One of the most popular berry crops, gooseberries, are distinguished by their relative unpretentiousness to growing conditions and care. It is valued for its unsurpassed taste and aroma of fruits, and high productivity indicators. But there are situations when there are no berries on it. To understand why gooseberries stopped bearing fruit, you should consider in more detail all possible preconditions for such consequences and take timely measures.
Why don't gooseberries bear fruit?
A plant such as gooseberry is distinguished by a sufficient level of vitality and endurance to adverse environmental factors. It produces crops consistently for 15-20 years. But if you do not follow the rules of agricultural technology and do not take into account his preferences for external conditions, then it is unlikely that you will be able to reap a rich harvest.
Incorrect location and planting pattern
The first thing you should always remember when choosing a place to plant gooseberries is its light-loving nature. It is recommended to plant shrubs exclusively in well-lit clearings protected from draft winds. If the plant is planted in the shade of trees, the fruits will be produced in smaller quantities and smaller sizes. In addition, they lose their taste characteristics.
When planting gooseberries in areas with excessive soil moisture, the risk of freezing in winter increases, stopping all growth processes. Such negative phenomena are observed due to a lack of oxygen, as a result of which the gooseberry root system begins to rot. After which the disease is transmitted to the stems, which in turn causes the absence of fruits.
The development of putrefactive processes on gooseberry roots can be prevented by controlling the looseness of the soil and laying a drainage layer when planting in a hole.
Too close placement of gooseberry bushes often causes poor fruiting. Plants do not receive the required amount of heat, light, or nutrition, which reduces their ability to produce fruit. The optimal distance between gooseberry bushes is 1-1.5 meters.
Trimming bushes and excess shoots
Pruning done incorrectly or with gross errors leads to excessive thickening. Shaded young shoots grow and develop poorly.Branches that are over 5 years old are subject to removal; they are almost no longer capable.
It is recommended to carry out such manipulations in early spring, before the buds open, or after the leaves fall - in the fall. In the first 4-5 years, pruning is performed in order to shape the plant and free it from unnecessary shoots and old branches. For high-quality fruiting, gooseberries must have 20-25 powerful shoots of different ages.
Lack or excess of feeding
You should not add nutritional compounds to the soil in the first 3 years after planting gooseberry seedlings in a permanent place. This is due to a sufficient amount of fertilizer when preparing the planting hole. Subsequently, feeding procedures are carried out 4 times per season:
- until the buds swell;
- before the beginning of the flowering phase;
- during the period of fruit formation;
- upon completion of the harvest.
If this feeding regime is violated, the gooseberry berries are significantly reduced in size, and then completely absent. Overdoing it with nutrition is also detrimental to the plant; iron deficiency affects yellowing of leaves, falling of flowers and fruits. And with a lack of phosphorus, the ovaries are discharged.
Possible diseases and pests
Most gooseberry varieties are characterized by increased immunity to common ailments and harmful insects. But still, to protect plants, it is recommended to treat with chemicals for preventive purposes. The bushes are vulnerable to powdery mildew, rot, and anthracnose. Among the harmful insects, the greatest danger to berry crops are: aphids, bud mites, glass beetles, sawflies, and moths.
It is effective to fight diseases and parasites by spraying with a solution of copper sulfate. Treatments are carried out in early spring or late autumn.You should not carry out such procedures when the kidneys begin to swell. Among insecticidal agents, Arrivo, Decis, and Mospilan work well.
External reasons
The most common reason why gooseberries do not bear fruit is exposure to severe frosts during the flowering phase of the bushes. It is negative temperatures that destroy most flowers and significantly reduce the productivity of berry crops. Dry winds also negatively affect gooseberry plantings; hot winds dry pollen and turn leaf blades into dust.
Pollination
There is a range of gooseberry varieties that do not require additional pollination - cross-pollination. But if you plant 3-5 varieties of this crop close to each other, you can increase the productivity of even self-fertile bushes. In non-self-pollinating plants, in bad weather conditions (rain, snow, wind, cold snap), due to the absence of bees, flowers may remain unpollinated.
What to do if gooseberries do not bear fruit?
To achieve the desired results, you must not neglect the main rules of quality care. Particular attention should be paid to regular pruning of gooseberries, shortening the shoots at an angle of 45-50 degrees. The main thing here is not to damage the fruit bud; the cut should be made 5-7 centimeters upward from it.
If the shoots are pruned too close to the location of the bud, it will soon dry out. It is also not worth making a cut very high above it; there is a high probability that the part of the branch that is formed above the bud will dry out.
In addition, it is recommended not to ignore feeding procedures.Throughout the season, you will need to add mineral complex compounds several times, and in the fall - rotted organic matter. If there are enough nutritional components in the soil, the crop will grow and develop normally, forming a large number of ovaries.
If the gooseberries do not bear fruit, then it is necessary to adjust the irrigation system. To prevent the bush from experiencing a moisture deficiency or, on the contrary, from growing in soil with excessive moisture, it should be watered once a week in dry weather. Water consumption per plant is 7 liters.
How to avoid problems?
In order to prevent negative consequences in the form of a lack of fruits on gooseberry bushes, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules of agricultural technology. For planting, you should choose exclusively sunny areas with close groundwater, and avoid wetlands. Plants die in damp soil.
It is recommended to apply nutritional mixtures in a timely manner and in doses, using them taking into account the manufacturer’s instructions. Around the bushes you need to regularly remove weeds, which take away nutrition and moisture from the soil. To avoid oxygen starvation of the roots, it is effective to loosen the soil after watering. And prune bushes annually.
Gooseberries are a crop resistant to diseases and pests, drought and frost, but proper care will only increase productivity and extend the life of the plantings.
