Gooseberry work in spring. Gooseberries: planting, care, types of pruning, propagation. Proper cultivation of gooseberries in spring

With the arrival of spring, a lot of different work arises for their owners in their dachas and gardens. It is necessary to quickly begin to implement some technological work to ensure future harvest. Gooseberries that have been freed from snow cover also require appropriate attention and care.

Maintenance work should be resumed without waiting for warm, stable weather to set in, and after the snow melts - in mid-March. This is explained by the fact that gooseberries begin to vegetate early and in April leaves appear on the bush.

The entire range of spring care work is divided into 3 conventional stages:

• bush pruning;
• pest control and disease treatment;
• preparation and application of fertilizers.

All these works are very important and require detailed coverage.

Inspection of the bush after wintering

In the spring, the first thing you need to do is remove the cover from the gooseberry, which was used to insulate it for the winter, and carefully examine the bush. Around the bushes you also need to rake the mulch, which served as insulation in the winter, and now some types of harmful insects have settled in it.

It is better to take the collected garbage, along with pests, outside the garden and burn it. If we talk about the sequence of work, it should be noted that first you need to remove the insulating material from the bush, and then untie the twine and remove the mulch.

Trimming

To protect gooseberries from insects and diseases and to get a good harvest, they must be systematically pruned. In the spring, this operation begins at the end of March, when the snow has not yet completely melted. This work must be completed no later than the end of April - before the buds open.

As a result of correctly performed pruning, gooseberry branches receive more light and develop normally. This affects productivity. The crown of pruned gooseberries is well ventilated, the plant is not affected by fungi and diseases.

Spring work on pruning gooseberries is carried out according to the following algorithm:

• cut out all frozen, broken or diseased shoots, as well as those whose growth occurs inside the bush;
• from last year's shoots, only 3-4 of the strongest are left, others must be removed;
• shoots growing from the roots are cut out.

On old plants that are 5 or more years old, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, during which older branches are gradually replaced by young ones. After proper pruning, the bush will consist of branches of different ages.

Tillage

Gooseberries are not particularly demanding in terms of soil composition; they can grow and bear fruit in many types of soil. It is impossible to grow it only on acidified, cold and waterlogged soils.

If the bushes grow on clay soil, then it needs to be systematically loosened.

Gooseberries growing on sandy soil need to be enriched with organic fertilizers. It is better to start cultivating the soil in May. A hoe is used for these purposes.

Loosening

May loosening of the soil on gooseberries is carried out within the crown of the bush. The depth of treatment should be 7-10 cm. Before loosening, you need to remove foliage, mulch and small twigs under the bushes.

Loosening helps improve aeration and water permeability of the soil, which ultimately has a positive effect on the general condition of the plant and yield.

Mulching

Immediately after loosening, the gooseberry tree trunks should be mulched. Straw, hay, peat or sawdust are used as mulch material, which are spread in a thin layer.

Thanks to this agricultural practice, the evaporation of moisture will slow down, and weeds will not grow as intensively. Mulching allows you to reduce the amount of weeding and loosening, saving gardeners time.

Watering

It is known that gooseberries are drought-resistant, but they respond well to infrequent and abundant watering. It places the greatest demands on soil moisture during the flowering phase.

Water should be poured at the root or a drip irrigation system should be installed. Gooseberry roots go quite deep into the soil, so watering should be plentiful to wet a 40 cm layer of soil. To do this, you need to pour 40-55 liters of liquid under each plant.

Using cold water to sprinkle gooseberries is strictly prohibited. A cold shower reduces immunity, and the plant can become infected with fungal diseases.

Gooseberries do not tolerate waterlogging, but they also do not tolerate drought. Watering, as a rule, is combined with the application of fertilizers to achieve maximum effect.

Top dressing

Bushes that were planted last year in soils rich in nutrients do not need fertilizing. And from the second year after planting, you can start fertilizing. To do this, it is important to know how to feed gooseberries in the spring for a good harvest. To carry out this agricultural practice, complete mineral or organic fertilizers are usually used.

Both types of fertilizers, when used correctly, enrich the soil with essential nutrients. When performing fertilizing, adhere to the following application scheme:

• the first fertilizing is carried out at the moment of swelling of the plant buds;
• the second feeding of gooseberries is carried out during the flowering phase;
• The final fertilizing of the season is carried out during the period of fruit set.

For fertilizing, use full mineral fertilizers containing all essential nutrients.

In the spring, immediately after the snow melts, the soil can be fertilized with urea, at the rate of 55 g of fertilizer for each bush. And in the process of loosening the soil, you can add 300 g of ash per square meter.

Gooseberries growing on depleted soils are fed with organic matter. To do this, after the crop has flowered, a bucket of slurry diluted with water in a ratio of 1:7, bird droppings (1:12) or mullein (1:5) is poured into the grooves along the perimeter of the tree trunk circle.

It is unacceptable to use mineral fertilizers containing chlorine to feed gooseberry bushes.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Gooseberries are one of the first to wake up from hibernation, so they are quickly attacked by hungry harmful insects, and they can also be affected by viral and fungal diseases. To reduce the risk of damage to gooseberry bushes, you need to know - spray gooseberries in the spring against pests and diseases.

To exterminate pests and treat diseases, they use an extensive list of biological, chemical and home remedies that have shown their effectiveness in practice. The method of using these drugs for the extermination of insects and disease-causing pathogens is described in detail below.

The best moment to start processing comes simultaneously with the beginning of sap flow, when the buds are swollen, but have not yet opened.

Gooseberry processing can be carried out from March 5 to April 15. However, each site owner must choose for himself optimal time execution of treatments, sometimes even shifting the timing of spraying to a later time.

Attention!

The best conditions for spraying gooseberries with chemical and biological agents against insects and diseases are dry and cloudy weather.

Biological agents

Biological agents, suitable for spraying crops against harmful insects and diseases, absolutely harmless to humans and very effective. The active component of these drugs are bacteria, which in the course of their life activity destroy harmful pathogens. Treatments are carried out at a certain time interval for the purposes of prevention and treatment.

Treatment with biological products begins in the spring, when the air warms up to 18 degrees. At lower temperatures, the effect of treatment will be minimal, since the beneficial bacteria of the drug cannot develop at low temperatures.

Fitosporin

“Fitosporin” is a drug that is created on the basis of bacteria that suppress pathogenic organisms that cause fungal and bacterial diseases. For preventive purposes against a number of diseases, bushes are sprayed in the spring during the period of massive leaf blossoming and fruit setting. When preparing a working solution, dissolve 150 ml of the drug in 10 liters of water.

Fitoverm

"Fitoverm" is an insecticide that has shown good results in the fight against insects. When the pest enters the intestines, the active component of the drug causes paralysis, leading to death. The most effective period for using this product is spring.

The drug has shown excellent effectiveness against aphids and mites.

The product is valid for up to 2 weeks. To prepare the working solution, you need to dissolve 2 ml of the mixture in 9 liters of water. After mixing, the composition is ready for use.

Trichodermin

"Trichodermin" belongs to the group of fungicides; its active ingredient is a fungus from the genus Trichoderma. The antifungal drug suppresses pathogens of fungal diseases well and enriches the soil with nutrients. To prepare a working solution, dissolve 150 ml of the drug in 9 liters of water and mix the contents well. Treatment is carried out in spring and summer, every 2 weeks.

Chemicals

Spraying gooseberries with chemical-based preparations should be carried out only in exceptional cases, because toxins contained in pesticides tend to accumulate in the soil and future harvest.

Spring treatment of gooseberry bushes with chemicals can only be carried out before the flowering phase begins. In this case, you must adhere to the recommended doses and norms.

Copper sulfate

Copper sulfate is a very popular fungicide used against many fungal diseases. Available in blue powder form. It is a contact fungicide. The applied product may be washed off by rain or watering.

If the mycelium of the pathogen has already penetrated deep into the tissues, it is not possible to kill it with this remedy. It can only slow down the development of the fungus. This powder prevents their spores from germinating.

To spray gooseberries, prepare a 1% solution of the drug, for which 100 g of powder is dissolved in 10 liters of water. The drug can give the expected effect in the fight against anthracnose, rust and various spots.

Bordeaux mixture

Bordeaux mixture is prepared from equal parts copper sulfate and lime. The bushes are treated with a 1% solution before the start of sap flow and after the end of the flowering phase.

Treatment with this mixture protects gooseberries from various fungal diseases such as spotting, rust, scab and anthracnose.

Topaz

Fungicide Topaz has extensive use on gooseberries against powdery mildew, anthracnose and other pathogens.

It is used for the prevention and treatment of the listed diseases. Active ingredient The fungicide is penconazole.

To obtain a working solution, dissolve one ampoule of the drug in 9 liters of water. The product is applied by spraying. The drug is not safe for people, so personal protective equipment must be used when working with it.

The drug gives a good effect on gooseberries against the above diseases.

Oksikhom

“Oxychom” is classified as a contact-systemic fungicide and is used to treat gooseberry leaves and stems. At the same time, the active substance of the drug well protects the surface of plants and the deep layers of branches.

Its ability to penetrate deep into the stem greatly increases its effectiveness against pathogens. The passing rain washes away only part of the drug located on the surface. The other part of the product, which has penetrated deep into the gooseberry wood, continues to act.

Fungicide "Oxychom" kills pathogens of fungal diseases at any stage of their development. It is widely used in greenhouses and open berry plantations.

Fundazol

A systemic drug such as “Fundazol” is used on gooseberries for pests and diseases, both for preventive purposes and for healing. This drug copes well with pathogens of diseases such as:

• anthracnose;
• late blight;
• mosaic;
• septoria;
• yellow and glass rust.

The main active component of the substance is benomyl. It passes into the deep layers of the soil to the gooseberry root system, and then spreads throughout the plant.

During one season, double treatment with this drug is allowed. To prepare a working solution, dissolve 1 g of the drug in 1 liter of water. The product does not dissolve well in water, so you need to mix the mixture well. For prevention, the drug is used by spraying, and for treatment, the product is poured at the root.

Score

The good thing about the drug “Skor” is that it is endowed with the properties of providing preventive protection and effective treatment of plants. The product can be used in any phase of gooseberry development.

The method of practical application has established the effectiveness of this drug in the fight against the following ailments:

• scab;
• powdery mildew;
• perforated and brown spotting;
• leaf curl;
• coccomycosis;
• moniliosis;
• Clusterosporiasis.

To obtain a working solution, you need to dilute the drug in water, following the instructions.

Hom

"HOM" is known as the most widely used remedy for powdery mildew. Having appeared on the market, this drug began to be often used in cases where Bordeaux mixture had previously been used.

To use the drug, you need to prepare a 0.4% working solution for spraying. This is achieved by dissolving 40 g of the product in a bucket of water. Most often, spraying with this drug is carried out once a season, before the onset of the flowering phase.

Karbofos

This insecticidal agent is well known to gardeners. Available in liquid form and packaged in canisters and bottles. The insecticide is effective against pests such as:

• currant sawfly;
• gall midge;

It is not difficult to prepare a working solution. To do this, you need to dissolve 75 g of the product in 9 liters of water. The drug should be used on the day of preparation.

Colloidal sulfur

Colloidal sulfur showed high efficiency against ticks. To use this acaricidal agent, you first need to prepare a working solution for spraying gooseberries. For this purpose, 40 g of colloidal sulfur is dissolved in a bucket of water.

Antitlin

This drug is also quite often used on gooseberries. The product is effective against gooseberry aphids. The drug is applied by spraying.

The working solution is prepared by dissolving 0.5 kg of the drug in 9 liters of water. After stirring, the drug is ready for use.

Aktellik

An excellent complex insecticidal agent that can be used on gooseberries against the following insects:

• gall midge;
• beetles of different subtypes;
• fire;
• sawfly.

To obtain a working solution, dissolve 15 ml of liquid preparation in 9 liters of water. After complete dissolution, the drug is ready for treatment by spraying.

Nitrafen

This drug is used before the spring swelling of the kidneys. The product has insecticidal, fungicidal and herbicidal properties. After application, the drug remains on the branches and leaves for a long time, providing protection to plants.

Once in the soil, Nitrafen has an inhibitory effect on the growth and development of weeds, acting as a herbicide.

On gooseberries, the product is used against the following diseases and pests:

• powdery mildew;
• septoria;
• scab;
• anthracnose;
• aphids and other pests.

Before spraying, prepare a working solution by dissolving 150 g of the product in a bucket of water. 20 liters of ready-made solution are consumed per hundred square meters.

DNOC

This drug is also quite often used on gooseberry bushes and is endowed with insecticidal, fungicidal and herbicidal effects. The product is poorly soluble in water and organic solvents are used to prepare the working fluid.

The product has shown good effectiveness against the following pests:

• mites;
• scale insect;
• leaf fleas;
• slowpoke.

15 liters of the drug are consumed per hundred square meters.

Horus

The fungicide "Horus" treats many ailments of gooseberries and other berries, such as:

• gray and fruit rot
• scab;
• powdery mildew;
• coccomycosis;
• oidium;
• white and brown spots.

To obtain a working solution, you need to dissolve 2-4 g of the chemical in 9 liters of water. This solution is enough to treat 100 square meters. m of plantings.

For processing, choose a dry and windless day, with a temperature range from +6 to +22 degrees.

Decis

The insecticide "Decis Profi" is a modern widespread means of intestinal contact action. The drug has a number of advantages compared to analogues, of which the following should be noted:

• excellent effectiveness with small doses;
• speed of action;
• stays on the surface of the sheet for a long time;
• protects the plant from pests for 14 days;
• compatible with all chemicals except those with an alkaline base;
• not dangerous for gooseberries and soil;
• does not inhibit soil fauna;
• When processed according to instructions, it does not cause leaf burns.

To obtain a working solution, dissolve 1 g of liquid product in a bucket of water. This will be enough to process 1 hectare of berry planting area.

Bitoxibacillin

Bitoxibacillin is biological insecticide, effective against a range of common insect pests. Thanks to him, it is possible to eliminate the most dangerous enemies of culture.

To prepare the working solution, 100 g of powder is dissolved in 9 liters of water and this amount of chemical is used to treat 1 hundred square meters of berry plantations.

Folk remedies

To combat insects and pathogenic microflora of gooseberries, not only chemicals are used, but also home remedies.

The popularity of these products is due to their effectiveness and safety for people. The second huge advantage of these funds is their availability.

It is recommended to add 50 g of laundry soap to any aqueous solutions based on folk remedies. Thanks to soap, the drug will stick to the leaves better and will act for a long time.

Listed below are the most popular home remedies used for gooseberry treatments in the spring.

Soda

Soda has shown itself to be an effective remedy against powdery mildew on currants and gooseberries.

To obtain a working solution, dissolve 40 g of soda powder in 9 liters of water and add laundry soap or laundry soap for better adhesion. vegetable oil.

It is better to carry out the treatment early in the morning, before the sun is active. After a week, the treatment can be repeated until the pathogen is completely destroyed.

Onion tincture

This handy remedy can also protect gooseberries from powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. In addition, this infusion manages to repel aphids and mites from gooseberries.

Recipe for making onion tincture:

• take 200 g of onion peel and pour 9 liters of boiling water over it;
• keep the composition for 2 days;
• filter.

There is another recipe for making onion tincture:

• 1 kg of onion is passed through a meat grinder;
• pour the resulting mass with 1 liter of water;
• insist for 26 hours.

After filtering, 20 ml of infusion is mixed with 10 liters of water, the composition is poured into a sprayer and processing begins.

Birch tar

• gooseberry moth;
• gooseberry sawfly.

To obtain a working solution, mix 2-4 tablespoons of tar with 10 liters of water. For better adhesion of the drug to the leaves, add finely shaved laundry soap.

Citrus infusion

Fruit shells are used to obtain an infusion citrus crops and spoiled fruits. 1 kg of prepared raw material is poured into 10 liters of water and allowed to brew for 5 days at room temperature.

After this period, the infusion is ready for processing. Spraying is carried out every 2 weeks against scale insects, aphids and mealybugs.

Infusion of marigolds

Garden flower plants, marigolds, can also be used to control harmful insects.

To do this, you need to dry the marigolds, and then pour 1 liter of boiling water over 1 kg of dry raw materials. After 50 hours of infusion, the infusion is used by spraying against whiteflies, aphids, mites and fungi.

Soap and soda solution

A solution consisting of soap and soda turned out to be effective against powdery mildew.

To prepare it, you will need to pour 50 g of soda ash with water in an amount of 10 liters and add 50 g of laundry soap.

Whey or sour milk

Lactic acid products can also be beneficial in the fight against powdery mildew.

For these purposes the following can be used:

• kefir;
• spoiled milk;
• milk serum.

When preparing the working solution, mix 9 liters of water with 1 liter of fermented milk product.

Mullein solution

Many gardeners in the spring use mullein solution against fungi on gooseberries.

For processing, you first need to prepare a working solution. Cow patties are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3, and then left for 3 days. Then, immediately before use, the concentrated mullein infusion is diluted again with water in the same ratio.

The prepared infusion is sprayed on gooseberry bushes before flowering.

Wood ash with soap

You can scare away harmful insects from gooseberries with wood ash and soap. To do this you need to do the following:

• take 1.5 kg of ash and place it in a bucket;
• to fill with water;
• Stir the mixture several times within 25 hours;
• Add 50 g of soap to the infusion and mix well.

Sprinkle the gooseberries with the resulting infusion three times with a time interval of 2-3 days.

Kerosene

Kerosene can be used against scale insects, aphids and other insects. To do this, take 80 g of grated laundry soap and a teaspoon of kerosene and pour these ingredients into 1 liter of water. Then the solution is stirred until homogeneous.

The resulting solution is used to spray gooseberries in spring before the flowering phase begins.

Garlic and mustard tincture

The tincture is prepared as follows:

• pour 300 g of garlic leaves, 200 g of onion peels, 2 tbsp into a bucket. l. birch tar and 1 tbsp. mustard;
• pour the ingredients with water;
• leave for 25 hours;
• filter.

The prepared tincture is used for spring spraying of gooseberry bushes.

Boiling water treatment

Many experienced gardeners in the spring, to exterminate pests, use simple boiling water to treat the bushes.

For this purpose they boil clean water, cool it to 85 degrees. This hot water water the soil in tree trunk circles.

This technique destroys the larvae of harmful insects and fungal spores in the soil.

The main mistakes of gardeners

When caring for gooseberries, amateur gardeners, especially beginners, often make mistakes that affect the quality of the crop and can even lead to the death of the plant. Here are the most common mistakes gardeners make:

1. Improper watering. Gooseberries cannot be watered by sprinkling. It is necessary to water at the root or use drip irrigation.
2. Incorrect digging. Gooseberry roots spread quite widely and are easily damaged when digging with a shovel. The soil must be loosened with a hoe or rake.
3. Formation of a plant crown in 1 pass. If you prune the bush in one step and remove many branches, this will cause great stress to the plant. As a result, the gooseberry will set few fruits.
4. Incorrect fertilizer system. This means exceeding the doses and norms of fertilizers, the use of unrotted organic fertilizers, untimely feeding.

A gardener counting on a good gooseberry harvest must promptly treat the plants in the spring against harmful insects and diseases. By devoting a little time to caring for plants, you can expect good results.

To get a good harvest, you should pay due attention to each plant, including gooseberries. Plants should be cared for throughout the year.

This article will discuss caring for gooseberries in the fall. How to prune, fertilize, water, and cover for the winter.

Some inexperienced gardeners believe that the most important thing is to harvest on time and you can have peace of mind until spring. This is a misconception. Fall care should continue with most plants. The same applies to gooseberries. Gooseberries are considered unpretentious plant, but, nevertheless, depending on how the bushes are prepared for the winter, the size of the subsequent harvest depends.

Autumn care is very important. It is during this period that a complex of work is carried out that helps the bushes survive in the cold season, as well as prepare the gooseberries for the next season. Autumn care will protect gooseberries from diseases and provide correct formation branches and contributes to the accumulation of nutrients in the soil.

In autumn, gooseberries need pre-winter care

Stages of autumn gooseberry care

Long-term practice of growing gooseberries shows that in order to get a good harvest before the start of winter, the following work should be done:

• treatment of the root zone;
• disease prevention;
• pruning;
• feeding gooseberries;
• watering;
• shelter for the winter.

Treatment of the root zone

First of all, you should start by clearing out the trash. By autumn, foliage, crushed and rotten berries accumulate in the root zone. All this waste must be removed and subsequently incinerated.

Weeds should be removed on time. Weeds growing near the root system contribute to increased humidity, which leads to the development of viral diseases.

Then you should remove all weeds around the rhizome, as well as ordinary woodlice. To avoid damaging the gooseberry roots, the weeds should not be pulled out, but carefully dug up. Usually wheatgrass grows under the bushes. This weed is very depleting to the soil, so it should be removed immediately.

In the fall, you need to start by cleaning up root debris.

Disease Prevention

By autumn, pockets of various diseases may appear on some gooseberry bushes.

If, during examination of the gooseberries, the slightest foci of disease are detected, then these places should be treated immediately special drugs.

In order to prevent them from developing in the fall, preventive work should be carried out to destroy painful foci. This work should begin immediately after harvesting, when there are no berries left on the bushes. First, you should clarify the extent of the damage.

If they have reached such a scale that the plant can no longer be saved, then they should be sacrificed. It must be dug up and burned until ash forms. You should not regret the loss, since in this way other plantings are protected from disease. If the lesions are small, then you can get rid of them by pruning.

In any case, to prevent diseases, the bushes and the soil under them should be fertilized with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate. You can also use Inta-vir solution. Foundationazole and topaz show good results.

Just like in spring, gooseberries also need fertilizer in autumn.

Bush pruning

Pruning is necessary to ensure that the bush is well lit. When pruning, the plant is freed from diseased, broken and lying branches on the ground.

Gooseberries should be pruned annually. However, it is recommended to begin full pruning when the bush has reached the age of six.

It should be remembered that the harvest is concentrated on 3 six-year-old stems. At year 4, you can start cutting out older stems.

It is necessary to cut out underdeveloped branches located in the root part as early as next year. With such pruning, it is recommended to leave no more than 3-4 strong shoots.

A full pruning procedure should begin in mid-autumn. To do this, you need to stock up on good sharp pruning shears and thick gloves. In order not to transfer foci of disease from one bush to another, you should periodically wipe the pruning shears with alcohol.

Before pruning, the plant should be carefully inspected. Determine its density and ensure the presence or absence of diseases.

First, all the branches that prevent the bush from developing are cut out; usually, upon inspection, they catch the eye. Then all broken branches and those that lie on the ground or are located too low from it are cut out. If you leave them, the berries will come into contact with the ground and rot.

Autumn pruning of gooseberries

The next stage of pruning is thinning. Over the summer, shoots appear on the bush, which thicken the plant. Such shoots usually grow in the very center. A dense bush is poorly blown by the wind, and, therefore, becomes unprotected from the formation of fungal diseases. And the harvest is tied to the outer branches, and this leads to a decrease in yield. Branches located inside the plant should be cut out, and the cut points should be sealed with garden varnish or special garden paint.

Thus, only young, well-developed stems should be left on the bush. If the gooseberry is 6-7 years old, then 5-6 stems are left on it. They should be spaced evenly throughout the crown. It has been verified that it is precisely these shoots that will produce a high yield next year.

Gooseberry fertilizer

Fertilizing should be carried out throughout the plant care season. The first time it is necessary to feed in the spring. For the first feeding, a solution of nitrophoska with urea is used.

The next feeding should be before flowering. It consists of wood ash, which is sprinkled around the gooseberries, and potassium sulfate, which is fed to the roots. At the same time, gooseberries must be fed with organic fertilizers, such as “Berry” or “Breadwinner”.

Berry fertilizer for feeding gooseberries

The third fertilizing in spring and summer is done during the period when the first fruits begin to set. For this treatment, nitrophoska and liquid fertilizer"Ideal".

Autumn feeding is of particular importance. The total number of berries, their size and taste depends on how correctly the fertilizing is carried out.

Autumn feeding is also necessary in order to enable the bush to recover after the end of the fruiting period, strengthen the roots, and prepare the basis for the development of fruit buds.

Autumn feeding should begin in August. The fact is that gooseberries need about 3 weeks to absorb the beneficial substances. If such fertilizing is left until later, the earth begins to cool and root system begins to enter a state of rest. In this condition, it is not able to absorb and absorb nutrients and feeding will not be effective.

The following types of fertilizers are used for autumn feeding:

• phosphate. They help strengthen the root system, as well as supply the sap flow process with carbohydrates;
• potassium These fertilizers are winter period remove excess water from the stems and increase their frost resistance;
• organic. Their application increases productivity. Fertilizers such as manure, litter and compost are especially popular;
• wood ash. It is intended to saturate gooseberries with mineral elements.

Wood ash is necessary for gooseberries both when planting and as they grow

Watering

Autumn watering is necessary only when autumn is marked by dry and warm weather. If there is heavy rain in the fall, then such watering is not effective and should not be carried out.

The watering procedure is very simple. To do this, a small ditch is dug around the bush and water is supplied into it. The amount of water can be at least 30 liters for each bush. After the water has been absorbed into the soil, the ditch is covered with a layer of earth.

Watering for each bush should be carried out at the rate of 30 liters.

Good shelter for the winter

To preserve the bush in winter, it must be protected from frost. This is usually done in late autumn. With the onset of the first frosts, it is necessary to bend the branches to the ground and secure them in the lower position with pegs.

To protect the root system, it must be mulched. Peat, leaves or pine needles can be used for mulching.

One of the options for covering shrubs

Experience has shown that plants are best preserved under a layer of snow. To do this, in regions where there are snowy winters, gooseberry bushes should be covered with a layer of snow. This is done immediately after the first snow falls. In very severe frosts, in order not to freeze the branches, dry grass is thrown over them or they are covered on top with shields of cardboard or plywood. The grass is prepared in the fall and its supply should be stored until spring.

Thus, if you correctly follow all the recommendations for caring for gooseberries, including autumn work, you can get good harvests every year. Besides, autumn processing gooseberry bushes ensures their preservation for long years. For currants and raspberries, the care is similar.

Subject to optimal growing conditions, gooseberries can bear fruit for 20-25 years, and this is far from the limit. There are cases when gooseberries delight with their fruits for 40 years in a row. Of course, to achieve such results, planting gooseberries alone will not be enough. It is necessary to pay due attention to the plant and periodically carry out agrotechnical measures. More information about growing and caring for gooseberries will be discussed in this article.

Gooseberry care

Features of the plant

This is a low shrub, the height of which is no more than 120 cm. Gooseberry has exfoliating brown or gray bark and thorns - thin spines located on the cylindrical shoots of the plant. Small 6-centimeter leaves can be ovoid or round in shape. Their surface is painted bright green color, and there are blunt teeth along the edges.

Growing gooseberries

Gooseberries bloom in May with axillary green or red flowers. The fruits of this crop are small, only 10-12 mm in diameter, but there are also varieties in which the size of spherical or oval berries can reach 45 mm. Painted green, red, white or yellow, gooseberries can be completely naked or covered with small bristles. Gooseberries are not only a decoration for your garden, but also a useful plant, since its fruits contain many vitamins, tannins, metals and organic acids.

Gooseberry variety Ural emerald

On a note! Gooseberries are early honey plants, which is why they attract the attention of many pollinating insects. In addition, this culture is self-fertile. This means that even a single plant growing in the garden will bear fruit regularly. The main thing is proper care.

IN favorable conditions gooseberries bear fruit for more than 20 years

Optimal time for planting

Experienced gardeners It is recommended to plant gooseberries in spring or autumn, but the second half of September - early October is considered the most suitable time for planting the plant. You can plant later, but starting from the second half of autumn, the gooseberries will not be able to take root.

On a note! Spring planting, as a rule, has a bad effect on the properties of the plant - growth and fruiting are an order of magnitude worse.

The photo shows gooseberry planting

Growing gooseberries

Before starting to grow gooseberries, the gardener must decide a number of important issues regarding the choice of planting site, time to prune the plant, protection from pests, and so on. In addition, you need to know how to plant berry crops correctly. Let's consider each point separately.

Selecting a location

Most berry crops, including gooseberries, are very demanding on lighting in the area. If you plant a plant in a shaded area, then there will be no question of a good harvest (the number of berries will decrease every year, as well as the size). In addition, you need to choose a place where the soil is not too waterlogged, because this can harm the gooseberries. The risk of rotting will increase, which will lead to the inevitable death of the bush. To prevent this from happening, try to select areas for planting that are well lit, preferably with low groundwater. Avoid heavy clay soils; it is better to plant some other crops in this place.

Gooseberries on trellises

Selection of seedlings

Most often on the market you can find annual gooseberry seedlings with an open root system. Such plants have a small above-ground part. When buying seedlings, you need to pay attention to the root of the plant, or rather, check its condition. The root of gooseberry seedlings should not be dry, and you also need plants with a sufficiently developed root system. If we talk about shoots, they should look fresh and not have any damage. Having decided on the choice of seedlings and location, you can proceed to the next stage.

Gooseberry seedlings

Landing

The process of growing gooseberries is not particularly difficult for those who have previously encountered this plant. Beginners in this business need to follow certain rules of agricultural technology - this will greatly simplify the planting process.

Table. Step-by-step instruction on planting gooseberries.

Step one	Make special markings on the prepared area. To do this, place a long beam on the ground and drive a stake every 110-130 cm - there will be holes in these places. You can also use a rope for marking; this is not so important.
Step two	Dig the required number of holes for the gooseberries. They should be shallow, matching the size of the plant’s root system. As a rule, the depth of the hole is 25-30 cm.
Step three	Trim the roots of the seedlings with pruning shears: if they are white at the cut site, it means the plant is alive. Before planting, seedlings should be soaked in water for at least 24 hours.
Step four	Fill the planting hole with nitroammphoska (highly effective mineral fertilizer). Each hole should take approximately 200 g. Also add 2-3 shovels of rotted manure. Mix these components thoroughly with the soil from the hole. To do this, use a shovel.
Step five	Place the seedlings in the holes so that not only the root system is underground, but also 3-5 cm of the plant stem.
Step six	After carefully filling the hole with the gooseberry seedling and lightly compacting the soil, fill it with a bucket of water. This should be done immediately after planting.
Step seven	Fill the hole with several shovels of manure after all the liquid has been absorbed into the soil. This will protect the plant from frost.

Aftercare

For good fruiting, you need to properly care for gooseberries. Moreover, regular watering alone will not be enough.

How to care for gooseberries

Soil treatment

Regular loosening and digging of the soil is the key to the active development of the bush and stable fruiting. Depending on the soil structure, the intensity and depth of treatment may vary. When growing a crop on dense soil, you need to use a shovel for digging, but on loose soil it is not needed. It is enough to cultivate the top layer of soil using a garden fork.

Gooseberry bush in a weeded area

Since the gooseberry root system is located close to the surface, processing areas located next to the crown must be carried out with extreme caution. Try not to touch the lower layers of the soil by deepening gardening Tools no more than 6-7 cm. This applies only to the perimeter of the gooseberry crown, and treatment of other areas of the site can be carried out more intensively.

On a note! Do not forget about removing weeds when cultivating the soil. They help increase soil moisture near the bush, which can lead to the development of various viral diseases.

Gooseberry fruits

Top dressing

After planting gooseberries, there is no need to apply fertilizer in the first year. Just start next year by preparing special remedy from manure and ammonium nitrate. Bird droppings can also be used instead of manure. Each gooseberry bush requires 1 bucket of solution, which should be poured not on the bush itself, but under it. Starting from the third year, a mixture of potassium sulfate, superphosphate and manure is used for feeding.

In subsequent years, fertilizing must be done twice a year. As an alternative, you can use organomineral fertilizers for fertilizing, the most effective of which are considered to be “Bioprotect”, “Agrecol”, “Sinta” and others. These are long-acting fertilizers that need to be applied to the soil according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Spraying gooseberries

Trimming

An equally important step in the process of caring for gooseberries is pruning, which in the first years should consist of forming the base of the plant. In this case, the main part of the root shoots must be removed, and the skeletal branches must be shortened by about half.

Gooseberry pruning

After the fourth year, the features of pruning change radically, because now it is to prevent thickening of the bush. All improperly growing, dried out and weak gooseberry shoots must be removed with pruning shears. The formation of the bush should begin before the buds begin to open and after the leaves have completely fallen off. Gardeners are engaged in shortening green shoots in the summer to increase plant productivity. In this case, 5-6 leaves should remain on each gooseberry branch, and the top itself must be cut off. This method promotes the growth of the largest possible fruits.

Gooseberry pruning scheme

Pests and diseases

Like many plants grown in the garden, gooseberries can become victims of pests, including sawflies, aphids and moths. To combat them, it is necessary to treat the crop with a special ash infusion prepared from water and wood ash. If you don't have the desire or ability to cook home remedy from pests, you can buy biological products or karbofos in the store. It is advisable to process gooseberries in the spring, but if necessary, the procedure can be repeated at the end of the flowering period.

Gooseberry pests

Caterpillars eat gooseberries

As a rule, gooseberries are attacked by various diseases and pests in early summer or spring. During this period, regularly inspect the plant and monitor its development. In the second half of March, it is necessary to pour boiling water over the bushes of the plant - this will destroy pathogenic fungi, for example, powdery mildew. If we talk about the fight against more serious pests (bud mites, aphids), then appropriate (more serious) measures are taken for this. Before flowering, you need to treat the plants with mullein infusion. To prepare it you will need cow dung (1 part) and water (3 parts).

Gooseberries suffer from powdery mildew

On a note! If you find symptoms of any disease, then you need to immediately treat the plant with special preparations, including Iskra, Fufanon and others. You can also use infusions of wood ash or tobacco to process.

"Fufanon"

With the onset of winter, when the ground is covered with a layer of snow, the gooseberries must be covered with linoleum or other dense material. This is done in order to destroy all pests overwintering in the soil. After the end of the flowering period, the cover must be removed.

Common gardening mistakes

1. Do not water the bushes from above; it is advisable to provide the plant with drip watering. As can happen with many plants, watering from above often results in rot.
2. Thanks to a thick layer of mulch, you can significantly reduce the number of necessary waterings.
3. Use a hoe or rake to loosen the soil, as using a shovel can damage the root system.
4. When applying mineral or organic fertilizers, it is necessary to take into account the filling of the planting hole. If you added organic and mineral substances when planting, then in the first few years there will be no need for fertilizing.
5. Do not trim all neglected bushes at one time - this takes time. For example, to put one crown in order, an experienced gardener needs at least 2 years. Otherwise, you risk destroying the plant.

Gooseberries on the site, planted along the fence

Harvesting

Video - Planting and caring for gooseberries

In order for gooseberries to bear fruit abundantly for 25 years, the plant must be carefully cared for not only just before fruiting, but throughout the entire growing season. It is especially important to provide the bush with comfortable conditions after a grueling long winter, when there is practically no strength left for further development. So how to care for gooseberries in spring?

Unlike most cultivated plants, caring for gooseberries in the spring begins not with the establishment of warm weather, but immediately after the end of the calendar winter - in early March. This is due to the fact that the berry bush is one of the first to begin its growing season: by the beginning of April, small leaves are already visible on the bush.

Removing cover after winter

The procedure for opening a bush depends on the growing region. In the central and southern regions, mulch is raked around the bush in early spring, which in winter not only played the role of insulation, but also became an excellent place of residence for many pests. To protect gooseberries from hungry insects and prevent their reproduction, organic waste is taken out of the site and burned away from cultivated plantings.

In the north, the shelter is removed a little later, namely in the second half of March. First of all, remove the burlap and branches from the bush, and then untie the twine and remove the layer of mulch.

Watering, loosening and mulching

Despite the fact that gooseberries have excellent drought resistance, the plant will happily accept occasional heavy watering. It is especially important to moisturize the plant during the flowering period. Water is applied directly to the root or a drip irrigation system is installed. Since the root system of the bush is well buried, there should be enough water for irrigation to wet the top layer of soil 30-40 cm thick. The water requirement for an adult bush is 40-60 liters.

Important! It is impossible to water gooseberries with cold water using the sprinkling method. After being in a cold shower, the plant’s immunity decreases, resulting in an increased risk of fungal diseases.

In early May, the soil around the plant is loosened to a depth of 8-10 cm. Manipulation improves aeration and water permeability of the soil, which has a positive effect on the condition of the plant and its yield. Then trunk circle mulch with a thin layer of straw, hay, peat or sawdust.

Organic material will slow down moisture evaporation and also prevent weed growth. Thanks to a simple action, the gardener will free himself from frequent weeding, which is necessary to improve the structure and maintain the nutritional value of the soil.

Feeding and fertilizing

Bushes planted last year, the soil for which was well fertilized, do not require fertilizing. Nutrients begin to be applied to gooseberries, starting from 2nd year after planting. Complex mineral and organic fertilizers are used as fertilizers.

Both types of fertilizers, when applied correctly, perfectly fill the soil with all the components necessary for good growth.

The scheme for applying fertilizing to gooseberry bushes is as follows:

• First feeding is performed immediately after the kidneys show the first signs of life.
• Second times gooseberries are fed during the flowering period.
• Last time Nutrient mixtures are added under the plant during fruit setting.

The following mixtures are used as fertilizers:

• Complex mineral mixtures containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are used as fertilizers.
• In early spring, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen - urea. Consumption of granules per bush - 50-60 g.
• During loosening, 300-400 g of wood ash is embedded in the soil.
• Gooseberries growing strongly poor soil, fed with organic solutions. After flowering ends, pour a bucket of slurry (1:7) into the grooves along the perimeter of the rhizome. chicken manure(1:12) or mullein (1:5).

• Once every 2 years, rotted manure is applied under the plant - 10-15 kg per bush.

Important! For feeding gooseberries it is forbidden use mineral fertilizers with a high content of chlorine.

Trimming

To keep gooseberries healthy and fertile, they need to be pruned regularly. As a result of correctly carried out manipulation, the branches of the bush receive more sunlight and essential microelements, due to which its yield significantly increases. Since the crown is well ventilated, a well-groomed plant is less susceptible to infection by fungal diseases and pest attacks.

Spring pruning of shrubs is carried out as follows:

• Remove all frozen, damaged or diseased branches, as well as those that grow horizontally.
• From last year's shoots, only 3-4 of the strongest are selected, the rest are removed.
• The basal shoots and shoots that have grown on the trunk are trimmed.
• Plants older than 5 years are subjected to anti-aging pruning, during which old branches are alternately replaced with young ones.

Ideally, after pruning, the bush should consist of branches of different ages. Only in this case will the gooseberries produce maximum yield.

By the way! Read more about pruning gooseberries in spring In this article.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Since gooseberries wake up from hibernation very early, they are one of the first to be attacked by hungry insects and fungi and viruses that have raged in warm and humid conditions. To reduce the risk of damage to your favorite bush, treatment of the plant against diseases and pests begins in early spring. To do this, water the plant and the soil around it with slightly cooled boiling water from a shallow watering can.

Subsequently, the bush is periodically sprayed with ash or garlic infusion. Instead of such folk remedies, you can use biological products such as Fitosporin-M, Trichodermin, Gaupsin, Actofit. It is advisable to treat gooseberries with strong pesticides only in case of severe infection. Among the chemicals, it is best to use 1% Bordeaux mixture or 2% copper sulfate.

Important! You will find more detailed information about processing and spraying gooseberries in the spring. In this article.

Transfer

If you decide to replant the shrub, then before the sap begins to flow, the plant must be trimmed, leaving only young branches shortened by a third. Then carefully dig around the diameter of the crown. Having reached a depth of half a meter, the rhizome is lifted with a pitchfork and pulled out together with the earthen lump to the surface. The roots are inspected for diseases or rot and, if necessary, damaged areas are cut off, and then the resulting wounds are sprinkled with ash. The prepared bush is placed on burlap and dragged to the planting hole.

In order for the bush to take root, pour 2-3 buckets of water into the hole and fill it with soil mixed with humus. The plant is placed in a hole, covered with soil, tamped down and watered abundantly again.

Note! You can find detailed information about planting gooseberries in spring And about the methods of its reproduction.

Video: caring for gooseberries in early spring

Features of spring care in different regions

Due to the large extent of our country, spring gooseberry care has its own nuances. What should regional gardeners take into account?

In the middle zone (Moscow region)

Depending on weather conditions, the first manipulations for caring for gooseberries in early spring in the Moscow region are carried out in the first or second ten days of March. Caring for the plant includes ordinary manipulations and does not have any special features.

In the Volga region

Since the regions located along the Volga are characterized by long winters, gooseberry care begins in the second half of March. In those parts of the region where sandy or clay soils, gooseberries are often pampered with fertilizers. After flowering, the bush is well watered, since by this time the soil dries out a lot.

In the Urals and Siberia

In the north, return frosts often occur, which destroy the flowers of the plant. To avoid crop loss, experienced gardeners recommend monitoring the weather and, if necessary, covering young plants at night. If frost constantly takes you by surprise, you can plant several varieties of gooseberries with different flowering periods on your plot.

Since the soil in these regions is quite heavy, it is often loosened. Due to regular manipulation, the yield of gooseberries increases significantly. Gardeners choose disease-resistant, high-yielding, preferably late varieties for planting, such as Green Rain, Grossular, Oksamit, Yarkiy and Shalun. They begin to care for gooseberries in the spring in the third decade of March - early April.

Typical mistakes in caring for gooseberries in spring

It is common for every person to make mistakes, especially if we're talking about about performing unfamiliar work. Novice gardeners are often confused about the following things about caring for gooseberries in the spring:

• Watering is done by sprinkling, as a result of which rot and fungal diseases develop.
• Because of pity for the plant, short and weak branches are not pruned, which is why the plant more often suffers from fungal diseases and bears fruit worse.
• Strong anti-aging pruning is carried out at a time. Such a rush ends in a long illness and death of the plant.
• The plant is pruned or replanted after the buds swell.

By devoting just a little time to proper care of gooseberries in the spring, you can safely count on a bountiful harvest. The main thing to remember is that all manipulations must be carried out within the recommended time frame.

Video: spring work for productive gooseberries

Caring for gooseberries should begin in early spring, as they say: prepare the sleigh in the summer.

Likewise, gooseberries need to be prepared in the spring. Thus, by the time the harvest arrives, the bush will be healthy, strong, and the berries will be large and sweet. If you follow some rules, then just one full-fledged, well-groomed bush can produce a harvest that at least 4-5 unkempt, neglected bushes of the plant can boast of.

It is worth understanding that spring activities for caring for the bush must be carried out before the first buds appear on the bush. Therefore, it is necessary to meet a short deadline, otherwise the future harvest will be meager, and the bush itself will be constantly attacked by diseases and all kinds of pests.

Features of spring care

You will need to carry out a number of manipulations:

1. Treat the plant with fungicides.
2. Trim old, unnecessary branches.
3. Saturate the plant with moisture and provide intensive feeding.

These measures are not always required. If the bush is mature, then it needs to be fertilized only once every 2-3 years. It would be enough.

Briefly, the scheme of spring care activities is as follows:

Events	Target	Date	Method of implementation
Boiling water treatment	Destruction of pests and fungi	End of March - beginning of April	Using a watering can, the crown and base of the bush are watered
Top dressing	Improving soil fertility	April May	In different ways at the discretion of the gardener, in 2 or 4 stages
Mulching	Pest control, soil structuring, moisture conservation	After feeding and loosening - May	Under the bush the ground is covered with sawdust, peat, dry grass
Trimming	Destruction of pests, leveling the shape of the bush crown	End of March - beginning of April	Dry shoots and branches are cut off using pruners
Loosening the soil	Weed control	First days of May	It is loosened under the crown with a rake and carefully dug at the base with a shovel.
Treatment	Disease Prevention	Before flowering and after flowering	Sprayed with a spray bottle
Watering	Maintaining soil moisture	During the flowering period	Watering is done under the bushes

Rules for pruning and proper formation of the crown of the bush So, measures for caring for gooseberries should not end with the passing of spring. Watering and loosening activities need to be continued throughout the summer and into the fall. In addition to spring loosening, you need to loosen the soil under the bush at least 4 more times during the summer season.

Pruning is the most important manipulation, which is of no small importance in the matter of the future harvest. It needs to be carried out at a time when the buds have not yet bloomed.

Also, if you are late with pruning and do it when the buds have already opened, you can seriously injure the plant and lead to its death. Some gardeners start pruning in winter, even when there is still snow cover outside.

You need to remove unnecessary branches for the following reasons:

1. Weak, frostbitten branches will develop weaker.
2. Branches with defects and weakened shoots will not produce a harvest.
3. Weak and dry branches will artificially thicken and shade the bush, which will not benefit the harvest.

Pruning is one of the most important ways to increase gooseberry yields. Pruning should be done taking into account the age of the plant. The intensity, as well as the method of carrying out the work, depends on it.

That is why you need to familiarize yourself with the basics of pruning:

1. Pruning seedlings in the year of planting is important, since it is during this period that the correct structure of the plant is formed. It is not only weak shoots that need to be trimmed. Strong branches also need to be shortened, leaving 4-5 buds on each. According to professional gardeners, it is enough to leave only 3-4 shoots from which in the future a full-fledged and strong bush, its crown and root shoots will grow.
2. It is important to carry out pruning in the second year after planting the bush. It is in this year that the first harvest of a young plant usually appears. Only weakened branches are cut off. By the end of the summer season, a two-year-old bush usually has 3 main shoots and about 5 new, young and strong shoots.
3. In the third year, the bush usually already has about 25-35 branches that form the base of the crown. After this, all young growth is completely removed.
4. Subsequent pruning involves only maintaining the condition of the bush. Only the oldest branches are cut out, young ones are left and replace the old ones.

Also, it is necessary to cut off weak, frozen, broken and damaged shoots. They need to be trimmed completely or to the first healthy bud. It is also necessary to prevent excessive bush density by cutting off excess branches.

After 7-8 years, the bush stops producing the same harvest. In this case, pruning should be more drastic. The gardener needs to recreate a new plant skeleton. To do this, 3-4 new shoots are left, and the old ones are completely removed. It is from this moment that the bush begins to form anew and the procedures can be repeated.

Watering gooseberries

An adult gooseberry bush needs proper watering. This plant does not like too much moisture, but does not tolerate dryness. Gooseberries are watered mainly together with fertilizer, so that the procedure is more effective. Watering is also carried out in case of too dry weather.

Protecting the bush from pests and diseases

Powdery mildew on gooseberries

Protecting the bush from pests is the main task of the gardener. It is in the spring that the fight against disease begins.

During this period, it is necessary to take all possible measures to prevent fungi and other harmful factors that can harm the bush. One of the most common methods is spraying the bushes with hot water.

The main thing is to do this until the buds bloom. Otherwise, high temperature water can destroy young shoots and future harvests. This treatment is good because it kills most of the awakened pests and their young larvae.

You can cope with insects by protecting gooseberries from them in the fall. To do this, the soil under the bush needs to be covered with dense material, which will protect the bush from many pests, including the gooseberry moth.

Aphids also don’t mind eating gooseberries. You can combat this by spraying the bush with tar soap and garlic or Fitoverm.

One of the most common diseases of gooseberries is powdery mildew. There are many options to combat it.

Here are just a few of them:

1. 50 g of grated soap (tar or laundry) and soda ash in the amount of 2 tbsp. spoons, diluted in a bucket of water. A spray mixture is used.
2. You can spray the bush with iron sulfate in the amount of 100 g per 1 bucket of water.
3. Spraying can increase the plant's immunity and protect it from fungi and other dangers. Potash fertilizers are used for this. An ash solution in the amount of 1.5 kg per 7 liters of water is excellent. This solution needs to be left for a day, after which you can start spraying the plant.
4. The most natural and organic fertilizer is mullein infusion. Half a bucket of mullein is poured with a bucket of water and left for 7 days. After this, it is filtered and the plants are sprayed with it.
5. Also, a good preventative measure is to treat the bushes with hot water and potassium permanganate. This composition can rid the plant and soil of the most dangerous pests and fungi. Treatment should be carried out in early spring, before the buds appear on the bushes.

All these methods can protect the plant from future attacks by pathogenic microorganisms and help the gardener reap a truly high-quality harvest.

Spring feeding

If the soil on which the gooseberries grow is not characterized by good fertility, then additional fertilizing is required. However, you should definitely take into account the fact that if the bush has been fertilized correctly, then it does not need to be fertilized for 3 years.

A young seedling needs to be fed 3 times over 2 years.

According to the rules, this is done in the spring in the following sequence:

1. The first feeding is done in early April during the period of bud opening. To prepare the infusion you need to take 1 kilogram potato peelings and 100 grams of ash and mix it with 10 liters of water. Watering is done under the gooseberry bush. Consumption 3 liters per 1 bush.
2. The second feeding is carried out during the flowering period of the plant. To prepare, you need to take 5 kilograms of various greens and 2 kilograms of manure. All this is diluted in 20 liters of water and infused for 3 days. Consumption of 5 liters of fertilizer per 1 gooseberry bush.
3. The third feeding takes place when the bush ovaries. The feeding setting is the same as in the second case.

Advice from experienced gardeners: Additionally, straw, peat, sawdust, and tree bark are used to fertilize gooseberries.

Tillage

Gooseberries are practically not picky about the soil. It does not grow on swampy, cold and acidified soils. If the bush grows on clay soil, then it needs to be loosened regularly.

If the soil under the gooseberries is sandy, then it needs to be enriched with organic fertilizers. It is better to cultivate the land in May. A hoe is used for this. The treatment is carried out within the crown; loosening needs to be done to a depth of 6-9 cm. The foliage must first be removed.

Loosening is rarely carried out as an independent procedure. Usually, the soil is also fertilized along with it. After this, mulching is carried out. A sufficiently thick layer of mulch prevents the growth of unnecessary growth and retains moisture in the soil for a long time.

Mulching is carried out using humus, peat, potato peelings, straw, small wood shavings, rotted sawdust, tree bark and mowed grass. Mulching can significantly support the condition of gooseberries in especially hot weather, when the soil dries out very much.

Care mistakes that should not be made

Often, amateur gardeners who have just begun to deal with gooseberries simply do not know how to care for the plant, making a number of mistakes. In some cases, such oversights can lead not only to a decrease in the quality of the crop, but even cause the death of the plant.

What mistakes are made most often:

1. Improper watering- gooseberries do not like drought, so they need regular watering. However, it is impossible to water gooseberries, like a number of other garden plants, using the sprinkling method. For optimal and beneficial watering, moisture must be delivered directly to the root system. For this purpose, it is best to use subsoil and drip irrigation.
2. Incorrect digging- gooseberries have a fairly developed root system, which can be easily damaged by improper digging. The earth is loosened not with a shovel, but only with a rake and hoe.
3. Forming the crown of a bush at one time- if you try to form the base of the bush at one time, then this is extremely in a bad way will affect the yield of gooseberries. The crown is restored to its correct state within 2 years.
4. The wrong way to fertilize the soil- the plant cannot be fertilized with different fertilizers each time. If organic substances were used during planting, then switch to chemical compositions undesirable.

What else does a gardener need to know?

There are a number of nuances that every gardener must know:

1. You should not mix organic and inorganic fertilizers. This can have a bad effect on the yield of the plant.
2. Once every 3 years, fertilizing must be carried out without fail. This is necessary in order to saturate the extremely depleted soil, which loses its qualities due to the active nutrition of the developed root system of the gooseberry.
3. When using nitroammophoska as a feed, the dosage must be observed. If you oversaturate the soil with this fertilizer, the crop may suffer from nitrates.

Spring care of the gooseberry bush is very important. It is in the spring that a gardener can provide the plant with a good harvest, protection from pests and active growth. All care activities must be carried out according to the instructions.

You should not exclude any procedures, since maintaining the health of the gooseberry and preventing its diseases is possible only with the help of a set of measures. And then during the harvest season the plant will certainly delight you with its generous fruits.

When growing any plant in the garden or vegetable garden, it is important to care for them throughout the year. However, plants need the most attention in the spring, when vegetative processes awaken in them. The topic of the article is caring for gooseberries in the spring, the main methods of controlling pests and diseases, necessary feeding and little tricks for caring for bushes.

Spring period is rightfully considered one of the most labor-intensive of the year. On the one hand, it is necessary to have time to prepare all the plants for intense growth, on the other hand, to provide them with protection by thoroughly treating the soil and the plants themselves with fungicides and insecticides. Add to this pruning, fertilizing, replanting, and you can easily understand why in the spring there is so little time to simply enjoy the first warmth of the sun.

Caring for gooseberries begins when the snow has not yet melted. The first step is to trim old, weak, dry branches. It is also necessary to get rid of frozen shoots. With a high probability, fruits will not appear on them, but they will pull nutrients from the bush. It is imperative to coat the cuts with garden lime to prevent infection.

Immediately after pruning, the bushes should be sprayed with boiling water using a spray bottle. Thus, you not only awaken it from hibernation, but also disinfect it, killing most pests and pathogens.

With the arrival of May preparatory work are resumed. It is necessary to thoroughly loosen the soil around the bushes, going 10-12 centimeters deep, and then mulch with straw, sawdust or peat. They do this in order to repeat the procedure only a few times in the future. At the same time, the first fertilizing with a solution of potassium and nitrogen takes place to stimulate the growth of green mass.

You can also tie up gooseberry bushes, especially if they are planted in rows. Install guy ropes and stretch a net between them, to which tie the branches of the bush at a level of 30 centimeters. This procedure is recommended if the branches of the bush are dead or drooping.

Watering and fertilizing

Gooseberries, due to their drought resistance, do not need regular and abundant watering. Of course, if the summer turns out to be very hot and dry, then even the gooseberry will need support, even after fruiting has ended. It is important to monitor the water temperature. Watering with cold water is unacceptable, as this has a detrimental effect on the root system and the general condition of the bush. Moreover, this makes the plant extremely vulnerable to the development of many fungal diseases.

Do not forget that almost all fungal microflora prefer high humidity and low temperature or, which is especially dangerous in hot seasons, high humidity and temperature.

That is, watering with cold water not only reduces the gooseberry’s immunity, but also awakens the fungus to harmful activities.

To retain moisture during dry periods, it is recommended to mulch the soil with leaves, straw, sawdust or peat to retain moisture in the soil longer.

But gooseberries need fertilizing, regular and well-formulated. Considering the fact that gooseberries bear fruit every year and rarely change their place of growth, the soil on the site is extremely depleted. That is why it is so important not to skimp on mineral and organic fertilizers in order to maintain a normal balance of nutrients, which gooseberry bushes consume in large quantities during flowering and fruiting.

In the spring, under each bush you need to add half a bucket of compost mixed with superphosphate (50 grams), ammonium sulfate (25 grams) and potassium sulfate (25 grams). Moreover, for abundantly fruiting bushes, the dose of fertilizer is doubled.

Proper fertilization is carried out around the perimeter of the crown, since the roots extend underground in this radius.

To fertilize, carefully loosen the tree trunk circle and mix fertilizers with the soil. The next feeding of gooseberries is necessary immediately after flowering to ensure good fruiting. It is carried out using mullein infusion: dilute it 1:5, and then pour at least 5 liters of the resulting solution under each bush.

Disease and pest control

The fight against diseases and insects that harm not only gooseberries, but also all plants in the garden and vegetable garden is endless. Due to the fact that the same microorganisms that cause diseases easily overwinter in upper layers soil, plant debris and the bark of gooseberry bushes, it is quite difficult to get rid of them once and for all.

The most dangerous disease for gooseberries is powdery mildew. Fungal microflora develops in a humid and warm environment, manifesting itself as a loose white coating on all above-ground parts of the gooseberry. At first, it is quite easy to wipe off or wash away the plaque from the gooseberry, but if this is not done, it will transform into a brown, compacted growth on the green part of the plant. Under the influence of the fungus, the leaves and shoots of the bush wither and curl, the fruits crack and fall off.

The fight against powdery mildew consists of preventive treatment of bushes with the preparation “HOM” or “Zircon M” in early spring, as well as the use of these products at the first symptoms of the disease. The working proportion for the medicinal solution is 40 grams of the drug per 10 liters of warm water.

White spotting, anthracnose, rust and mosaic cause no less inconvenience to the plant. Against them, preventive treatment of bushes and the soil around them is used with the drug “Nitrafen”, a solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture. For any fungal diseases, a good prevention would be to collect fallen leaves and then burn them.

The fight against insects that harm gooseberry plantings is another important stage in caring for the plant. Most often, shoot aphids can be seen on young shoots, and on the eve of flowering, fire butterflies emerge from the ground and lay eggs in the inflorescences. The offspring of the moth spoils the fruits and seeds of gooseberries. The natural, albeit sad, result of their harmful effects is the complete withering of the bush, since it loses a large amount of nutrients.

To prevent the appearance of insects near gooseberry bushes in the spring, after the snow has melted, the soil around the bushes must be covered with any dense material, for example, roofing felt. This way, the offspring of the fire butterfly will not be able to get out of the ground to lay eggs in flowers. After flowering ends, you can remove the covering material.

Carry out preventive spraying of bushes and the soil around them with a hot solution of copper sulfate, as well as with the preparation “Bikol”.

Video “Gooseberry: spring work”

From this video you will learn what work needs to be done with gooseberries in the spring in order to get a good harvest of berries.

Common gooseberry (lat. Ribes uva-crispa), or rejected, or European- a species belonging to the Currant genus of the Gooseberry family. The gooseberry berry comes from North Africa and Western Europe, also grows wild in Central and Southern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America. Gooseberries were first described by Jean Ruel in 1536 in the book “De natura stirpium”. In Europe, gooseberries became known in the 16th century, and already in the 17th century they became such a popular berry crop in England that active breeding work began, which resulted in the emergence of several varieties of gooseberries, and 19th century there were already hundreds of them. At the same time, American breeders also got to work and managed to develop gooseberry hybrids that were resistant to powdery mildew, the plant’s main enemy. Now gooseberries are grown in almost all gardens in the world. We call this berry northern grapes.

Listen to the article

Planting and caring for gooseberries

• Landing: possible in the spring, but better from late September to mid-October.
• Lighting: bright sun.
• The soil: sandy, sandy loam, loamy and even clayey, neutral or slightly acidic reaction.
• Mulching: in May after watering and loosening the soil around the bushes.
• Watering: drip or subsoil, from 3 to 5 waterings per season. The sprinkling method is absolutely not suitable.
• Garter: hanging branches are lifted from the ground with a net or guy wires.
• Trimming: before the buds swell - for sanitary purposes, the main pruning is in the fall, during the leaf fall period.
• Feeding: 1st - at the beginning of the growing season, 2nd - immediately after flowering, 3rd - 2-3 weeks after the second.
• Reproduction: dividing the bush, perennial branches, cuttings, layering and grafting. Seed propagation is used mainly in breeding experiments.
• Pests: shoot aphids, gooseberry moths, sawflies, moths, borers, glass beetles, currant gall midges and spider mites.
• Diseases: anthracnose, powdery mildew, septoria, goblet rust, viral mosaic.

Read more about growing gooseberries below.

Gooseberry bushes - description

Gooseberry is a small shrub up to 120 cm high with exfoliating grey-brown bark and leafy spines. Young cylindrical shoots have thin needles - gooseberry thorns. Round or heart-ovate leaves of gooseberry up to 6 cm long are dull, short-haired, on petioles. Leaf blade with three to five lobes and blunt teeth along the edge. The flowers, reddish or greenish, axillary, bloom in May. Gooseberry fruits are oval or spherical berries up to 12 mm long (although there are varieties with fruits up to 40 mm long), bare or covered with coarse bristles, with obvious venation, yellow, white, red or green in color, ripen in June-August.

Gooseberries are not only tasty, but also healthy, as they are rich in organic acids, metal salts, tannins and vitamins. Gooseberries are early honey plants that attract many pollinating insects to the garden. In addition, this is a self-fertile crop, that is, even if you have a single bush in your garden, it will still bear fruit.

Planting gooseberries

When to plant gooseberries

Gooseberries are planted both in spring and in autumn - from late September to mid-October, and experienced gardeners prefer autumn planting, arguing that before the onset of winter the bushes have time to take root and form strong roots. Before planting gooseberries, choose a place for it in accordance with the requirements of agricultural technology: the root system of the plant is quite long, so do not plant it in lowlands, so as not to expose the gooseberries to the risk of fungal diseases.

Give it a sunny place on a hill or on a flat area, protected from cold northern and eastern winds, with neutral or slightly acidic soil, the pH value of which is close to 6. Gooseberries grow well on loamy, sandy, sandy loam and clayey soils, but the latter require when growing gooseberries frequently loosened.

Planting gooseberries in autumn

It is inconvenient to weed the soil around gooseberries because of their thorns, so in early autumn you need to clear the area where you plan to grow gooseberries from root weeds - for example, wheatgrass.

Before planting gooseberries, dig up the area, carefully selecting weed rhizomes from the ground, then level the soil surface with a rake, breaking up the lumps.

2-3 weeks before planting, so that the soil has time to settle, they dig holes 50 cm deep, long and wide: the top, fertile layer of soil is removed and put aside, then the lower, infertile layer is laid in the other direction. About 10 kg of rotted manure or humus and 50 g of potassium sulfate and superphosphate are added to the fertile layer and the fertilizers are mixed with the soil - this supply of microelements will last the plants for several years. If the soil on the site is clayey, add a bucket of river sand to the hole. The distance between two bushes should be from a meter to one and a half, and between the rows - about three meters.

For planting, you need to take one-year or two-year-old gooseberry seedlings with a well-developed root system - the roots are 25-30 cm long, and the ground part should consist of several strong shoots. Before planting, soak the roots of the seedlings for a day in a solution of organic fertilizers at the rate of 3-4 tablespoons of sodium humate per five liters of water. The seedlings are placed in the hole straight or slightly inclined so that the root collar is several centimeters below the ground level, the roots should be well straightened. The earth is poured into the hole in parts, each portion of the earth is compacted.

The planted bushes are watered with a bucket of water, and when it is absorbed, the area is mulched with a two to three centimeter layer of peat or humus - this measure will reduce the evaporation of moisture and prevent the formation of a crust on the surface of the soil. After planting and mulching the area, trim the shoots, leaving from each only a piece of about five centimeters long with five to six buds.

Planting gooseberries in spring

We will not waste your time by describing how to plant gooseberries in the spring, since this procedure is no different from autumn planting. The only thing I would like to add to the above: if you have a choice, plant gooseberries in the fall, since plants planted in the spring have a slightly worse survival rate and shoot growth than bushes planted in October. And one more thing: gooseberries actively begin to bear fruit only in the third or fourth year, and this activity proper care lasts 10-15 years.

Gooseberry care

Caring for gooseberries in spring

Planting gooseberries and caring for them is not particularly difficult, especially for those who already have experience in growing this plant, but even for beginners, growing gooseberries, provided that all the rules of agricultural technology are followed, will not be a punishment. At the very beginning of spring, while there is still snow, gooseberry bushes are treated with boiling water through a sprayer. This “hot” treatment of gooseberries in the spring is carried out as a preventive measure against plant infection by pests and diseases.

In May, the soil around the bushes is loosened to a depth of 8-10 centimeters and mulched to avoid frequent loosening in the future; at the same time, if necessary, the gooseberries are fertilized with manure infusion or a solution of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers.

The plant is very sensitive to lack of moisture in the soil, especially in spring, during the flowering period, and in summer, when gooseberry fruits ripen. The most effective are subsoil and drip irrigation methods, since they allow moisture to be delivered directly to the roots of the plant - to a depth of five to forty centimeters. During the growing season, it is necessary to carry out from three to five such irrigations. Do not water gooseberries using sprinkling method, especially with cold water. If you mulched the area in May, you won't have to fight weeds as often and loosen the soil with the prospect of being scratched by the sharp thorns of the gooseberries, but if necessary, be prepared to perform this feat.

If the gooseberries are planted in rows, the hanging branches are raised with nets or guy wires stretched between the rows at a height of 25-30 centimeters on both sides of the row.

Gooseberry care in autumn

In the fall, gooseberries are prepared for winter - they are fertilized so that the plant has food for laying fruit buds for the next year, they are pruned so as not to do this in the spring with a risk to the health of the plant.

How to feed gooseberries

Gooseberries bear fruit for many years, extracting a significant amount of nutrients from the soil, so annual application of both mineral and organic fertilizers becomes necessary. In the spring, half a bucket of compost, 50 g of superphosphate and 25 g of ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate are added to each bush. If the bush is very large and bears fruit abundantly, double the rate.

Fertilizers are applied to the soil along the perimeter of the crown- it is in this diameter that the gooseberry roots lie - and are sealed by loosening the soil. Immediately after flowering, and then 2-3 weeks later, fertilizing is carried out with a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:5 at the rate of 5-10 liters for each gooseberry bush.

Gooseberry pruning

Pruning gooseberries in spring

In early spring, before the buds swell, gooseberries are pruned - unproductive, weak, dry, diseased or broken shoots are removed, as well as shoots that have frozen over the winter; in addition, you need to remove the root shoots and lightly trim the weakened ends of the branches to healthy tissue. But before you prune the gooseberries, make sure that the sap flow in it has not yet begun: the gooseberries awaken very early, and you may not have time before the damage to the branches becomes dangerous for the plant - by belated pruning you will only cause harm to the plant, weakening it . That is why responsible people prefer to do the main pruning of gooseberries in the fall.

Pruning gooseberries in autumn

Pruning must be carried out annually, otherwise by the third year of life the bushes become thickened, and low-quality fruits are formed in the thicket. And it is much easier to treat gooseberries for diseases and pests if the bush is not overgrown. The most valuable branches on a gooseberry bush are five to seven years old, and the branches are of the first three orders; the remaining branches and branches are unproductive. Based on this, branches older than 8-10 years should be pruned to the ground - they are almost black in color. This measure will allow the bush to form zero shoots, which will eventually replace the aging ones.

The tops of the shoots are cut off only when small, low-quality berries begin to form on them, but it is also better to cut off shoots that grow too low or too far away. How to treat gooseberries after pruning especially cuts on thick shoots with a diameter greater than 8 mm, so that the plant juice does not leak out through these wounds? The best way to do this is with a garden varnish.

If you want to get a rich harvest of berries, you will have to devote time fruit bushes during the whole year. Caring for gooseberries in spring begins with sanitary pruning, fertilizing, loosening the soil and removing weeds. But even during the summer and autumn, the shrub requires certain care to maintain high yields.

This article will describe the main features of growing and caring for gooseberries at home. You will learn how to keep your shrub healthy in the spring, and how to grow it in personal plot.

Caring for gooseberries in spring

There is nothing difficult in caring for gooseberries in the spring, despite the fact that this crop has certain growing characteristics. For example, in early spring, when the ground is still partially covered with snow, preventive treatment of shrubs against diseases and pests is carried out.

Figure 1. Spring treatment of shrubs with boiling water

The most effective preventive measure is watering with boiling water (Figure 1). Hot water is poured into a hand sprayer and the bushes that are still dormant are evenly treated. Hot water can destroy larvae of pests and pathogens that may have overwintered on stems, leaves or soil.

Peculiarities

Treatment with boiling water is far from the only feature spring care. In May, when the buds awaken and the branches are covered with young leaves, the soil is loosened superficially and weeds are removed.

Note: Deep loosening of the soil around the bushes cannot be carried out, since in this case the roots of the plant located close to the surface can easily be damaged.

In the spring it is also necessary to feed the bushes with mullein infusion or mineral potassium and nitrogen fertilizers. This stimulates the growth of young shoots and gives the bushes the opportunity to develop more actively.

Rules

If you have not grown gooseberries before, you will benefit from the advice of experienced gardeners regarding caring for the crop in the spring.

Spring work with plantings is like this(Figure 2):

• Regular watering vital for the crop, as it is very sensitive to lack of moisture, especially in the spring months. It is best to use root or drip irrigation, since in this case the moisture goes directly to the roots. However, waterlogging and compaction of the soil should not be allowed, as this can cause root rot and the development of fungal diseases.
• Loosening and mulching carried out after each watering. Loosening allows you to saturate the soil with oxygen, and mulching prevents moisture evaporation and weed growth.
• Sanitary pruning is carried out very early, in March, since the plant belongs to early crops, and its buds begin to awaken with the arrival of the first warm days. Until this point, you need to remove all damaged, dry or frozen shoots, as well as branches that thicken the crown.

Figure 2. The main stages of planting care: watering, loosening and pruning

Mature bushes grow actively, and their branches can intertwine, forming dense growth. In this case, it will be difficult to care for the shrub, so it is advisable to tie young shoots of shrubs to trellises or other supports.

Caring for gooseberries in spring: video

From the video you will learn how to properly care for plants in the spring to maintain high yields and prevent plant diseases.

Growing gooseberries in the garden

Many gardeners prefer to grow gooseberries in their garden plots, since this crop is characterized by high yields, but does not require special care.

If he is landed in right place, it will successfully bear fruit for 20 years, but for this you need to regularly thin out the crown and rejuvenate pruning. Let's take a closer look at the main features of growing this crop in the country.

Secrets of growing

Seedlings can be planted in open ground not only in spring, along with most other fruit crops, but also in autumn. Experienced gardeners advise planting in the fall, since in the spring it is easy to miss the right time for planting.

Note: Spring planting is carried out only at a time when the soil has thawed, but the buds have not yet swelled. As a rule, this period is only a few days. If you miss the right time, the plant will not take root well in the new place or will not take root at all.

In the fall, it is easier to choose the moment to plant. It is carried out about a month and a half before the onset of frost. Gooseberries quickly form roots, so young seedlings will have time not only to acclimatize to a new place, but also to take root well.

It is important to maintain the optimal distance between bushes. It depends on the variety: for compact ones one meter will be enough, and large varieties planted at a distance of two meters from each other. Only under such conditions will the plant’s root system be able to obtain a sufficient amount of nutrients from the soil.

Selecting a location

Gooseberries belong to crops that are demanding on the lighting of the site. The plant should be planted in well-lit places. There should be no drafts in the garden bed, but it is advisable that the area be ventilated (Figure 3).

Note: Shaded areas are not suitable for the crop, because with a lack of sunlight, the berries become small and the yield of the shrub decreases overall.

Swampy lowlands and areas with close groundwater are not suitable for cultivation. Heavy clay soils are also not suitable for the plant. In conditions high humidity and soil density increases the risk of root rot and fungal infection.

Arrangement

In order for gooseberries to bear fruit regularly and abundantly, you need to properly arrange a bed for it and provide optimal conditions growth.

The basic requirements for growing crops are:

• When planting in a hole, you need to add fertilizers: rotted manure or compost, wood ash and superphosphate. This mixture will provide the seedlings with all the necessary nutrients for rooting and growth.
• Before planting, the seedling is inspected and all damaged and dry branches or parts of roots are removed. It is also recommended to prune the bush, leaving five buds on each branch.
• During planting, each layer of soil that is sprinkled on the seedling must be compacted so that voids do not form around the roots. After planting, the soil around the bush is watered abundantly and mulched.

Figure 3. Preparing the site for planting seedlings

It is also advisable to install supports or trellises near each bush, to which the young branches of the plant will be tied in the future. This will form the crown of the correct shape and prevent branches from intertwining.

In the video you can find expert advice on caring for this plant.

Is it possible to grow gooseberries from seeds?

Most gardeners prefer to plant gooseberries with ready-made seedlings purchased in specialized stores or nurseries. But, like other crops, it can be successfully grown from seeds.

The basic rules for growing from seeds are:(Figure 4):

• Seeds are collected only from very ripe fruits. They need to be thoroughly cleaned of pulp and dried.
• Finished seeds cannot be stored. They are immediately sown in the ground.
• In pots that will be used for germinating seeds, you need to make a layer of drainage at the bottom to remove excess moisture.
• The soil mixture for seed germination consists of fertile soil, humus and sand in equal proportions.
• Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 0.5 cm and at a distance of 5 cm from each other.

Figure 4. Growing gooseberries from seeds

The seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil on top, watered abundantly, covered with film and placed in a cool room. In the future, you need to ensure that the soil does not dry out. When the seedlings grow up, they are picked and transplanted into fertile soil.

Standard gooseberry: how to grow

Standard gooseberries, unlike ordinary varieties, are distinguished not only by practical, but also by decorative value. For example, such a shrub can be used as a central element to decorate a flower bed with low flowers.

In addition, standard varieties are much less likely to be affected by powdery mildew, and their fruits are one and a half times larger than the berries that can be obtained from ordinary bush varieties. However, it should be borne in mind that standard species require more careful care. Most varieties are not resistant to low temperatures and easily freeze in winter, so special shelters need to be provided for the shrubs. In addition, the shape of the crown must be regularly shaped by pruning, since young growth easily thickens the crown.

Peculiarities

To grow a standard crop, you need to choose the standard itself - a small trunk with a height of 60 cm to a meter. Having planted a crop correctly, you can significantly facilitate its care, since it is much easier to collect fruits and prune on a bush raised above the ground (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Growing gooseberries on a trunk

The main feature of growing a standard plant is that this technology Great for small areas. Using trunks, you can raise the bush above the ground. As a result, even an adult large shrub will take up little space, and harvesting and pruning will be easier than with conventional bush forms.

Growing rules

As in the case of bush forms, the cultivation of a standard type is carried out according to certain rules.

Firstly, you need to choose the right variety for growing on a trunk. Ordinary varieties are covered with snow in winter, and shrubs raised above the ground can easily freeze and die. That is why you need to choose frost-resistant varieties.

Secondly, you need to choose a suitable standard. In this case, there are several options: growing a trunk from the bush itself or pinching a seedling to the trunk of a golden currant. In the first option, the seedling is grown for two years and, when the plants receive the necessary strength, the entire above-ground part is removed. After this, young shoots are formed, from which one of the strongest shoots is selected, and the rest are removed. Next spring, almost all the buds are removed from the shoot, leaving only the 5-6 strongest ones in the upper part. They will become the main ones for the formation of skeletal branches. In the case of using the trunk of a golden currant as a standard, the usual pinching of the bud is carried out on the selected standard.

Landing standard gooseberry carried out in the same way as conventional varieties. Requirements for lighting and soil also remain unchanged.

Among modern methods The trellis method of growing crops is considered one of the most popular and convenient (Figure 6).

Growing gooseberries on a trellis cannot be called simple, but with some care you can significantly increase the yield of the crop and extend its fruiting period. In addition, the berries are evenly heated by the sun and receive the same amount of nutrients, and are not contaminated, since branches lowered low to the ground this method no cultivation.

Peculiarities

To increase productivity, you need to properly manufacture and install trellises. These are special support structures to which plant shoots are tied.

Figure 6. Trellis for gartering and growing gooseberries

By correctly placing trellises on the site, you can save space in the garden. Ordinary shrubs grow widely, and it is not always possible to remove young shoots. If the gooseberry is fixed on a trellis, it is much easier to control the growth of young shoots, and it is more convenient to collect the fruits.

Landing technique

You can use wooden poles or metal pipes height of at least two meters. Three rows of wire are stretched between the supports, located one above the other.

In spring or autumn, seedlings are planted, placing them at a distance of a meter from each other. About a week after planting, you need to prune the seedlings. In this case, all branches located near the ground are removed and only strong upper shoots are left.

The branches are tied to the wire of the first level. The next year, the length of the shoots increases, and young shoots are tied to a second wire. A year later, the procedure is repeated, tying the shoots to the third wire. Subsequently, all the growth formed near the root collar is removed, and young shoots are shortened or cut off so that the bush remains compact.

Pros and cons of technology

The technology of growing gooseberries on trellises has both pros and cons. Among the advantages are the compact placement of shrubs on the site and the ease of caring for them. A shrub attached to a trellis is much easier to trim, and the fruits are evenly warmed by the sun. In addition, shrubs on a trellis are easier to harvest, and the berries are larger in size.

The disadvantage of growing on a trellis is the large labor costs for arranging the site. You need to choose the right supports, install them and stretch wire between the posts to secure the shoots. In addition, when growing a crop on a trellis, a lot of attention needs to be paid to pruning, since all the young growth that forms near the root collar must be regularly removed.

Advice from experienced gardeners will help you successfully grow gooseberries in your garden, even if you have never cultivated this crop before.

First, you need to choose the right site for the plant. This culture does not tolerate shady and too wet places, so it is better to immediately choose a well-lit area with fertile soil.

Secondly, seedlings should be placed at a distance of 1-2 meters from each other (depending on the variety). Crowded planting will result in weakened plants and increased susceptibility to disease.

Thirdly, it is better to plant in the fall rather than in the spring. The buds of the crop awaken very quickly after winter, so it’s easy to miss the right time for planting. In autumn, planting is carried out about a month before the onset of frost. Gooseberries very quickly form young roots and manage to take root by winter.

In addition, the shrub needs to be regularly fed with organic and mineral fertilizers, and it is advisable to do this in the spring, when the plants need nutrients most.