Gooseberry commander: description of the Vladil variety and characteristics

Commander is a prominent representative of thornless gooseberry varieties, which is especially popular among domestic gardeners. It has a pleasant sweet and sour taste and high yield. In the article we will look at the characteristics of the variety, its main advantages and disadvantages, as well as the features of agricultural technology.

gooseberry variety "Commander"

gooseberries "Commander" are in demand among experienced gardeners, since the absence of thorns makes harvesting easier

ripe fruits of the “Commander” variety are aromatic and have high taste qualities

Description of the variety “Vladil – Commander”

The variety got its name in honor of its creator Vladimir Ilyin. The breeder carried out work on crossing different types of gooseberries and in 1995 developed a type of bush without thorns and gave it the name “Vladil”, and the berry is called commander for its strict appearance. Among the natural qualities of the variety are:

The bush of the Vladil variety has a slightly spreading shape, but is quite tall. On average, an adult plant can stretch up to 1.5 meters, subject to standard pruning.
The branches of the bush are no more than 2 to 4 cm. in diameter.
The shoots do not have thorns, which allows summer residents to use the variety on their plots without fear of injuring their hands. This fact most often becomes decisive when choosing a gooseberry variety planted on personal plots.
The leaves of the Commander have a wide shape, a shiny surface and are alternately arranged on the branches.
The bush begins to bloom in mid-May and looks like small pink flowers.
The harvest is ready for harvest in mid-July, so Vladil gooseberries received reviews as a mid-season variety.
After ripening, the fruits acquire a burgundy-brown color and can weigh up to 6g. For one fruit.
The berries are smooth and have no pubescence.
The upper shell of the fruit is thin, the pulp contains small amounts of black seeds.
The taste of commander is sweet and sour, despite the sugar content in one berry is about 13%. The fruit's tasting score is 4.6 out of a possible 5 points. Moreover, it differs in acid, only the skin, due to the increased content of ascorbic acid, the middle of the berry is sweet and juicy.

The gooseberry variety Vladil has its own characteristics when planting. When purchasing seedlings, it is better to receive them in a pot or in a special bag with soil. The shoots of a young plant should look healthy and have a bright light green color.

Before purchasing, you should carefully examine the seedling. The branches should be elastic, without breaks. Foliage of dense structure of a single color. If there are traces of brown, brown or red color on the tips of the leaves, then most likely the plant is sick or damaged by pests.

Growing and care

Gooseberry Commander must be planted correctly. Remember that you should not choose places that tend to stagnate water, as this can be a significant reason for the death of the bushes. Soddy-podzolic and loamy soils are best suited for planting this variety.

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Planting seedlings begins with preparing the soil. You need to dig a small hole in advance, at least 30 cm deep, and be sure to place fertilizer there. You can make a mixture of several kilograms of straw manure, 300g of wood ash and the same amount of powdered limestone. The seedlings themselves are not placed at an angle, but straight

After which it is important to compact the soil and water the bushes with water.

In addition, do not forget to fence the area with the planted gooseberries so that it is protected from strong gusts of wind on all sides. Then the sun will perfectly warm the branches of young bushes. In the first years after planting, provide the gooseberries with additional fertilizers, scattering them in small quantities around the trunk.

Thanks to constant watering, it is possible to achieve high yields, which even in the first few years can reach from 3 to 5 kg. As it grows, it is possible to collect 7 kg of fruit from one bush per season. This gooseberry is highly valued for its high resistance to fungal diseases and for its low susceptibility to major fruit pests.

Undoubtedly, when growing gooseberries, you should pay attention to reviews about a particular variety in order to know all the nuances of caring for it. According to the stories of experienced gardeners, gooseberries of the Komandor variety love frequent watering, especially in the summer.

And before harvesting, the bushes must be watered every other day two weeks before the berries are to be picked.

The Komandor variety begins to bear fruit in mid-May, and can be harvested in early July. In early ripeness, the berries have a green-red color; as they ripen, they change to red-brown, and if they are not removed from the bush for a long time, they become almost black in color. But even if the harvest is late, they do not crack or fall off the bushes.

The berries are completely smooth, have a pleasant, dessert taste and juicy pulp. Commander in technical ripeness is used for preservation, preparation of various juices and desserts. Since the berries contain virtually no seeds, children love to eat them.

Gooseberry Commander - planting and caring for shrubs

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Characteristics of the advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Like any garden crop, the Commander variety has its advantages, among which are:

Low number of thorns. They can only be at the base of the branches and are usually thin with a blunt end. It is almost impossible to get injured on such a thorn.
Long fruiting period. Harvesting can last until the third decade of July.
Excellent taste.
High yield. From one adult bush you can harvest up to 7 kg of berries.
Excellent resistance to a wide range of diseases.
Stable frost resistance. The variety feels great in central Russia.

About

Pest and disease control

The commander is quite rarely affected by diseases and attacked by pests, but if this does happen, you need to correctly identify the problem and know how to deal with it.

The following are diseases that can occur in a hybrid and their main symptoms:

stem drying out - cracks in the bark, the presence of fungal spores in them;
septoria - grayish spots on the leaves;
rust - orange and copper bumps on the underside of leaves;
gray rot - falling and rotting of berries, leaves and shoots;
mosaic disease - wilting of leaves, the appearance of pale green spots along the inner veins of the leaf blade.

Gooseberry treatment:

Stem drying and septoria blight can be treated well with Bordeaux mixture. Prepare the drug according to the instructions and treat the affected bushes until the leaves bloom.
Copper oxychloride, which should be sprayed on gooseberries before flowering, will help get rid of rust.
To cure a bush from gray rot, remove leaves and shoots affected by the disease from the bush.
There is no cure for viral mosaic.

Almost all of these diseases arise from improper care of bushes. Careful selection of planting material, regular pruning, and weed removal are the best prevention of gooseberry diseases.

The hybrid can also be affected by some pests. Below are drugs that will help you fight them:

aphids – Aktara, Aktellik, treatment with laundry soap foam;
moth – Iskra, Actellik, chamomile infusion;
spider mite – wormwood infusion, Bankol, Sunmite;
gall midge – Fufanon, Karbofos;
glass - Actellik, Iskra.

To prevent pest damage to gooseberries, use systemic and contact chemicals. Spraying should be carried out in the spring along a green cone and repeated after 2 weeks. The following drugs are suitable for these purposes: Karbofos, Aktara, Actellik.

Conditions for landing

Gooseberry commander loves the sun, so the bush should be planted in a well-lit place. The soil should be soddy-podzolic or sandy loam, but the plant can take root on loamy soil. The soil should not be swampy and hold water for a long time. The variety does not like an acidic environment, so if the soil has a pH below 6, then it is necessary to pour about 300 grams into the place prepared for planting. lime

Preparatory work before planting is very important both in spring and autumn. But professional gardeners recommend planting Vladil gooseberries from the second half of September to the end of October. This way the plant will have time to gain strength and grow its root system, which means it will produce strong shoots when the weather warms up. Preparation for planting gooseberries includes the following instructions:

The planting area is completely cleared of weeds and unnecessary plants. The soil must be dug deep and all large pieces broken so that the area becomes perfectly level.
At the ready site, a planting hole is dug with an average size of half a meter and a depth of up to 40 cm. In this case, it is better to separate the fertile layer of soil from the lower part.
The top soil is mixed with mineral fertilizers for better survival of the bush. If the soil has a clay base, then it is better to loosen it with river sand in a ratio of 2 to 1.
When planting a group of seedlings, the distance between bushes should be at least 1.5 m, and between rows at least 2 m.
Before planting, inspect the root system and remove dry or damaged parts of the root.
The plant is lowered into the planting hole at an angle of 45°; this step will allow the plant to freely produce new shoots.
In the hole, the roots must be straightened and sprinkled first with the bottom layer of soil, and then a mixture of fertile soil and fertilizers must be added.
The planted gooseberries are watered abundantly, mulched with humus and watered again.

About

Growing and care

Gooseberry Commander needs access to water and moisture to the roots - this is the main condition for normal growth and fruiting.

In early spring, to prevent possible viral and fungal diseases, it is advisable to treat gooseberry bushes with Bordeaux mixture. The solution will not only protect against fungal infection, it will also destroy overwintering pests and their larvae.

Watering

Regular weeding, loosening and watering can be replaced by mulching the root zone - there is no need to weed or loosen the soil at all, and watering can be reduced to the most necessary during the period of filling and formation of fruits or drought. If mulch is not used, then loosening the bushes is mandatory (5 times per season). Gooseberries love light and breathable soils, which are difficult to obtain without loosening.

Top dressing

Fertilizing, so necessary for the fruit-bearing bush, is also replaced by organic mulch. To replenish the mineral composition (primarily phosphorus and potassium), it is recommended to add wood ash to the mulch (1 kg per bush) - this amount will be enough for the whole year.

In the absence of mulch, dry or liquid (dissolving fertilizers in 10 liters of water) fertilizing is carried out.

Spring: before buds open - 40 g of urea, 60 g of superphosphate, 20...30 g of potassium salts, 20...30 g of ammonium sulfate. Fertilizers are applied along the perimeter of the crown.
After flowering: solution of mullein (1:5) or chicken manure (1:10) 1/2-1 bucket per bush.
At the beginning of June for the formation of the ovary: 1/4 l. wood ash for each bush and complex fertilizers such as Yagodka, Master in accordance with the instructions.
After setting the berries, the bush is fed with potassium humate (50 g) and 25 g of nitrophoska per 10 liters. water.

Trimming

Pruning the Komandor variety bush differs from traditional gooseberry bushes. In addition to the necessary sanitary cleaning of the bush from dry, old and weak branches, the bush needs to be shaped. For ease of care, the crown is formed in 2 ways:

Standard - pruned in the form of a small tree with shoots/branches of the 2nd and 3rd order. The height of the bush/tree is not higher than 1 m.
Trellis - 3-4 strong shoots are fixed on a trellis and formed in a plane.

An adult Komandor gooseberry bush should consist of 15-18 branches of different ages.

Preparing for winter

Preparing the Commander bush for winter begins in the summer - immediately after harvesting the berries, it is necessary to remove old branches older than 7 years. A thinned crown, due to better lighting and ventilation conditions, contributes to the health of the bush.

Frost-resistant gooseberries can be left without shelter in the conditions of the Central region. In cold regions and regions with little snow in winter, gooseberry bushes should be tied with twine and covered with spunbond or any other agrofibre.

Caring for Komandor gooseberries

Caring for gooseberries of the Vladil - Commander variety is not difficult if the following conditions are applied:

Watering. The variety loves water, but it needs to be watered depending on the condition of the soil. For the test, you can take a handful of soil and throw it from a height of a meter; if the soil is dry, it will break up into small particles; if it is wet enough, it will remain a large piece. But the variety also does not tolerate excess moisture or waterlogging of the soil. On average, one adult plant requires up to 5 liters of water per shrub; young seedlings will require about 3 liters of water per unit. Abundant watering is necessary until late autumn, and for the winter, gooseberries of this variety are flooded to a waterlogged state. This makes it easier for the bush to withstand temperature changes and the first frosts.
Fertilizers. Vladil has a positive attitude towards fertilizing, delighting the owner with a bountiful harvest. The ideal fertilizer would be one made from chicken manure, potassium salt and double superphosphate. You can also “feed” gooseberries with complexes containing nitrogen; this must be done annually, but only after harvesting.
Trimming. Trimming old branches affected by pests or diseases is necessary for any variety of gooseberry, otherwise the bush will turn into an overgrown tangle, and it will be impossible to harvest from it. It is necessary to perform pruning in the autumn because in the spring you may not be able to meet the deadline for sap flow.
Preparing for winter. Vladil tolerates frosts well down to -30°, provided there is snow. If the winter has little snow, then any covering material will form a bush.

Reviews

★★★★★
Marina, 48 years old, summer resident, Rostov-on-Don. Commander is a good gooseberry, I use it for making preserves and jams.
Unlike other varieties, I never got sick. ★★★★★
Ivan, 60 years old, gardener, Moscow. I love the Commander for his unpretentiousness.
I have 3 bushes growing and have never had any problems with pests or diseases. The only thing is that the berry becomes very small if the bush is not trimmed. ★★★★★
Boris, 41 years old, gardener, Voronezh. The commander left it for variety.
The taste is mediocre, I don’t like the sour skin. We practically don’t use it for fresh consumption; we process it into jam. Hide

Add your review

Gooseberry Commander has no thorns and is famous for its productivity and frost resistance. The skin is thin, sour, the flesh is juicy, sweet and sour. With regular pruning, the berries do not become smaller. Due to poor keeping quality, ripe fruits are recommended to be consumed immediately.

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Propagation of gooseberry variety Komandor

If you want to propagate the Commander variety shrub, it provides excellent opportunities. The most popular propagation methods include:

Propagation by cuttings. Young shoots, cut in June, are planted in the ground after harvesting from an adult plant.
The easiest method of propagation is division. Young gooseberry shoots are easily dug out from old bushes due to their isolated growth. Moreover, the seedling already has a root system and is completely ready for independent life.
Reproduction by layering. You can remove the lowest branches of the plant by digging them in to a depth of 15 cm. The branches from the mother plant are not cut off, but sprinkled with soil as is. New shoots can be detected in the spring.

Gooseberries of the Vladil - Commander variety reach the peak of fruiting in the sixth year of life.

Specifications

Although the Commander belongs to the gooseberry family, it has individual traits that are not inherent in this agricultural crop. For the most part, the plant has a whole list of positive qualities, but it is not without its disadvantages.

Advantages of the variety

The undoubted advantage of this gooseberry variety is the absence of thorns. Harvesting and caring for the plant is now becoming commonplace, no more difficult than caring for currants. The first berries of the Vladil gooseberry begin to ripen early, gradually turning into mass ripening of the entire crop. Therefore, there will be a great opportunity to enjoy berries picked directly from the bush almost until the end of July.

The taste qualities of this variety are rated 4.7 on a five-point tasting scale, which is objectively an excellent rating. Despite their exquisite taste, gooseberries are not uncommon, as the harvests are quite abundant - up to 8 kg per bush.

In addition, the Commander variety took all the best from its parents, providing itself with strong immunity to many diseases.

Disadvantages of the variety

There are not many of them, but they need to be taken into account. The thin delicate skin of the berries, so pleasant to the taste, creates problems during transportation. Therefore, it is better to remove the berries from the bush when they are not ripe and place them in a container with low sides, tightly closing it with a lid . Good packaging will prevent valuable cargo from being shaken during transportation.

Frost resistance and drought resistance

Despite its love of water, the plant calmly tolerates short-term droughts thanks to its fairly deep root system.

Although long, hot summers can destroy the crop, this can easily be prevented by regular watering.

The creators of the Commander variety are especially proud of its frost resistance. It has been experimentally established that frosts reaching -30 degrees are tolerated painlessly by this plant. But a caring owner will cover the bushes, because short-term frosts below design temperatures are not new for Russia.

Diseases and pests that damage crops

The Commander variety has good health and the usual diseases inherent in the culture bypass it. Even sawfly and powdery mildew are not afraid of this variety. But the Vladil variety also has weaknesses:

A fungal disease popularly called “rust” often affects this variety. Foliage, flowers, ovaries, and sometimes the fruits themselves begin to become covered with yellowish growths, which subsequently darken. Such a plant must be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture at a concentration of 1%.
Drying of branches—removing dying shoots is usually sufficient. But if this operation does not help, then this is a sign of a fungal disease of the root system. Such a plant must be uprooted and burned, otherwise there is a risk of spreading to other bushes. It is imperative to take into account that even one remaining pruning can spread the infection to neighbors.

Storage

Long-term storage is unacceptable for gooseberry berries, as well as for other crops of this nature. On average, if collected dry, gooseberries remain fresh for up to three days. Gooseberries will remain in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Frozen harvest can be stored for up to six months. But before putting the gooseberries in the freezer, you should sort them out to remove debris and soft fruits.

The only disadvantage of this variety is the low degree of transportability. But if you take a hard plastic container with a lid and collect slightly unripe berries, this problem can be solved very quickly. Place a soft napkin on the bottom of the dish. This technique will allow the berries to remain intact even when transported over long distances.

When to harvest?

"Commander" ripens early - in July. The timing of harvest depends on what you do with the gooseberries. So, if you want to eat it fresh or make jam from it, then wait until it is completely ripe. If your goal is long-term storage, pick the berries unripe (2 weeks before full ripening).

The best time to harvest is a warm sunny day. The berries should not be wet. If it rained the day before, take your time - let the gooseberries dry, which will significantly increase the shelf life.

For transportation, select containers with hard walls with a capacity of no more than 8-10 liters. Line the container with paper or cloth.

Pick fruits with stems. Fresh berries are stored for 5-7 days. If you want to prepare gooseberries for future use, carefully sort them out, spread them on newspaper and leave them to dry in a cool place for 3-4 hours. Then put in bags and store at a temperature of +2 degrees. The maximum shelf life is 4 months. Gooseberries can be stored in the freezer for a long time. The berries are pre-selected, washed under running water and dried. You can grind and mix with sugar.

"Commander" combines many advantages. If you love gooseberries, but refuse to grow them because of the sharp thorns, then plant this variety. It is unpretentious, frost-resistant and not at all prickly.

Methods of use

Gooseberries of the Komandor variety are delicious fresh. It has many useful substances and enriches the body with a large number of vitamins. Compotes and jams made from this berry, both alone and in mixtures, for example with blackcurrant, have a special taste.

The thin skin of Vladil gooseberries does not require long cooking. The berries placed in the finished syrup look original. In this case, it is better to take slightly unripe fruits so that they remain intact. Commander gooseberry jam has a beautiful amber color and can delight household members throughout the cold period of winter.