;
the depth of the pit is at least 40 centimeters.

Note! After planting, the bush is irrigated with a moderate amount of water.

Scheme and distance of planting gooseberry bushes

Landing pattern and distance are calculated depending on the desired result:

if there is a lot of free space on the site, and the gardener plans to harvest a large crop, the distance between the rows should be at least 2 meters. The distance between the bushes is from 1 to 1.5 meters;
in the case when there is little space, the plantation is formed as follows: the distance between the bushes is from 60 to 80 centimeters, the distance between the rows is from 1 to 1.2 meters.

Conditions for good growth and fruiting

Positive growth dynamics and bountiful harvests are achieved by observing optimal growing conditions. These include:

choosing the right place;
frequency and abundance of watering;
the amount of fertilizer applied;
bush formation;
carrying out preventive procedures aimed at combating pests and diseases.

The plant, which will be provided with comfortable growing conditions, will form a strong bush on which a decent harvest will grow. Neglect of the above points will cause the death of the crop or a small number of berries at the end of the season.

Optimal place to grow

When choosing a landing site, pay attention to the following things:

the site should be flat, without sudden changes in height;
shaded areas are poor choices. The gooseberry loves sunlight and grows weak without it. Landings organized in shady areas are more likely to get sick with powdery mildew;
if the summer resident wants to plant the crop next to the fence, leave a gap between the plantation and the hedge.During growth, the plant grows strongly, and if you plant it back to back, the wall of the fence will not allow the bush to grow normally;
if possible, place plantings next to drainage channels. So excess water will be diverted from the roots, preventing them from rotting.

Frequency of irrigation and feeding

The irrigation process is divided into several stages, depending on the season and stage of growth. Young plants planted on the site for the first year are watered abundantly and systematically. Determine soil moisture as follows:

dig a small hole at the place of growth, 20 centimeters deep;
part of the soil is extracted from it, which is compressed in the hand;
a compressed lump of earth is dropped down from a height of one meter;
the lump remained intact or broke up into several large segments - the humidity is sufficient;
if the earthen lump has crumbled into small pieces, watering is required.

Adult, mature plants are intensively watered until the berries begin to swell, after which watering is minimized. This way, the fruit will taste sweet with enough sugar. Otherwise, sour notes will be clearly felt when eaten.

It is desirable to feed with complex mineral fertilizers containing a balanced amount of nutrients. Seasonal feeding is divided into:

spring. The first feeding is done in March-April, before bud break. The second is in May, before flowering;
summer. Performed in June;
autumn feeding is carried out in the second half of September and early October.

Bush formation technology

Correct and timely formation of the bush is an important process that requires special attention from the summer resident. The thing is that the gooseberry bush grows intensively, and there are many thorns on its branches.

If you do not cut it off in time, then getting to the harvest will be extremely problematic.

Pruning is done in the fall. All old or damaged branches are removed from the bush. Ultimately, there should be a few strong shoots with branches, the length of which should not exceed 50 centimeters.

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Note! As a tool, special long-handled scissors are used, otherwise you risk injuring your hands.

Treatment for diseases and insects

Gooseberry has good immunity, which allows you to effectively fight pests. However, the planting will not hurt the attention from the gardener. As preventive measures are used:

Spring spraying of bushes with boiling water, in which a small amount of manganese is diluted. The dosage depends on the number of bushes, and recipes for the preparation of such a solution are easy to find on our portal.
If infected or damaged branches are found, they are removed and burned as far as possible.
In the fall, in preparation for the winter season, leaves and other debris are removed.

Breeding methods for black-fruited culture

The black-fruited culture, like all its other representatives, multiplies in standard ways:

Reproduction by layering. This method is considered one of the most effective, since along the entire length of the shoot, in the area of bud formation, a root system is formed, which is in its infancy.
Shoots. To implement it, it is enough to cut off the shoots that are formed close to the base of the bush. The only condition for using this method is the limited age of the mother bush. It must not exceed 9 years.
Branches. A strong, well-formed branch is selected and separated from the main plant along with part of the root system. The branch is buried in a new place, and after a while it grows into a full-fledged bush.
By division, when the old bush is dug up and divided into two parts. The old, non-viable part is thrown away, and the new one is transplanted to another place.
By cuttings. Shoots are cut from the mother bush, which are planted in a new place. Cuttings take root well and show intense growth with proper care.

Popular varieties and their characteristics

There are quite a lot of chokeberry varieties, and among the popular, which are in great demand among gardeners, there are:

Black Prince gooseberry.
Gooseberry variety Black Negus.
Grape gooseberry.
Isabel.
Black velvet.

Black Prince

The Black Prince gained popularity due to the following positive qualities:

forms a large number of berries;
long fruiting period;
berries are juicy, soft;
has a pleasant aroma.

It owes its appearance to the breeding activity of Michurin I.V.

Negus

Gives a bountiful harvest that stays on the branches for a long time without dropping to the ground. In the process of growth, it grows strongly and, if you do not take care of it, picking berries will turn into a painful process. The berries are medium in size but taste good and many people compare it to grapes. The berries are formed abundantly and systematically.

Grape

A wine variety whose berries contain a large amount of sugars and vitamins. It is used both fresh and as a base for making wine, compote or marmalade. The berries are of different colors. There are dark purple or dark blue tones.

Isabel

It has an average size, which does not prevent it from forming large, juicy berries. There are thorns on the branches, but there are not as many of them as in others. The skin of the berries is strong, but thin, and the weight of one fruit can reach 3.5 grams. The berries ripen in the first half of August. It is important not to miss this moment, since ripe fruits tend to crumble to the ground.

Black velvet

The fruits on the branches begin to ripen very early. The berries are very large, and the weight of one varies from 5 to 8 grams. Thorns on the branches practically do not form, and picking fruits turns into a sheer pleasure. Black velvet is resistant to environmental influences. The bush needs active formation, otherwise it begins to age quickly.