Contents
Gooseberry Date is the progenitor of many modern varieties, since it was bred a long time ago, and also has a number of valuable qualities. The plant has other names: Goliath, Green Date, No. 8.
History of variety breeding
Gooseberry Date bred by Dutch breeders, but the originator is not registered. On the territory of Our Country, the variety has been cultivated since the times of the USSR, the so-called “folk subspecies” is made from it. It grows in all regions of the country: from Vladivostok to Moscow.
Description of the gooseberry variety Fenik
The shrub is vigorous, sprawling, leafy, up to 2 m high. The branches are powerful, strong, arched or straight. The shoots are covered with spikes of medium size, single, rarely double, they are absent at the tops. The root system is introduced deep into the earth up to 2 m.
The foliage is medium in size, glossy, bright green in color. The color is retained until the fall. The shape of leaves on vegetative shoots is somewhat different from flower ones. The leaf plate has a mild wrinkling. The teeth along the edge are large, obtuse.
The ovaries of the flowers are the same, pale green, drooping. Inflorescences are small, white, with a noticeable green tint, drooping.
Fruits are round or oval, smooth, green. The mass of gooseberries averages 15–20 g. The peel is dense, covered with a purple blush. On the sunny side, the pigmentation on the berry is darker. The pulp is juicy, sweet, with a characteristic sourness. The percentage of sugar in the berry is 9%, but in rainy summers, the fruits grow at a lower rate.
Characteristic of the variety
Gooseberry Date is a late-ripening, self-fertile variety, that is, it can form new ovaries after self-pollination of flowers. If you plant several bushes of this variety nearby, then the yield will increase accordingly. The plant is able to develop quickly and give new shoots. Gooseberry fruits of the Date variety can be obtained only 4 years after planting. At 8–10 years, the moment of active fruiting begins. Basically, the life cycle of the gooseberry Date is 25 years, however, according to gardeners, the duration is longer.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Berry culture has high rates of frost resistance. It is able to endure a harsh winter with temperatures down to -35 ° C. Thanks to a powerful root system, it easily copes with drought, but a long period in the absence of moisture will adversely affect the size of the fruit. Excess water in the soil is also a negative factor for the full fruiting of gooseberries. It is not recommended to plant it in lowlands and in areas with a close occurrence of groundwater.
Yield and fruiting
According to the description of the gooseberry variety Finik, the berries ripen late. The period of technical ripeness begins in the second half of July, and full ripening occurs in mid-August. It is preferable to harvest in stages, as the fruit ripens. On the lower branches, the berries ripen a little later than those on the illuminated part of the shoots. An average of 8–10 kg is collected from one bush.
On fertile soil, an adult gooseberry bush Date is able to yield up to 25 kg.
Application area
The dense skin of the gooseberry Date protects the berries from cracking. Therefore, it is good to transport them over long distances and keep them without losing their shape. The fruits are used for the preparation of marinades, marshmallows, jellies, jams, compotes. Used gooseberry variety Date for winemaking.
For canning, berries are recommended to be collected at the stage of technical maturity, which falls at the end of July. For table use, there is no need to collect gooseberries immediately. It can remain on the shoots and fall off for 20 days without affecting the taste of the berries.
The indicator evaluating the degree of suitability for storage and transportation of the gooseberry variety Finik is high.
Disease and pest resistance
The gooseberry variety Date is not a hybrid. For this reason, a characteristic disease of berry crops, powdery mildew, is typical for it. To protect the plant from this disease, you should plant it in well-lit areas. In general, the immunity of the gooseberry Date is weak. But pest resistance is high.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Gardeners have been planting Date gooseberries on their plots for decades without changing the variety. Some species have long been forgotten, but this one is in demand and relevant today. The main advantages of the berry bush:
- long period of fruiting;
- stable, high fruiting;
- adaptation to adverse weather conditions;
- long shelf life;
- fruit size;
- self-fertility;
- the possibility of long-term growth in one place without loss of basic qualities;
- sweet taste of berries.
The disadvantages of the variety include:
- susceptibility to American powdery mildew;
- the presence of spikes;
- late ripening of berries.
Gooseberry planting rules
Cultivation of gooseberry variety Date begins with a competent planting. Therefore, it is important to know: the place, the optimal time, and also what the process itself looks like.
Recommended dates
Planting gooseberries of the Date variety are advised to count on autumn, even in temperate climates. The most favorable time is the third decade of September or the first days of October. Young gooseberry seedlings have time to adapt to a new place before the onset of cold weather, and in spring the shrub will quickly start to grow. It is important to plan the procedure so that about 2 weeks remain before frost.
Spring planting begins early, immediately after the thaw, around March, and in April it will be too late. The main thing is to be in time before the start of the sap flow process.
Choosing the right place
Gooseberry Date reacts negatively to the neighborhood with blackcurrant. Fruiting is noticeably reduced, the size of the berry decreases, and the development of the bush as a whole worsens.
Conditions for choosing a place for sowing:
- The site should be well lit, sunny.
- It will be nice if you plant a berry bush in a place blown by the wind. This will reduce the chance of fungal infections. Also, the ground dries faster after the snow melts.
- It is desirable to choose the soil with a neutral or slightly acidic pH. In acidic substrates, fruit growth slows down.
- Gooseberries of the Date variety grow well in loamy and sandy soils.
- Planting bushes in lowlands, swampy soils, in places with a close level of groundwater is excluded. Since excess moisture can cause rotting of the root system.
Selection and preparation of planting material
Before buying a gooseberry seedling Date, you should pay attention to:
- age – one- and two-year-old plants are suitable for planting;
- the roots should be elastic, flexible, without rot and damaged areas;
- branching – the thicker the young bush, the easier it will take root;
- the height of the handle is not more than 30 cm;
- lack of foliage and new shoots.
Approximately 48 hours before the proposed planting, the roots of the young gooseberry bush Date are placed in a container with a stimulating solution. To destroy possible bacteria and fungi, it is also advised to add a small amount of potassium permanganate there, and 2 hours before the procedure, the rhizomes of the seedling are treated with clay mash.
Landing algorithm
Seedlings are purchased a week in advance, and preparation for the procedure begins 2-3 weeks before it starts. At the same time, they dig the soil to a depth of 25–30 cm, removing weeds. Add to soil:
- 8 kg of humus or manure;
- 2 kg of potash fertilizers;
- 4 kg of phosphate fertilizers.
The norm is calculated for 1 sq. m. Gooseberry bushes Date are planted on a quiet, cloudy day.
Next steps:
- Prepare a hole 40×40 cm and a depth of 60 cm. It is expected that the distance between the currant bushes is 1–1,5 m.
- A seedling is placed in the recess and the roots are well straightened.
- The plant is placed vertically to the surface of the earth. In this position, you should keep the seedling of the gooseberry Date and at the same time sprinkle it with soil.
- The root neck should be 8–10 cm above the ground.
- From above, the soil is lightly tamped.
- Water each bush with warm water in a volume of 10 liters.
- The near-stem circle is mulched with humus or peat 10 cm thick.
Follow-up care for gooseberries
Further care for the gooseberry Date implies the correct implementation of agrotechnical measures. Watering should be timely. These procedures are carried out up to 3 times a month. The depth of soil wetting is 40 cm. Approximately 4-5 buckets of water should be poured under a bush. The main thing is not to skip watering at the main points: during flowering and the formation of ovaries.
The first 3 years after planting do not need to fertilize. And then every year, during the autumn digging of the near-trunk circle, humus, saltpeter, superphosphate, wood ash are added to the soil. In the summer it is recommended to make organic top dressing.
In order to increase the air permeability of the soil, loosening is carried out. It is desirable to carry out the first procedure before the growth of the bush, and then regularly about 5 times a year. The depth of loosening under the bushes is 7 cm, the row spacing is 10 cm.
Toward the end of autumn, preventive pruning is performed. Broken, diseased, dry shoots are removed, which will strengthen the Date gooseberry and ensure lush flowering in the spring.
Mature bushes endure cold weather, but young seedlings need shelter. Hilling with earth is applied with a layer of 10 cm, and the upper part is covered with an airtight material.
Diseases and pests, control methods and prevention
Powdery mildew is the most dangerous disease for Gooseberry Date. It affects the bush and fruits, making them unattractive, inedible and underdeveloped. As a rule, preventive measures are taken to prevent the development of the disease, such as:
- spraying with a bush of copper “Vitriol” or “Fitosporin”;
- weed removal;
- collection of fallen leaves.
If the shrub of the variety has undergone a disease, then it is necessary to treat it with systemic fungicides, and burn the affected parts.
Conclusion
Gooseberry Date competes with new hybrid varieties. Its advantages are: in simple agricultural technology, large-fruitedness and productivity. A berry bush is suitable for growing in central Our Country. A clear disadvantage of the variety is the lack of resistance to powdery mildew.
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