Gooseberry Xenia

Gooseberry Xenia is that rare variety that combines all the best qualities expected from a plant by a gardener. This is a friendly early ripening, low prickling, excellent productivity with a lot of large tasty fruits. And also the culture is not capricious, it is suitable for almost the entire territory of the country.

The culture was patented in 1990 in Switzerland, in the commune of Rafz. To obtain a new gooseberry, work was carried out here on crossing the varieties Invicta (male type) and LS 9-31-54 (possibly of Czech selection). The author of the culture, Peter Hauenstein, made a selection based on the size and color of the fruits, as well as their early maturity.

The gooseberry variety obtained as a result of these experiments is today one of the most popular in Europe. Xenia is his trade name, he is also known under the name Rafzuera. In Russia, his synonym is Rafzuera.

The bush is of medium height, has a spherical crown and a height of up to a meter. The thorns on the shoots at the bottom of the bush are single and weak, while the upper parts of the branches are completely devoid of them, which makes the procedure for picking berries safe and comfortable. The bush develops vertically, the shoots are erect, but there are also plants with a drooping crown. In this case, the bushes stretch up to 1.2 m in height. The density is average.

Xenia's leaves are not too wide, petioles reach 3 centimeters. Freshly blossomed leaves are usually light green, with an anthocyanin tint, while adult leaves have a bright green color, are distinguished by a glossy sheen, their width is 5.5 cm.The shrub blooms in April with single flowers (that is, there is only one flower in the inflorescence), color sepals and ovaries are anthocyanin. Ripe berries can hang on the branches for a very long time without crumbling. They have a dry separation.

Xenia's berries are very beautiful, smooth, and have the shape of a ball. Their shade is pink-red, there is a lilac tan. The Swiss gooseberry is considered large. The mass of berries is from 10 to 14 grams, and if measured in centimeters, then each fruit will reach 2.3-2.5 cm.

The gooseberry pulp is juicy, it tastes sweet and fruity, with an amazing berry aroma. Berries are delicious when eaten fresh, and in the form of jam, compotes, marshmallows. Fruits are suitable for drying and freezing.

The European gooseberry variety belongs to the early maturing, as it begins to bear fruit in mid-June. Or it will be the end of June - the beginning of July, depending on the region of cultivation. The fruits ripen together. At the same time, the variety does not differ in early maturity.

The yield of the gooseberry Ksenia cannot be called outstanding, however, on average, from 12 to 14 kilograms of fruit can be collected from a bush, which is a good indicator.

Most of the Russian regions are suitable for the successful cultivation of gooseberries from Switzerland.

Planting of the described gooseberry variety can be carried out both in early spring and in autumn. The spring planting must be completed before the first leaves of the gooseberry appear, but at the same time after the probable return frost. This time may vary in different regions. In the southern regions, most often disembarkation occurs in mid-March. As for the autumn planting, it is important to have time to carry it out 2 decades before the first frost.

It is very important to choose the right place for planting gooseberries Xenia. The area should be well lit by the sun. It is also important to protect the plant from winds from the north and northwest.

Among the useful neighbors of the gooseberry will be tomatoes, herbs (sage and basil), which can protect the culture from many garden misfortunes. But black currants cannot be placed nearby, since these crops have the same diseases. The Ksenia variety will grow poorly next to strawberries because of its aggressive roots.

The European variety Ksenia is not capricious. It will respond well to simple care, delighting its owner with an excellent harvest. The main thing is to carry out timely watering, feeding, and also to protect the plant from diseases and pests.

The Swiss gooseberry variety is quite resistant to powdery mildew and other fungal infections.

The culture tolerates cloudy weather and rains well, while the fruits do not rot or burst. It perfectly tolerates frosts down to -35 degrees.

The disadvantage can be considered the fact that during a drought, as well as if the condition of the soil deteriorates, the crop may decrease the yield and quality of the fruits. Another drawback lies in the inability to propagate the variety by cuttings.