Hello, beginner gardeners! Anton Pavlovich Chekhov has a wonderful story “Gooseberry”. The hero of this work only dreamed of acquiring his own land on which to grow gooseberries. The berry grew, but it was only “bitter.” That gardener was completely immersed in the fulfillment of his one small desire, completely not noticing anything that was happening around him. A kind of relaxation from Chekhov's times. In today's life, a garden is a way of escaping the hectic and far from harmless reality.

The gooseberries that grow on our site are delicious and always produce a bountiful harvest. The fruits hang in clusters, so children often confuse it with grapes. It’s not for nothing that this crop is sometimes popularly called “northern grapes.”

When to pick gooseberries

Gooseberries can be harvested at varying degrees of ripeness, depending on their purpose. For transportation and making jam, they are collected unripe and sometimes green. For example, in some areas of the Orenburg region, gooseberries for jam are harvested strictly on July 1. Semi-ripe berries are used for compotes.

For fresh consumption or to obtain juice, harvesting is carried out in several stages as it ripens. Ripe berries of some varieties are prone to shedding and cracking.

Early dessert varieties and varieties with thin skin are collected in small containers (2-3 kg each). Varieties with dense skin, especially in an unripe state, can be collected in boxes, baskets and buckets with a capacity of up to 10-15 kg.

If you pick gooseberries during a dry time of day, they can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of +5° C for quite a long time - up to 10 days.

How to pick gooseberries

Most often, prickly varieties of gooseberries are grown in gardens. To collect them, it’s a good idea to arm yourself with a stick, with which you can carefully lift the branches or move them to the side to gain access to the center of the bush.

You can plant thornless varieties. But in our practice, for some reason, they are always inferior in taste to the prickly ones... The Chelyabinsk “Commander” cannot be compared with our old green one.

Some relief is provided by wooden “stands” under the bushes, which do not allow the branches to lie on the ground under the weight of the crop. But the main thing is to prevent the gooseberries from thickening, to carry out correct formation bush.

Caring for gooseberries after harvest

While the berries are being picked, there is no way to help the bushes get rid of pests and diseases, so sometimes you have to slightly speed up the gooseberry harvesting process so as not to lose next year’s harvest or the entire plant.

After picking the berries, you need to do sanitary cleaning of broken and diseased twigs, rake up fallen diseased leaves, and if there are aphids, mites, sawflies, and copperheads, then you need to carry out appropriate pest control.

Uses of gooseberries

Not only jam and compote are made from gooseberries, but also high-quality wines, liqueurs, marmalades and marinades, which are very useful for those recovering from serious illnesses. Gooseberry wines are not inferior in taste to grape wines.

A decoction of berries has a diuretic, choleretic, and analgesic effect. But in our “parental” practice, we encountered problems in young children with eating fresh gooseberries. And it's not about dirty berries at all. The skins are the reason for this. Some anatomical features of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to vomiting and diarrhea after eating unpeeled gooseberries and grapes. We peel the gooseberries or spit out the skins. With age, the problem goes away on its own.

Tagged

The gooseberry picking season begins at the end of July, beginning of August. Even in the old days, people valued this wonderful berry for its good taste qualities and unsurpassed benefits, so they came up with many ways to prepare it. This is the topic that our article today is devoted to.

How are gooseberries harvested?

Harvesting sometimes becomes a real challenge - most of the varieties of this shrub have extremely sharp thorns (fortunately, there are also non-thorny hybrid varieties). In order to avoid scratches, the bushes are watered abundantly. cold water– the spines become soft and problems no longer arise. It is believed that it is better to pick berries in the morning or evening, when there is or is not yet dew. If the crop is harvested during the day, then the container with berries must be placed in the shade.

Dried gooseberries

Red gooseberries are usually dried. The berries are first cleaned of sepals and stalks, and then dried in a warm oven on a tin sheet or in the oven on a baking sheet (first at 35º C, and then at 75º C). During the drying process, the berries are periodically turned over. The finished product is stored in cloth bags or clay pots. One of the uses of dried gooseberries is cooking sauces for fish and meat dishes.

Ice cream gooseberry

Cleaned from sepals and stalks, wash, dry on a towel, lay out in one layer on a board or baking sheet and place in freezer. The finished product is stored in tightly sealed portion bags (to avoid re-freezing).

Gooseberry marmalade

To prepare marmalade, place unripe berries in a saucepan (after sorting, peeling and washing the berries), add 2-3 tbsp. water and cook covered until softened. The finished mass is pressed and rub through a sieve, after which the puree is boiled until the volume is reduced by half. Add sugar in portions (1:1) and cook until tender.

Gooseberry jelly

Washed and prepared gooseberries are boiled for 25 minutes. with added water (for 1 kg of berries - 4 tbsp. water), juice drain and filter, and the pulp is squeezed out (the resulting juice is also filtered and mixed with the rest). Next product boil to half volume(removing the foam) and add sugar in several stages (800 g per 1 liter of juice). After the sugar has dissolved, the jelly is tasted - if the drop does not lose its shape, it is poured into prepared jars, pasteurized (1 liter - 15-20 minutes, 0.5 liter - 7-8 minutes) and sealed.

Jam from gooseberries

Peeled, sorted and washed gooseberries (preferably unripe) are blanched in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. (small berries are pricked, and large ones are cut and removed from them seeds with some pulp). After this, the berries are cooled in water and placed in the finished syrup (for 1 kg of berries - 3 tbsp. water and 700 g of sugar). The jam is boiled for a quarter of an hour over low heat and set aside for 5-6 hours. This is repeated 3 more times, adding 200-300 g of sugar each time. The finished product is poured into prepared jars, allowed to cool and sealed.

Gooseberries, grated with sugar

Peeled and washed gooseberries and 1 lemon along with zest are crushed using a meat grinder, covered with sugar and mix well (for 1 kg of gooseberries - 1.5 kg of sugar). The finished product is placed in prepared jars, covered with lids and stored in a cool place.

Gooseberry compote

Ripe but still hard berries are peeled, washed, pricked with a thick needle, placed in prepared jars and poured with boiling syrup (1 liter of water and 700 g of sugar per 1 kg of berries). The compote is sterilized (1 liter – 15-20 minutes, 0.5 liter – 10-15 minutes) and rolled up.

Pickled gooseberries

The following ingredients are used for the marinade:

• Sugar - 2 tbsp.
• Water - 1 l
• Cinnamon - 1 piece
• Cloves - 3-6 pcs.
• Salt to taste
• Acetic acid (20-25%) – 50 ml

All ingredients are boiled and vinegar is added at the end. The marinade is poured over washed, peeled and placed berries in prepared jars. Lay on top blackcurrant leaves and tarragon. The neck of the jar is covered with parchment paper, then with a circle of cardboard (of suitable diameter) and finally tied tightly with cellophane.

Salted gooseberries

Ripe gooseberries are peeled, washed and placed in a suitable container in a layer of no more than 20-25 cm. The berries are poured with brine (30-35 g of salt per 1 liter of water). A load is placed on top and left for 1.5-2 months in a cool place. Salted gooseberries are transferred to jars and poured heated to 75º With brine, pasteurize (1 l – 15-20 min., 0.5 l – 10-15 min.) and close.

Gooseberries in their own juice

Prepared berries (700 g) are pricked and placed in jars. 300 g of berries are steamed under a lid with sugar (200 g) and a small amount of water. Cooled puree grind through a sieve and add to the rest of the berries. The jars are pasteurized (1 l – 20 min., 0.5 l – 15 min.).

Gooseberry champagne

Place 3 kg of prepared gooseberries, 2 kg of sugar in a bottle (10 l) and pour in 5 l of water. The neck is closed with a water seal and the bottle is left in the sun for exactly 40 days. The finished champagne is carefully poured into bottles, corked and sent to the cold (for 30 days). After this, the plugs are pulled out, release the formed gas and close the neck with them again. Store champagne in a cool place.

Gooseberry wine

The ingredients are taken in the following proportions: for 1 kg of gooseberries - 1.4 liters of water and 800 g of sugar. The berries are crushed, some water and sugar are added and left to ferment in a warm place for 3 days (remembering to stir). After this, squeeze out the juice, pour it into a bottle, add the remaining water and sugar. The neck is closed water seal. After fermentation is complete, the wine is bottled and sent to the cellar for 6 months.

Gooseberry liqueur

The prepared gooseberries are placed in a bottle, filled with vodka (so that the berries are completely covered) and left for 6 months. After this time, the liqueur is filtered, poured into bottles, and added to each 2 tbsp each sugar and a couple of raisins, after which they are closed and left for 2 months.

Thanks to the presence of inflorescences and tails, harvesting gooseberries turns into a troublesome process, but your efforts will pay off handsomely. Good luck with your preparations!

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HOW TO COLLECT 10-15 KG OF GOOSEBERRY FROM ONE BUSH

Gooseberries have a high yield. At favorable conditions and proper care, you can collect 10-15 kg of berries from one bush.

Every year, from the emerging root shoots, the best 3-5 are left, evenly spaced, the rest are cut out to the soil level. It is also necessary to remove heavily frozen, diseased and damaged branches. On adult plants, branches older than 6-8 years of age are cut out - they no longer bear fruit as abundantly, and the berries on them become smaller.

The soil is loosened once every 2-3 weeks to prevent the formation of a soil crust, stop the growth of weeds, retain moisture and provide air access to the roots. It is especially important to maintain the soil in this condition for the first 2-3 years after planting. Loosening depth - no more than 10-12 cm, otherwise it can be damaged root system. Or you can simply mulch the soil around - at the rate of one bucket of peat (or other organic matter) per bush. When mulching with black film, you need to make cross-shaped cuts for fertilizer and watering. In the fall, the film is removed and the soil within the radius of the crown is dug up.

Gooseberries do not like excess moisture, and they tolerate drought easily - if it is not too long. But during a long drought, especially during critical periods of growth, it needs to be watered. The first watering is during the period of ovary formation (second half of May - first ten days of June). The second - during the formation and filling of berries (second-third decades of June). To enhance root growth and prepare for winter, so-called moisture-recharging irrigation is necessary (third ten days of September - first ten days of October). Gooseberries cannot be watered with a watering can or hose - the soil is washed away from the base of the bush and the root collar becomes soaked. You need to dig a bush circle-depression in the so-called “rainfall” zone, that is, where the crown of the bush ends, and supply water into it - 30 liters per bush.

If the planting pits were well filled with a nutrient mixture, then in the first two years, fertilizing may not be necessary. Starting from the third year, in the fall, fertilizers are applied for digging at the rate of 1 square meter. m: organic - 4-6 kg, phosphorus - 30 g, potassium - 20 g. Fertilizing works well in the first or second decade of June - it helps the growth of shoots and the filling of berries. Usually it is combined with watering. Mullein is diluted in 3-4 volumes of water and the plants are watered with this suspension - 1 bucket per bush. Mineral fertilizing do this: for 1 bush - 10 liters of water, in which 10 g of nitrogen, 15 g of potassium and 20 g of phosphate fertilizers are dissolved

SECRETS OF GROWING GOOSEBERRY

Gooseberry bushes occupy a place of honor in many gardens for a reason. This berry crop is famous for its excellent yield. In favorable conditions, gooseberries bear fruit for more than 20 years. And some specimens are capable of breaking even this record. There are cases where forty-year-old bushes annually delighted their owners with a decent portion of juicy berries. Of course, to achieve such results, it is necessary to pay a lot of attention to the fertile bushes.

Choosing a place to grow

Gooseberries, like many berry crops, are demanding on the lighting of the area. In shaded areas get good harvest It doesn’t work, the berries become smaller and their quantity decreases.

Gooseberries will also not like excess moisture in the soil. In such conditions, there is a high risk of rotting of the root collar of the bush and, as a result, death of the plant. Therefore, wetlands and areas with high groundwater are best left for other crops. For the same reason, you should avoid growing gooseberries on heavy clay soils.

Landing Features

Bushes can be planted on permanent place both spring and autumn. But in the first case, it is necessary to focus on the short period between thawing of the soil and swelling of the buds. It is quite difficult to meet the deadline. And late planting has a negative impact on the survival rate. That's why experienced gardeners prefer autumn. In this case, planting is carried out 4-6 weeks before the onset of frost - then the gooseberry bush has time to acquire young roots and take root in a new place.

When planting, it is necessary to maintain an interval between neighboring bushes. For compact varieties, a distance of one meter is enough, for large ones - two meters. The size of the planting holes depends on the size of the plant. For one-year or two-year-old seedlings, a trench with a diameter and depth of half a meter is perfect. To secure the bush nutrients, fertilizers are added to the pit:

10 kg of rotted organic matter (manure, fallen leaves, weeds without seeds);
. 100 g wood ash;
. 50 g double superphosphate;
. 40 g of potassium sulphide.

Before you start planting gooseberries, you need to remove all dried roots and trim the tops of the branches. About 5 buds should be left on each shoot. It is recommended to place the bush in the hole slightly at an angle. The soil poured into the trench must be compacted. This will help avoid the formation of voids. The final stage is abundant watering.

Gooseberry care

Tillage

In order for the gooseberry bush to develop well and bear fruit consistently, it is necessary to regularly dig or loosen the soil. Moreover, the depth and intensity of treatment directly depends on the structure of the soil. On dense soils, they practice digging with a shovel; on loose soils, they limit themselves to lightly “fluffing” the top layer with a garden fork.

The root system of the bush is located very close to the surface of the earth. Therefore, in the area that is located within the perimeter of the crown, processing must be very careful. When loosening, it is allowed to touch only the top layer of soil - no deeper than 7 cm. But outside the perimeter of the crown, more drastic processing can be carried out.

It is very important to remove weeds in a timely manner. They provoke an increased level of humidity in the lower part of the bush. And this is an ideal environment for the development of various viral diseases.

Fertilizer application

Gooseberry is a very prolific shrub. Therefore he needs annual abundant feeding. Standard set of fertilizers for one bush:

10 kg of rotted manure or compost (green mass and fallen leaves);
. 80 g superphosphate;
. 40 g of saltpeter;
. 20 g of potassium chloride.

Fertilizers are applied twice during the year. It is recommended to apply the first fertilizing after flowering. This will have a good effect on the development of shoots and increase productivity. The second feeding is usually carried out after picking the berries. Its purpose is to prepare the bush for planting flower buds next year.

Pruning gooseberry bushes

Formation of bushes is very important stage. In the first years, pruning is aimed at forming the base of the bush: perennial (skeletal branches) are shortened by half and most of the root growth is removed.

Starting from the fourth year, pruning is reduced to eliminating thickening. Weak, dried out and “wrongly” growing shoots are completely cut out. The main share of the harvest is formed on branches that are between three and six years old. Therefore, older shoots can be removed without regret.

The formation of the bush is carried out after the leaves fall or before the buds open. But some gardeners are not limited to this type of pruning. To increase gooseberry yields, they practice summer shortening of green shoots. Five to seven leaves are left on each such branch. And the top is cut off. This technique allows you to grow the largest berries possible.

Pest and disease control

Gooseberries quite often become victims of invasion by moths, aphids and sawflies. To protect against them, you can use karbofos, biological products and ash infusion (1 kg of wood ash per three liters of water). Treatment should be carried out in the spring. If necessary, spraying is repeated after the flowering period.

Another scourge of gooseberries - powdery mildew, which is signaled by gray spots on the leaves and shoots. An effective remedy solutions are used to eliminate the disease baking soda(5 g per liter of water) and iron sulfate (3 g per liter of water). Treatment should be carried out immediately after the first signs of plaque are detected.

Harvesting

Gooseberry is a summer berry. Depending on the variety, the ripening period varies between July and August. The berries grow and develop together. Therefore, maturation usually occurs simultaneously. But, nevertheless, you can harvest throughout the whole month. Gooseberries do not fall off even when they reach biological maturity.

Productivity depends on the variety and the conditions in which the plant was grown. On average, about 6-8 kg are collected from one bush. The size of the berries is also noticeably different. For small-fruited varieties, the normal weight is 2 g, for large-fruited varieties - 15 g.

What varieties of gooseberries do you grow?

Gooseberries are very popular among many gardeners. Its unpretentiousness and high yield of several kilograms per summer cottage allows you to harvest for many years. The beneficial properties are highly valued by gardeners. Various dishes, preserves, tinctures, and liqueurs are prepared from the berries. We will tell you in this article when to pick this berry and how to do it.

When to pick gooseberries?

The gooseberry harvest period depends on the variety and area where it grows. In general, gooseberries are harvested in July-August. WITHYou should consider the purpose for which the berries will be collected.

• Technical maturity occurs when the berries reach large sizes, have sourness and crispy skin. During this period, it still has great sourness. They are great for jam and winter preparations.
• To be satisfied with tasty and sweet berries, you need to let the gooseberries ripen. When the berries have become soft, there is no crunch when biting, then they talk about the consumer maturity of the bush. It is pleasant to eat without any special preparation.

They can be collected several times a season. First, large, already ripening berries are collected. Small, hard and unripe berries are left to ripen on the bush. After a few weeks, you can repeat the assembly. On average, gooseberries are harvested within a month.

It is better to collect gooseberries after the dew has disappeared, when the bush and berries have dried in the sun.

When do gooseberries ripen in different regions?

Gooseberries sing differently and much depends on the region of growth:

• In the southern warmer climes Gooseberries begin to sing by the beginning of July.
• IN middle lane and the European part of Russia Gooseberries ripen by mid-summer. This is typical for the Moscow region, Moscow region, Leningrad and other regions.
• In Siberia and the Urals Gooseberries can only ripen by the end of July, or even by the beginning of August.

The time of ripeness also depends on the variety. There are early and late varieties. For northern regions, it is better to choose early varieties so that the berries can have time to ripen during the short northern summer. These include varieties eaglet, Russian, spring, pink.

How to grow more crops?

Any gardener and summer resident is pleased to receive big harvest With large fruits. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to obtain the desired result.

Plants often lack nutrition and useful minerals

It has the following properties:

• Allows increase productivity by 50% in just a few weeks of use.
• You can get a good one harvest even on low-fertility soils and in unfavorable climatic conditions
• Absolutely safe

How to pick gooseberries?

How to collect manually?

The manual method of picking berries in the garden is the safest for the fruit. They remain intact, preserving the marketable appearance And beneficial features.

Berries of this type are stored longer than when collected in other ways. To pick gooseberries by hand, long sleeves and gloves are required.

Each branch should be lifted and held by hand. With the other hand, collect each berry separately along with the stem. When everything is collected, the twig is carefully released. They move on to another.

Mechanical method

The mechanical collection method involves the use of a special device - a vibrator for assembly.

In this case, harvesting occurs in a matter of time. The disadvantage of this method is that all the berries are collected: ripe, unripe, bad, and even leaves are included. To do this, you need to place a film, tarpaulin or thick fabric under the bush.

Each branch is lifted and, with the help of vibrations of the device, the berries are torn from the branch and fall to the ground.

When the crop is harvested, it must be cleaned of leaves and light debris. To do this, use a directed air flow, similar to a hair dryer. Afterwards, you should remove the bad and rotten gooseberries. And sort the berries into ripe and not so ripe.

Using the "comb" method

Gooseberries can be harvested using a semi-mechanized method. To do this, use a device - a comb. It looks like a thimble with teeth 5-10 mm in height. You can make it yourself from a piece of plastic or wire.

The comb is placed on the thumb of the hand used to collect berries. The other hand lifts a branch. We run a comb over the berries and they come off the stalk. This method reduces assembly time several times.

Caring for gooseberries after harvest

Immediately after harvesting, the bush is pruned. Remove all broken and dark shoots. They need to be removed from the very base. All “curls” of new branches should be removed. One large branch should go from the base without unnecessary branches or “curls”. So the berries will be large. Ideally, the bush should have no more than 15-20 branches.

After some time, you should feed the plant. For this purpose, manure and phosphorus-potassium mixtures are used. They must be introduced at a short distance from the roots of the bush, digging a hole in a circle.

Should be carried out sanitization shrubs by watering them with fugincides and other compounds to prevent pests and their larvae.

Stories from our readers!
"I am a summer resident with many years of experience, and I started using this fertilizer only last year. I tested it on the most capricious vegetable in my garden - tomatoes. The bushes grew and bloomed together and yielded more than usual. And they didn’t suffer from late blight, that’s the main thing.

Fertilizer actually gives more intensive growth garden plants, and they bear fruit much better. Nowadays you can’t grow a normal harvest without fertilizer, and this fertilizing increases the amount of vegetables, so I’m very pleased with the result.”

How to store the harvest?

The shelf life of fresh gooseberries depends on the degree of ripeness:

• Very ripe ones can be stored for up to 5 days in a cool place or refrigerator.
• If they were collected in dry weather, the period can be increased to 1.5 weeks.
• Less ripe berries can last up to 3 weeks.
• Gooseberries placed in small containers in a room with zero temperature can be stored for more than a month.
• In the refrigerator and closed plastic bags berries are stored for up to 3 months.
• If you want to enjoy fresh berries in winter, you can freeze them in small portions. Defrost gradually in the refrigerator over 5-6 hours.

Uses of gooseberries

It is used in everyday life and in medicine.

This is an excellent dietary product with a large range of useful substances and vitamins:

• In medicine, the roots are used for decoctions to help cope with ailments of the digestive tract.
• Berries are used as tasty treat, a remedy for diarrhea.
• Berry juice with honey is an excellent remedy for colds.
• Most diseases and ailments can be cured by consuming fresh berries or infusions: cardiovascular, hypertension, choleretic, menopause, kidney inflammation, prevention of cancer and tumors.
• In everyday life, they are eaten fresh, made into sauces for meat dishes, boiled, compotes, jelly, made liqueurs, tinctures and much more.
• The leaves have a coloring effect.

Useful properties of gooseberries

Gooseberries are a healthy berry and contain many substances:

• Vitamins: calcium, provitamin A, B vitamins and others.
• Microelements: potassium, manganese, zinc, iron, iodine, phosphorus and others.
• Organic acids (malic and citric), ascorbic acid.
• Folic acid.
• Tannins and flavonoids.

Ripe berries contain 2 times more ascorbic acid and serotonin than unripe berries. Tannins are found mainly in the leaves. The roots have benefits and can be used for treatment.

Why do you dream about picking gooseberries?

Why might you dream about picking gooseberries? Picking these berries in a dream is a good sign. Miller's dream book predicts great happiness that will come after a series of worries and all sorts of bitter moments. The larger and juicier the berries seen in the dream, the greater the joy.

Conclusion

Delicious and healthy berries Gooseberries can be easily grown in any climate. Proper care and attention to this shrub will provide its owner big harvest, which is collected over many years from one bush.

When properly picked, berries can be stored for a long time and retain their beneficial properties. Knowing little secrets and rules will allow you to take care of the bush after harvesting.

Time to plant gooseberries, preparation for planting

The best time to plant gooseberries is the end of September - the beginning of October. Seedlings grown in containers can be planted throughout the summer and autumn. It is advisable to leave a distance of 1.5 - 2 m between plants. In winter, the soil around the bushes can be mulched with peat or rotted manure with a layer of up to 8 - 10 cm.

Gooseberry root system powerful, but greatest number roots are located near the center of the bush at a distance of 25 cm. In young plants, more than 80% of all roots are in the soil layer up to 25 cm, in fruit-bearing plants - up to 40 - 60 cm. This determines the size landing pit and the location of fertilizer application.

Gooseberry seedlings are planted into planting pits with a diameter of 50 cm and a depth of 50 cm. In conditions of sod-podzolic soils, the pits are filled with 8-10 kg of manure, or a mixture of peat and manure (8 parts of peat and 2 parts of manure), or peat with other organic fertilizers. Peat promotes better soil aeration.

Simultaneously with organic matter they add 250 g of superphosphate, 40 g of potassium sulfate or 300 g of wood ash, 100-150 g of lime or dolomite flour. Fertilizers are poured into the bottom of the planting hole and mixed with the soil.

In the absence of manure 300 g of superphosphate and 50 g of potassium salt should be added. It is advisable to carry out this work one and a half to two months before planting.

Fertilizer and feeding of gooseberries

To obtain powerful, well-branched bushes with a large number of basal shoots, plants are fed from the first year nitrogen fertilizers(nitrate or urea).

In the first year- as soon as the shoots reach a length of 5 cm, and the next two feedings - after 2 - 3 weeks. 70 - 80 g of saltpeter are applied to one bush in three doses.

In the second and third years contribute 350 - 500 g of saltpeter (half - in early spring on thawed ground, and then in mid-May). Fertilizers are scattered around the bush at a distance of 30 - 50 cm from the base.

From the fourth year When the bushes begin to bear a noticeable harvest, phosphorus and potassium are added along with nitrogen. Without organic fertilizers you also cannot count on a good harvest. Manure or compost can be applied up to 5 - 10 kg per fruit-bearing bush.

Manure is spread under bushes, compost is incorporated into the soil in the fall along with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. From phosphate fertilizers it is better to take double granulated superphosphate, from potassium fertilizers - potassium sulfate. Nitrogen in the form of nitrate is applied in early spring, immediately after flowering, and then, after picking the berries (200 - 300 g of nitrate, 100 - 150 g of superphosphate and 250 - 300 g of potassium sulfate are added to one fruiting gooseberry bush). You can use liquid fertilizers and complex fertilizers following the indicated doses.

During the growing season make sure that the soil under the bushes is not overgrown with weeds and is loose. Gooseberries are very responsive to watering and extremely sensitive to lack of moisture, especially during the period from flowering to ripening of the berries.

When and how to prune gooseberries

Pruning is of great importance for gooseberries. Without it, the bushes become very thick in the first years, and they are difficult to work with, harvest, and are more susceptible to pests and diseases.

In the Moscow region, pruning of young bushes is carried out early in spring before buds open. For fruit-bearing bushes, this work can begin in the fall with cutting out old branches, and finish in early spring with more detailed pruning.

In the first year The branches of young bushes are shortened, leaving 2 - 3 buds.

In the second and third year all weak branches shorter than 15 -20 cm are removed. If strong branches grow horizontally and are located near the soil surface, they are also cut out. Strong vertical or slightly inclined branches are shortened to 30 cm to stimulate branching. Thanks to this pruning, in the fourth year a gooseberry bush with 12-15 well-branched strong shoots is obtained.

When can you pick gooseberries?

Gooseberry unlike others berry crops It has two criteria of ripeness - technical and consumer.

Most fruits are collected unripe - in this form they are more suitable for making compotes and jam. Semi-ripe fruits are good for jam, while ripe ones are used to make wine and juice.

Berries of the following varieties are primarily suitable for compote: "Russian", "Spring" and "Prune".
- Jam is made from berries "Russian", "Date", "Prune".
- Berries are suitable for wine "Russian Yellow", "Date".

Valery Zakotin. Candidate of Agricultural Sciences