Sweet, frost-resistant gooseberry variety "English Yellow"

What kind of gooseberry is this?

This is a mid-season gooseberry variety - the berries reach technical maturity in mid or late July. The bushes bear fruit annually for 10-12 years, starting 3-4 years after planting. Productivity – 8-12 kg per bush or 15 t/ha.

The harvest is harvested in 2 stages. Fully ripened berries are stored at a temperature of +2°C for 5 days, and fruits collected a week before full ripening are stored for a month at 0°C and 3 months at -2°C.

Brief history of origin and distribution

The history of the origin and breeding of the English yellow gooseberry is unknown. At the same time, there is information that in the middle of the 20th century this variety was one of the most popular in the territory of the former USSR.

How to propagate correctly

English yellow gooseberry: photo of variety

To propagate the English yellow gooseberry variety, as a rule, the following most popular methods are most often used:

• cuttings;
• using layering;
• dividing bushes.

Cuttings are a very popular and effective way of cultivating gooseberries. To obtain an excellent effect, cut off middle-aged shoots with hard bark. After this they are separated into parts. Then these parts are germinated. This method allows you to obtain an unlimited number of seedlings.

Horizontal layering - this method is suitable for plants that are more than 3 years old. One mother plant can produce at least 5 young shoots. Which, by the way, do not lose the original taste and quality characteristics of the mother material.

Dividing bushes is usually done in the fall, but it can also be done in early spring. To do this, the bush is divided into 3 parts, after which each part is rooted. The survival rate is very high.

All of the above methods are effective. Choose the one you like best. All varietal characteristics of the original maternal material are preserved during gooseberry propagation.

Characteristics and description of bushes

The bushes are medium-sized (up to 1.5 m high), slightly spreading, with thin, erect shoots, along the entire length of which there are soft, long, single thorns . The bark on young shoots is gray with a purple tint; on branches older than 2 years it is brown.

The leaves are medium-sized (up to 3 cm in length and width), leathery, dark green in color, and acquire a purple hue at the end of summer. Leaf blades are 3- or 5-lobed with blunt teeth along the edges.

The flowering period occurs at the end of May and lasts 5-7 days. At this time, small, narrow yellowish-white bisexual flowers appear on the bushes.

Temperature resistance

The bushes tolerate air temperatures down to -20°C. When grown in regions with harsher and less snowy winters, they need shelter.

Moisture and drought resistance

The variety tolerates drought well, but does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil - this can cause rotting of the root system and cracking of the berries.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The variety is characterized by stable immunity to diseases and pests. But if the rules of plant care are violated, the bushes are affected by the following diseases:

• anthracnose;
• American powdery mildew (spheroteka);
• columnar rust;
• sawfly larvae;
• spider mites;
• shoot aphid;
• moths.

Plant care

In order for gooseberries to develop well and bear fruit consistently, it is necessary to regularly cultivate the soil, apply fertilizers, prune the bush and prevent diseases and pests. Only timely care will provide you with a high yield of delicious berries and prolong the life of the plant.

When growing gooseberries, you should regularly loosen the soil near the bush. During the growing season, it is necessary to loosen 4–5 times. In this case, you need to remove all weeds and their roots.

Trimming

Gooseberry bushes are pruned in the fall (after the leaves fall) or in early spring.

The basic rule is to cut the branch above the bud located on the inside. This procedure stimulates the growth of new shoots.

• In the 1st year, the shoots are cut by a third, leaving 4–5 buds. Of the basal shoots, 3–4 of the most powerful ones are left, the rest are cut out.
• In the 2nd year, fresh shoots are again shortened by a third. Of the basal ones, 6–8 well-developed ones are left.
• In the 3rd year the bush will begin to bear fruit. The pruning is the same: the shoots of the current year are shortened by 1/3, and 3–4 of the most powerful shoots are left from the root shoots.
• At 5–7 years old, the formed bush should consist of 18–20 branches of different ages. During this period, sanitary pruning is carried out, cutting out damaged branches and those that have sank too far to the ground.
• From the 7th year, all old branches (over seven years old) are completely cut out. They are easy to identify as they are darker than the others. Otherwise, the pruning scheme remains classic.

Characteristics and description of fruits

The berries are medium-sized, weigh 3-5 g, but some specimens reach a weight of 8 g, are oval in shape, covered with a dense, glossy, lightly pubescent skin of a bright yellow color, which becomes amber after full ripening.

The pulp is yellow, juicy and sweet, with slight sourness and a subtle, barely perceptible aroma.

Areas of their application

The fruits of English yellow are consumed fresh, used for making sauces, fruit salads, jams, compotes, marmalade, juices and making liqueurs and amber dessert wine.

In folk medicine, a decoction of gooseberry leaves is used to treat pneumonia, and the berries are used as a choleretic agent.

Important! Gooseberries of this variety are not frozen, because after defrosting their taste deteriorates.

English yellow gooseberry: reviews from gardeners

English yellow gooseberry is a very tasty berry with an excellent, high yield. The plant does not require special care, it is very easy to grow - even the most inexperienced gardener can handle it.

By following all the simple recommendations and creating the most favorable conditions for the growth of English gooseberries. You can collect about 15 kg of berries from one plant, which not only have excellent taste and presentation, but are also well stored and transported.

Reviews of gooseberries of the “English yellow” variety

Svetlana Vasilievna Kotova, 58 years old, Suzdal

A long time ago I asked a friend for an English yellow gooseberry shoot, I really liked it from her. It took root perfectly, a couple of years later I harvested my first harvest and was delighted. The taste is honey, by the way, its color is also honey. Since then, gooseberries have pleased me every year with their appearance and wonderful taste of the berries.

Viktor Stepanovich Porsin, 47 years old, Rostov-on-Don

I grow English yellow gooseberries for sale. There were never any problems with transportation. No one will ever pass by my berries at the market. First they “taste” it, and then they buy it. The berry is large, beautiful, juicy, and also shiny - everything we love.

Stanislav Vasilievich Rubtsov, 40 years old, Vladikavkaz

I grow English yellow gooseberries in the country, so I don’t have much time to care for them. I water it a couple of times during the summer and prune it in the spring - I don’t do anything else. His unpretentiousness initially won me over. When the first harvest appeared, my wife and I were delighted, the berries were very tasty. My wife makes compote and jam from the English yellow gooseberry variety, I share the wine - everything is very tasty.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety compared to other varieties and hybrids

The main advantages of English yellow:

• high productivity;
• excellent taste and beautiful color of berries;
• drought and frost resistance;
• good keeping quality and transportability;
• good immunity;
• compactness of the bushes, facilitating harvesting;
• lack of tendency to shedding.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• cracking of berries in case of high humidity;
• presence of thorns;
• unsuitable for freezing;
• almost complete absence of aroma;
• low resistance to American powdery mildew.

Pros and cons of gooseberries

The culture has advantages and disadvantages that need to be taken into account when growing.

A crop with good taste, which makes it popular among gardeners. Gooseberries have an attractive appearance and are used for winter preparations.

Growing technology

Growing this gooseberry is not difficult. The main thing is to choose the right seedlings, as well as the time and place for planting them.

Optimal conditions

To plant English yellow, choose a well-lit place, protected from gusty winds and drafts, with a soil depth of at least 1 m.

The variety prefers fertile, light soil with a neutral acidity level, good moisture and air permeability. The best option is black soil and loams.

A month before planting, the area is cleared of weeds and plant debris, dug up with a shovel and for every 100 square meters. m add 20 kg of compost or rotted manure, 5 kg of potassium salt and 20 kg of phosphate rock.

Reference. Lime, ash or dolomite flour is added to acidic soil at the rate of 15 kg per 1 sq.m.

When purchasing seedlings, choose 1- or 2-year-old specimens with 1-2 shoots 30-50 cm long, uniform bark without cracks, strong, developed and branched roots 12-17 cm long without rot and dry areas.

Immediately before planting, the roots of the seedlings are soaked for a day in a solution of growth stimulants (Kornevin, Heteroauxin, Vympel, Zircon) for better rooting and protection from diseases and pests.

Landing dates and rules

English yellow is planted in spring (late March) or autumn (late September).

Landing rules:

1. 2 weeks before planting the seedlings in the prepared area, dig planting holes measuring 50x50 cm every 1-1.5 m.
2. Fill them one third with a nutritious soil mixture - 3 parts fertile soil, 2 parts complex mineral fertilizers and 1 part sand.
3. Form a hill from the nutrient mixture in the center of the hole, place the seedling on it, carefully straightening its roots.
4. Cover the seedling with soil so that there are no voids and the root collar is flush with the ground or 1-3 cm higher.
5. Water the seedlings generously at the rate of 10 liters of water for each.
6. Mulch the soil with compost or rotted manure.
7. Trim the shoots so that there are 5-6 buds left on each.

How to plant gooseberries correctly Features of planting gooseberries in autumn and care

Further care

The bushes are watered in a special ditch 10-15 cm deep, dug around the bush 60-70 cm from the roots 3 times per season: at the end of May - beginning of June, in mid-July and at the end of September (before frost).

Reference. Water consumption for a bush under 3 years old is 20 liters, for an adult plant – 30-40 liters.

Fertilizers are applied three years after planting the bushes according to the following scheme:

• early spring - 5 kg of manure or compost, 15 g of potassium sulfate and urea and 25 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. m;
• before flowering - 20 g per nitrophoska per 1 sq. m;
• during fruiting (June - early July) - watering with slurry;
• after 7-15 days - 1 kg of ash in the tree trunk circle.

Bushes begin to form from the first year, when planting, cutting off shoots to 5-6 buds, and after the leaves fall, leaving up to 3 branches on the bushes. A year later, 6 shoots are left, the branches of the current year are shortened by a third. For the 3rd year, 4 young basal shoots are selected, the young ones are shortened. Bushes at the age of 7 years should consist of 20 branches of different ages.

During sanitary pruning, all broken, damaged, frozen branches and those with signs of disease are removed.

To prevent the development of diseases and pest attacks, the bushes are sprayed before flowering:

• wood ash – dissolve 450 g in 10 liters of hot water and leave for 2 days;
• ash-soap solution - dissolve 50 g of soap and 1.3 kg of ash in 10 liters of water, leave for 48 hours.

Possible problems, diseases, pests

Diseases and pests that affect English yellow are presented in the table.

Wintering

At the end of September, the bushes are watered abundantly (60-70 liters of water for each) and treated with Bordeaux mixture. The ground is cleared of plant debris and loosened.

In the northern regions, the shoots are tied into 1 bundle with twine or twine, bent to the ground, secured with special brackets or boards, covered with dry leaves and covered with spruce branches or burlap.

GOOSEBERRY: CORRECT Pruning of the bush, TREATMENT against DISEASES and QUICK REPRODUCTION

Reproduction

English yellow is propagated in several ways:

1. Cuttings. Mature lignified shoots are cut into several parts and germinated. The method allows you to obtain an unlimited number of seedlings.
2. By layering. Use horizontal layering older than 3 years. From one mother bush, 5 young seedlings are obtained that do not lose varietal qualities.
3. Dividing the bush. In autumn or early spring, an adult bush is dug up and divided into 2-3 parts.

Landing Features

When planting a seedling in open ground, it is important to choose the right time and first enrich the soil with mineral and organic substances. Only in this case will the plant take root well and withstand changing growing conditions more easily.

Dates and place of landing

Gooseberries can be planted both in spring and autumn. In spring, the bush must be planted during the period of thawing of the ground - before the soil swells. Later planting negatively affects the rooting of the plant.

The best time for planting is considered to be autumn. Bushes are planted before frost sets in.

Gooseberries develop well on chernozems and medium loams. The acidity of the soil should be neutral, groundwater should not be higher than 1.3 m. The area should be ventilated and well illuminated by sunlight. It is possible to plant gooseberries in young gardens. At the same time, maintain a distance from tree to bush of at least 2 m.

Site preparation

Gooseberries are planted in planting holes prepared 4–5 months in advance.

Dig a hole with a diameter of 45–50 cm and a depth of 50–60 cm. The excavated soil is cleared of the roots of weeds. The top layer of soil is mixed with:

• rotted organic matter - 10 kg;
• wood ash - 150 g;
• double superphosphate - 50 g;
• potassium sulphide - 40 g.

The hole is filled with the resulting soil mixture. No need to water. The remaining clean soil is also poured into the hole, forming a small mound.

If the site has not been prepared in advance, the pit is prepared 2-3 weeks before planting. To do this, the soil is mixed with complex fertilizers. Fresh organic matter cannot be used for such preparation.

Selection of seedlings

One-year and two-year-old seedlings are suitable for planting in open ground. They are purchased in special nurseries or garden stores.

When choosing a gooseberry seedling, you should pay attention to the following points:

• The aboveground part should consist of 1–2 branches 0.3–0.5 m long. The bark should be without cracking or damage.
• The main root system should consist of 3–4 skeletal roots 12–16 cm long. These roots are lignified, with yellow bark. The fibrous roots are well developed, without dry areas.

Plants with closed and open root systems are suitable for planting in open ground.

Step by step process

For better rooting, immediately before planting, it is recommended to treat the roots of the seedling with a stimulator Kornevin or Flora-S.

1. In the prepared place, dig a hole measuring 40x40x40 cm.
2. A mound of earth is formed at the bottom.
3. Place the seedling vertically and straighten the roots. It is important not to deepen the root collar more than 5–6 cm.
4. Cover the seedling with soil. It is necessary to pour the soil in layers and water it with water. This way there will be no air voids left in the hole. There is no need to compact the soil.
5. Make a hole with a side around the bush and pour 10 liters of water into it.
6. Mulch the hole with earth or humus.
7. The branches of the bush are trimmed, leaving 4–6 buds on each.

In the first days after planting, it is necessary to monitor soil moisture. After 4-5 days, you need to re-water and mulch the plant.

When planting several bushes, leave a distance of about 1–1.5 m between them.

How to plant gooseberries correctly - video

Reviews from summer residents

Gardeners leave positive reviews about the English yellow gooseberry.

Vera, Suzdal: “When I was choosing which variety to plant on the plot, I settled on English yellow because of the beautiful color of the berries. I harvested it 3 years after planting the seedlings and was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the fruits - they are very sweet, honey-like. The bushes didn’t hurt in any way, although I don’t carry out preventive treatments.”

Andrey, Vladikavkaz: “The main value of this variety for me personally is its unpretentiousness, because I often don’t have enough time to care for the garden. I prune English yellow in the spring, then water it 2-3 times and that’s it. The bushes develop and bear fruit well, the yield is high. The berries are delicious, we eat them fresh and use them to make jam and wine.”

Diseases and pests, how to deal with them

English yellow gooseberry: photo of variety

English yellow gooseberries are resistant to almost all diseases, but powdery mildew is not on their list. For prevention, it is recommended in the spring, before the buds open, to treat the bush with Nitrafen.

Also, after each pruning, the branches are treated with Bordeaux mixture. After the plant has been watered, be sure to dig up the soil. In autumn, get rid of weeds and fallen leaves.

Gooseberries of this variety are susceptible to attacks by aphids, moths and spider mites. It is easier to carry out prevention and treat the plant with Carbofes than to fight pests. Be sure to destroy fallen leaves and dead parts of the plant, and re-treat the plant with Karbofes in the summer.

Harvest and storage

Russian yellow gooseberries are varieties of medium ripening, which occurs at the end of July. One bush produces up to 5 kg of berries annually.

The Russian Yellow variety has good yield

After ripening, the berries adhere firmly to the branches and do not fall off. Harvesting, depending on its further purpose, is carried out in several stages. For example, for various preparations and preservation, gooseberries are collected at the stage of technical maturity. Such fruits have already acquired color, but are still quite hard and dense. To eat the berries fresh, they are picked when they are fully ripe. It is then that they acquire a rich taste and aroma.

The berries tolerate transportation well and are used for making preserves, jams, jellies, compotes and wines.

The Russian Yellow variety is excellent for preparing various winter preparations

Kitty

Ruff555

The Russian Yellow gooseberry variety is an excellent choice for growing on private plots and on agricultural land in large-scale production. The zoning areas for planting Russian Yellow have a significant scale due to the increased resistance of the variety to cold and drought. Gooseberries are popular and valued for their high taste and consumer qualities, ease of care and abundant yield.