Contents
Gardeners in regions with a harsh climate grow a winter-hardy gooseberry variety Harlequin. Shrub almost without thorns, berries are painted in a rich reddish-brick color.
History of breeding varieties
The gooseberry variety Harlequin with attractive red berries is the result of selection work by employees of the South Ural Research Institute of Horticulture and Potato Growing. Its author, V.S. Ilyin, crossed gooseberry varieties Chelyabinsk green and African. A new variety of gooseberries has been tested in plantings since 1989, after 6 years it was included in the State Register with recommendations for cultivation in the Ural and West Siberian regions.
Description of the bush and berries
The medium-sized gooseberry bush Harlequin has straight branches, medium spreading. Slightly thorny shoots without pubescence, light green. Weak, short and thin spikes of a single type are found only on some shoots at the nodes. Three- and five-lobed leaves with blunt denticles are slightly larger than average, with a small margin, moderately wrinkled and slightly shiny. In overgrown shoots, the leaf base has a small notch or is straight. Small, brown buds with a pointed top deviate from the branch.
In the inflorescence of the variety there are 2-3 small bright flowers with long pink or light red recurved sepals. The stem is dark green.
Round-oval uniform gooseberry berries of the Harlequin variety of deep dark cherry color, in the phase of full ripening, weigh from 2,7 g to 5,4 g. There is no pubescence on the skin of medium density. The pulp is sweet and sour, juicy, thick, starchy in the phase of full maturity. In 100 g of gooseberry berries there are 24,4 mg of ascorbic acid. Berries contain 6,6% sugar, 3,3% acid, 12,3% dry matter. According to the All- Scientific Research Institute of Fruit Crops Breeding, the tasting score of Harlequin gooseberry berries is 4,8 points.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Self-fertility (38,9%) | Average yield compared to new varieties. For a sufficient harvest of berries, 3-4 plants should be planted. |
Branches of the Harlequin variety are slightly thorny | Mediocre taste of berries, they are recommended to be processed |
Commodity attractiveness of berries | late ripeness |
Harlequin resistance to frost and drought, easy care | |
Powdery mildew resistance | susceptibility to septoria |
Features
Criteria | Data |
|---|---|
Productivity | From 1 sq.2 collect 0,4 kg of berries. At variety testing stations, gooseberries produced up to 8 tons per hectare. On average, over the years of testing, from 1992 to 1994, the Harlequin variety showed a yield of 38,0 kg / ha. |
Drought tolerance | Gooseberries tolerate short dry periods, but this variety needs sufficient moisture to form berries. |
Winter hardiness | Harlequin bush tolerates temperatures of -35оC. In frosty winters, the tops freeze slightly. Shoots are well restored and bear fruit. Resistant to spring temperatures |
Disease and pest resistance | The Harlequin variety is not affected by powdery mildew, it is prone to white leaf spot. Sawfly larvae eat tender gooseberry leaves |
Ripening period | Late. In the European part of Our Country, the Harlequin variety will ripen by the end of July, in Siberia – in August |
Transportability | The dense structure of the berries endures transportation |
Growing conditions
Harlequin gooseberry is a viable and light-loving culture, the bush bears fruit for at least 15 years.
- The Harlequin variety is placed in spacious sunny areas;
- The bush does not develop well on heavy soils: add sand;
- Plots in the lowlands and with stagnant waters are not suitable for gooseberries.
Features of landing
Harlequin gooseberries are planted in spring and autumn. Autumn planting at the end of September is preferable, since the buds of the bush wake up early. Gooseberries planted in the spring can take root for a long time and weaken. Bushes of the Harlequin variety with predominantly upright shoots are placed at intervals of 0,8-1,2 m, providing sufficient insolation and ventilation. When choosing a seedling, pay attention to the presence of a branched root system. Shoots are healthy, without wounds on the bark.
- Prepare a hole with a width and depth of 0,7 m.
- Drainage is placed from below from gravel, pebbles, small fragments of bricks and covered with sand.
- For the substrate, fertile soil is mixed with 8-10 kg of humus or compost, 5 kg of sand on heavy soils, 200 g of wood ash and 100 g of nitrophoska or a mineral complex for berry bushes.
- On a mound of substrate, gooseberry roots are laid out at a depth of 60 cm and the root collar is sprinkled.
- The soil is compacted, watered, and mulch from humus or peat is applied on top.
Care instructions
The undemanding Harlequin gooseberry variety needs minimal care.
Support
After planting, they make a support for the branches of the shrub. The structure is constructed from wooden beams, metal-plastic pipes, acquiring the necessary fasteners. It prevents branches from accidentally tilting towards the ground.
Additional fertilizing
Harlequin gooseberry bushes are given mineral and organic top dressing. They are used after watering.
- Immediately after the snow melts, 200 g of wood ash and 40 g of nitrophoska are scattered on the wet ground in the trunk circle.
- Before flowering, fertilize 500 g of mullein or 200 g of bird droppings, diluted in 10 liters of water. 50 g of potassium sulfate and ammonium sulfate are added to organic matter. For young bushes, 3 liters is enough, for adults twice as much.
- The same mixture or nitrophoska is fertilized in the phase of ovary formation.
- In autumn, every 2-3 years, 10-15 kg of humus is poured under a bush.
Pruning of bushes
Old branches that have reached 5 years old are removed from the Harlequin gooseberry bush in spring or autumn. The remaining branches are cut off from the top by 10-15 cm. Damaged, frozen or heading shoots are removed.
Reproduction
The gooseberry variety Harlequin is propagated by layering and dividing the bush.
Near a healthy branch, which is located low, they dig a groove 10-15 cm deep and lay the branch using garden studs. The place of layering is constantly watered, stimulating the formation of roots and shoots. Sprouts that have reached 10-12 cm spud. In September, the seedlings are moved.
In autumn, a large bush is dug up and the root is divided with a sharp ax. Transplanted delenki spud.
Preparation for winter
Having collected the fallen leaves, they dig up the soil up to 10 cm. They pour a layer of 12 cm of humus or peat, which is removed from the bush in the spring. Sawdust is sometimes added to the humus.
Disease control
Disease | Evidence | Control measures | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
White spot or septoria | On the leaves are grayish spots, with a dark border. Later, black dots with spores form on the spots. Leaves curl, dry, fall off | Affected leaves are removed. Treatment with 1% Bordeaux liquid before and after flowering, then 2 weeks later and after picking berries | Fallen leaves are removed in autumn. In early spring, 40 g of copper sulfate are sprayed per 10 liters of water. Boron, manganese sulfate, zinc, copper are introduced into the soil under the bushes. |
Antraknoz | Dark brown spots on leaves that dry up and fall off. Young shoots grow weakly. Berries are sour. The harvest is declining | Spraying with 1% Bordeaux liquid, as with septoria | Fallen leaves are removed. In the spring they are treated with copper sulphate |
Mosaic gooseberry viral | Along the leaf veins are yellow spots in the form of a pattern. Leaves grow small. Shoots do not grow, productivity drops | There is no treatment. Bushes are removed and burned | Healthy seedlings. Fighting aphids and mites that spread the disease |
Pest Control
vermin | Evidence | Control measures | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
gooseberry sawfly | The appearance of small, up to 6 mm, insects with a shiny black body and membranous wings. Larvae, greenish caterpillars, eat leaves. The berries are small, the bush weakens, does not tolerate winter | Manual collection of caterpillars, infusions of wormwood, garlic, tobacco | Digging the soil in autumn, loosening in summer, collecting fallen berries |
aphid | Colonies on the tips of the shoots, the upper leaves are twisted into a ball | Processing: Spark, Fufanon, infusions of soap, garlic | Bushes are poured with boiling water in early spring |
Conclusion
The thornless gooseberry variety laid the foundation for the breeding of such varieties. The Harlequin bush itself also remains popular. Loosening the soil, watering, fertilizing, spring prevention will give the expected harvest.
