The common gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa), either European or rejected, is a member of the currant genus of the gooseberry family. The birthplace of this plant is considered Western Europe and North Africa. IN natural conditions it is also found in Southern and Central Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus and North America. J. Ruel was the first to describe gooseberries in 1536 in the book “De natura stirpium”. About the existence of gooseberries in European countries became known only in the 16th century, while in the 17th century in England its popularity increased sharply, as a result, intensive work by breeders began to develop new varieties of this crop. At first, only a few varieties of gooseberries were obtained, but by the 19th century there were already several hundred of them. Specialists from America also worked on gooseberries; they got a hybrid of this plant resistant to powdery mildew, which is considered the main enemy of this culture. Today, gooseberries are cultivated in almost every country. In Russia, such a plant is called “northern grapes”.

Gooseberry is not a very large shrub, the height of which does not exceed 1.2 m. The peeling bark is colored brownish-gray. The plant has spines of leaf origin. On the surface of young shoots cylindrical there are thin needles - these are thorns. Petiolate dull leaf plates are short-haired, they have a heart-shaped or ovate rounded shape and length about 60 mm. The leaves are three to five lobed, with blunt teeth along the edge. Axillary pale red or light green flowers open in May. The fruits are spherical or oval-shaped berries, reaching 1.2 cm in length (in some varieties the berries are about 4 cm long), their surface can be bare or there are coarse bristles on it, and there are clearly visible venations. They can be white, green, yellow or red in color and ripen from June to August. The fruits of this bush are very tasty and healthy; they contain metal salts, vitamins, organic acids and tannins. This plant is an early honey plant; it helps attract a large number of pollinating insects to the garden plot. Gooseberries are self-fertile, so if you wish, you can plant just 1 bush in the garden, and it will produce a harvest.

What time to plant

Plant gooseberries in open ground possible in spring time or in the fall (from last days September to the second half of October). Experienced gardeners recommend planting such a crop in the autumn, since before frost the seedlings take root well and develop a fairly powerful root system.

Before you begin directly planting gooseberries, you need to find the most suitable site for this, which would comply with all the rules of agricultural technology for this crop. It should be taken into account that the root system of such a shrub is long, and therefore lowlands are not suitable for planting it, since in such an area there is a high probability of developing a fungal disease. A well-lit place located on a flat area or on a hill is suitable for planting, which should have reliable protection from cold winds blowing from the east and north. The soil should be slightly acidic or neutral, with a pH of about 6. Sandy, loamy, sandy loam and clay soil, and in the latter case the surface of the area will have to be loosened very often.

Weeding of this shrub is complicated by the fact that it has sharp thorns; therefore, in the first autumn weeks, it will be necessary to remove all root weeds (for example, wheatgrass) from the area allocated for planting gooseberries. Immediately before planting, the soil should be dug up, and try to remove all weed rhizomes. After this, the surface of the area is leveled with a rake, and all large lumps must be broken up. The preparation of the planting hole should be done 15–20 days before planting, which will allow the soil to settle well. The length, depth and width of the hole should be half a meter each. When digging a hole, the top nutrient layer of soil must be thrown in one direction, and the lower infertile layer in the other. The top layer of soil must be mixed with 50 grams of potassium sulfate, 10 kilograms of humus or rotted manure and 50 grams of superphosphate. If you add fertilizer when planting, you won’t need to feed the gooseberries for several years. If the soil is clayey, then pour 1 bucket into the planting hole. river sand. During planting, a distance of 1–1.5 m should be maintained between seedlings, while the row spacing should be about 3 m.

Suitable for planting are one- to two-year-old seedlings that have a developed root system (the length of the roots should be about 0.25–0.3 m), as well as several powerful shoots. Before planting gooseberries, they need to be immersed in the solution for 24 hours. organic fertilizers(for half a bucket of water, 3-4 large spoons of sodium humate). The seedlings should be placed in the hole at a slight angle or straight, and after planting, their root collar should be buried several centimeters into the soil. The root system of the plant must be carefully straightened. The hole must be filled in gradually, while constantly compacting the soil. The seedling should be watered with 10 liters of water. After the liquid is absorbed into the soil, its surface will need to be covered with a layer of mulch (humus or peat), its thickness should be 20–30 mm. If you mulch the area, this will significantly reduce the number of watering, weeding and loosening. The planted plant will need to be cut off all the shoots, the length of the remaining segments should be about 50 mm, and each of them should have 5 or 6 buds.

Gooseberry seedlings should be planted in open soil in the spring in the same way as in the fall. However, experts still recommend giving preference autumn planting, since plants planted in spring take root worse and have more slow growth stems. After planting, the shrub will produce a full harvest only in the third or fourth year. Provide him proper care, and it will delight you with rich harvests of delicious berries for 10–15 years.

Planting and growing gooseberries is quite simple, especially if the gardener adheres to all the rules of agricultural technology for this crop. In early spring, when the snow has not yet melted, the bushes need to be sprayed with boiling water using a spray bottle. This treatment is carried out for the purpose of prevention against various diseases and pests.

It is necessary to loosen the soil surface around the plants to a depth of 8 to 10 cm in May. To reduce the amount of loosening in the future, the area should be covered with a layer of mulch. If there is such a need, then at the same time the bush should be fed with a solution of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers or manure infusion.

Gooseberries react extremely negatively to insufficient moisture in the soil, especially during flowering (spring) and during the ripening period of berries (summer). Experts recommend using drip or subsoil irrigation, in which case the water will immediately reach the root system of the shrub (to a depth of 5–40 cm). During the entire growing season, the shrub will need to be watered 3–5 times in this manner. Irrigation by sprinkling is not suitable for gooseberries, especially using cold water. If in the spring the soil around the bushes was covered with mulch, the amount of weeding and loosening will sharply decrease. However, if there is still a need to remove weeds or loosen the soil, then such procedures must be carried out, despite the sharp spines of the plant.

For bushes planted in rows, the hanging branches must be raised with guy ropes or nets, which should be stretched between the rows at a height of 0.25–0.3 m on both sides of the row.

Gooseberry care in autumn

In autumn, gooseberries will need to be prepared for wintering. In order for the bush to lay fruit buds for next year, it must not need nutrients, so it needs to be fed. Also, pruning is done in the autumn, because it is not recommended to do it in the spring.

Fertilizer

Such a shrub produces rich harvests for many years, and at the same time it needs nutrients which he takes from the soil. In this regard, it is recommended to feed gooseberries every year, using both organic and mineral fertilizers. In spring, under 1 bush you need to add 50 grams of superphosphate, 25 grams of potassium sulfate, ½ bucket of compost and 25 grams of ammonium sulfate. If the bush is very large and produces high yields, the specified amount of fertilizer should be doubled. Fertilizers are applied to the soil along the perimeter of the crown, since it is in this diameter that the root system of the bush is located. To incorporate fertilizers into the soil, it must be loosened. As soon as the plant fades, it needs to be fed with a solution of mullein (1:5), with 5 to 10 liters of nutrient solution taken per bush. Repeated feeding with mullein is carried out after 15–20 days.

Pruning gooseberries in spring

In early spring, before the buds swell, the gooseberries need to be pruned. To do this, you need to cut out all weak, disease-affected, unproductive, dried, injured and frost-damaged stems. It is also necessary to cut out all basal shoots, and the weakened tips of the branches need to be trimmed a little to healthy tissue. Remember that spring pruning can only be done before sap flow begins. The fact is that sap flow in gooseberries begins very early, and you can be late with pruning. If you prune the plant while sap is flowing, this will lead to its weakening. Due to this experienced gardeners It is advised to prune this crop only in the autumn.

Pruning gooseberries in autumn

Such a shrub needs regular pruning which should be carried out every year. Otherwise, already in the third year of the gooseberry’s life, its thickening is observed, which negatively affects the quality of the berries growing in the thicket. And if you thin out the bush in time, it will be easier to spray it against pests or diseases. The most valuable are the five to seven year old branches. At the same time, the branches of the first three orders, other branches and branches are considered low productive. That is why those branches that are more than 8–10 years old should be cut to the ground; their color is almost black. As a result of this, the bush will grow zero shoots, and after a while they will be able to replace the aging ones. If small, low-quality fruits begin to grow on the upper parts of the shoots, they need to be pruned. You should also cut out far-growing stems, as well as those that are located too low. Places of cuts, especially on thick stems (diameter more than 0.8 cm), must be treated with garden varnish, otherwise plant juice will begin to flow out of them.

Gooseberry diseases and their treatment

Powdery mildew (spheroteca) poses the greatest danger to gooseberries. This disease can leave a gardener without a harvest, and if the bush is not treated, it will die in a few years. The most intensive development of the spheroteca is observed in damp, warm weather. In the last weeks of spring or the first weeks of summer, the affected shrub develops a loose coating on the surface of the stems, leaf blades and berries white. After some time, this plaque becomes a brown crust. The affected stems become distorted and dry out, the infected leaf blades curl and stop growing, and they become brittle. Affected fruits are unable to ripen, cracks appear on their surface and they fall off. To cure the affected plant, before it blooms, it is necessary to spray it with a solution of the drug XOM containing copper (40 grams of the substance per 1 bucket of water). You can also treat the bush before it blooms and after flowering with Topaz (follow the instructions on the package). Most often, this disease affects the following varieties: Zolotoy Ogonek, Russian, Date, Prune and Triumphal. There are also varieties that are highly resistant to this foreign disease (its homeland is America): Senator, Houghton, Grushenka, African, Finets, etc. Moreover, most of these varieties resistant to the sphere library were the result of the work of breeders from America.

Other diseases

In some cases, such a shrub may be affected by anthracnose, mosaic, white spot or goblet rust. If the bush is affected by mosaic, then it needs to be dug up and destroyed as soon as possible, the fact is that this viral disease is incurable. To treat shrubs affected by spotting, anthracnose and rust, use copper sulfate, Nitrafen or Bordeaux mixture. In this case, the plant is treated in 2 doses: the first spraying is carried out in early spring before the buds open, and the second - 1.5 weeks after the end of fruit harvesting. For the purpose of prevention, at the beginning of the spring period, the area where the gooseberries grow needs to be freed from fallen leaves, because they may contain pathogenic microorganisms, and weeds must also be removed in a timely manner.

Gooseberry pests and their control

In some cases, pests may settle on the shrub, with the gooseberry moth and shoot aphids most often damaging the plant. Before the gooseberries bloom, a moth emerges from the ground. She lays eggs in the flowers of the plant. When flowering comes to an end, rich green caterpillars emerge from the eggs, they gnaw at the berries and eat the seeds. If an aphid settles on a bush, the leaf plates will begin to curl, the stems will thin out and become crooked, their growth will stop, and unripe fruits will also shrink and fall off. To get rid of these pests, the bush needs to be sprayed with Fufanon or Actellik. However, as you know, it is easier to prevent pests from infesting a bush than to get rid of them later. Therefore, the following preventive measures should be carried out regularly:

1. After all the snow has melted, the surface of the soil under the plants must be covered very dense material(for example, roofing felt), while its edges are sprinkled with soil. As a result, moths will not be able to get out of the ground. When the bush fades, this shelter must be removed.
2. In autumn, the bush needs to be hilled to a height of ten centimeters.
3. It is necessary to systematically collect and destroy fruits that contain caterpillars.
4. Faded bushes should be treated with Lepidocide or Bicol.

Gooseberry varieties with photos and descriptions

All gooseberry varieties are divided into American-European (hybrid) and European. Compared to hybrid varieties European ones have a longer productivity period and larger berries. But at the same time European varieties are more susceptible to various diseases and pests. Also, all varieties are conventionally divided by size, color and shape of the fruit, by ripening time, by yield, and also by the presence or absence of thorns. The best varieties:

1. African. This winter-hardy variety has not very a large number of thorns The medium-sized berries are dark purple in color and have a waxy coating on the surface. The pulp is sweet and sour with a currant flavor. These fruits are well suited for making jelly.
2. Black Negus. The fruits are black and covered with a glossy skin. This frost-resistant mid-season variety, which is highly thorny, was created by Michurin, but to this day it is very popular among gardeners in mid-latitudes. The not very large fruits do not crack and have a sweet and sour taste. Jam, wine, preserves and compotes are made from them.
3. Lights of Krasnodar. This thornless variety is suitable for growing in any climatic conditions. The fruits are large red.
4. Russian yellow. This variety is resistant to fungal diseases and has a small number of thorns, which are mainly located in the lower part of the stems. The fruits are large, yellow, oval-shaped and remain on the bush for a long time.
5. White triumph. This variety is characterized by fast growth and productivity. The greenish fruits acquire a slight yellowish tint when ripe. They are sweetish and remain on the bush for a long time.
6. Date fruit. This variety is susceptible to spheroteca disease (powdery mildew). However, it is still one of the most popular varieties because it is high-yielding, and its fragrant fruits are distinguished by high taste. Green fruits have a purple-crimson blush.

There are also varieties:

• with sweet fruits - Eaglet, Hinnomaki Gelb, Northern Captain, Spring, African, Kolobok;
• with sweet and sour fruits - Malachite, Plum, Russian, Donetsk large-fruited;
• with fragrant fruits - White Triumph, Defender, Flamingo, Hinnomaki Strain, African;
• without thorns - Eaglet, Tender, Serenade, Pax;
• with a large number of thorns - Defender, Yubileiny, Malachite, Donetsk large-fruited;
• with rare thorns - Chernomor, Kolobok, Captivator;
• with thorns growing on the lower part of the stems - Date, Russian, Smena;
• late-ripening and mid-late - Malachite, Sadko, Smena, Serenada, Chernomor;
• early ripening - Orlyonok, Yarovoy, Salyut, Rodnik;
• mid-early - Flamingo, Plum, Laskovy;
• mid-season - Kolobok, Pax, Krasnoslavyansky, Prune.

Also, the Yoshta hybrid, created by crossing black currants and gooseberries, is becoming increasingly popular among gardeners.

A little history about gooseberries.

In Rus' gooseberry has been well known for a very long time. Since the 11th century, it has been grown in monasteries. But then this berry was called agrus. Jams, jelly, and wine were made from it. From the 12th year it was grown in large quantities in the royal gardens. Entire plantations were dedicated to the cultivation of gooseberries. During the reign of Catherine the Great gooseberry began to be considered the royal berry. The Empress was very fond of gooseberry jam, made according to a special recipe.

But in other countries, gooseberries became known much later. In Europe, this shrub began to be grown in the 16th century, and only two hundred years later in North America. So we can safely say that gooseberry- Russian berry.

As soon as they don't call gooseberry: In Russia - royal berry, northern grape; in England - “goose berry”, apparently because gooseberries have been used to make sauce for roast goose since ancient times; in Germany - “prickly berry”, its thorns on the branches are very prickly, in Italy - “bristly grapes”. They say that the name "gooseberry" comes from ancient word"kryzh" or cross. In the old days there was another name for gooseberries: bersen. Apparently this is where the name Bersenevskaya Embankment and Bersenevsky Lane in Moscow came from. Once upon a time, in their place, there were large gooseberry plantations.

Useful properties of gooseberries.

Besides the fact that gooseberries are simply delicious berry, it is also very useful for our body. Gooseberries are simply a storehouse of all kinds of vitamins and minerals.

Gooseberries contain:

• Vitamins: A, B, C, E, Vitamin PP, Beta-carotene
• Minerals: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, copper, fluorine, molybdenum, nickel.
• Up to 15% sugar
• Organic acids: citric, malic, folic

Gooseberries are good for everyone. Gooseberries normalize work gastrointestinal tract, it is used for diarrhea, constipation, pain and cramping in the stomach. Gooseberries are taken as a choleretic and diuretic. Gooseberries are also useful after serious illnesses.

Gooseberries have several advantages:

• Unpretentiousness
• Endurance
• Precociousness
• Productivity
• Durability

Gooseberries can bear fruit for up to 40 years. Although the first 15 are the most productive.

Growing gooseberry in almost all regions, even in the North-West. The gooseberry crown can withstand frosts up to 40 degrees. But some varieties are still less frost-resistant, and young branches of bushes can freeze at temperatures below 33 degrees below zero to the level of snow cover.

Winter thaws followed by frosts without snow are also unfavorable for it. In such conditions, gooseberry roots may freeze at temperatures below 3-5 degrees, although usually the root system can withstand temperatures down to minus 20.

Therefore, sometimes, in order to protect the gooseberry root system during snowless winters, gooseberries are mulched in the fall.

What doesn't gooseberries like?

Doesn't like gooseberries overmoistening of the soil, stagnant water, highly acidic soils. Prefers light, but tolerates slight shading.

Gooseberries do not like being next to currants. But at the same time he puts up with it. However, it is correct to plant gooseberries at a distance of at least 1.5-2 meters from these plants.

Gooseberries in cooking.

Gooseberries make wonderful wine. Gooseberries also make delicious jam and compote. You can pickle gooseberries or make berry vinegar from them.

You can find one of the recipes for gooseberry compote on my website:

Gooseberries have long been known for their taste, beneficial properties and versatility. Gooseberries have become one of the most favorite berries of gardeners and housewives. In order to collect large harvests of sweet berries, summer residents try to plant the best varieties of thornless gooseberries on their plots.

Did you know? In the 17th century in Russia, gooseberries were the most popular berry and were called bersen.

How are gooseberries classified?

Gooseberries are classified according to the size of the bush:

• Medium - bush height 1 - 1.5 m: Kolobok, Smena, etc.;
• High - above 1.5 m: Chernomor, Finik, Malachite, etc.

Depending on the size of the berries:

• Medium-fruited - berries up to 5 g: Sadko, Kurshu Dzintars. Malachite and others;
• Large-fruited - berries larger than 5 g: Kolobok, Rodnik, etc.

Gooseberry varieties are also classified according to the structure of the berry peel - smooth and hairy.

The Russian gooseberry variety is often requested by summer residents for its unpretentiousness.

Characteristics of the Russian variety:

• medium sized bush;
• shoots are abundantly strewn with thorns;
• ripe berries are red and conical in shape;
• fruits are sweet and sour;
• this variety is sensitive to gray rot and mites, especially strawberry mites;
• tolerates frost and drought well.

Large gooseberries of the Russian variety are attractive with their shape and size of berries, but collecting them is not very convenient because of the thorns. Therefore, gardeners began to Lately refuse this variety for planting on their plots and choose gooseberries without thorns.

One of the most popular is the Russian yellow gooseberry, the description of the variety is as follows:

• medium-sized bush, about a meter in height. It has spreading branches and is characterized by medium thorniness;
• the berries are yellow, weighing up to 6 g, the skin is medium thick and covered with wax;
• fruits are sweet, juicy;
• the berries do not fall off after ripening;
• yield from one bush up to 5 kg;
• frost resistant;
• tolerates transportation well.

Yellow Russian gooseberry loves sunny places. It bears fruit for more than 10 years after planting, but needs supports for the branches so that they do not break under the load of berries. Although this gooseberry is unpretentious and does not require special care, do not forget to fertilize and water it on dry days.

Important! The sweetest gooseberry varieties are those with a sugar content above 17%, these include: Belarusian Sugar, White Nights, English Yellow, Vladil, Lada, Kooperator.

The African variety is a variety of gooseberry for summer cottages or garden plots with a humid climate. This variety is not afraid of powdery mildew, which can spread quickly in a humid environment.

Features of the African variety:

• medium-sized bush without thorns;
• frost resistant;
• The berries are black, large, juicy, sweet and sour, and have a currant aftertaste.

The yield of this gooseberry is high. One bush brings a bucket of fragrant berries. To maintain productivity, gooseberries should be fed, watered and pruned on time. Many people liked this gooseberry variety for its slight similarity to black currants. It can be planted next to other varieties of gooseberries for self-pollination, but not near currants.

Gooseberry Grushenka is a dessert gooseberry bred through selective breeding. It received this name because of the pear-shaped berries.

The variety has the following characteristics:

• medium-sized bush, without thorns, with drooping branches;
• berries are medium, weighing up to 4 g, purple and pear-shaped;
• fruits are sweet and sour, juicy;
• bears fruit for a short, mid-late period;
• tolerates frost and drought well.

The yield of this variety is average - up to 6 kg of berries. It is characterized by good transportability and has a universal purpose. Very hardy and resistant to various diseases and pests.

The Kolobok variety was developed by crossing the Rozoviy 2 and Smena varieties in 1977. It quickly spread throughout Russia and the CIS countries.

This variety has the following characteristics:

• bush 1.5 m in height;
• berries are large, weighing 7 g;
• the fruits are round in shape, with thick skin, have a sweet and sour taste, contain ascorbic acid - 25 mg per 100 g;
• bears fruit for a long period.

From a bush of this gooseberry variety you can collect 10 kg of berries. It has good transportability and for a long time storage of berries.

One of the most popular gooseberry varieties is the result of European selection - the Date variety. It has a high yield and large berries. Date, like others the best varieties Gooseberries for the middle zone have become very popular due to their hardiness and resistance to various diseases and pests.

Features of the variety:

• tall bush, branches with thorns, spreading shape;
• berries are oval-shaped, dark red, sweet and sour, with thick skin;
• The weight of the berries reaches 15-20 g.

The variety is characterized by high yield (up to 8 kg of berries per bush). The berries do not crumble and do not lose their shape for a long time after harvesting.

Did you know? The biggest drawback of the Date variety is its vulnerability to powdery mildew (spheroteca). Planting gooseberries in a sunny place, away from moisture and shaded areas, will help cope with this disease.

The Yubileiny variety was developed in 1965 by crossing Bedford yellow and Houghton. Characteristics of the Yubileiny variety:

• medium-sized, slightly spreading bush;
• strong spiny shoots;
• leaf is medium, not pubescent, smooth;
• flowers are small, flattened;
• The berries are medium-sized, weighing up to 5 g, oval-shaped, bright yellow, covered with a waxy coating.

This variety is resistant to frost and drought. It has an average yield of up to 4.2 kg per bush. The berries remain marketable for a long time and retain their beneficial qualities.

During selection by sowing seeds from the open-pollinated gooseberry variety English Yellow, which belongs to the European group, Amber gooseberry appeared.

He took all the most best qualities from his ancestor:

• tall bush - up to 1.5 m with spreading branches;
• the berries are yellow-orange, oval-shaped, weighing up to 5 g;
• the taste is sweet and sour with a honey aroma;
• The fruits hang on the branches for a long time and do not fall off.

Gooseberries of the Yantarny variety have good winter hardiness and are slightly susceptible to fungal diseases. The yield from one bush reaches 10 kg of berries.

Gooseberry Hinnonmaki

Gooseberry variety HinnonmakiGreen:

Gooseberry is a berry that is familiar to everyone since childhood. You can eat it straight from the bush, or you can process it: jams and desserts made from it turn out very tasty. This article will focus on gooseberry varieties: old, long-known ones, and new products of Russian selection.

The main reason why some gardeners refuse to grow gooseberries is their excessive thorniness: picking berries and pruning them turns into a real nightmare. But in our time, there are varieties of low-thorn and thornless gooseberries that no longer have this drawback.

However, there are also conservative people, adherents of old varieties tested by gardeners.

This article will discuss and classify both types of gooseberries. But first, a classification according to the color of the berries is given with descriptions of the varieties, and below are the thornless varieties. Let's get started:

Gooseberry varieties with descriptions and photos

Yellow varieties

Yellow gooseberries are not only very sweet, but also look unusual in the garden. That's where we'll start. Yellow-fruited gooseberry varieties include:

Honey

Variety Honey

Is different taste characteristics of its fruits: sweetness mixed with a subtle taste of flower honey. The berries are medium-sized, weighing 3-4 g, unusually soft with thin golden skin, and therefore their transportability is poor.

The disadvantages of the variety also include the weak resistance of the bushes to various diseases and thorniness.

Russian yellow

Variety Russian yellow

It has oval berries weighing up to 6 g with a waxy coating and thin skin, a medium spreading bush, drought-resistant and has good self-fertility. This indicator is important if you want to plant only one variety on the site.

Usually, for good yield, at least two are planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other. different varieties gooseberries. The bush has quite frequent thorns.

Amber

Variety Amber

A very beautiful variety from an aesthetic point of view. Elongated orange-yellow fruits with an average weight of 5 g will appear almost the very first in the garden among other gooseberry varieties.

The bush, 1.5 m high, is quite spreading. But this disadvantage is easily compensated for by the high yield of the variety and good winter hardiness. However, the thorns of this variety are very prickly and frequent.

Altaic

It belongs to the yellow-fruited varieties with large berries - up to 8 g. In fact, the variety has a lot of advantages: resistance to powdery mildew, low spreading of the bush, good yield. And the taste of the fruit is very sweet, dessert.

The variety is classified as mid-early in terms of ripening, while the flowers are resistant to return frosts and practically do not freeze. The bush is characterized by low thorny shoots.

Spring

It is an extremely early variety with a compact crown. The yellow berries are medium (up to 4 g) with a dessert sweet and sour taste.

I would immediately like to note that the terms “sweet and sour” and “sweet and sour” differ in meaning: in the first case, sourness prevails, and in the second, sweetness.

Their transportability is quite good, and the yield will also not let you down, according to reviews from those who planted this variety on their site. The berries do not fall off, however, if they are not picked in time, the fruits will become tasteless.

Green varieties

Usually, beginning gardeners are sure: green gooseberries are sour, and red gooseberries are sweet. This statement is not always true. Green berries have a wide range of flavors, it all depends on the specific variety. Just below are descriptions of green-fruited gooseberries.

Malachite

An old variety with round green berries weighing up to 6 g with a light waxy coating and a large number of seeds inside. The taste is sour, but if the berries are not removed in time, they become sweetish.

The bush itself is vigorous, with thorns, thickened, but it has a long fruiting period, and the fruits are easily transported, which is surprising, because they have a thin skin.

Emerald

Reaches a height of 1.5 m. At the same time, it has a fairly good yield. Refers to ripening period early varieties. Despite the name, the fruits are not dark, but light green in color, have a sweet and sour taste and weigh about 5 g. The spikiness of the shoots is average.

Belorussian

Gooseberries have a compact bush with white-green berries, also of interesting color. The mid-ripening fruits have thin skin and a very good sweet-sour taste. The weight of one berry usually does not exceed 8 g.

However, the fruits must be collected carefully - this variety is also quite old and has thorns.

Invicta

Invicta varieties

A controversial variety, although quite popular. Despite its vigorous growth and spreading nature, as well as the shoots dotted with large thorns, it is valued by gardeners for its high yield and sweetness of fruits, weighing about 8 g each.

The advantages of the variety include the non-cracking of fruits, their good transportability and early fruiting - the bush begins to actively bear fruit already at the age of two years.

Ural emerald

Variety Ural emerald

It has pubescent berries, the weight of which reaches 8 g, their taste is dessert, and the aroma is pleasant. The bush is very winter-hardy, able to withstand frosts down to -37 degrees. It belongs to the mid-early varieties, so spring pruning is recommended, which is quite easy to do due to the small and sparse thorniness of the shoots. The first harvest will be produced at the age of three years.

Beryl

It is a very popular variety due to its oval, large (up to 9 g), pleasant light green fruits. And the taste is very good, sweet and sour. The parameters of the bush itself also do not disappoint: average spreading and height, as well as weak thorniness. The thorns are located only at the base of the shoots.

The fruits ripen in the middle period. However, this variety is prone to frequent diseases, so it is necessary to carry out preventive treatments of the bushes throughout the season.

Red varieties

Red-fruited gooseberry varieties are the most popular among gardeners. Here are the most interesting of them:

Date fruit

The main feature is the unprecedented size of the fruit - the weight of one berry reaches 15 g! Perhaps this is facilitated by late maturation. The berry has a dense skin and is well protected by thorns. But not everything is so perfect; the variety has its drawbacks, namely susceptibility to disease and inability to survive in arid zones.

In general, if you want giant fruits, you will have to provide the bush with constant and complete care. In addition, the taste of the “Date” fruit is not dessert, but sweet and sour.

Kolobok

A variety with short single thorns, which are located only in the lower part of the shoot. The bush has a medium ripening period, is very productive, and is also resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew, which is important. The fruits are bright red, large, grow up to 7 g, sweet and sour with a pleasant aroma.

Krasnoslavyansky

Already from the name it becomes clear that the berries are red. They have an excellent dessert taste and weigh up to 5 g. The variety can “boast” of high productivity, and gardeners who planted it on their plots can boast of its unpretentiousness. It begins to bear fruit at the age of two years, the highest fruiting occurs in the eighth year, then gradually declines.

Consul or Senator

Gooseberry with large red berries weighing more than 6 g with an average ripening period. When fully ripe they become almost black. The fruits are round, with thin skin, and have low transportability. The number of seeds inside is very small, so the berries make excellent jams. The crown of the bush is dense, but practically without thorns.

The main advantages of the variety are high levels of winter hardiness and productivity. For the first few years, the bush will not bear fruit at full capacity, but then the yield increases by 2.5 times.

Leningrad giant

The name is very popular: there are varieties of gooseberries, honeysuckle and black currant. The color of the berries is very beautiful and unusual - they have a deep dark pink hue. Their weight reaches 6 g, they are lightly pubescent and round in shape. The taste of the fruit is sweet with subtle sourness. The bush itself is compact and low. The thorniness of the shoots is weak.

Chernomor

The variety is highly winter-hardy and almost without thorns. Perhaps these are the only qualities that he can boast of. The berries are very small - up to 3 g, oval, almost black, with a sweet and sour taste. The bush is vigorous and has an average yield. A variety for the “lazy”, as it is absolutely unpretentious.

Thornless varieties

And now - the most interesting part. Almost all new varieties of gooseberries are thornless, which greatly simplifies picking berries and caring for bushes. Recently, they have become increasingly popular among gardeners. These are the varieties that are presented below:

Commander (or Vladil)

Its distinctive feature is the dark red, almost black berries when harvested late. And during the season they change color from green to brown. The taste is sweet and sour, but the purpose is universal. The bush itself is medium-sized, spreading is weak. Very responsive to frequent watering, especially in hot summer conditions. With proper care, the berries do not fall off the bush and do not crack.

Grushenka

In addition to being thornless, this variety has a number of advantages: drought resistance, high yield, and resistance to a range of diseases. However, the fruits are not very large, weighing 5 g, and have a dessert-sweet taste. An interesting feature of the berries is their color - it changes as they ripen from red to purple.

Ripening period is medium late. A characteristic feature of the variety is drooping branches (usually in gooseberries they are erect).

Captivator

Variety late date maturation. The berries are very sweet, quite large: depending on the care, their size ranges from 4 to 6 g. The yield is very high. The bush is vigorous, slightly spreading - this means that it gains mass very quickly, without losing its compactness.

Ural thornless

Just the perfect mid-late variety. It combines all the most important characteristics for gardeners: the size of the berries (up to 8 g), their hairlessness, a sweet dessert taste, the sour note of which is brought by the thick skin, and high frost resistance.

But the main disadvantage of this variety is its bad habit of dropping berries - severe fruit shedding. The main thing here is not to miss the moment of their ripening and harvest.

Another important factor when choosing a specific gooseberry variety is winter hardiness. Basically, all varieties listed above are suitable for planting in the Moscow region(have sufficient frost resistance for this region).

But not all of them are suitable for the Urals and Siberia zone. The following varieties are recommended for these cold climate zones:

• Beryl (withstands frosts down to -36 0 C),
• Ural emerald (also up to -36 0 C),
• Consul (up to -37 0 C),
• Belarusian (up to -39 0 C),
• Kolobok (up to -37 0 C),
• Krasnoslavyansky (up to -36 0 C),
• Commander (also up to -36 0 C),
• Ural thornless (up to -36 0 C),
• Grushenka.

The remaining varieties presented in this article have lower frost resistance, so planting them in the Ural and Siberian regions will be quite risky and not always justified. In general, in these areas, all hope is for snow - it protects all garden plantings from the cold.

So, to choose a variety for a specific area, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics of the variety: winter hardiness, productivity, disease resistance, drought resistance. This will help the selected variety survive in a particular area.

And such characteristics as the taste and color of the fruit itself, its weight and number of seeds, ripening time - this is the choice of each individual gardener. When the type of gooseberry itself is chosen, all that remains is to purchase and plant it, and this is not as difficult as deciding on the variety.

I wish you successful and tasty varieties on the site!