Gooseberries are often called northern grapes due to its outward resemblance to the latter. On this their common features end, since in fact the gooseberry belongs to the Kryzhovnikov family, currant is its closest relative.
All about gooseberries: grade description
In ancient times, people did not know what gooseberries were. The first description was given by the French doctor J. Raoul almost 500 years ago. From his work it follows that in his era, unripe gooseberries were used to make sauces and soups, and ripe was used raw. From the doctor’s notes, you can find out that gooseberries are not only berries used in food, but also quite a popular plant for decorating gardens.
Gooseberry
Subsequently, gooseberries were brought to England, where, thanks to a humid climate, the size of its fruits increased almost four times over the next 100 years. The plant became so popular on the island that by the beginning of the 17th century. almost all cultivated berries were native to England.
Gooseberries have also been known in Russia for a very long time. The first mention of it appeared in the 11th century. But the greatest peak of popularity came in the 19th century, when large-fruited varieties were imported from England to Russia, which were subsequently replaced by local ones.
For your information! Currently, the common gooseberry is also known as the European gooseberry, or rejected. But before he had other names. In the Altai Territory 200 years ago it was known as a bersen, on the banks of the Yenisei - a birch-birch. Previously, in the territory of Russia it was called a kryzh, and in Azerbaijan it was known as Russian cherry plum.
Botanical characteristic
The very first question on the botanical classification: is gooseberry a berry or a fruit? Previously, the plant was considered a fruit, but after a careful study of the fruits, it began to be attributed to the family of berries. The propagation of this fruit crop occurs through the germination of seeds that have fallen to the ground along with the dried fruit. And this method is typical for berries.
How gooseberries look, even children know, but it is worth considering its characteristics in more detail. This is a shrub reaching a height of up to 1.5 m, but there are also low-growing specimens that grow to a maximum of half a meter. In diameter, the bush is always equal to its height. The root system develops throughout life and root shoots are formed on it. After 2-3 years, they turn into real branches on which berries begin to grow.
Note! On one bush, almost 60 shoots can be simultaneously located.
The quality of the productivity of the stems depends on their location. Central, in view of the fact that they grow directly and receive little light, bear fruit worse than side branches growing away from the center. The branches of the plant can be with spikes, with a small number of them or without thorns at all. Spines can be of different lengths and shapes.
Leaves can vary even on the same bush. They come in many sizes: from small to very large. On them there are from 3 to 5 tips of acute or rounded shape and light or yellow-green color. Leaves of gooseberry of quintuple type (five sepals, petals, stamens each).
The flower sprouts from the axils of the leaves in a group of 3-4 pcs. In appearance, it looks most like a bell with five petals. Berries are divided in size into small, medium and large. The largest fruits weigh 4 g.
Bush
Distribution area
Gooseberries originally appeared in Western Europe and North Africa, but now wild varieties have spread across all continents. They grow mainly in mountainous areas, near rivers and trees. Unlike a home plant, they have high frost resistance and disease resistance, especially those that live in the northern regions. But at the same time they have a weak resistance to powdery mildew. The berries in this variety can be smooth or pubescent, of various shapes and colors.
For your information! In Russia, wild gooseberries are common in the Caucasus, Altai, Siberia and the European part of the country. It is conventionally divided into three types: European, needle, Far Eastern.
What is useful gooseberries
Gooseberry berries have very useful properties. They contain about 12% fructose and glucose, which is well absorbed by the body. The gooseberry acid known to all is due to the content of malic, oxalic and even citric acid in the composition, which have a positive effect on digestion. The high content of pectins makes the fruits of the plant an excellent natural means for removing radiation. By the content of useful minerals, no other berry can be compared with gooseberries.
The benefits of gooseberries are very large. Thanks to it, blood circulation and metabolic processes in the body improve, the nervous system and hormonal processes strengthen.
The juice
Since everything about gooseberries and its beneficial properties has been known for a long time, it is widely used in folk medicine. A decoction of the leaves and fruits of the plant helps with diseases of the kidneys, anemia, hypovitaminosis. Berries are also useful for children, as they are an excellent tonic and anti-allergenic.
Note! In the Caucasus, it was believed that gooseberries help in the treatment of tuberculosis and pneumonia.
In modern medicine, the berry also found its application. It is used in the manufacture of various dietary supplements. It is recommended to use it to combat obesity and metabolic disorders. But, despite all the beneficial properties, gooseberries should not be consumed by patients with diabetes.
Care Features
In order for the gooseberry to grow correctly, and also give a plentiful harvest, it needs proper care both in winter and in summer. Following all the recommendations, you can get not only a fruitful plant, but also a beautiful bush that will decorate the summer cottage.
Watering
If the gooseberry is not watered enough, it will often hurt, the berries will be large, and the quality of the crop will decrease. During the formation of new shoots, the bush is watered only in dry weather. Moisturizing continues during the formation of berries, but as soon as the fruits ripen, watering stops.
Watering
In autumn, during the rainy season, the plant is not watered. It should be abundantly moistened in October so that the root system can prepare for winter.
Fertilizer and mulching
The first top dressing should be carried out in the spring. Around the bush on the dug up earth manure or humus is laid. When the buds open, 50 g of urea is added under the bush. When a plant turns 4 years old, it is fertilized with mineral compounds every spring. After the first berries appear, manure is introduced 2-3 times. In autumn, the bush is poured with a solution of potassium nitrate, and closer to winter before digging in the soil, ash or peat is added.
After the snow melts, the soil becomes very compacted. Therefore, in spring it is loosened around the bush, but not deeper than 5 cm, so as not to damage the root system. In summer, loosening is performed approximately 4 times, the last time in early August.
Note! To grow and protect against weeds around the bush, mulching is additionally performed in the summer, again in the fall after digging in the ground.
Bush Supports
Although the gooseberry is a rather unpretentious plant, it happens that it needs additional support. Among gardeners, it is known as trellis; cucumbers and grapes are grown on such structures. Support may be necessary if the place where the gooseberry grows is not adequately lit. As a result of use, it will help to get an earlier and more abundant crop.
Preventative treatment
So that in summer the plant can please its owner with abundant flowering, in the spring it should be processed for preventive purposes. But, in order to know how to process the bush, you first need to find out exactly what harm can threaten it. The main diseases and pests that gooseberries can be exposed to are powdery mildew, anthracnose, septoria, various ticks and insects. In any case, treating the plant in spring with copper sulfate will do him good.
Pruning and preparing for winter
Pruning is an important stage in the development of gooseberries. It is divided into several types:
- forming pruning is necessary to create the correct shape of the bush;
- anti-aging pruning is carried out when the plant becomes more than seven years old, its dry branches and shoots are pruned;
- sanitary pruning - removal of old, dried and diseased branches.
Note! In the autumn, after all the work related to cultivating the soil and pruning the bushes, the plant prepares for winter. To do this, they bend it, sprinkle it with peat and cover it with dense material.
Breeding
Gooseberries can reproduce in various ways:
- horizontal layering. To do this, young branches are taken, a neat cut is made from above, after which they bend down to the ground and dig well into the holes. When new shoots grow above 10 cm, they begin to care, as for full-fledged plants;
- arcuate layering. Annual branches are laid horizontally in the prepared grooves, pinned and sprinkled with soil. The top of the shoot in an arc is led up, and in the fall it is separated from the main bush and transplanted;
- division of the bush. Used when moving to a new location. The bush is cut into pieces, landing is made in pre-prepared holes;
- propagation by cuttings. Depending on the season, the technology of transplantation varies. In summer, green cuttings are taken, and in the autumn, lignified.
Disease control
All the main diseases that can threaten gooseberries are treated by spraying the bush with Bordeaux fluid. If the soil is affected, then it is watered with a solution of copper sulfate. The only disease that is difficult to get rid of is mosaic (the growth of shoots stops, a mosaic pattern appears on the leaves). Affected bushes are usually disposed of. To protect gooseberries from most pests, branches, leaves and berries are regularly treated with insecticides.
Disease
Gooseberry ordinary is a classic of the genre in the horticultural environment. He is in almost every country house, but not everyone knows how to properly care for and propagate it. The article above will help to fill knowledge.
