Gooseberry Senator (Consul)

Those who are looking for a gooseberry that gives a lot of tasty fruits should find out in more detail what there is “Consul”, a variety that is unpretentious to the soil and has high immunity. Gooseberry variety Consul is also attractive due to the absence of thorns. This greatly facilitates the collection of fruits.

History of breeding varieties

Gooseberry “Consul” – a new variety, bred at the end of the last century. The main goal of the breeders was to create a new species for growing it in the harsh conditions of the middle lane. As a result of the experiments, a new frost-resistant gooseberry was obtained, with large sweet berries and a complete absence of thorns.

Description of the bush and berries

Gooseberry “Consul” – a bush reaching a height of two meters, with the absence of a large number of thorns. The crown of the shrub is medium spreading, the branches are covered with foliage of bright green color. On annual shoots, 1-2 spikes are formed, which subsequently disappear. The shape of the fruit is round, the skin is thin, bright red, when ripe it becomes almost black. The average weight of a berry is 6 g. Under favorable conditions, the variety yields 3 kg of sweet large fruits in the first year.

In the future, an increase in fruiting is formed. This is a great indicator for those who love gooseberry jam or wine.

Advantages and disadvantages

Gardeners love the gooseberry Consul for its unpretentious care, abundant fruiting. This variety is especially popular in Siberia and the Far East, since its resistance to climatic extremes is high. Before buying Consul seedlings, you should be aware of the positive and negative features of the variety.

Features

So, the variety “Consul” (another name is “Senator”) is an ideal option for growing, which has a number of advantages. Gooseberries have one of the advantageous characteristics – beginner gardeners and gardeners can grow it.

The variety does not require daily care, does not take up much space on the site. Resistance to diseases allows you to grow gooseberries for many years, and collect a large number of fruits, which increases every year.

Productivity

One of the main positive characteristics of Consul is high productivity. On average, more than 6 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. Given that the berries are tied even on annual shoots, and the life expectancy of the plant is 20 years, the Consul gooseberry is a variety that can be safely called a record holder in terms of yield.

Drought and winter hardiness

Among the distinguishing characteristics of the Consul variety is frost resistance. Gooseberries have the ability to tolerate frost minus 30 degrees. A good variety for growing in the south in a hot climate. But all plants, including this gooseberry, do not tolerate drought well. Therefore, in order to get high yields, gooseberries need to be watered regularly.

Disease and pest resistance

“Consul” – gooseberry, resistant to diseases, insect pests. He is not afraid of sawflies, septoria, powdery mildew. The culture has a very high immunity, and this allows the crop to grow and obtain high fruiting without the help of chemical insecticides. Rarely, in dry weather, pests can attack: moth or gooseberry aphid. They can be fought with the help of natural preparations, by spraying the bushes.

Ripening period

“Consul” refers to varieties with an average ripening period. In regions with a warm climate, flowering occurs at the end of May. Fruit picking starts from the end of July and continues until mid-August. You need to collect them as they ripen, because because of the thin skin, it is impossible to keep the berries on the branches for a long time. You can lose part of the crop.

Transportability

Storage and transportation of berries is the most vulnerable point of the Consul. Large fruiting and easy care is a big plus for the crop, and many grow it for further sale. A thin peel does not allow the integrity of the berry to be preserved for a long time, therefore transportation must be done quickly and accurately, immediately after harvest.

Growing conditions

Variety “Consul” can be grown on any soil. To obtain stable yields, loam is preferable. The main conditions for productivity are fertile and moist soil, proper planting, regular loosening.

An adult plant does not tolerate transplanting, it is better to immediately find a permanent place for a seedling on the site. A place lit by the sun or light partial shade, without drafts, is perfect. Gooseberries will be comfortable along the fence.

To grow a lot of gooseberries, first pay attention to seedlings. Two-year-old specimens take root best of all.

They should have shoots, at least three pieces, over 20 centimeters long. The root system of the seedling is very important.

Features of landing

It is better to buy seedlings in nurseries. This way you can guarantee the quality of landing copies, which must meet the characteristics:

• One-year-old seedlings should have small dense roots, without defects and peeling.
• Two-year-olds should be sold with a large earthen ball. The root neck of a quality specimen should be smooth, with no signs of rot.
• A two-year-old bush should have several branches with buds.
• The optimal shoot length is 10-15 cm.

Proper planting affects fruiting. It must be carried out in compliance with the rules that will allow the bushes to adapt well in a new place. Planting seedlings is carried out in the fall, a month before the first frost. Kusti manages to take root, and will winter well. You can do this in the spring, after the snow has melted.

• Seedlings are located no closer than one and a half meters to each other, for the development of the root system.
• The pit should be 50-60 cm in size. Be sure to feed the soil with peat.
• The seedling is pre-soaked in a solution that stimulates growth, according to the instructions.
• A day later, the bush is planted in a hole, carefully straightening all the roots. It is important to remember that the neck of the root must be deepened by 6 centimeters for the correct formation of the root system.
• Planting is sprinkled with earth and well compacted.
• Mulching is carried out, and watering the seedling under the root with plain water.

Care instructions

Proper posture is important, but it’s not everything. Although the variety is unpretentious in care, it requires attention to itself. You can not do without forming pruning of the bush.

Support

Young gooseberry branches require support, a device that is wooden stakes, and a net attached to them. Installing the support in the first place facilitates the collection of fruits. But it also prevents the branches from touching the ground, which prevents spoilage of the berries. Mesh pegs are carefully driven into the ground so as not to spoil the root system. The branches, as they grow and increase the yield, are tied to the structure. Additional supports are not required, since the branches of the Consul variety grow upwards.

Additional fertilizing

The gooseberry variety Consul loves top dressing to give a good harvest. He especially likes the potassium-phosphorus diet, which needs to be applied 1-2 times a year. Those fertilizers that are applied during planting are enough for a year. It is useful to add wood ash to reduce the acidity of the soil.

Trimming

Gooseberries need pruning. First, when planting, a third of the length is cut off at the seedling. Dry and diseased shoots are removed. In the future, pruning is carried out to prevent diseases and excessive growth. It is necessary to ensure that the branches, growing, do not obscure the sunlight, the absence of which leads to a loss of the taste characteristics of the berries. After pruning, it is necessary to loosen the soil.

Reproduction

Variety Consul is easy to propagate by cuttings or layering.

• Cuttings are carried out from mid-summer to autumn, cutting off a part of the shoot from an adult bush at an angle and 15 cm long. There should be several buds on the handle.
• Treated with a root growth stimulator.
• The cutting is placed at an angle of 45 degrees in loose soil so that 2-3 buds remain on the surface.
• Produce regular watering.

Gooseberries should be propagated by layering by bending annual shoots to the ground. They are fixed with a metal bracket, sprinkled with soil, watered. When young branches appear, the seedling is separated from the mother bush.

Preparation for winter

The variety survives harsh winters well, and these qualities help to do without shelter. Preparatory work before the onset of frost includes:

• Sanitary pruning.
• Spraying the bush from pests.
• Cleaning and burning of garbage and fallen leaves.
• Top dressing with fertilizers.

Conclusion

Variety “Consul” is an excellent breeding specimen, a gooseberry that is resistant to freezing, and gives a high yield of sweet berries suitable for making jam, fresh consumption. And for many years, the variety has enjoyed well-deserved popularity among gardeners, attracting unpretentious care.

Reviews

Alexey, Leningrad region

Gooseberry has never been sick. The gooseberry harvest is always high, and it does not require special care. Just watering and pruning.