Gooseberry Anniversary - characteristic of the variety, stages of cultivation
Content:
Gooseberry is one of the most widespread horticultural crops in Russia. Bulky bushes, decorated with large berries of various colors from green and yellow to a rich burgundy and almost black shade, not only delight the eye, but also give a crop rich in vitamins. One of the drawbacks that make it difficult to care for gooseberry bushes and pick berries is the presence of thorns, sometimes densely covering the shoots. However, recently, through the efforts of breeders, all new varieties of this berry crop, including those devoid of sharp thorns, have been bred.
This group includes the “Yubilyar” gooseberry, which will be discussed in this article. In addition to thornless shoots, the Yubilyar gooseberry has a number of other advantages, for example, resistance to winter cold, undemanding character, and its berries have excellent taste characteristics. Caring for a gooseberry of this variety does not require much effort and special skills, and even an inexperienced gardener can do it. It will not be difficult to plant and grow the Yubilyar gooseberry bush on your plot - it is enough to follow the agrotechnical recommendations, which will be discussed below.
Briefly about gooseberries
Gooseberry Anniversary: photo
The gooseberry is a member of the Gooseberry family and is a perennial berry bush. The height of gooseberry bushes ranges from 60 to 200 cm, and the crown can be branched to varying degrees - from very dense to rare form. The life span of these plants is 15 to 30 years, most of this time they bring a rich harvest. Gooseberries are elliptical, oval or slightly flattened ball. Their color has many shades, which refer to such basic colors as yellow, green, dark red, there is also a white gooseberry with greenish veins.
The purpose of the gooseberry is not limited to food purposes - often its bushes are planted in garden plots for the purpose of landscaping and decorating the landscape, from which hedges are formed. The berries of this culture are a valuable source of a large amount of vitamins, for example, ascorbic acid, the percentage of which in these berries exceeds its content in citrus fruits. In addition, gooseberry is rich in pectins and other useful substances, its use in food helps to increase immunity, helps to overcome the effects of heavy metal poisoning, reduces the results of adverse effects of external factors on the body, speeds up metabolism, and has a healing effect on the organs of the genitourinary system.
Not so long ago, all varieties of gooseberries were divided into two broad groups.
The first includes classic varieties that have been known for a long time and have characteristics traditional for a given culture. As a rule, these are shrubs protected by thorns, requiring regular care, poorly tolerating winter frosts, the growth rate of their shoots is not fast. Meanwhile, it is the classic gooseberry varieties that bear fruit with the sweetest berries.
The second group includes new varieties and hybrids derived from the gooseberry varieties that came from North America. They are distinguished by their unpretentious nature, good tolerance to low temperatures, and a short adaptation period when transplanting to a new place. The Yubilyar variety belongs to this group.
Breeding history of the variety "Yubilyar":
The Yubilyar gooseberry variety was born thanks to the efforts of Chelyabinsk breeders, who received it as a result of crossing two varieties - Bedford Yellow and Houghton. Scientists set themselves the task of combining the best characteristics of both varieties, so the new variety surpasses its parents in many ways.
Gooseberry Anniversary: variety description
Gooseberry Anniversary: photo
The distinctive characteristics of the Yubilyar variety include the following qualities: winter hardiness, high yield, early flowering, lack of thorns, presence of large berries, and disease resistance. Each of these characteristics will be discussed below.
Resistance to low temperatures
Like its predecessors, the Yubilyar variety is distinguished by its ability to withstand severe frosts, which allows it to be grown in the northern regions, where winter temperatures can drop to 30 degrees and below. Spring return frosts also do not harm this gooseberry variety.
Harvest volume
The Yubilyar variety has a high yield: if all agrotechnical recommendations are followed, up to 8.5 kg of ripe berries can be harvested from one bush. The variety belongs to the mid-season: the first fruits ripen by mid-July, and at the end of the month you can start harvesting. The ability to bear fruit is formed in gooseberries at the age of 2-3 years, and the maximum yield reaches 5-6 years after the seedling is planted in the ground.
Flowering period
Gooseberries come out of hibernation quite early and wake up one of the first among horticultural crops. Flowering also begins early: small flowers of a light color with a lilac undertone bloom in May and delight the eye for a week or a little longer. Each flower consists of 5 petals and is shaped like an elongated bell.
One of the advantages of the Yubilyar variety is its ability to self-pollinate - that is, the plant has male and female organs and does not need a pollinator. However, experienced gardeners still recommend planting another gooseberry bush of a different variety on the site. For these purposes, the following varieties of gooseberries are suitable: "Krasnoslavyansky", "Plum", "Honey"," Donetsk Firstborn "," Mayak ".
Bush characteristics
Gooseberry Anniversary: photo
The root system of the Yubilyar variety gooseberries is quite branching and can penetrate to a depth of about 130 cm, although most of the root processes remain in the upper layers - at a depth of 40-70 cm. The ability to penetrate allows the gooseberries of this variety to endure dry periods more easily. Strong shoots can be arched or grow perfectly straight. The variety is characterized by medium spreading, but at the same time it tends to grow strongly. In this regard, the “Yubilyar” gooseberry needs regular pruning. The height of the bushes ranges from 140 to 175 cm. The branches, as a rule, do not have thorns, or in very small numbers and at a great distance from each other. Lobed leaves have a color ranging from light green to emerald.
Characteristics of berries
Gooseberry Anniversary: photo
The large size and taste of Yubilyar berries are one of its main advantages. In the process of ripening, they change color from yellow and green to pinkish-burgundy. Coloring is an indicator indicating the degree of ripeness and the ability to use berries for one purpose or another. So, green and yellow fruits are suitable for raw materials processing, and ripe red ones are suitable for fresh consumption. The interval between the two conditions is about 2 weeks. Sometimes even fully ripe berries have yellow-green spots.
Berries of the gooseberry variety "Yubilyar" have an oval or elliptical shape, their size depends on the degree of grooming of the bush. The weight of fruits ranges from 4.5 to 6.5 grams and is similar to the weight of berries of the varieties "Yubileiny", "Honey", "Shalun", "Sirius". The taste of the berries has dessert notes, and the pulp is juicy and contains a small amount of seeds. The Yubilyar variety is suitable for making preserves and jams.
Disease resistance
Strong immunity also favorably distinguishes the Yubilyar variety: powdery mildew rarely affects the gooseberry of this variety, and pests like aphids completely bypass it.
Gooseberry variety Yubilyar: instructions for growing
Gooseberry variety "Yubilyar" is known for its unpretentious nature, but the key to a bountiful harvest is the observance of simple rules and recommendations.
Algorithm of actions when landing
The gooseberry of this variety belongs to light-loving plants, therefore, well-lit areas should be chosen for planting, which will provide full lighting for 4-7 hours a day. Fruit trees are suitable as neighbors for gooseberries, the main thing is to observe an interval of 200-250 cm between them. Excess moisture is undesirable for gooseberries, so you should avoid planting them in lowlands and in swampy areas, as well as where groundwater is close to the surface of the earth. This variety prefers loose, neutral soils that are well permeable to air; loamy soil or black soil is suitable in composition.
The success of planting largely depends on the health of the seedlings. You should carefully examine them in order to detect in time traces of damage by diseases or pests. The optimal age of the seedling is one and a half or two years - at this age, the adaptation process will be quite easy and quick. It is best to purchase planting material in botanical nurseries, or from trusted manufacturers and sellers - this will reduce the risk of getting a diseased plant.
Gooseberry care treatments:
Caring for the Yubilyar gooseberry variety is not so difficult and includes such usual procedures as watering, loosening, weeding, pruning, fertilizing, treating pests and diseases. Below is an overview of each procedure separately.
Soil preparation and planting
Despite the fact that the autumn and spring periods are considered a suitable time for planting, gardening experts recommend planting gooseberries in the fall. The fact is that the spring planting period is very short and lasts from the moment the soil thaws to the swelling of the buds. Delay is fraught with difficulties in the process of adapting seedlings to a new place and can have a beneficial effect on its further development. Autumn planting can be carried out over a fairly long period, which should end one month before the arrival of the first frost. In the central regions of Russia, this time falls in the second half of September and the first days of October, in the Urals - a little earlier, in the southern regions you can plant gooseberries in the last days of October.
A place for planting Yubilyar gooseberries should be selected and prepared in advance. For this purpose, a nutrient mixture is introduced into a planting hole 80 cm deep and 60 to 90 cm wide. You can prepare it by combining the soil with compost and rotted manure. This is done a month before the intended planting, and on the eve of the procedure, additional superphosphate (130 g) and wood ash (150 g) should be added to the well. Potassium sulfate is also recommended as an additive (25 g).
The nutrient layers should be applied alternately, tamping them tightly with your hands - this will get rid of air voids in the soil.
The seedling also needs preliminary processing: it is necessary to shorten its branches to a mark of 30 cm so that there are 4 to 6 buds on each.
Gooseberry Anniversary does not need a strong deepening: the root collar should be at ground level. Young plants need reliable support, which will protect their shoots from deformation under the weight of the crown or under the influence of the wind. Then the earth around the trunk is poured abundantly, and its surface is covered with a layer of mulch.For this, humus, peat or straw are suitable. Mulching will reduce the amount of weeding, and will also retain moisture in the soil and protect the plant from freezing in winter.
Watering
Gooseberries of the Yubilyar variety can easily withstand a short dry period, however, they need regular watering. A competent irrigation regime is very important and has a positive effect on the volume of the crop and its taste.
In the first months of summer, watering should be fairly abundant and carried out at intervals of 3 to 5 days. Watering one gooseberry bush requires 10 liters of water, and it is desirable that the water has settled well. Excessive watering is no less destructive than drought and can provoke the development of rotting processes and fungal infections.
Fertilization
Throughout the season, it is necessary to loosen the ground several times and then cover it with a layer of mulch consisting of peat or humus. This will prevent weeds from growing around the bush, taking away food from it and creating a moist environment in the root zone that is conducive to the development of infections. Fertilization is recommended in early June and involves the use of manure diluted with water. In the absence of organic dressings, you can use ready-made mixtures based on nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. In the fall, it is also recommended to fertilize the soil to prepare the plant for wintering and strengthen its immunity.
Pruning
Gooseberries of the Yubilyar variety can grow quite widely, so the pruning procedure is very important. It is best carried out in the spring to prepare the plant for the new season. A period is selected on the eve of the beginning of the movement of juices, two-year-old gooseberry bushes are used for pruning. All dry, old, pest or disease-affected plant parts, as well as branches sticking to the ground, should be removed. Young shoots are also thinned out.
Pest control
Despite the fact that this variety is distinguished by strong immunity, it will not be superfluous to periodically carry out preventive procedures to protect plants from pests and infections. In the spring, it is recommended to shed the soil around the bush with a hot solution of potassium permanganate, it can also be used to process the shoots of the bush. In the summer, treatment with a Bordeaux mixture is shown. When the first signs of a disease or pest attack appear, it is necessary to take measures and spray the gooseberries with a solution of copper sulfate. From ready-made preparations fitosporin, Fundazol, Alirin-B, Aktellik, Topaz are suitable.
Breeding methods for gooseberry varieties Yubilyar
There are several ways to propagate gooseberries, but this variety prefers the method of root layers. For this purpose, one of the branches is selected, which bends to the ground and is fixed at its surface, and is also sprinkled with gunt. You can dig a special depression next to the bush, where the shoot is placed. April is suitable for this procedure, and by the end of summer, independent plants will form.
Gooseberry Anniversary: advantages and weaknesses
Advantages of the variety
The Yubilyar gooseberry variety has a number of undeniable advantages. These include:
- the absence of thorns, inherited by the variety from its ancestors;
- high taste qualities of berries, comparable to such varieties as "Sadko", "Salut", "Masheka«;
- large berries also make up a positive characteristic of the variety, bringing it closer to other owners of weighty berries - varieties "Russian", "Northern captain"," Jubilee ";
- the variety is resistant to short dry periods;
- has no special requirements regarding the composition of the soil, which makes it closer to the variety "Amber«;
- the variety has a strong immunity, is almost not affected by powdery mildew and other diseases, as well as the varieties "Ural grapes" and "Houghton".
Weaknesses of the Yubilyar variety
Compared to the impressive list of advantages, the weaknesses of the Yubilyar gooseberry variety do not seem significant.Meanwhile, it is still worth listing them in order to get a complete picture of the description of this variety. So, the disadvantages of the Yubilyar variety are:
- the tendency to overgrowth and the resulting need for regular pruning, which is also typical for the varieties "Uralsky" and "Chernomor«;
- many gardeners note the excessive density of the peel of this variety, reminiscent of such varieties as "Candy", "Shalun" and "African".
In general, the advantages of the Yubilyar variety undoubtedly outweigh the disadvantages it has. Caring for him does not require much effort and special skills.
Due to the absence of sharp thorns, harvesting from the Yubilyar gooseberry bushes is quite easy and safe. The main requirement for caring for him is the systematic pruning of shoots. Fulfillment of these simple recommendations will allow you to easily grow Yubilyar gooseberries on your plot and collect a rich harvest of tasty and healthy berries.
