Belarusian sugar gooseberry: variety description and characteristics, planting and care with photo

The high popularity of Belarusian sugar gooseberries is due to unpretentiousness to growing conditions, care and excellent taste. Its fruits contain a high concentration of vitamins and mineral components, organic acids, pectins, flavonoids and other bioactive compounds. In order for a garden shrub to bear fruit abundantly and stably, you need to know its varietal characteristics and some planting rules.

Belarusian sugar gooseberry: description, characteristics

The variety was obtained by crossing two well-known gooseberry varieties - Large White and Belorussky, on the basis of the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.The plant has a medium early ripening period, the fruits are harvested in mid-July. The bush is characterized as tall, its height is 1 meter, the spreading of the shoots is average. The degree of thorniness in the Belarusian sugar gooseberry is also medium, the spines are single, double and triple.

The fruit shrub grows well and develops in areas with clay and loamy soil. It bears fruit for 12-18 years. The crop is positioned as large, the mass of berries is 9-10 grams. Their color is light green, the shape is oval, consumer qualities are excellent: the pulp is sweet, the taste is balanced. Gooseberry harvest Belarusian sugar has a universal purpose.

The tasting score of gooseberries is 4.8 out of 5. The sugar content in the berries is 14%, and the acid content is only 2%. The variety Belarusian sugar is characterized by an average degree of resistance to powdery mildew, anthracnose. The plant is not afraid of low temperatures, winter hardiness is high.

Pros and cons

When growing Belarusian sugar gooseberries, experienced gardeners note the following positive characteristics:

• self-fertile;
• precocity;
• easy to grow;
• not afraid of harsh winters;
• increased immunity to fungal diseases;
• high productivity;
• fruit versatility;
• large-fruited.

Of the shortcomings of Belarusian sugar gooseberries, it is worth highlighting only the presence of a large number of thorns, which complicate the process of picking ripe berries. But on the other hand, thanks to the thorns, the plant does not overheat in the sun and more easily tolerates dry weather.

How to grow crops

To achieve good results, it is necessary to adhere to certain recommendations when planting Belarusian sugar gooseberries.

Preparing the landing site

Since Belarusian sugar gooseberry is a light-loving crop, it is necessary to give preference to areas with a good level of illumination for its planting, partial shade will not work. Otherwise, the fruits will be small and of poor quality.

In addition, the plant should be protected from through winds, it is better to choose a place near buildings, a fence.

Preparatory work involves the removal of weeds from the site by using continuous herbicides such as Hurricane, Roundup. Preplant sowing and plowing green manure crops (rye, mustard) have a beneficial effect on shrubs. Such a simple agricultural technique makes it possible to improve the aeration and nutritional value of the soil for planting Belarusian sugar gooseberries.

In addition, you need to add humus or compost to the soil at the rate of 6-10 kilograms per 1 square meter. You can prevent the development of diseases in the future and the appearance of various harmful insects with the help of fumigation - treating the area with special preparations.

The soil that gooseberries love

It is best to plant Belarusian sugar gooseberries on loam, sandy soils, chernozems. Planting in wetlands, with close groundwater, heavy loams, sand, is ineffective - a bush on such soils often gets sick. Abundant harvests are obtained if the plant is planted in the ground with an acidity of 6-6.5.

Selecting planting material

When buying Belarusian sugar gooseberries, you should pay attention to its appearance. Especially on the state of the root system - it must be he althy, without signs of disease.The best option is to purchase planting material in a specialized nursery or from trusted sellers.

Given that the variety is often propagated by layering, then one copy should have one or more shoots with a thickness of 5 millimeters or more, with 2-3 skeletal roots (length - from 15 centimeters). To check the viability of the seedling, you need to make a cross section of the root, it should have a white or cream color. Material with a brown, gray or black cut should be avoided.

Fitting technology

Belarusian sugar gooseberries are planted, adhering to the following algorithm of actions:

1. Dig planting holes 50×50 centimeters and 60 centimeters deep.
2. Introduce a mixture of humus (10 kilograms), superphosphate (200 grams) and potash fertilizer (30 grams) into each well.
3. Pour out 3-5 liters of water, when it is absorbed, add the same amount.
4. Place the seedling in the center of the hole, straighten the roots and sprinkle with soil. At the same time, it is not recommended to deepen the root neck by more than 5-7 centimeters - in this way, new replacement shoots can be formed.

After a day, loosen the soil, mulch to avoid tearing the roots when the soil dries out.

Belarusian sugar gooseberry care

Proper care of fruit crops is the key to a rich and tasty harvest.

Water and fertilize

Irrigate shrubs in dry and warm weather should be done once every 7-10 days. Gooseberries experience an increased need for watering at the flowering stage, during the formation of ovaries and during the development of berries. The last irrigation is carried out 2 weeks before the day of harvest.When the fruits are harvested, watering is resumed in order to lay the high productivity of the bush for the next season. It is better to water the plant at the root, sprinkling is not relevant in this case.

Feeding procedures with mullein, bird droppings or mineral complexes are performed annually on depleted soils, and on fertile soils - 1 time in 3 years. The introduction of wood ash, where there is a lot of potassium, will also help fight parasitic individuals.

Shaping a bush

Pruning Belarusian sugar gooseberries is allowed either in spring - before bud break, or in autumn - after harvesting. Since the plant is quite plastic, it can be given the most unusual forms. The variety is grown both in the classic version, and in the form of one-shoulder and two-shoulder cordons, stlanets, on a trellis.

Shelter for the winter

According to the description of the variety, the bush has a sufficient level of frost resistance. But in the case of a snowy winter, it is recommended to mulch the soil in the near-trunk circle with rotted manure, straw, and spruce sawdust. It is also necessary to cover the improved Belarusian sugar gooseberry for the winter.

Diseases, pests and prevention

In early spring, the old mulch should be removed, after pouring 3-5 liters of hot water (80 degrees) under each bush. This will help to get rid of fungi and pests wintering in the ground. The mulch needs to be replaced with a new one.

In addition, it is good to cultivate the land under the bush before bud break with 1% Bordeaux mixture. Before the formation of buds, Karbofos is used to protect the shrub from aphids, gall midges, and sawflies. To combat the bud mite, colloidal sulfur is used (30 grams per 10 liters of water).

Propagation of gooseberries

Fruit crops are bred either by layering or by cuttings. The main thing is to know the features of each method.

Layers

In the spring, for the propagation of Belarusian sugar gooseberries, they choose a strong shoot, bend it to the ground and sprinkle it with soil. Periodically, it is watered, and as the shoots appear, they spud. In autumn, it is separated from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place.

Shanks

The material for breeding the variety is harvested in mid-June, choosing powerful lateral growths from last year. The upper part 5-6 centimeters long is cut off from them, all the leaves are cut off, leaving only the top two. The cuttings are planted in a mini-greenhouse at a distance of 7 centimeters from each other. They need to be watered, covered with glass, film and shaded. Care consists of airing, regular irrigation and loosening of the soil.

Harvesting

If the berries will be transported over long distances, they are removed 5-7 days before full ripening. For fresh consumption and as a raw material for wine, the fruits are already ripe.

Storage rules

Mature harvest is stored only 4-5 days, and unripe - 14 days. Before putting the berries in the refrigerator, they need to be sorted out, put into paper bags, and cannot be washed. If the crop is placed in the freezer, then it is also inspected, spoiled berries are removed, washed and laid out in one layer on a suitable surface (chopping board). After freezing, the fruits are poured into an airtight container.

Belarusian sugar gooseberry is an unpretentious and high-yielding plant. It is not difficult to grow it, the main thing is just to follow basic agricultural practices.

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