Why gooseberries do not bear fruit: reasons and what to do

Gooseberries are a useful shrub berry that grows in summer cottages and household plots, which, with proper care, pleases with a stable harvest. Gooseberries do not bear fruit in conditions where the rules of agricultural technology are violated or the requirements for planting are not met.

The main reasons why gooseberries do not bear fruit

Gooseberries are classified as shrub varieties. It can grow up to 1,2 m. Fruiting can be uneven: it starts in June and lasts until August. The exact timing depends on the varietal characteristics.

The absence of ovaries or the inability to form full-fledged fruits may be due to one or more reasons:

• bushes have not reached a suitable age for fruiting;
• the gooseberry does not bear fruit because it is too old;
• landing requirements are violated;
• insufficient nutrients in the soil;
• the shrub is thickened, imaginary shoots are not cut off;
• the root system rots due to fungal infection or pest damage.

The wrong variety

One of the reasons that the gooseberry does not bear fruit may be an error when choosing a variety; varieties of culture are without thorns and with thorns. This affects the characteristics of the bush and the features of care.

When choosing a variety for a region, consider:

• indicators of frost resistance and winter resistance;
• soil requirements;
• air humidity conditions.

Poor quality planting material

Gooseberries do not bear fruit due to poor-quality seedlings, neither in the second nor in the third year of existence. You can determine the poor quality of a seedling by the appearance of a young bush. The bush develops slowly or stops growing at a certain stage. With an external examination, you can notice the shortcomings of the root system due to the underdevelopment of hairs.

Violation of the landing rules

This reason is especially common. It may include a complex of factors that influenced the adaptation and further growth of the shrub:

1. Wrong choice of location. Gooseberries do not bear fruit well in full or partial shade. Bushes are not planted under the dense crowns of tall trees. Gooseberries also do not tolerate through winds and stagnant water in the lowlands.
2. Unsuitable soil. For gooseberries, neutral or low acidic soils are selected. An excess of acid interferes with the development of roots and stems.
3. Violations in the preparation of the landing hole. Planting hole sizes are important for every crop. Excessive deepening prevents the trunk from growing and forming shoots. Gooseberries are planted in pits up to 50 cm deep.
4. Landing violations. A distance of about 2,5 m is left between the rows of gooseberries. Between seedlings, indents are made from 1,2 to 1,5 m. Gooseberries will not bear fruit if the seedlings are planted too close – this will prevent the roots from growing in breadth.

Violation of the rules of care

After planting a seedling, an important and long period of care begins, but at this stage, gardeners make typical mistakes.

1. Watering. In order for the gooseberry to bear fruit, it needs regular watering. At the same time, stagnant water can provoke rotting of the root system. The bushes are watered weekly, for each adult plant 4-6 liters of warm water are prepared.
2. Application of fertilizers. During the growing season, 3 main top dressings are made. When the soil is depleted, the impossibility of developing nutrients, the gooseberry will not bear fruit. In the spring, nitrogen is introduced to form leaves, then they are fed with potassium-phosphorus mixtures to support fruit formation.
3. Loosening and mulching. Failure to comply with these agricultural practices cannot be the main reason, but they can be a prerequisite for the lack of fruiting. Loosening provides the soil with additional air, which makes it lighter and promotes root growth. Mulching helps retain moisture during drought and prevents the spread of weeds.

Violation of cropping rules

Removal of extra branches, damaged shoots and the formation of a bush is important for shrub crops. Gooseberries are cut several times during the season, while taking into account varietal characteristics and the condition of the bushes. If pruning is carried out superficially, then the gooseberry ceases to bear fruit or does not bear fruit at full strength.

Fruiting can be inhibited by improper pruning when planting. Saplings are completely cut off to 4 buds, weak shoots are cut out at the root.

In the second year of life, shaping landing is important. With insufficient pruning, partial or complete thickening, the gooseberry does not have the necessary strength to form fruits.

Shrub age

Varietal features imply different dates for the onset of fruiting. Usually gooseberries bear fruit in the 2nd – 3rd year of existence. The period can stretch up to 4 years of age.

The first 8 years of fruiting are considered the most abundant for gooseberries, then the yield gradually decreases. Gardeners observe bursts of activity after cardinal anti-aging pruning.

Unfavorable weather conditions during the flowering period

The onset of frost, when the gooseberry begins to bloom, can cause a lack of fruit. This is stress for the shrub, after which the adaptation period begins.

Temperature fluctuations are especially dangerous during fading. Hot weather, followed by a decrease in temperature and precipitation, leads to the fact that the gooseberry drops its buds and, as a result, does not bear fruit.

Lack of pollinators

Among the hybrid varieties, there are several varieties that have the ability to form dry winds. This happens during May-June, when the weather is hot for a long time, there is no precipitation. As a result, pollen that falls on dry pistils cannot lead to the timely formation of an ovary.

In addition, the pollination of gooseberries depends on the degree of self-pollination. Among varietal varieties, specimens with varying degrees of pollination are chosen, it depends on neighboring plantations:

• high rates of self-pollination: Smena, , Plum;
• medium: Chelyabinsk green, Chernomor;
• low: Record.

Pests and diseases

The lack of fruiting or a noticeable decrease in its volume may indicate that the shrub is starting to hurt. The danger is represented by fungal diseases of the root system. They develop slowly and prevent the formation or full ripening of berries.

It is possible to determine that the gooseberry does not bear fruit due to the development of the disease by the accompanying symptoms:

• change in the color of the sheet plates;
• the appearance of dry spots at the ends of the leaves;
• wilting leaves, dropping buds.

Insects are found on the leaves upon careful examination. As a rule, they leave traces of their vital activity or lay eggs on the back of the leaves.

What to do and how to make gooseberries bear fruit

The factors that lead to the fact that the gooseberry does not bear fruit can be eliminated. It takes from several months to a whole season to adjust:

1. When thickened, shaping pruning is shown. In summer, remove branches that block the access of sunlight to the main part of the bush. Damaged shoots are pruned in the fall, and a planned shortening is carried out in the spring.
2. Under the crowns of trees, in the shade, the gooseberry begins to get sick with a fungus and ceases to bear fruit. Bushes are transplanted to sunny areas, but at the same time take into account that fruiting will be delayed for several years due to adaptation.
3. Many gardeners are wondering what to do if the gooseberry does not bear fruit due to poor pollination. The best option is to plant other crop varieties in the neighborhood.
4. Yellowing of the tips of the leaves, dryness and dropping of the buds may be evidence of a lack of nutrients. Then, during the flowering period, watering is carried out with solutions of potassium nitrate under the root. Fertilizing with mineral mixtures with the addition of magnesium and phosphorus is suitable.
5. If the reason was non-compliance with the placement scheme, then the bushes should be thinned out. Some of the shrubs are transplanted to a new place, while not expecting fruit until next year. Old bushes will begin to bear fruit in the current year.
6. If the development of the fungus is suspected, the bushes are watered with a solution of manganese, wood ash, and treated with a tobacco solution. Treatments are carried out at intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. During this period, observe the appearance of the bush. The appearance of young leaves indicates that the gooseberry is cured.

Conclusion

Gooseberries do not bear fruit for various reasons. If the lack of fruiting is not a consequence of reaching the maximum age of the bush, then the situation can be corrected. Gooseberry fruiting is fully restored for the next season.