Gooseberry Beryl: variety description and characteristics, planting and care with photo

Gooseberries have long been valued for their taste and he alth benefits. However, the shrub has always been unstable to frost and disease, and harvesting was complicated by scratches from the thorns covering the branches. Therefore, breeders tried to develop a more pliable variety. A new type of gooseberry, which appeared due to crossing, was named Beryl, and it became a favorite of gardeners for its unsurpassed qualities.

Variety description

Gooseberry Beryl has differences from its relatives, having absorbed the best from its "parents" - varieties Malachite and Nugget.

Bushes

Appearance and characteristics of the bush:

• medium height - about a meter, medium spreading, with a dense crown;
• medium thick shoots curved and hanging;
• thorns are rare and weak, mainly on the lower shoots, and directed downwards;
• leaves - bright green, soft and large, have three or five lobes without omissions;
• Beryl flowers - green or reddish, goblet-shaped, grow in pairs, forming a two-color inflorescence.

Berries

Description of Beryl gooseberries should start with the main advantage - their weight can reach 9 grams. The fruits themselves are rounded, with a thin but elastic pale green, sometimes with redness, skin and characteristic vertical veins. The taste is sweetish-sour, the pulp is juicy. Few seeds inside. The stalks are thin and long.

Characteristics of gooseberry Beryl

In addition to external differences, Beryl has special characteristics that distinguish it from other varieties.

Resistant to diseases and pests

Gooseberry has a fairly strong immunity to most diseases, especially powdery mildew and downy mildew. As for pests, Beryl is rarely attacked by insects.

Drought resistance and frost resistance

Beryl is a frost-resistant gooseberry variety. It does not require winter shelter and can withstand temperatures down to -38 ºC, which is why it is considered an ideal choice for gardeners in Siberia and the Urals.

Regarding drought, the plant is also unpretentious and does not require frequent watering even on a hot day. However, leaving the bush completely without water is not worth it.

Important! Beryl is very sensitive to excess moisture.

Ripening period and yield

Beryl is classified as a mid-late ripening variety. By mid-July, gardeners are getting a decent harvest. An adult bush brings 5-10 kilograms per season. The number of berries does not depend on weather conditions, but on the quality of care and the age of the plant. Gooseberries give the highest yield five years after planting.

Transportability

Despite the thin skin, the berries tolerate transportation well. At the stage of technical maturity (slightly unripe) they easily withstand three days of transportation. If the crop is harvested during the period of removable maturity (full ripening), then it is problematic to transport over long distances.

Using berries

The fruits of the thornless Beryl are considered dessert because the sweetness outweighs the sourness. In addition to taste, gooseberries have a whole storehouse of useful vitamins and minerals that:

• help with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
• improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• tone up and strengthen the body;
• daily consumption promotes weight loss.

Important! People with diabetes should use berries with caution.

In addition to the consumption of gooseberries in their pure form, they are used to make desserts (jams, marmalade, compotes, etc.), sauces, marinades and alcoholic tinctures. Also, berries are often used for cosmetic purposes - masks, creams or scrubs.

Main positives and negatives

Beryl has many advantages over other varieties:

• the plant is self-fertile, and does not require additional pollination, which brings up to 50% of the crop;
• compared to other types of gooseberries, Beryl is more fruitful;
• berries are large, with a special taste;
• fruits tolerate transportation well;
• frost and drought tolerance;
• immunity to most diseases and resistance to pests;
• a few spikes.

However, gooseberries are not without their disadvantages, which are much less:

• low resistance to septoria and sawflies;
• ripe fruits do not tolerate transportation well;
• Without proper care, yields decline.

Subtleties of growing crops

As with any plant, the correct planting and cultivation of Beryl is important - the further growth and fruitfulness of the shrub depends on this.

Soil Requirements

Before planting gooseberries, several conditions must be met:

• the soil should not be acidic. Otherwise, acidity must be reduced with limestone or dolomite flour at the rate of 300 grams per bush;
• the planting hole should be dug up, cleared of weeds and debris;
• if the soil is heavy, you need to dilute it with a mixture of sand and humus;
• fertilize the soil with 20 liters of humus, 150 grams of ash and 25 grams of potassium phosphate and superphosphate.

It is better to plant gooseberries on hills, where there is free access to the sun's rays and there are no strong winds.

Important! Beryl should not be planted in swampy areas and in places where groundwater flows near the surface.

Pick up time

Plant Beryl should be in the spring or autumn (late September-early October) period, a few weeks before the cold weather, so that the roots take root.

Important! The temperature at night should not fall below 5 degrees.

Selection of planting material

Choosing Beryl gooseberry seedling is an important process. An unsuccessful bush may not take root or bring a poor harvest. Therefore, when purchasing gooseberries, preference should be given to seedlings:

• open root.

Age - not older than 2 years, with 2-3 strong shoots, not shorter than 20 centimeters. The kidneys are enlarged but not open. The tops may be covered with greenery. Roots are moist and developed. Externally, the seedling should not be damaged;

• closed root system (container growing).

There is no specific age. Developed and leafy shoots - 40-50 centimeters. Important! The roots should form a dense clod of earth. External damage is not allowed.

Disembarkation process

It is extremely important to place the gooseberry seedling in the ground correctly:

• dig a deep hole, cover with compost and compact so that there are no voids. Important! The planting hole is fertilized only during spring planting. Fertilizers are not needed in autumn - various types of parasites and diseases like to winter in them;
• place the seedling strictly vertically. The core of the shrub is deepened into the soil by 8 centimeters;
• roots evenly distributed;
• when filling the soil, carefully compact the layers so that there are no voids, and the earth tightly covers the bush;
• after planting, buds are pruned so that there are no more than 5 on each branch;
• pour a bucket of water;
• after soaking, sprinkle the ground with sawdust or leaves.

Nuances of plant care

Unpretentious Beryl does not require complex care, but it is necessary for the growth and fruiting of the bush.

Irrigation

In dry summers, gooseberries should be watered at least once a week, especially at the time of flowering and ripening. Pour a bucket of water into the trunk circle, avoiding getting on the leaves and shoots.

Important! 2-3 weeks before harvest, frequent and heavy watering will degrade the quality of the berries. If the summer is rainy, additional liquid is not required.

Soil care

For the best and he althy growth of gooseberries, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil (4-5 times per season) and remove debris and weeds. This will help the roots get the air they need.

Important! Loosening is carried out carefully so as not to harm the root system. In addition, you will have to mulch to keep moisture in the ground.

Feeding

Annual fertilization of the soil with useful substances is essential to obtain a regular and high-quality gooseberry harvest:

• mulching with humus is carried out in early spring;
• at the end, fertilize the soil with minerals (ammonium nitrate) or organic (litter, manure);
• after flowering - potassium phosphate or superphosphate;
• in the first half of autumn, before the cold weather - a mixture of potassium phosphate, superphosphate and magnesium.

Cutting

Regular pruning of gooseberries is necessary so that the bush does not overgrow, as well as for the formation of new shoots. To do this, every spring, after the snow melts, you should cut off old, diseased or damaged branches. Annual shoots must be shortened. Leave 4-5 pieces of the strongest of the basal ones.Cut main branches in half. As a result, no more than 20 branches of different ages should remain on the bush.

Protection from winter cold

Prepare gooseberries for cold weather to start when the average temperature drops below 0 °C. During this period you need:

• water the bush with 4-5 buckets of water;
• lower the branches to the ground and fix. Important! Distance from the ground - 8-10 centimeters;
• mulch the soil with a layer of at least 8 centimeters, at temperatures below 15 ° C - a layer of 20 centimeters;
• in snowy weather, cover the bush with snow.

In early spring, all shelters must be removed to prevent premature bud formation and freezing.

Diseases and pests

Despite the high resistance of Beryl to various types of fungi and insects, this variety still has an “Achilles heel”.Gooseberries are susceptible to septoria, a fungal disease that appears on the leaves. In the absence of timely treatment, the fungus spreads, the yield drops noticeably, and the plant dies.

Regarding insects, species of sawfly, aphids and moths are susceptible to shrubs. Without the necessary treatment, the parasites will eat all the leaves, causing the bush to get sick.

Methods of reproduction

Beryl is propagated in three ways: by cuttings, by dividing the bush or by grafting. The gardener himself determines the appropriate option.

Collection and storage

Ripening of berries is simultaneous. In the northern regions, it begins in mid-July, in the southern regions - from June. Shelf life Beryl gooseberry - within 7 days.

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