Gooseberry Spring

To make delicious gooseberry jam, it is enough to plant a non-capricious and fruitful variety on the site that gives a good harvest. These include the early ripe gooseberry Rodnik, which quickly adapts to different climatic conditions.

Gooseberry Rodnik is an early ripening variety created by a group of Russian breeders I. Popova and M. Simonova in 2001. Gooseberries were bred by crossing several species - No. 329-11 and Lada. The berry culture was added to the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation in 2002. The variety is cultivated in the European part, in the southern regions and central Russia.

The spring is a compact, medium-sized plant, growing up to 130 cm. The shrub is characterized by upright powerful branches, high thickening of bright green foliage, moderate studding with shortened single needles (2-3 spines per 50 cm), located perpendicular to the shoot, and spreading of the skeletal part. Buds of brown color and elongated shape grow, deviating from the shoot. The flower clusters of the bush consist of 1-2 large flowers of a pale color with reddish-lilac strokes. The flowering of the bushes occurs in the second half of May.

Self-fertility in the variety is high (more than 60%), but experienced summer residents recommend planting pollinating shrubs nearby, blooming simultaneously with the Rodnik gooseberry, to increase the yield by 25-30%.

Gooseberry Spring belongs to large-fruited species. Berries gain weight from 5 to 6.7 grams. The shape of the berries is round-oval without visible edges with a smooth surface, on which a slight gloss is noticeable. Unripe gooseberries are colored green. Ripe berries are covered with a yellowish-green color with light reddish fragments. The peel of the berries is of medium density, without hardness.

Among the advantages of the variety, it is worth noting the good transportability of the berries and the ability to be stored for a long time without loss of taste and marketability - about 7 days. The fruits harvested at the stage of technical maturity have the longest keeping quality. The purpose of the gooseberry is universal, so the berries are eaten fresh, used in cooking, and processed into marmalades. Jam and preserves, as well as freeze. In addition, gooseberries are resistant to cracking and sun baking. Only berries can fall off in conditions of excessive moisture.

The spring has excellent taste. The flesh of a pale green color is endowed with a delicate structure, fleshy, fine-grained and high juiciness. The taste is dominated by pronounced sweetness, complemented by pleasant sourness and bright aroma. The pulp contains more than 7% sugars and 2% acids.

The spring is a gooseberry of early ripening. The shrub begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting, however, full harvests can be expected in the fourth year of life. The first ripe fruits can be tasted at the end of June.Mass ripening of berries occurs in the first decade of July. The fruits are ripened unevenly. Ripening dates may shift slightly due to the climatic characteristics of the place of growth. Spring bears fruit for more than 12-15 years.

The yield indicators of the variety are high, so it is considered an indispensable crop for industrial cultivation. Observing all the points of agricultural technology, 7.5 kg of gooseberries can be removed from one bush per season. Growing berries for commercial purposes, you can count on 10.3 tons per hectare.

The geography of growing fruit crops has expanded significantly in recent years. The spring is productive in the Central region - Moscow, Ryazan, Kaluga, Smolensk, Tula and Bryansk regions. In addition, gooseberries are viable in the Urals and Siberia.

You can plant a culture in autumn and spring. In the spring, you can plant a seedling after the soil warms up to +6 degrees, so in each region this happens at a certain time - in the central part - mid-May, and in the south - in April. In autumn, planting is carried out a month before stable frosts - from September to mid-October. For planting, it is better to choose annual seedlings with a developed root and the presence of 3-4 healthy shoots. Planting seedlings involves maintaining a distance of 1-1.5 meters.

The variety does not need complex agricultural techniques, but it is a little finicky to the place of growth and soil. The site should be open or half shaded with deep groundwater, since the plant does not like stagnant moisture. The soil should be fertile, moist, drained, breathable with neutral or low acidity.

Gooseberries are propagated vegetatively or by dividing the bush, which is more efficient and convenient. You can divide the bushes that are more than 4 years old after planting. The separation is best done in the spring - in May.

Comprehensive plant care consists of the following activities: watering (in the morning or in the evening), feeding (nitrogen fertilizers and organic matter), the formation of bushes (a healthy shrub is 12-13 stems), monthly loosening, sanitary pruning and thinning (old, frozen and dried twigs), hilling, mulching the area around the shrub, preparing for winter (branches are gathered in a bunch and tied with a rope), as well as protection from pests and diseases. To prevent the stems from damaging mice and smaller rodents, it is necessary to lay out special chemicals around the root zone. This procedure is carried out at the end of the summer. According to experts, shrubs, despite their compactness, grow and bear fruit better if tied to trellises.

The immune system is excellent. Gooseberry is resistant to American powdery mildew and septoria blight.The berry bush is rarely exposed to anthracnose. In addition, the Spring practically does not attract pests. The exception is the shoot aphid and moth. Watering with soapy water or timely treatment with herbicides will help to fight the invasion of harmful insects.

The gooseberry Spring has a high frost resistance - the plant can easily tolerate temperature drops down to -35 degrees. In addition, the shrub is resistant to short-term shade and heat. The only thing that culture is not very fond of is prolonged drought and drafts.

Reviews

Despite the fact that the culture is relatively new, it has managed to attract the attention of both newcomers and farmers. This is due to the fact that Spring is not very picky, grows in cold climates, quickly adapts to growing conditions, and also gives a high and stable harvest. Many housewives are captivated by the universal purpose of the variety and its excellent taste.