Finnish gooseberry - main characteristics and appearance of variety subspecies

Growing gooseberries in cold climates became possible after the development of selective varieties. The main part of the crop varieties was created at the beginning of the last century, when the spread of the fungus Spheroteka completely destroyed the crop. The priority of hybridization was the development of varieties resistant to infection and low temperatures. Finnish gooseberry fully meets these requirements. A high-yielding variety with strong immunity is cultivated throughout temperate climates.

Introduction

Finnish gooseberry: photo of variety

Gooseberries are a crop that gardeners have adapted to grow even in the harshest climates. This became possible after hybrid varieties were developed. They are rightfully considered real works of art, especially the Finnish gooseberry. The bulk of modern varieties were created at the beginning of the last century. But then the plants were not so stable and not so hardy. They often got sick and became infected with fungal diseases. And all this played a very cruel joke on them. Thus, breeders set themselves many tasks. One of them is to achieve special varieties that will be as resistant to various infectious diseases as possible. And also to low or too high temperatures.

Finnish gooseberry is a variety that fully meets these requirements. And also to the wildest expectations of gardeners themselves. And both experienced ones and those who are just starting to garden. The Finnish gooseberry variety is a high-yielding species. Thanks to its high immunity, it can be cultivated in literally any area. And with harsh, and with moderate and, of course, with hot climates.

In this article we will dwell in more detail on the description of the Finnish gooseberry variety. We will also tell you about the features of the species. You will also find tips on how best to plant and care for the plant. And how to deal with pests that can periodically infect gooseberry crops.

How to choose the right variety

When choosing the best variety, you need to focus on its adaptability to local climatic conditions (you can immediately take resistant Siberian species). There is always the opportunity to plant new interesting bushes to those already growing on the site; they get along well and can give new combinations of flavors through mutual pollination.

Gooseberries are very popular in our country; they are consumed both raw and in the form of preparations - jam, compotes, etc. More than 160 varieties of this plant have been bred. They differ in color, berry shape, fruiting time and disease resistance. For each climate zone, you can select the most adapted varieties.

Finnish gooseberry: variety description

Finnish gooseberry: photo

Finnish gooseberry is a plant that is represented by several main varieties. Basically, they differ from each other in the color of the berries. The classic Finnish gooseberry variety with green berries was the very first to be created. And based on it, varieties were bred whose berries were either yellow or red. One way or another, except for the color of the fruits, they are almost indistinguishable from each other. Including varietal characteristics and taste properties.

All of them belong to the Finnish gooseberry, which has a medium-late fruiting period. The berries ripen even before frost sets in. They are quite simple to assemble. They keep well. And can withstand long-distance transportation. Basically, the shrub is recommended to be grown in the European part of Russia, in the very center. Finnish gooseberry is also a very popular crop among gardeners in Siberia, the Urals and in the Moscow suburbs.

Finnish gooseberry: photo

In general, the characteristics of the Finnish gooseberry can be summarized into several key indicators, each of which reflects specific traits and features. These include the following:

• The plant is medium-sized. It can reach from one to one and a half meters in height. The bushes themselves are very neat and not spreading. They can be formed by numerous upright shoots. This gives the shrub a very attractive and decorative appearance. The stems are perennial and dark gray in color. They may also have a brownish tint. If we are talking about younger shoots, then they look much fresher - light green, neat shoots.
• thorns are located on the branches along their entire length. They grow mainly at an angle of 90 degrees and are quite thick. It is necessary to harvest the crop very carefully to avoid injury. Therefore, thorns can often become a real obstacle to picking ripe berries.
• The deciduous cover of the bushes is very dense. Leaves can form from 4 to 6 pieces at the end of each cutting. The leaf blade as a whole is quite typical in appearance, as for any other gooseberry plant. They are dark green, quite wide, and have wavy edges. By the way, many gardeners also then use the leaves to prepare some dishes, mainly for canning.
• When they bloom, the flowers are quite small, green in color with a slight yellowish tint. They are formed in the form of a cone. Inflorescences can be found on every leaf node. The plant also belongs to the dioecious category.
• the fruits, when they set and develop, acquire a round shape. Their surface is smooth. And the color, as we indicated earlier, completely depends on what variety the plant belongs to. A light waxy coating may be found on the berries, as well as slight pubescence. The pulp inside is very juicy and dense. Small seeds can be found in it. The weight of one berry varies from 4 grams to seven grams. It all depends on what care the gardener himself provides to the plant. And also in what climatic conditions does it grow. By the way, it is worth noting that Finnish gooseberries have a superficial root system. Therefore, after planting, the soil should be cultivated and moistened very carefully.

How to grow a crop

To grow a healthy plant with high yields, you should not only follow the planting rules, but also choose high-quality planting material and properly prepare the soil. The same recommendations apply to Finnish varieties as for other varieties.

Disembarkation time

Finnish gooseberries can be planted in both spring and autumn. Autumn (until mid-October) is the more preferable time for planting. Before the onset of frost, gooseberries form young roots, which contributes to better survival.

Due to the early growing season, the time for spring planting is limited to March - early April. When planted at a later date, the plants develop worse and begin to bear fruit later.

Soil preparation

The choice of planting site and soil preparation is one of the determining factors in the yield of Finnish gooseberry varieties. There are rules common to these varieties:

1. The planting area should be level, well lit, and moderately moist. A slope of 1-3 degrees is allowed. The occurrence of groundwater is no closer than 1 m from the surface.
2. Row crops (corn, beets, potatoes), annual and perennial grasses, and black fallow are considered good predecessors.
3. The variety is suitable for fertile, loose loamy soils. You should start preparing the soil 1-2 years before planting. To do this, they fight weeds, apply organic fertilizers, and lime acidic soils.
4. In the year of planting in September, the soil is dug up with the addition of organic fertilizers (compost or manure), superphosphate, and potassium salt. You can sow green manure on the site.

Planting in shaded areas with high groundwater levels or in wetlands leads to poor development of gooseberries and causes disease.

Selection of planting material

For planting, use healthy seedlings that meet the following requirements:

• the ground part should consist of three strong shoots with a basal stem diameter of about 1 cm;
• The root system must be developed, the length of the roots is 20-30 cm.

High quality planting material is a prerequisite for good survival of the variety.

Planting process

The planting process is normal for gooseberries. Planting should be done in the following sequence:

1. Prepare furrows (width 40 cm, depth 25-30 cm) or holes (width 40 cm, length 30-50 cm, depth up to 40 cm). Form rows at a distance of 3-3.5 m from each other.
2. Straighten the roots of the seedling. Place the plant in the hole, sprinkle with fertile soil. Compact the soil around the seedlings and water well (half a bucket of water per bush). Mulch the surface with dry soil, peat mixture or humus.

It is recommended to cut the stems to 5 cm, keeping 3-4 buds per shoot. It is believed that this speeds up the formation of the bush.

Green Finnish gooseberry: variety description

Green Finnish gooseberry: photo of variety

Finnish green gooseberry grows to approximately 120 centimeters. Its crown is quite compact. It blooms every year, producing abundant and very attractive blooms. As a rule, Finnish gooseberries begin to bloom around the end of May. After the frosts no longer return, and there is no such threat anymore. Productivity is high. With good care, you can harvest up to 8 kilograms of fruit from one green Finnish gooseberry bush.

The berries of the Green Finnish gooseberry are oval. They have a beautiful light green color. The pubescence of the fruit is weak, the weight of one berry reaches eight grams. The peel is very dense, but thin. And the pulp is very juicy. Inside you can find a certain number of small brown seeds. The leaves on the bush are dull and dark green. But their dullness does not mean that the plant is more or less infected with parasites. This is just a feature of the variety. And the gardener needs to take it into account so as not to take unnecessary measures to fertilize the Green Finnish gooseberry and the soil around it.

What's so special about gooseberries?

Gooseberries are valuable because already in the second year of planting they please the gardener with the first berries, and they grow indefinitely if they are properly pruned and fed with organic matter.

Until now, my first bushes, which are already 35 years old, bear fruit beautifully. And all these years we have been eating berries that have not been treated with pesticides or overfed with mineral water. We eat straight from the branch and teach our grandchildren to taste the berries directly in the garden, enjoying the variety of flavors.

For ourselves, we freeze gooseberries and eat them all winter. We don’t make jam—you shouldn’t kill everything valuable in this healing berry. From the surplus we make an excellent light wine, and from the pomace we make berry vinegar, often mixed with apples. Both young wine, when consumed in moderation, and vinegar in salads have no price due to their healing and rejuvenating effect.

Yellow Finnish gooseberry: variety description

Yellow Finnish gooseberry: photo of variety

The next variety we will look at is the Finnish Yellow Gooseberry. It was bred specifically for cultivation in northern regions with a very harsh cold climate. In general, among all Finnish varieties, it is the Yellow Finnish gooseberry that has the most pronounced aroma and taste. Which, of course, acts as an advantage of this very variety.

The bush is quite dense, usually no more than one meter in height. It can give very good growth if you properly care for it and provide all the favorable conditions. The berries of the Finnish Yellow gooseberry are round. They have a pleasant amber color. The weight of one berry varies from three to 3.5 grams. You can find two to three berries on the fruit cluster. The pulp is very juicy. In addition to the typical gooseberry flavor, it also gives off an apricot flavor.

How to grow gooseberries on your own trunk?

It is easier to grow gooseberries on your own trunk. The first year is spent on forcing the trunk, which I form in the same way as described above.

In the spring of the second year, I cut off the shoot at the height of crown formation. Below the cut I leave 3-4 buds, located on different sides at a distance of 5-8 cm from each other, and remove the rest.

Our advice:

When growing gooseberries on a trunk, it is very important to choose the right variety. Large-fruited varieties look very impressive in standard form: Chelyabinsk pink, Dessertny, Zashchitnik, Grossular, Neslukhovsky, Kamenyar, Yarovoy, Ruby pendant, Seedling of Plum, Salute, Plum, Prune and others

The large-fruited varieties look very impressive in standard form: Chelyabinsk pink, Dessertny, Zashchitnik, Grossular, Neslukhovsky, Kamenyar, Yarovoy, Ruby pendant, Seedling of Plum, Salute, Plum, Prune and others.

Red Finnish gooseberry: description of the variety

Red Finnish gooseberry: photo of variety

In fact, among all the other varieties that we are considering here, Red Finnish gooseberry is the tallest. It can reach one and a half meters. But there is one more feature here. The level of thorniness of these shrubs is also much higher than that of all other varieties. The spines are very thin and long, arched. You can get injured when pruning bushes or harvesting crops. So you should be careful and careful and wear gloves.

Gooseberries of the Finnish Red variety have a round shape. Very large - the weight of one berry reaches nine grams. The pulp has a purple hue, very dense and juicy. In fact, it is the red gooseberry that is the most productive among all other varieties. Because the yield from one bush of Finnish Red gooseberry sometimes reaches as much as eleven kilograms. And this is truly a record figure among all other varieties. Therefore, other breeding experimenters have room to strive.

Characteristics of the variety

Date gooseberry 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, the yield will increase accordingly. The plant is able to develop quickly and produce new shoots. Date gooseberry fruits can only be obtained 4 years after planting. At 8–10 years the moment of active fruiting begins. Basically, the life cycle of the Date gooseberry is 25 years, however, according to reviews from gardeners, the duration can be longer.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

The berry crop has high frost resistance. It is able to withstand harsh winters with temperatures down to -35 °C. Thanks to its powerful root system, it can easily cope with drought, but a long period in the absence of moisture will negatively 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 areas with close groundwater.

Important! In regions with cold climates, Date gooseberry bushes require shelter for the winter, because temperatures below -40 °C can destroy them.

Productivity and fruiting

According to the description of the Date gooseberry variety, 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 fruits ripen. The berries on the lower branches ripen somewhat 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 Date gooseberry bush can produce a harvest of up to 25 kg.

Application area

The dense peel of the date gooseberry protects the berries from cracking. Therefore, they are good to transport over long distances and preserve without losing their shape. The fruits are used to prepare marinades, marshmallows, jelly, jam, and compotes. Date gooseberries are used for winemaking.

For canning, it is recommended to collect berries at the stage of technical ripeness, which occurs 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 compromising the taste of the berries.

The indicator assessing the degree of suitability of the Date gooseberry variety for storage and transportation is high.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The gooseberry variety Date is not a hybrid. For this reason, it is characterized by a characteristic disease of berry crops - powdery mildew. To protect the plant from this disease, it should be planted in well-lit areas. In general, the immunity of Date gooseberries is weak. But resistance against pests 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 berry bushes:

• long fruiting period;
• 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;
• presence of thorns;
• late ripening of berries.

Finnish gooseberry: features of all varieties

Finnish gooseberry: photo of variety

Now it is important to analyze what the main features of the Finnish variety as a whole are, which will also apply to the individual green, yellow and red varieties of this crop.

Many experienced gardeners use Finnish laceberry varieties. Because these crops very rarely get sick. They have a fairly high frost resistance. They also differ in that they have a stable level of fruiting. This means that regardless of weather and other conditions, the bush will still produce a bountiful harvest. In accordance with the characteristics and volumes that were indicated in the previous part of our article.

All varieties of Finnish gooseberries are quite stress-resistant. They have a high level of immunity. They are also distinguished by the fact that they are not capricious in care and are unpretentious. And they are adapted to unfavorable conditions, if suddenly there is no stability in the region where the plant grows.

Varieties of Finnish gooseberries were specially bred so that the bushes could grow safely. And bear fruit even in those areas where there are long winters or a short summer period. Gooseberries tolerate a drop in air temperature to -38 degrees absolutely calmly. You don’t even have to cover it with anything extra. If suddenly the shoots are damaged, the bush can completely recover in one season. At the same time, the level of fruiting will not decrease in any way. And this is a huge positive moment. Flowering occurs relatively late. The flowers are also not affected by frost and do not fall off.

Pests and diseases

Finnish gooseberries rarely get sick; all selected varieties are highly resistant to diseases. If the air humidity is high for a long time and the temperature is low, a fungal infection may develop, covering the berries with a dense gray film. They get rid of the problem with “Topaz” and “Oxyx”.

For preventive purposes, the bush is treated with Bordeaux mixture or watered with hot water before the sap flows. The only pest on Finnish varieties is aphids. The gooseberries are sprayed with a solution of laundry soap, and anthills are removed from the area. If measures are unsuccessful, treat with herbicides.

Flowering and fruiting

The number of ovaries largely depends on the amount of flowering. And the abundance of Finnish gooseberries is always excellent. As for drought resistance, in this case it is rather average than high. If the plant is experiencing moisture deficiency, this may adversely affect the quality of the fruit. And also on their taste properties. The berries become much smaller and wither. And the taste is more sour than sweet, as is usually the case. The leaves also become very dull and may turn yellow. Vegetation processes are becoming slower. There is no sap flow and formation of minerals. If climatic conditions exclude regular precipitation, then it is best to water the bush as often as possible.

Finnish gooseberry produces both female and male flowers. The variety is self-pollinating. Therefore, it is not necessary to plant any other plants next to the bush so that they pollinate the Finnish bush. Flowering begins around the end of May. And you can start picking berries as early as August. Fruiting occurs approximately in the fourth year after the shrub was planted in open ground. The average is 8 kilograms from one gooseberry bush. And this is a fairly high indicator that needs to be paid attention to.

If the Finnish gooseberry has enough sunny color and moisture, then the fruits are especially sweet and juicy. They do not bake, do not fade and, most importantly, do not fall from the bushes. Even if they have reached their maturity, and the gardener has not yet had time to harvest. The fruit gives off a fairly fresh and pleasant aroma. If the gooseberry experiences an excess of moisture, it may crack. Therefore, you should pay special attention to soil moisture and planting care in general. The peel of the fruit is very dense. The berries can be stored in a suitable place for up to six days. At the same time, they do not lose their mass at all.

Finnish gooseberries can be grown on an industrial scale. It's great for this. Because it can carry transportation over fairly long distances. The berries can be eaten fresh. And also add to some fruit preparations - jams, preserves. Drinks are also prepared from Finnish gooseberries. And the leaves are added to twists for the winter. They are great as an additive to preserves, along with currant leaves.

Reviews from summer residents

Gardeners growing this variety note good productivity, resistance to cold, unpretentiousness and compactness of the bushes.

Galina Lebedeva, Krasnoyarsk: “All 3 varieties of Finnish gooseberries grow on my plot. In winter, the bushes do not freeze. In the third year, I collected about 6 kg from each bush. The next year the harvest became larger. Gooseberries do not require special care. We eat the berries fresh, make compote and freeze some for the winter.”

Svetlana Yuryeva, Chelyabinsk region: “I have been growing Finnish gooseberries for almost 5 years. Starting from the third year there were already a lot of berries - about 5 kg per bush. I planted yellow gooseberries for their color and taste. I make wine from it. The drink turns out aromatic and tasty.”

Mikhail Romanov, Kaluga region: “I planted the Finnish gooseberry because of its compactness, since there is not much space in the dacha, and it does not grow much. Last winter the bushes overwintered without shelter. It’s too early to talk about yield.”

Advantages and disadvantages

Finnish gooseberry: photo

The Finnish gooseberry variety has both its positive and negative sides. Gardeners themselves usually pay attention to them. Since it largely depends on this whether one or another variety will be chosen or not. Among the advantages of Finnish gooseberries, the following should be highlighted:

• stable fruiting, which remains at the same high level both in the fourth year of cultivation and in the tenth;
• high frost resistance;
• high level of bush immunity to various common diseases;
• the taste of fruits on a five-point scale is rated at 4.7 points;
• the berries do not wither or bake, and do not crack. They can stay on the bush for a long time. Even after they have finally ripened, the gardener has not yet had time to remove them from the bush;
• Finnish gooseberries can also be grown in regions with a good climate. And in regions where the climate is unstable, frost may occur;
• the crop can be stored for a long time. And also transport over fairly long distances. This does not in any way affect the taste or external qualities of the fruit. Which is undoubtedly a huge plus.

If we are talking about the disadvantages of the Finnish gooseberry variety, then they include the poor drought resistance of the varieties. And also the fact that the branches of the bush are almost entirely covered with very prominent thorns. This complicates the care of the plant, as well as harvesting. But many gardeners wear gloves when working. And this may go virtually unnoticed. So this disadvantage is rather relative and rather subjective.

Harvesting and transportation

Since the berries of the variety are soft and fragile, only manual picking is suitable. Mechanical harvesting can damage the berries. The presence of sharp thorns makes harvesting much more difficult, so it is very important to adhere to safety measures. When picking fruits, you must wear well-protected clothing with long sleeves and high gloves.

The fruits should be removed from the bush along with the stalk. Next, they are placed in shallow containers that must be dry. Ripe berries are stored in a cool place for about 5 days. Unripe berries can be stored for up to 10 days. To extend the storage period, it is recommended to freeze or dry gooseberries. You can use it to make jellies, jams, preserves or compotes in the future.

Gooseberries are a very popular crop among summer residents and gardeners, the bushes of which can be found on every site. To achieve effective plant growth, abundant harvest and high-quality fruiting, it is important to adhere to certain rules. And in order to choose berries with taste qualities that you will like, it is important to familiarize yourself with their characteristics.

Planting Finnish gooseberries

Finnish gooseberries can be propagated in two ways - either generatively or vegetatively. Each method has its own characteristics. And gardeners choose them in accordance with their interests and capabilities. The seed method is used mainly in breeding work. And it helps breeders develop new gooseberry varieties and crops with new characteristics. It is best to propagate gooseberries on the site by cuttings, layering or dividing the bush. This way they get along better. And it is much easier for the gardener to care for the plant. But, again, it all depends on the gardener’s capabilities and his interests in growing the plant.

It is best to plant Finnish gooseberries in the spring, when the soil has already warmed up and there is no threat of return frosts. For central Russia, the average planting time is usually in the fall - in September. Before frost comes, it is better for the bush to take root well so as not to lose vitality and energy.

Choose an open, sunny place for planting; you can choose a place where there will be slight darkness. The soil must be non-acidic and fertile. It should be well ventilated, and moisture should not stagnate inside it. The planting material must have at least two mature stems, leaves and buds. There should be no visible damage on it. The root system should also be without visible deviations or transformations.

Planting Finnish gooseberries is carried out in accordance with the following algorithm:

• before planting, the seedling must be immersed in a growth stimulator for several hours;
• organic matter, sand, peat, soil - all this is mixed, wood ash is also added to the uniform mixture;
• a hole must be dug with a diameter of at least 40x40 centimeters, and the depth must be up to half a meter;
• a drainage layer is lined at the bottom;
• part of the prepared nutrient substrate should be poured directly onto the drainage;
• the bush descends to the very center, the root system straightens out;
• the root system is filled with the remains of the nutrient mixture, the hole is filled to the top with soil, compacted and watered. It is also necessary to cover the root trunk with mulch - sawdust mixed with peat or any other mixtures that are suitable for mulching the soil.

Features of reproduction

Finnish gooseberries are propagated generatively and vegetatively. The seed method is used in breeding work to develop new varieties and in nurseries for mass cultivation. Gooseberries are propagated on the site by cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. Cuttings are harvested in mid-summer and are ready for planting the following season. For layering, take the lower stem, bend it to the ground, cover it with soil, work is carried out in the spring, and by autumn the buds will take root. The optimal method of propagation is by dividing the bush. Gooseberries are taken at three years of age, and work is carried out at the end of May.

Rules for caring for Finnish gooseberries

There are several rules for growing Finnish gooseberries. They must also be followed in order to obtain a sufficiently successful and productive result. So, in the spring, it is best to feed gooseberries with a product that contains a large amount of nitrogen. When gooseberries begin to bear fruit, it is best to switch to organic fertilizers. Watering should be organized in such a way that there is no excessive waterlogging or excessive dryness. To do this, you should monitor the weather forecast, as this is extremely important. The bush can be shaped; to do this, dry branches and shoots should be pruned, following the technique of sanitary and formative pruning. In order to prevent the branches from falling under attack by small rodents, it is best to place some chemicals around the gooseberry bushes that will repel rodents or completely destroy them.

The Finnish gooseberry variety rarely gets sick. As a rule, both green, yellow, and red gooseberry varieties have a high level of resistance to diseases and pests. Stress resistance and immunity are especially evident in cases where the gardener complies with all agrotechnical rules. For prevention, the bushes are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture; you can also water the bushes with hot water. Thus, the variety is ideal for cultivation in various regions, even those that do not have a stable and suitable climate.

It is necessary to follow the rules of agricultural technology, take into account the characteristics and periods of planting, follow the watering schedule and take into account that in dry weather the plant needs more moisture, otherwise this will affect the quality of the fruit and its taste.
Finnish gooseberries are also periodically treated as preventive measures and fed with the necessary mixtures. Finnish gooseberry: video

Growing and care

In order to ensure good fruiting of the Finnish gooseberry variety, it is necessary to ensure compliance with simple agrotechnical care techniques.

Watering

It is important not to overwater the plants. Excess moisture can cause them to lag in growth and even die. During the growing season, it is enough to water the gooseberries three times. To carry out the procedure, a shallow groove for water is dug around the perimeter of the tree trunk circle. If the weather is dry, then the first watering is timed to the beginning of June, and the second is carried out before fruiting. The last time water is poured under the bushes is in early October, if there has been no rain. This watering is called moisture-recharging and is part of a set of measures to prepare plants for winter. Roots in moist soil are less susceptible to frost.

The surface crust should be loosened more often, weeding if necessary. A layer of mulch protects the soil well from drying out.

Loosening and weed control

Twice a year (in autumn and spring), the gooseberry rows are dug to a depth of about 15 cm, and the tree trunk circles are deeply loosened (5-8 cm). This procedure allows not only to improve the supply of oxygen to the roots, but also to protect against pests that have settled in the upper layers of the soil for the winter.

Weed control must be done in a timely manner. Gooseberries, as a crop, are prone to powdery mildew. With a large amount of weeds, high humidity is created, at which viral infections actively develop.

Trimming

The main pruning of the Finnish variety is carried out after the snow melts. It involves removing dry, damaged branches.

The autumn sanitary procedure is aimed at cutting out trunks older than six years. Sometimes, in order to stimulate fruiting, the tops of the stems are cut off in June.

An adult plant should consist of approximately 15 branches, 3 stems for each year of the bush's life.

Top dressing

If the necessary fertilizers were placed in the hole during planting, then they begin to feed the bushes from the age of three.

In spring, Finnish gooseberries need nitrogen to grow green mass. Dissolve in 10 l. a tablespoon of urea and pour this volume under the bush. Before the buds appear, the need for potassium fertilizer increases, which is diluted in the same proportion. At the beginning of berry ripening, 10 liters are recommended. Dilute Nitrophoska with water - 1 tbsp. l. and potassium humate - 2 tbsp. l.

Preparing for winter

Winter-hardy Finnish gooseberries in areas with mild climates do not require additional measures to prevent freezing.

In northern regions, it is recommended to bend the stems and cover them with non-woven material on top. Under such shelter, which allows air to pass through, the bushes easily tolerate significant frosts. Before sheltering, the bush is treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture; this treatment will be a good preventive measure against diseases and pests.

Characteristic

Russian yellow is one of the most productive varieties. It is winter-hardy and tolerates drought well. The variety loves sunny weather and does not tolerate frequent watering.

The bush of “Russian Yellow” is quite spreading and requires staking or support. On the one hand, this is a minus, on the other hand, it is a plus, since you can grow the plant upward, thereby saving space on the site.

The shoots of the bush are straight, they do not spread to the side. There are thorns on the stems and, unfortunately, they make harvesting difficult, especially in hard-to-reach places.

The leaves are medium sized and bright green. The edges are slightly curved, the sheet itself is a little shiny. The structure of the leaf plate is very dense, leather-like. This structure is perhaps the main reason why the variety is rarely affected by powdery mildew.

The berries of Russian Yellow are universal. They can be used either raw or made into fruit drinks, wine, jams, preserves, etc.

On average, a berry weighs from 6 to 8 grams. Moreover, all the fruits have a beautiful, even shape, which is especially valued in the market. The shape of the berries is rounded and elongated, resembling an ellipse. There is no pubescence on the surface, but there is a light waxy coating.

The skin is very thin. When the berry is fully ripe, its internal structure becomes visible. But despite this type of skin, the berries are still easy to transport without losing their marketable qualities.

The variety is classified as mid-season. But despite this, the berries can remain on the bush for a long time without losing their qualities. Long-term fruiting, resistance to cracking and shedding allow the berry to be consumed for about 30 days.

In addition, the variety has fairly good immunity. It is protected from most fungal diseases and is also very rarely attacked by insects.