Content
In search of an unpretentious gooseberry that consistently produces tasty berries, you should pay attention to the Grushenka variety. The shrub attracts gardeners with its excellent immunity, low demands on soil and care. One of the important advantages of the variety is the absence of thorns, which greatly simplifies harvesting.
History of variety development
The gooseberry variety Grushenka was bred by breeders in the 80s of the last century. The main goal pursued by scientists was to create a frost-resistant variety of shrub with large, sweet berries and no thorns. As a result of breeding work, it was possible to create such a variety. It got its name due to the specific shape of the fruit, reminiscent of miniature pears.
Description of the bush and berries
The gooseberry bush has medium height and drooping shoots. The branches of the plant are densely covered with glossy green foliage. Inflorescences of 2-3 buds are formed on the shoots. The shape of the berries is round, expanding towards the bottom.During the ripening process, the peel changes color from light green with a reddish coating to purple. The average weight of Grushenka berries is 4-5 grams. In favorable conditions, you can harvest up to 6 kg of sweet gooseberries per season.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Grushenka variety is loved by gardeners for its unpretentiousness and abundance of sweet and sour berries. Gooseberries can bear fruit in a wide variety of climate zones. Before purchasing a seedling, you should consider the main positive and negative qualities of the variety.
Advantages | Flaws |
High frost resistance | The need to garter bushes |
No thorns | Small berry size |
Resistant to most diseases | Susceptibility to waterlogging |
Ability to tolerate drought and heat |
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Abundant Harvest |
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Excellent transportability of berries |
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Ability to bear fruit for 20 years |
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Characteristic
Hybrid Grushenka is one of the varieties of gooseberries that even novice gardeners can grow. The undemanding variety is suitable for planting in a summer cottage and does not require daily care. At the same time, the crop is characterized by stable productivity and high immunity.
Productivity
Gooseberry bushes are literally strewn with berries along the entire length of the shoots. The variety is characterized by the ability to quickly grow young shoots with a large number of fruit buds. Berries are produced both on annual branches of Grushenka and on adult shoots. The average yield of a bush often exceeds 6 kg.A large number of fruits forces gardeners to tie up heavy branches leaning towards the ground.
Drought resistance and winter hardiness
The Grushenka variety is recognized as a leader in its ability to tolerate low and high temperatures. Gooseberry bushes, even without additional shelter, can withstand 30° frosts. The flowering branches of the crop can also withstand short-term frosts, which makes it possible to grow the variety in regions with cold climates. Grushenka is not afraid of dry, hot weather.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The variety is characterized by high immunity to various diseases. Experts note that the Grushenka gooseberry is practically not affected by powdery mildew, septoria and viral diseases. This characteristic of the variety allows you to save effort on cultivation and obtain an environmentally friendly harvest without the use of chemicals.
Sometimes the hybrid is attacked by pests. One of the most common is the spider mite. The pest attacks the plant in dry weather. In addition, the variety suffers from aphids and moths.
Maturation period
Gooseberry Grushenka is a mid-season variety. The flowering of the crop begins in late spring. In the second half of July, the berries begin to ripen. Fruiting continues until mid-August. Thanks to the dense skin, the berries do not crack on the branches for a long time. This allows gardeners to collect fruits at a convenient time without fear of losing the harvest.
Transportability
Easy care and abundant fruiting contribute to the fact that many gardeners grow the variety for further sale. The berries retain their integrity and presentation for a long time.The peel protects the berries from mechanical damage, which makes the Grushenka variety suitable for transportation and prolongs its marketability.
Growing conditions
Gooseberries of the Grushenka variety are grown on almost any soil composition. The most preferred soil is loam. It is advisable to plant gooseberries in loose, nutritious soil with neutral acidity.
An adult plant does not tolerate transplantation well, so you should immediately take care of choosing a permanent location. The shrub is planted in a lighted place, light partial shade is allowed. To protect the seedlings from wind and drafts, you can place Grushenka plantings along the fence. Vegetable crops are considered the optimal predecessors of gooseberries. Bushes should not be planted after currants.
Landing Features
The preferred time for planting seedlings in a permanent place is the autumn months. Gooseberries should be planted 1-1.5 months before the onset of frost. During this time, it will have time to take root for a successful winter. Spring planting is carried out in the period between the thawing of the soil and the beginning of the growing season.
Grushenka seedlings are placed at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other. This planting scheme will allow the gooseberry root system to develop correctly and prevent the ground part from intertwining.
High-quality seedlings must meet a number of characteristics:
- One-year-old seedlings should have small roots that are dense, without damage or peeling.
- Two-year-old bushes should be sold together with a lump of earth. The root collar of a high-quality seedling is smooth, without signs of rot.
- A young bush of the 2nd year of life should have several spreading branches with buds.
- The optimal length of shoots is 10-15 cm.
Gooseberries are planted in compliance with several rules that allow the bushes to quickly adapt to a new location.
- The seedling is soaked in a growth stimulator according to the instructions.
- For each bush, dig a hole 50 cm deep and in diameter in accordance with the volume of the root system.
- A bucket of humus and complex mineral fertilizer are poured into the hole, mixed thoroughly and sprinkled with a layer of earth.
- The seedling is buried at an angle so that the root collar is 5-6 cm underground.
- Gooseberry bushes are shed generously with water at the root, after compacting the soil.
A one-year-old Grushenka seedling, if all planting rules are followed, actively grows shoots and begins to bear fruit the very next year.
Rules of care
The variety does not require much attention during the growing process. Fruiting continues even without the participation of the gardener, while the quality and quantity of berries decreases. In order for Grushenka to produce the maximum harvest of tasty gooseberries, it is enough to pay attention to watering, fertilizing and formative pruning of the bushes.
Support
Young, thin branches of the Grushenka gooseberry are tied to a support. They can be damaged by the weight of the berries or from strong winds. At a distance of 15-20 cm from the root collar of the gooseberry seedling, dig up 3 pegs, tie them with twine, and secure the branches of the bush between the supports.
The crown of an adult Grushenka bush also needs the support of branches. Under the weight of the filling berries, they bend towards the ground, which can lead to fungal damage to the crop. The support is adjusted as the plant grows.At the time of harvest ripening, Grushenka needs additional support, due to the fact that a significant part of the branches is located horizontally.
Top dressing
The Grushenka variety does not require frequent feeding. It is enough to apply complex mineral fertilizers to the soil 1-2 times a year. The amount of fertilizing depends on the nutritional value of the soil and the condition of the plant. Fertilizers added to the soil during planting are enough for gooseberries for the entire season. Increased soil acidity can be normalized using dolomite flour or wood ash. In autumn, superphosphate can be applied under gooseberry bushes.
Bush pruning
The Grushenka variety needs 2 types of pruning: sanitary and formative. The optimal time for the procedure is early spring. During this period, it is advisable to shorten the bush by 1/3 in height and remove all damaged and diseased branches. More information about spring pruning is described in the video.
The variety is characterized by rapid growth of young shoots. During the season, it is necessary to ensure that overgrown branches do not obscure each other’s sunlight. Lack of lighting will lead to loss of taste of the berries.
Reproduction
Gooseberry Grushenka is propagated by cuttings or layering. Cuttings can be carried out from mid-summer to early autumn.
- From an adult bush, a cutting 15 cm long with several buds is cut at an acute angle.
- The twig is treated with a root formation stimulator.
- The prepared cutting is placed at an angle of 45° in loose soil so that at least 2-3 buds remain on the surface.
- The seedling is watered regularly until new shoots begin to form on it.
An easier way to propagate Grushenka gooseberries is by layering.To do this, you need to bend the one-year-old shoot to the ground and pin it with a metal bracket. The contact area is sprinkled with soil and watered. As soon as the seedling grows several young branches, it is separated from the mother bush.
Preparing for winter
The cold-resistant qualities of the Grushenka variety allow gooseberries to winter without additional shelter. Preparatory work before the onset of winter:
- sanitary pruning of old, diseased shoots;
- treating shrubs from pest larvae with Bordeaux mixture;
- removal of debris, fallen leaves and mulch layer.
If necessary, you can apply mineral fertilizers to each gooseberry bush.
Diseases and pests
The variety is highly resistant to diseases. The main concern of the gardener is to protect the Gooseberry Grushenka from pest invasion. The table provides a description of dangerous insects and measures to combat them.
Pest | Signs of defeat | Control measures |
Fruit aphid | Curling, drying out and falling leaves | Spraying with soap solution or treating with insecticide |
Spider mite | Yellowing of foliage, presence of cobwebs on the inside of the leaf blade | Spraying with wormwood infusion, infused for 24 hours, diluted with water 1:1 |
Ognevka | The caterpillar damages the pulp of the berries. Early pigmentation of fruits is observed | Treatment of gooseberries with Aclectic, removal of affected berries |
Conclusion
Grushenka is a gooseberry variety that is deservedly popular among gardeners.Sweet berries of unusual shape and color are ideal for canning or eating fresh. The unpretentious shrub produces a bountiful harvest without significant effort on the part of gardeners.
