Gooseberry Sirius

When choosing a type of gooseberry for planting, most summer residents are embarrassed by the presence of sharp thorns on the bush, so many try to choose a variety that is thornless or with a minimum number of thorns. These are the mid-late Sirius varieties.

Sirius is a berry culture with a long history, developed by Russian scientists from the V.I. I. V. Michurin (T. S. Zvyagina and K. D. Sergeeva) in 1986. The gooseberry joined the ranks of the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation in 1994. The berry was obtained by crossing the following species - Besshipny 3 and Captivator 0-271. Recommended for growing Sirius in the Central Black Earth Region. The gooseberry has another name - Gulliver.

Gooseberry Sirius is a vigorous shrub that can reach 1 meter in height. The bush is compact, with upright shoots and medium thickening of light green leaves with a matte surface. Only the lower part of the shoot is very rarely covered with thorns. During the flowering period, medium-sized flowers of a pale color appear on the shrub. Flower brushes are composed of several flowers. The flowering phase falls on the 3rd decade of May.

The culture belongs to self-fertile species, but with cross-pollination, the yield increases by 20-25%, so planting several varieties of gooseberries that bloom simultaneously with Sirius will not be superfluous. In addition, bees pollinate gooseberries.

Sirius represents a class of medium-fruited berry varieties. On average, the weight of the berry is 3.5-4 g. The shape of the gooseberry is correct - round. Ripe berries are evenly covered with a dark red color with a smooth surface, endowed with a waxy bloom. The skin of the fruit is dense with light streaks. The berries have a universal purpose - eating fresh, processing into jams and preserves, freezing, using in cooking.

A feature of the variety is excellent transportability and long shelf life. In a cool place, berries can be stored for 18-26 days.

The taste and marketability of the berries are excellent. The pale pink flesh is characterized by a tender, fleshy and moderately dense texture with high juiciness. The berry taste is balanced, sweet and sour, complemented by a pleasant dessert aroma. Gooseberry pulp contains about 12% sugars and 2.3% acids. The seed content in the pulp is indicated as an average.

Sirius is a mid-late gooseberry species.The culture begins to bear fruit in the 3-4th year after planting. You can taste the first berries at the end of July, and the peak of fruiting occurs at the beginning of August. The berries are spiced together.

Yield indicators are good, the main thing is to follow all agrotechnical rules. Under favorable conditions, 2.5-3.6 kg of gooseberries can be removed from 1 bush per season. Growing for commercial purposes, you can count on 90-150 centners per hectare.

You can plant seedlings in spring and autumn. If you plant in the spring, then until the buds open. Landing is carried out on a cloudy day. If planted in the fall, then 1.5-2 months before frost, so that the root system has time to adapt. In addition to the correctly chosen time, you must remember to maintain a distance between the bushes of 1.5-2 meters. The best planting material is a 2 year old seedling.

The Sirius gooseberry shrub is easy to care for, but for good yields, you need to choose the right place and suitable soil. The site should be chosen sunny, protected from drafts and gusty winds. The soil on the site should be fertile, air and moisture permeable with deep groundwater, since the root system of the plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture. The ideal place would be a slope with fertilized loams.

Complex plant care consists of a chain of events - moderate watering (you need to water after flowering), the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers (3 times per season - in early spring, after flowering and at the end of fruiting), sanitary pruning of branches and thinning, garters on trellises, which will increase the yield, as well as protect against pests and diseases. For the winter, the shrub must be prepared. For this, mulching of the near-root zone of the shrub is carried out, as well as its warming with branches or agrofibre. Pre-installed traps on the site can protect from rodents.

Reproduction of the culture can be carried out in different ways - by layering, green cuttings or by dividing the bush (the shrub must be over 5 years old).

The plant has good immunity, so the gooseberry firmly tolerates many diseases and invasions of insect pests. Average resistance of the culture to American powdery mildew. Sometimes the plant is susceptible to diseases such as anthracnose, white spot and rust. As for pests, the most dangerous for gooseberries are: aphids, sawflies, moths and moths. Treatment with a solution of copper sulfate will help prevent the invasion of insects.

High stress resistance is one of the advantages of the variety. Gooseberry is frost-resistant (tolerates temperature drops to -28 ... 32 degrees), and also easily tolerates prolonged drought. The scorching sun, from which the berries are baked, can negatively affect the plant.