Description of the Belarusian sugar gooseberry variety, planting and care

The high popularity of the Belarusian sugar gooseberry is due to its 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 consistently, you need to know its varietal characteristics and some planting rules.

Belarusian sugar gooseberry: description, characteristics

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

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

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

Advantages and disadvantages

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

• self-fertility;
• precociousness;
• does not cause difficulties during cultivation;
• is not afraid of harsh winters;
• increased immunity to fungal diseases;
• high productivity rates;
• versatility of fruits;
• large-fruited.

Among the disadvantages of the Belarusian sugar gooseberry, it is worth highlighting only the presence of a large number of thorns, which complicate the process of picking ripened berries. But, thanks to the thorns, the plant does not overheat in the sun and tolerates dry weather more easily.

How to grow crops correctly

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

Preparing the landing site

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

In addition, the plant must be protected from draft winds; it is better to choose a place near buildings or fences.

Preparatory work involves removing weeds from the site using continuous action herbicides such as Hurricane and Roundup. Pre-planting sowing and plowing of green manure crops (rye, mustard) have a beneficial effect on the shrub. This 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. The future development of diseases and the appearance of various harmful insects can be prevented by fumigation - treating the area with special preparations.

The soil that gooseberries love

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

Selection of planting material

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

Considering that the variety is often propagated by layering, one specimen should have one or several shoots at least 5 millimeters thick, 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 be white or cream in color. Material with a brown, gray or black cut should be excluded.

Landing technology

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

1. Dig planting holes measuring 50x50 centimeters and 60 centimeters deep.
2. Add a mixture of humus (10 kilograms), superphosphate (200 grams) and potassium fertilizer (30 grams) into each hole.
3. Pour 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 collar more than 5-7 centimeters - this way you can achieve the formation of new replacement shoots.

After a day, loosen the soil and mulch it to avoid breaking the roots when the soil dries out.

Caring for Belarusian sugar gooseberries

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

Watering and fertilizing

Shrubs should be irrigated in dry and warm weather 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 harvest day. When the fruits are collected, watering is resumed in order to ensure 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 carried out annually on depleted soils, and on fertile soils - once every 3 years. Adding wood ash, which contains a lot of potassium, will also help fight parasitic individuals.

Bush formation

It is allowed to prune Belarusian sugar gooseberries either in the spring - before buds open, or in the autumn - after harvesting. Since the plant is quite plastic, it can be given the most unusual shapes. The variety is grown both in the classic version and in the form of one-armed and double-armed cordons, stlanza, 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 winter with little snow, it is recommended to mulch the soil in the tree trunk circle with rotted manure, straw, and spruce sawdust. Improved Belarusian sugar gooseberries also need to be covered for the winter.

Diseases, pests and prevention

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

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

Gooseberry propagation

The fruit crop is propagated either by layering or cuttings. The main thing is to know the features of each method.

By layering

In spring, for gooseberry propagation Belarusian sugar, choose a strong shoot, bend it to the ground and sprinkle it with soil. It is watered periodically, and as shoots appear, it is hilled up. In the fall, it is separated from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place.

Cuttings

Material for breeding the variety is harvested in mid-June, choosing powerful lateral growths from last year. The top part, 5-6 centimeters long, is cut off from them, all the leaves are torn 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 ventilation, regular irrigation and loosening of the soil.

Harvesting

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

Storage rules

A ripe harvest is stored for only 4-5 days, and an unripe one – 14 days. Before putting the berries in the refrigerator, they need to be sorted out, placed in paper bags, and cannot be washed. If the harvest is placed in the freezer, it is also inspected, spoiled berries are removed, washed and laid out in one layer on a suitable surface (cutting 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 to follow basic agricultural practices.