Gooseberry Northern Captain: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care with a photo

In Europe, thorn bushes were grown on an industrial basis. Berries with a dense skin were used in cosmetology and cooking, but the gooseberry was amazed by the sphere library and died. In recent years, crop varieties have appeared that are immune to powdery mildew. And the plant, whose homeland is considered to be Africa, yields berries in the regions of Russia, where winters are cold and summers are not very warm. Low gooseberry bushes Northern Captain are resistant to fungal infection, rarely affected by pests.

General information

When crossing the Pink variety with a form that does not have a name and is indicated by numbers, Russian breeders bred a gooseberry that received various positive characteristics. On the green shoots of the shrub, with large leaves, there is no pubescence. With age, the branches become woody, acquire a grayish tint, and are covered with short thorns. The light green flowers in clusters have red stripes.

Based on the description of the gooseberry Northern Captain, the ovary on the plant is laid without the neighborhood of pollinators. The presence of such varieties does not greatly affect the yield. Toward the end of July, dark red berries with light veins ripen. The dense skin of fruits, the weight of which does not exceed 4 grams, is covered with a purine coating.

Gooseberries do not crumble even after ripening, have a peculiar taste, sweetness is given by sugar, vitamin C acid. Dark-colored berries are rich:

• carotene and rutin;
• pectins and serotonin;
• iron and phosphorus;
• zinc and magnesium.

From the fruits of the Northern captain, juice is squeezed out, which cleanses the body of s alts and metals, improves the condition of the digestive tract. Jams, marmalade, homemade wine are prepared from berries. Gardeners who grow this variety claim that gooseberries practically do not suffer from powdery mildew, are not affected by anthracnose, white spot.

From 2 to 3 kg of berries are harvested from a bush. Proper care can extend the fruiting of a plant up to 20 years.

Pros and cons of culture

Northern Captain is not a thornless variety, but there are no thorns on young shoots, and very few on adult branches. Gardeners love gooseberries for their resistance to frost, but they also have other virtues:

1. The plant reproduces without problems, takes root quickly.
2. Immune to fungal diseases.
3. Undamaged by sawfly, not affected by moth.
4. Berries do not lose their presentation either during transportation or during long-term storage.

Gooseberry variety Northern Captain is not without its negative sides. Bushes lean to the ground and do not hold without a garter. Not everyone likes small fruits, besides they have a specific taste.

Cultivation of Northern Captain variety

Gooseberries are less common in dachas and yards than raspberries and blackcurrants, but many gardeners set aside a plot for thorny shrubs, because it is unpretentious and does not require special care.

Choosing a seat

Gooseberry loves the sun, does not tolerate drafts, does not withstand excess moisture. Variety Northern Captain is not recommended to be placed in an area where water comes close to the surface, otherwise the roots may simply rot.You need to plant bushes in a place that is ventilated, illuminated by the rays of the sun.

Soil composition

Northern captain does not grow in clay soil that does not allow air to pass through, any gooseberry variety does not grow well in soil with a high level of acidity. You can change the composition of the soil with the help of river sand. When planting, it is poured into each hole in a bucket, a little lime is added or the soil is diluted with dolomite flour.

Preparation of wells

The area allotted for gooseberries is carefully dug up, the remains of plants, dry leaves are removed, weeds are pulled out with the roots. 2 or 3 weeks before planting the bushes, holes are made up to 60 cm deep and 0.5 m in diameter. The northern captain is better taken in autumn. In cold climates, spring arrives late, and it is difficult to predict the time for gooseberries to take root.

Selection of seedlings

To purchase a variety that can withstand frost and bear fruit in Siberia and the Urals, the plant must be purchased in the reserve and in the nursery, there is a large assortment on the market, but it is not a fact that the Northern Captain will be sold. For planting, it is recommended to choose bushes 2 years old with he althy branches. Gooseberry roots should be woody.

Planting seedlings

Holes dug in advance are filled with earth, mixed with humus, compost, a little superphosphate, ash and potassium nitrate are added. A gooseberry seedling is lowered into the pit and covered with soil so that the root neck is deepened 5-7 cm from the surface. The soil is compacted and abundantly moistened. After it settles, they mulch and immediately cut off the shoots, leaving 5 buds. The distance between sprawling bushes should be at least 1.5 m, between rows - 2 meters.

How to care for Northern Captain gooseberries?

Growing a variety of Russian selection is within the power of any summer resident, no special knowledge of crop care is required.

Irrigation Rules

In cool climates where Northern Captain is planted, it often rains and irrigation is not necessary. The melt waters formed in early spring are quite enough for gooseberries. The plant does not tolerate excess moisture; it disappears in wetlands. In dry weather, the bush is watered before flowering, in case of prolonged rainfall, the earth has to be constantly loosened and freed from weeds.

Fertilization

Early vein, gooseberries, which do not like to sleep for a long time and wake up quickly, are fed with ammonium sulfate or urea, which contains nitrogen.

Before the flowers appear, the plants are watered with liquid rotted manure or bird droppings. 2 times per season, mineral fertilizers are applied under the gooseberries - superphosphate, potassium s alt.

Bush Formation

In dense plantings, pests start to grow, fungi begin to multiply, causing powdery mildew. Although the North Captain is immune to disease, it's not worth the risk. In wet and rainy weather, the crown quickly overgrows, which contributes to the activation of pathogenic microorganisms.

Gooseberry shoots are shortened during planting, as well as at the end of the growing season.

To properly form a bush that is already producing berries:

1. In early autumn, young branches are removed to a stump, leaving up to 5 stems. In annual plants, the tops are cut.
2. Getting rid of old shoots.
3. Fruit-bearing branches are shortened.

If an adult gooseberry has no more than 25 strong stems, it pleases with berries for a very long time. The northern captain gives a crop of 18-20 years.

Disease and pest control methods

Gardeners claim that the variety is resistant to fungal infection, does not attract sawflies, and aphids do not start in cold climates. To protect gooseberries from diseases, it is enough to rake dry leaves, burn dried shoots in which parasite larvae overwinter. Bushes are pollinated with ash, which serves as both a fertilizer and a remedy that insects do not tolerate.

In regions where frosts exceed 30 °С, gooseberries are covered with needles or sawdust in late autumn.

Varieties of breeding

Northern captain can be propagated in any way. But many summer residents prefer not to harvest cuttings, but to use layering. In the spring, they dig a groove into which the shoot is laid so that the top is above the ground, for which it is pinned and secured with wire. Layers are covered with soil and watered. By autumn, the shoot will take root in several places.After cutting, plants are obtained that can already be sent to the soil. Adult bushes are divided into 3-4 parts and planted in the ground.

Collecting and storing gooseberries

Berries on the bush should be picked carefully so as not to be pricked with thorns, although the Northern Captain variety does not have so many thorns. Gooseberries are harvested in late July or early August. Unripe fruits are well transported, do not deteriorate for several days, but do not ripen well. The berries are plucked into a basket, after which they are sorted out, soft fruits are immediately used for preparing juice or jam, hard fruits can be frozen.

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