Contents
Gooseberries are valued for their unpretentiousness, productivity and vitamin-rich berries. There are not many yellow gooseberry varieties, and one of them is Honey.
History of breeding varieties
Gooseberry Honey was bred by domestic specialists of the All- Research Institute of Michurinsk. The Scientific Institute deals with the problems of horticulture and breeding of new varieties of fruit and berry crops. Gooseberries of the Honey variety got their name due to the sweet taste and yellow color of the berries.
Description of the bush and berries
Gooseberry Honey is a sprawling medium-sized bush. There are numerous thorns on the shoots, which interferes with harvesting.
The berries of the Honey variety are yellowish in color and medium in size. The shape is round or pear-shaped. The skin is thin, translucent. The pulp is tender and soft.
Features
When choosing a gooseberry variety, its characteristics are important: productivity, resistance to frost, drought, diseases and pests. When growing berries for sale, special attention is paid to their transportability.
Productivity
Gooseberry Honey has a high yield. Up to 4-6 kg of fruits are harvested from one bush. The variety responds positively to agricultural technology by increasing yields.
Drought and winter hardiness
Variety Honey has an average winter hardiness. Bushes tolerate a decrease in temperature in winter to -22 degrees.
Gooseberry resistance to drought also remains at an average level. In the absence of moisture, the bush discards the ovaries, and the fruits lose their sugar content.
Disease and pest resistance
Honey gooseberries are prone to fungal diseases that develop with high humidity. Most often, gooseberries show signs of powdery mildew. Therefore, a mandatory step in the care of the variety is preventive spraying.
Lack of care and high humidity create conditions for the reproduction of pests. Observance of agricultural technology and regular processing of the bush helps to get rid of insects.
Ripening period
The harvest from the bushes of the Honey variety begins to be harvested at the end of July. Ripe fruits acquire a bright yellow color. They are used fresh or frozen, as well as for making compotes, preserves, jams and other homemade preparations.
Transportability
Due to the soft skin, the berries of the Honey variety are not stored for a long time. The shelf life of gooseberries in the refrigerator is no more than 4-5 days.
For the transportation of berries, low boxes are used. The bottom of the container is covered with paper, gooseberries are poured on top.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of honey gooseberries:
- sweet taste;
- high yield;
- frost resistance.
The disadvantages of honey gooseberries are:
- a large number of spikes;
- the need to protect against diseases.
Growing conditions
To obtain a high yield, it is recommended to provide gooseberries with a Honey series of conditions:
- constant natural light;
- lack of drafts;
- plain or high ground;
- fertile neutral or slightly acidic soil.
The taste and size of the berries of the Medovy variety depend on the illumination of the site. In the shade, the shrub grows slowly, which affects its yield.
Gooseberries are not recommended to be planted in a lowland or wetland. With constant exposure to moisture, the root system rots, the bush does not develop and eventually dies. It is allowed to plant the Honey variety in the middle of a non-steep slope.
Clay soil is not suitable for planting a bush. Moisture constantly stagnates in heavy soil, and useful substances come to the roots more slowly. The introduction of sand and humus will help to improve its structure.
Features of landing
Gooseberries are planted in autumn after leaf fall (from late September to mid-October). Before winter, the bush will have time to take root and will tolerate a cold snap well.
If the work is transferred to the spring, then it is important to complete them before bud break. However, the soil and air should warm up well.
For planting, choose healthy seedlings of the Honey variety, one-year or two-year. The bush should have a strong root system 30 cm long and several shoots. Choose seedlings that do not show signs of damage or decay.
The procedure for planting honey gooseberries:
- Dig a hole with a diameter of 50 cm. The depth depends on the size of the root system.
- Leave a hole for shrinkage for 2-3 weeks.
- Add 10 kg of compost to fertile soil, as well as 50 g of potassium salt and superphosphate.
- Pour sand at the bottom of the pit if the soil is clayey. Then place the prepared soil mixture.
- Place the seedling in the hole and cover its roots with soil.
- Water the gooseberries generously.
1-1,5 m is left between the bushes. If the culture is planted in several rows, then 3 m is kept between them.
Care instructions
Due to proper care, a healthy gooseberry bush is formed and yields increase. Variety Honey needs top dressing and pruning. In cold regions, special attention is paid to preparing for winter.
Support
To prevent the berries from being on the ground, it is recommended to install a support around the bush. Wooden sticks are used as a support or wire is pulled between iron poles. The optimal height of the support is 30 cm above the ground.
Additional fertilizing
During the period of flowering and the formation of ovaries, gooseberries are watered abundantly. The soil should get wet to a depth of 40 cm. Mulching the soil with straw or humus helps to keep moisture.
During the season, honey gooseberries are fed several times:
- in the spring after the snow melts (1/2 bucket of compost, 50 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium sulfate);
- after flowering (mullein solution);
- at the beginning of fruiting (wood ash).
Dry fertilizer close up in near-stem soil. Gooseberries are watered with a solution under the root.
Pruning of bushes
In early spring, weak, frozen and dry shoots are cut out from gooseberries. Processing is carried out before the start of sap flow. If necessary, the bush is pruned in late autumn, if there are broken branches.
Be sure to eliminate shoots older than 8 years, since they bring a minimum of berries. They are identified by their dark brown, almost black color.
Reproduction
You can get new seedlings of the Honey variety in the following ways:
- cuttings. In autumn, several branches 20 cm long are cut. Until February, they are kept in the cellar, then they are rooted in a greenhouse or at home. In the spring, when the root system takes shape in the cuttings, they are planted in open ground.
- The division of the bush. When transplanting gooseberries of the Medovy variety, its root system is divided into several parts. Each seedling should have several strong roots.
- layering. In the spring, young shoots are selected, which are lowered to the ground and sprinkled with earth. After rooting, the layers are separated from the mother bush and planted in a new place.
Preparation for winter
Autumn preparation helps gooseberries of the Honey variety survive cold, snowless weather. In October, the bush is watered abundantly with water to increase its winter hardiness.
The soil under the branches is mulched with humus with a layer of 10 cm. After snow falls, a snowdrift is thrown over the bush for additional insulation.
Pest and disease control
Gooseberries are susceptible to the following diseases:
- Powdery mildew. It has the appearance of a grayish coating that appears on shoots, leaves and berries. Over time, the plaque darkens and leads to the death of the bush. To protect the bush from the disease, spraying with a solution of the drug HOM or Topaz is performed.
- Anthracnose and spotting. Diseases spread harmful fungi. As a result, small gray spots with a brown border form on the leaves. Against the defeat, preparations containing copper are used.
- Mosaic. The disease is viral in nature and cannot be treated. When the first signs appear (a yellow pattern on the leaves), the bush is dug up and destroyed. To prevent mosaics, you need to disinfect garden tools, use healthy seedlings and follow agricultural practices.
The main pests of gooseberries:
- Aphid. Small sucking insect living in colonies. You can determine the appearance of aphids by deformed branches and twisted leaves.
- Caterpillars. These pests eat gooseberry leaves and ways to completely destroy the bush in a week. The most dangerous caterpillars of the gooseberry sawfly and moth.
- Gallica. The pest prefers thickened stands and infects shoots, flowers and leaves of plants.
Against pests, Fufanon or Actellik insecticides are used. For prevention, treatments are performed in early spring and late autumn.
Conclusion
Gooseberry Honey has a good taste and high yield. The bush is looked after by watering, fertilizing and pruning. Be sure to carry out preventive spraying.
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