Content
Each person creates his own garden, selecting the most interesting fruit and berry crops. They must have a lot of advantages: be tasty, productive, unusual in color and shape. For example, the gooseberry collection will not suffer at all if, among others, there is a Prune variety with its own unique features.
History of variety development
It's practically thornless domestic gooseberry variety, received at the All-Russian Research Institute of Horticulture named after. I. V. Michurina. It was created in 1992 under the leadership of K. Sergeeva. When Plum and Plum 259-23 were crossed, a variety appeared that inherited unpretentiousness, vitality, unusual flavor and large berries from its parents.
Since the year of its creation, the Prune Plum variety has been recorded in the State Register of Breeding Achievements and was created for the regions: Central, Middle Volga and Ural.
Description of the bush and berries
The gooseberry bush of the Prune Plum variety is classified as medium-sized and medium-spreading with an average density of branching.The shoots are thick and form a straight or curved woody frame. They have no pubescence and are colored light green.
The trunk and shoots are covered with rare, medium-sized thorns. They are dark in color and directed away from the shoot to the sides. Usually located in its lower part.
The 3-5-lobed, small to medium-sized leaf blade is shiny and slightly wrinkled. Along its edges there are blunt teeth. The venation on the leaf is invisible. Small flowers are surrounded by large light sepals. The inflorescence is formed by several flowers, the pollination of which produces an oval-shaped ovary.
The berries are distinguished by:
- medium size (average – 4.5 g);
- oval or slightly pear-shaped;
- burgundy, and in the technical ripeness phase – black;
- lack of pubescence;
- wax layer;
- fairly thick peel;
- average number of seeds;
- sweet and sour taste and special aftertaste.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Prune gooseberry variety has a lot of advantages, which is noted by most gardeners.
Positive aspects of the variety | Negative aspects of the variety |
a versatile variety that is widely used | highly dependent on weather conditions |
the weight of berries is average, with an original taste | low fruiting with minor changes in care |
suffers from anthracnose | |
perfectly stored and transported without loss | in different years, fruiting is unstable and yields can vary significantly |
high frost resistance | |
high tasting score | |
does not suffer from powdery mildew, is resistant to this disease | |
on average the yield is high – 5.4-14 t/ha |
The video shows general information about the Prune Plum gooseberry variety:
Characteristics
The gooseberry variety Prune Plum is characterized by the following features:
- The variety is mid-season and universal, the use of which is varied.
- One bush brings a harvest of up to 3-4 kg of berries, which depends on its age and size.
- It stores well and can be transported over long distances.
- Frost-resistant: able to withstand temperatures down to -34OWITH.
- According to the tasting assessment, out of 5 possible points, gooseberries score 4.2.
- It has a taste vaguely similar to prunes (hence the name).
- Brings a stable harvest only in favorable climatic conditions.
- If not properly cared for, it gets sick, but is resistant to powdery mildew.
Productivity
The yield of Prune gooseberry is not stable and depends not only on climatic conditions, but also on proper and thoughtful care, and timely implementation of all necessary agrotechnical measures. It varies significantly in different years and ranges from 5.4 to 14 t/ha.
Drought resistance and winter hardiness
The gooseberry variety is winter-hardy and suitable for growing in central Russia. In snowy winters it does not require shelter and can withstand t = -34C. Prune plum is not a drought-resistant variety: during prolonged drought, the roots stop growing and the yield decreases. The earthen ball must be kept moist at all times, this is especially important during the ripening period of the berries.
Resistance to pests and diseases
Prune is rarely more susceptible to powdery mildew, but is not resistant to anthracnose.It is affected by pests, so constant preventive inspection of the plant is important.
Maturation period
Gooseberries have a medium ripening period, which is convenient for northern latitudes. Berry picking begins in mid-July if the summer is warm. In cool conditions, fruiting is delayed by 1-2 weeks.
Transportability
Due to the thick skin and dense pulp, the fruits of the Prune Plum variety are transported over considerable distances, keeping them unchanged.
Growing conditions
Gooseberry Prune needs:
- good lighting;
- average soil moisture;
- temperature range +20-25OWITH;
- fertile soil (if it is absent, use regular fertilizing);
- mulching the tree trunk circle to preserve moisture;
- loosening to allow air to reach the roots.
Landing Features
The gooseberry variety Prune, like any shrub, can be planted both in spring and autumn. In autumn, young bushes take root better, gradually adapting to a new place. Planting is carried out before cold weather for better rooting.
In the spring, propagation activities are carried out, rooting cuttings. To do this, shoots are cut off and placed in special conditions. By autumn, roots have formed and young plants are planted for permanent “residence”.
When planting Prune gooseberries, the following activities are carried out:
- select an open, well-lit area located at least 2 m from young trees or 1.5 m from the fence (fence);
- gooseberries love light soils without stagnant moisture, so the area for planting is prepared in advance;
- under the Prune bush, dig a 50x40 hole, into which a fertile mixture of compost, wood ash, sand, and peat is poured;
- before planting, the root system is treated with an antibacterial solution (Barrier, Ideal);
- a gooseberry bush is lowered into the hole, sprinkled with the same nutrient composition, not compacted, watered;
- the root collar is buried 5 cm;
- branches on bushes are cut, leaving up to 5 buds on each;
- On the eve of frost, Prune gooseberries are hilled up and mulched so that the root system does not freeze.
The root system of the bushes is located in one layer of soil, which has exhausted its supply of nutrients. In addition, gooseberries and raspberries suffer from the same diseases and spores can remain in the soil.
Rules of care
Measures for caring for gooseberries of the Prune plum variety are traditional. The main ones are: watering, loosening, mulching, destruction of weeds. But this gooseberry variety, like any other, requires additional agrotechnical measures.
Support
The Prune gooseberry needs support when the bush grows and the lower branches end up on the ground. They also form berries that rot and become contaminated on the soil surface. The support options are different, but the result is the same: the bush becomes more compact, and the harvest is preserved in full.
Top dressing
For this variety, the recommended feeding regime is shown in the table:
When to feed the plant | Fertilizer name | Fertilizer quantity |
on the eve of flowering | potassium humate or urea | 4-5 tbsp. l. for 20 liters of water |
at the end of flowering | potassium humate + liquid organic fertilizer | 4 tbsp. l. potassium humate per 20 liters of water or diluted organic composition |
during fruit formation | Liquid “organic” + wood ash | Wood ash is poured into the tree trunk circle, and a pre-prepared organic solution is poured on top |
When a young gooseberry bush of the Prune Plum variety grows up and exhausts its food supply, after 2 years, complex feeding is carried out containing all the necessary components. During the season it is useful to apply slurry or bird droppings (1:20).
Bush pruning
The main harvest of gooseberries is formed on 2-3 years of growth, so in the spring the crown is pruned, removing old and diseased branches. This technique not only brings a significant harvest, it thins out the crown, providing access to light and air to each branch. The bush takes on a well-groomed appearance and becomes more compact.
Reproduction
Gooseberries of the Prune Plum variety are propagated using traditional shrub methods: layering (horizontal, arched, vertical) and cuttings. All these methods have proven themselves and are used by gardeners when it is necessary to propagate their favorite variety.
Preparing for winter
Young, immature bushes of the Prune gooseberry need shelter for the winter. More mature ones are also covered, since winters with little snow are possible. A small bush is completely wrapped in lutrasil, and on top with spruce branches. In adult gooseberry plants, the lower branches are pinned to the ground and the roots are buried. Since Prune Plum is winter-hardy, some gardeners leave the bushes unchanged for the winter.
Pest and disease control
Gooseberries of the Prune Plum variety do not suffer from powdery mildew, but they are affected by diseases of a fungal nature: goblet rust and anthracnose. Fungal spores are carried by the wind or insects onto the bushes, and the disease progresses in early spring. To avoid diseases, you must:
- remove plant debris;
- carry out autumn and spring digging of the soil;
- Before the buds open, treat the gooseberries with Bordeaux mixture;
- Before the sap flows, water the bushes with hot water (t=90OWITH).
“Uninvited guests” visiting the Prune gooseberry are aphids and yellow gooseberry sawfly, moth moth. In case of minor pest damage, diseased branches are cut off and the bush is sprayed with an ash solution and laundry soap. If pests have thoroughly colonized the bushes, you cannot do without insecticides. Repeated processing may be required according to instructions.
Conclusion
If the gardener’s choice fell on the Prune gooseberry variety, then he made the right decision. This is a delicious jam with the aroma of southern plum, delicate jam or compote. In a collection of different varieties of gooseberries, it will not be out of place, giving an additional zest in the form of unusual, almost black berries.
