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Gooseberry Northern Captain stands out in a wide variety of varieties for its unpretentiousness and productivity. It is rare to find a horticultural crop so immune to typical diseases and pests. Bright, fragrant berries of the Captain are not only of culinary value, their beneficial properties are used to improve and restore the body.
History of variety breeding
The northern captain is a product of modern domestic selection, obtained by experimental crossing of the Pink-2 variety. The culture has been listed in the State Register since 2007 as zoned specifically for the North-West region. The variety is distinguished by vitality, the ability to consistently bear fruit in wet, cloudy summer conditions.
Description of the gooseberry Northern Captain
Gooseberry Captain grows tall, dense bush. Under the weight of the harvest, the young are green, the shoots are arched. Mature branches become woody and gray in color. Stems strongly branched without pubescence.
Short thorns (up to 7 mm) rarely grow on adult branches, and are completely absent on young shoots. The spines are thin, straight, single, most often formed at the base of the branches. The overall degree of studding is assessed as weak.
The leaves of the gooseberry Captain are large, glossy, three-lobed. As well as on the buds and stems, there is no pubescence on them. Leaf plates of saturated green color are slightly wrinkled.
Greenish large flowers, collected 2 or 3 in a brush. Each petal is marked with a reddish stroke along the edge.
Characteristics of gooseberries North Captain:
- the size of the fruits on the bush is leveled, the weight is in the range of 3,5–4 g;
- color – from dark red to deep burgundy and black;
- veins are distinguished by a light shade;
- the peel is thick, covered with a wax coating;
- the seeds are small.
Sugars in ripe fruits accumulate up to 9%, but a significant content of vitamin C gives the berries a sour taste. An unpretentious culture can be grown both in the north of the western part of Our Country, and in warmer regions.
Characteristic of the variety
Self-fertile variety Captain can be cultivated in single plantings. The presence of other types of gooseberries in the garden increases its yield slightly. Cross-pollination with other varieties is not necessary for the Captain.
The culture is distinguished by an increased ability to restore dead shoots, the roots are frost-resistant, the yield is stable, and with appropriate care it is consistently high.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
As a rule, the bushes of the Northern Captain easily endure the cold season with extreme temperatures down to -30 ° C. Winters in the north-west of Our Country are frosty, windy, in recent years the snow cover is unstable. Therefore, gooseberries need hilling and mulching. Additional shelter of the above-ground part is not required.
The culture tolerates light drying of the soil. But the gooseberry roots lie shallow, so prolonged drought can lead to the death of part of the bush. During periods when there is not enough natural precipitation, the Northern Captain requires moistening once a week. Do not allow the roots to dry out during laying or pouring fruits. Without watering at such a time, the berries become smaller.
Yield and fruiting
The gooseberry variety Northern Captain in the regions where it is zoned shows the best varietal qualities. Berries begin to ripen together at the end of July. The variety belongs to the middle late. Ripe berries are easily removed when harvesting, but do not tend to crumble on their own.
Gooseberry bush Captain is able not to lose yields up to 20 years. Proper care and pruning significantly prolong active fruiting. From an adult gooseberry bush, the Northern Captain, according to gardeners, receives an average of about 3 kg of berries per season. There is evidence of yields up to 4 kg from an adult plant.
Scope of fruits
In food production, the gooseberry Captain is used in the manufacture of wines, juices with pulp, a natural dye is extracted from it. At home, berries are processed into jams, jellies, marmalades, compotes, tinctures. Canned gooseberry desserts for the winter.
Dense skin and a high content of natural preservatives provide the berries of the Northern Captain with a long shelf life and excellent transportability.
Gooseberry Northern Captain, according to the description of the variety, belongs to industrial crops. It is not considered a dessert, although reviews from amateur gardeners speak of its popularity as an independent delicacy.
Disease and pest resistance
Variety Captain has increased resistance to most diseases. Plants do not suffer from powdery mildew, cases of septoria, anthracnose are rare. Dangerous gooseberry pests (sawfly, moth) bypass the bushes of the Northern Captain.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantage of the Northern Captain over other varieties is its vitality and resistance in adverse conditions. Other advantages include:
- frost resistance;
- immunity to infections, pests;
- high nutritional value of berries, their keeping quality;
- the ability to reproduce by all vegetative means.
Among the shortcomings are the high content of acid in the fruit. Gardeners also note the tendency of the variety to form many shoots. Young stems strongly thicken the middle of the bush in one season.
Gooseberry planting rules
Having only one gooseberry bush, Northern Captain variety, it is easy to propagate it by any of the vegetative methods. Layers and cuttings take root well. Applicable division of the bush, vaccinations. To obtain all varietal characteristics and stable yields for decades to come, the plants should be properly planted.
Recommended dates
Young plants are planted in the fall, calculating the timing so that at least a month remains before the stable cold weather. Gooseberry roots adapt to frost and begin vegetation earlier. In spring, it is difficult to choose the right time so that the young sprouts of the Northern Captain do not fall under the return frosts.
Choosing the right place
For varietal gooseberries, sunny areas in the garden are chosen. From the north, plantings will well protect tall buildings, fences, and dense plantings from cold winds.
To the soil, the gooseberry Northern Captain is unpretentious. It should not be too heavy, emaciated and sour. It is not desirable for gooseberries to have a close occurrence of groundwater, stagnation of moisture when snow melts.
Selection and preparation of planting material
A healthy varietal seedling of Captain meets the following criteria:
- age – 2 years;
- woody roots;
- shoots are healthy, flexible.
If the roots dry out during transportation, gooseberry seedlings should be soaked overnight in water. Increases the survival rate by adding growth stimulants to the solution.
Landing algorithm
The preparation of the site for the Northern Captain begins with weeding, digging, adding the necessary substances to the soil. Acidic soils are limed or dolomite flour is added for processing. On heavy soils, the permeability is increased by adding sand, peat, compost.
Gooseberry planting sequence North Captain:
- Prepare a pit 50×50 cm.
- Half fall asleep with fertile soil mixture.
- Lower the seedling to the seat and straighten the roots, gradually pouring the earth.
- The soil is slightly compressed, tamping as the pit is filled.
- Abundantly watering the seedling, waiting for the complete subsidence of the soil.
- Check the height of the root collar: for the gooseberry Captain, it should be 6–8 cm deep into the soil. If necessary, correct the planting depth.
After planting is completed, the soil around the gooseberry is mulched and the first pruning is done. All shoots are shortened to 5-6 live buds.
Follow-up care for gooseberries
Gooseberry Northern Captain loves moisture, but can respond to waterlogging with soreness. The variety does not require constant watering – in zoned areas, it may well have enough natural precipitation.
In the spring, the gooseberry wakes up early and manages to use melt water for accelerated growth. At this time, the variety can be helped by the introduction of nitrogen fertilizing.
Before flowering, it is permissible to water the bushes of the Northern Captain with a solution of chicken manure or well-rotted manure. Further nitrogenous feeding of gooseberries is excluded. Twice a season, potash and phosphorus mineral compounds are added under each bush.
In rainy summers, taking care of the Northern Captain can be reduced to periodic loosening and weeding. It is permissible to scatter fertilizers in granules around the bush, they will gradually be soaked by rain, and they will penetrate the soil.
Pruning is one of the mandatory procedures for the care of the Northern Captain variety. Shoots grow not only on the outside, but also inside. A thickened bush can get a fungal infection, despite varietal resistance. Crown overgrowth is especially dangerous in the rainy season.
The principles of pruning young gooseberries Northern Captain are shown in the photo, where:
- pruning after planting;
- formation at the end of the first season.
Features of the formation of an adult fruit-bearing bush of the Northern Captain:
- In autumn, all young shoots are cut to the ground, leaving 4-5 of the strongest stems. Tops of annual shoots are removed.
- Cut off damaged and old branches, the remaining ones are shortened.
- An adult gooseberry bush should consist of 20–25 strong stems of different ages. All branches older than 6 years are removed on a ring near the soil surface.
By observing these principles, it is possible to maintain the fruiting of the Northern Captain variety bush for more than 20 years.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Gooseberry Captain, according to the description of the variety, belongs to stable berry crops. It is not damaged by major infectious diseases.
Typical gooseberry pests also do not threaten the bushes of the Northern Captain variety. To protect the landings, preventive measures are enough. Pollination of the soil under the bushes with wood ash simultaneously repels insects and nourishes the gooseberry with potassium.
Conclusion
Gooseberry Northern Captain shows amazing hardiness in the humid, cool climate of the north-west of the country. Its useful properties, due to the content of vitamins and organic acids, are superior to dessert, sweeter varieties.
