Gooseberry Rodnik: characteristics and description of the variety, photo

Growing gooseberries in the European and Central parts of the Federation became possible after the emergence of cultivars resistant to frost and disease. Gooseberry Rodnik is a breeding variety created in 2001 by I. Popov and M. Simonov on the basis of medium early species of Lada and Purmen. After experimental cultivation, the variety fully confirmed the characteristics given by the originators, and in 2004 it was entered into the State Register.

Description of gooseberry Spring

Gooseberry Rodnik belongs to the early ripe varieties. Resistant to spring frosts, flowers are not damaged if the air temperature drops to -4 0C for a short time, so gooseberries are popular with gardeners in the Urals, Moscow region, and Siberia. The variety is cultivated in the Middle lane, the European part in the southern regions.

Description of the gooseberry Spring (pictured):

1. Bush 1,2 m high, compact, with a dense crown.
2. Shoots are strong, upright, with drooping tops. Perennials are completely woody, have a smooth surface, the bark is dark gray. The stems of the current year are green, by autumn the surface is painted in a light brown color.
3. Thorns are rare, concentrated in the lower part of the shoot at a height of 20 cm from the root.
4. The leaves are opposite, five-lobed with wavy edges, fixed on long light cuttings. The surface of the leaf plate is dark green, slightly corrugated, glossy with pronounced veins, pubescent from the bottom.
5. The flowers are cone-shaped, drooping, yellow with burgundy patches, flowering is plentiful. 2-3 pieces are formed in each leaf node, heterosexual.
6. The berries are oval, without pubescence, the surface is smooth with a slight wax coating. Unripe fruits are green, at the stage of biological ripeness they are yellow with a light pink fragment on the sides. The skin is strong and thin. The flesh is green with a small amount of small brown seeds. The mass of berries on the bush is uneven from 4 g to 7 g.

Gooseberry cultivar Rodnik is a dioecious, self-pollinating plant. The level of fruiting does not depend on weather conditions.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

From the parent varieties Gooseberry Rodnik received high frost resistance. The plant tolerates temperature drops to -35 0C without loss, which is the optimal indicator for a heat-loving crop. According to the description of the variety and reviews of gardeners, the Rodnik gooseberry grows rapidly and intensively forms young shoots, therefore, if the stems freeze during the growing season, it completely restores the green mass and root system.

The drought resistance of the gooseberry Rodnik is average, which is typical for almost all biological species with a superficial root system. The lack of moisture primarily affects the berries, they lose weight, density, and become sour.

fruiting, productivity

The Rodnik variety blooms in the second half of May, the fruits ripen unevenly, the first ripe berries are harvested at the end of June, fruiting is extended for 2 weeks. It is recommended to pick berries immediately after ripening, the variety is prone to shedding. With a sufficient amount of moisture, gooseberries do not bake in the sun. In the rainy season, fruit cracking is possible.

The variety Rodnik blooms in the second year of growth, the yield is negligible. After 4 years, the gooseberry begins to bear fruit fully. 1-10 kg of berries are harvested from 12 bush. For a short period of ripening, gooseberries accumulate a sufficient amount of sugars, the taste of the fruit is sweet with a low acid content. Berries are universal in use, they are consumed fresh, frozen, processed into jam, added to fruit platter compote.

The peel of the Rodnik variety is strong, resistant to mechanical damage, and tolerates transportation well. Therefore, high-yielding gooseberries are grown on an industrial scale.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of gooseberry Rodnik include:

• frost resistance;
• stable fruiting;
• high yield;
• long-term storage of the crop;
• transportability;
• resistance of berries to cracking and baking;
• pleasant taste of fruits;
• suitable for growing in temperate climates;
• strong immunity to fungal and viral infections;
• weak studding.

The disadvantages include the average drought resistance. Berries after ripening are prone to shedding.

Features of reproduction

The gooseberry variety Rodnik is propagated only vegetatively or by dividing the bush. The last way is the most productive. The plant calmly reacts to the transfer, quickly takes root. Separate bushes no younger than four years of age, work is carried out in the spring, approximately in mid-May.

The Rodnik variety is propagated by cuttings, they are harvested in the second half of June (from last year’s shoots). The next season, rooted material is planted on the site. You can propagate the spring gooseberry by layering; to obtain planting material, a strong lateral shoot is bent to the ground and covered with soil. The next spring, fragments with rooted buds are cut, seated.

Planting and care

In the spring, the Rodnik variety is planted after the soil warms up to +6 0C, so the time will be different for each region: for central Our Country – in mid-May, in the South – in April. In autumn, planting is carried out a month before the onset of frost, in a temperate climate in early September, in warm areas in mid-October. This time gooseberry Rodnik is enough for rooting.

The place for planting the Rodnik variety is chosen open or semi-shaded. The composition of the soil is neutral, slightly acidic. The soil is light, aerated, drained. Lowlands and wetlands are not suitable for gooseberries.

A seedling is taken with a developed root and the presence of 3-4 shoots without mechanical or infectious damage. The sequence of actions when planting gooseberries:

1. The root of the seedling is placed in a growth stimulator solution, the concentration of the agent and the processing time are carried out according to the instructions for the preparation.
2. For planting, a mixture of organic matter, peat, sand, wood ash is prepared.
3. Dig a hole 50 cm deep and 45 cm in diameter.
4. The bottom of the recess is covered with a drainage cushion.
5. Pour ½ of the nutrient substrate on top.
6. The seedling is placed vertically in the center.
7. Pour out the rest of the mixture, compact.
8. Watering, mulching.

The root neck is deepened by 3 cm. The stems are cut to 4 fruit buds.

Growing rules

Gooseberry Rodnik bears fruit for more than 15 years, in order to obtain a consistently high yield, the variety requires certain care, it consists of the following activities:

1. From the second year of vegetation in the spring, gooseberries are fed with nitrogen-based products, organic fertilizers are applied during the ripening of the berries.
2. The spring gooseberry is watered in the morning or in the evening with a small amount of water, the near-stem circle should not be allowed to dry out, the frequency of watering depends on seasonal precipitation.
3. The bush is formed by 10-13 stems. After harvesting, they are thinned out, old, deformed shoots are removed, health-improving cleaning is carried out in the spring, dry and frozen fragments are removed.
4. To prevent gooseberry stems from damaging mice or other small rodents, special chemicals are laid out around the perimeter of the root circle at the end of summer.
5. For the winter, shrub branches are collected in a bundle and secured with a rope. This measure is necessary so that the stems do not break under the weight of snow. Carry out moisture-charging irrigation, spud, cover with a layer of mulch on top.

Pests and diseases

All breeding varieties are highly resistant to infection, the Rodnik gooseberry is no exception. The variety gets sick very rarely. If the summer is cold and rainy, a fungal infection may develop, it manifests itself as a bluish bloom on the berries. The fungus is eliminated by treating the shrub with Oxyhom or Topaz. To prevent the disease in the spring, gooseberries are sprayed with a solution of potassium hydroxide and copper sulphate.

Aphids are the only pest that parasitizes the Rodnik variety. The bush is completely watered with soapy water, get rid of anthills. With a strong accumulation of pests, the gooseberry Rodnik is treated with herbicides.

Conclusion

Gooseberry Rodnik is a high-yielding breeding variety of early fruiting. Shrub of medium height, compact, with a high degree of frost resistance. Grow culture in a temperate and warm climate. Berries on a 5-point scale received a tasting score of 4,9 points. Fruits are stored for a long time, the variety is suitable for commercial cultivation.

Gooseberry Reviews Rodnik