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

Masheka gooseberry was bred in Belarus about 2 decades ago. Gardeners appreciate it for its yield, the taste of berries and the versatility of their use. Consider the characteristics of the variety, the features of its cultivation, how to plant and care for the crop. How to protect plants from diseases, reproduction features, how to store and harvest, can it be transported.

Variety description

The Masheka variety bush is formed by dense shoots, sprawling, of medium growth strength. Young shoots are hairless, thorns are yellowish-brown, grow obliquely. The leaves are dark green, dense, wrinkled, slightly shiny. Ovary green, smooth.

On average, Mashek berries weigh 3-4 g, have an elongated oval shape, smooth skin. The color of the fruit is brown-red, fully ripened berries become dark brick in color. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour. The yield is high, up to 6 kg can be harvested from a bush.

A brief description of the gooseberry Mashek

The variety is self-fertile, planting pollinators nearby is not required. It is exacting to heat, gives a lot of overgrowth. May reduce yields in low temperatures and high humidity.

Features of cultivation

Despite the yield, in order to get a good harvest, gooseberries need to be looked after. And also just put it in the right place. The variety prefers a flat, lit place in which winds will not interfere with it. Gooseberries do not like acidic and highly waterlogged soil, in such conditions they not only do not produce a large crop, but also do not develop well enough.According to the mechanical composition, loose soil, sandy loam or light loam is preferable. Gooseberries grow worse on sand or clay.

Planting gooseberry Masheka should be done in spring or autumn, before the leaves bloom or after they fall, so that the bush is at rest. In each hole, you need to add 0.5-1 bucket of humus or compost, 0.5 kg of ash. Holes should be placed at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other. The depth of the planting pits is on average 50 cm in diameter and depth. Plant seedlings evenly, not at an angle, deepen 5 cm below the root neck.

Further crop care

After planting, the first berries on the bush can be harvested in the 3rd year of their development. The peak of fruiting occurs at the age of 5 and lasts until the age of 20.

Water and fertilize

Despite the drought resistance declared by the manufacturer, the Masheka gooseberry needs to be irrigated, especially during dry periods. It is convenient to organize watering using drip irrigation. If it is not there, the best method of watering is to irrigate in grooves, for which you need to dig a circular trench near the bushes at a distance of 30-40 cm from the center of the bush. Pour at least a bucket of water into the groove.

To prevent the soil from drying out quickly, you need to spread mulch near the bushes, cover with sawdust, dry grass or straw. Excessive watering is dangerous during the filling of berries, can lead to cracking.

Feeding plants should be done in the spring, before bud break, before flowering, in the middle of the berry formation period, at the end of summer to prepare the bushes for wintering.In the spring, Mashek's gooseberries are fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers, then they switch to phosphorus and potash fertilizers. In autumn, nitroammophoska is used.

Pruning and shaping the bush

Formation ensures the normal development of plants and makes a good start to fruiting. The peculiarity of the variety is that it gives a lot of shoots and often thickens, which is why the quantity and quality of berries are reduced.

Masheka's gooseberry bears fruit on shoots of 1-2 orders, fruit buds are laid on last year's shoots. Pruning rules: leave 3-5 strong shoots in 1 year, cut the rest. To branch the shoots, cut off the tops. On adult bushes, it is necessary to periodically remove old, fruit-bearing, broken, diseased, damaged by pests. Overgrowth needs to be replaced with old branches, but if there is a lot of it, remove it so that the bush does not thicken.

Preparing for winter season

Masheka variety is cold-resistant, but in regions with cold winters it is necessary to cover the soil under the bushes with mulch, and the bushes themselves with agrofibre. In snowy winters, you need to rake snow under the plants.

Protection from diseases and pests

Masheka's gooseberry can suffer from septoria, anthracnose and powdery mildew. Fungicide treatments should be carried out at least 2 times - before flowering and after harvesting, if signs of infection appear on the berries, they should be sprayed with biofungicides. If you use chemicals, you need to pay attention to the waiting period, it should not be longer than the planned harvest time.

Subtleties of reproduction

The variety is propagated by layering, green shoots, which are added dropwise near the bushes. You need to choose he althy, well-developed shoots for rooting. Until autumn, they are near the bushes, by which time they should grow roots.Gooseberries are transplanted to a permanent place in the first autumn or the next spring.

Collection, transportation and storage of berries

The berries are picked when they are ripe but not yet soft. You need to work with gloves to protect your hands from spikes. The fruits of Mashek do not crumble from the shoots, but they do not need to be overexposed. Separation of dry berries. In rainy weather, the fruits are resistant to decay.

For storage, gooseberries should be collected slightly unripe, carefully plucked, placed in containers or perforated bags. Store in the refrigerator where it can last up to 2 weeks. Overripe berries should be processed as soon as possible.

Belarusian variety Masheka may be interesting for Russian gardeners.From each bush, you can collect 6 kg of first-class berries, such a yield is sufficient for a private household. Agrotechnics of cultivation, care and reproduction of the variety are standard, within the power of any gardener.

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