Gooseberry Nugget: variety description and characteristics, planting and care rules

When choosing a gooseberry variety for growing in their backyard, summer residents first read the characteristics of the variety and its requirements for growing conditions. The most popular among gardeners are crops bred by domestic breeders and adapted to a changeable climate. Of the early varieties of gooseberries, it is recommended to pay attention to Nugget, a completely thornless variety that is resistant to disease and frost.

Description and characteristics of the gooseberry Nugget

The gooseberry variety Nugget was created at the Chelyabinsk fruit and vegetable station by domestic breeders. Thanks to the crossing of several varieties, Nugget received high immunity to crop diseases, in particular, powdery mildew.

The first fruits ripen on the bushes in mid-late June, so the variety is recommended for cultivation in the northern regions, where summers are cool and short. Gooseberry bushes are low, they form few shoots, but this factor does not affect their yield. At the age of 5, up to 8 kg of sweet and sour berries are harvested from one plant. When fully ripe, the fruits are amber in color and weigh about 5 grams.

Besides frost resistance, the Nugget variety is characterized by low susceptibility to dry periods, however, bushes will have to be watered frequently to obtain high yields.

Positive and negative aspects of the variety

Gardeners who have planted Nugget bushes on their plots note several advantages of the variety. They attributed to the pluses of culture:

• annual stable yields when bushes reach 5 years of age;
• strong immunity to fungal diseases that affect gooseberries in wet and cool weather;
• high winter hardiness and drought resistance;
• compact size of bushes, which allows them to be grown even in small household plots;
• early ripening berries;
• universal purpose of fruits - they are consumed fresh and processed into jam.

The variety has few disadvantages, among the disadvantages of Nugget they note:

• the need to harvest quickly when the berries ripen, otherwise they begin to crumble;
• poor transportable qualities - ripened fruits are soft and quickly choke during transportation.

Growing and care

In order for the Nugget variety to fully demonstrate its characteristics and advantages, it is necessary to properly plant the bushes and provide the crops with full-fledged agrotechnical care, which includes regular irrigation, the introduction of nutrients, pruning and preparation for winter. Also, despite good immunity, preventive treatments are periodically carried out, especially if the weather is wet and cool.

Landing

You can plant young gooseberry bushes both in spring and autumn - in September or early October, it is important that at least a month remains before the onset of cold weather, otherwise the plant will not have time to fully take root and die from frost. Since the root system of the culture is quite long, you should not choose a place for gooseberries in the lowlands, where water stagnates after snowmelt and rain.The site should be well lit by sunlight, in the shade the fruits will be very sour and small.

Soil for Nugget is preferred loamy or sandy loam, with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. It is also important that the land is fertile, otherwise fertilize in advance.

Crop planting is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. 2-3 weeks before planting, they dig up the selected area by one and a half bayonet spades, picking out the roots of weeds and breaking up clods of earth.
2. On poor soils, humus or compost is immediately introduced, from 8 to 10 kg of top dressing will be needed per square meter of land.
3. Before planting, the roots of seedlings are dipped in water for half an hour, you can add a few drops of a root formation stimulator there.
4. Dig holes with a depth of about 50 cm, between them maintain a distance of 1 meter, between rows - at least 2 meters.
5. On clay soils, a bucket of river sand is poured into the bottom of the pit, a seedling is set so that the root neck is several centimeters below the soil level, and it is covered with fertile soil.
6. After that, the plants are abundantly watered and the root space is mulched.

Irrigation and fertilization

Nugget gooseberry is sensitive to lack of moisture in the soil, so it is watered several times during the season, especially often during flowering and fruiting. To do this, use settled water with a temperature of at least 20 degrees. The frequency of irrigation is regulated in accordance with the weather, with sufficient rainfall, one moistening in 10-12 days is enough, in case of intense heat and drought, this is done more often. Drip irrigation preferred.

Timely application of nutrients will allow you to harvest a rich harvest of large berries.Fertilizer is used several times per season - the first top dressing will be needed in early spring, when the plant wakes up from hibernation. Complex mineral preparations are introduced, in which there is a high content of nitrogen, it is necessary for intensive growth of green mass.

The second top dressing is carried out during the flowering period of the bushes - at this time, organic fertilizers - mullein, bird droppings or humus will be useful. Also, for the formation of berries, the plant needs potassium and phosphorus.

The third time gooseberries are fertilized after fruiting to help the plant recover. Use store complexes based on phosphorus and potassium. It is not recommended to apply nitrogen so as not to provoke the growth of greenery before the cold weather.

Cutting

The gooseberries are cut several times throughout the year. In the spring, all frozen branches and those that are more than 3 years old are removed. After harvesting, cut out broken, diseased and dry shoots.

Preparing for winter

Due to frost resistance, the variety does not need special preparation for winter and the creation of shelters. In autumn, the bushes are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and a mulch layer 8 cm thick is laid around the plant.

Reproduction

For gooseberry propagation, amateur gardeners usually use two methods - cuttings and layering.

Diseases and pests

If the rules of care are observed, diseases rarely affect the bushes of the variety. As a preventive measure, copper-based preparations are used - copper sulfate or Bordeaux liquid, carrying out treatments in early spring and autumn. Also, to destroy the larvae of pests, it is useful to pour hot water on the bushes with the arrival of the first warm days.

Cleaning and storage

Nugget Berries are ripe by the end of June, it is important to immediately collect them from the bushes, as the variety is prone to shedding. Fresh fruits are stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and gooseberry jam is also cooked.

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