Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry: characteristics, advantages, disadvantages and cultivation rules

Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry is considered by many to be one of the best dessert varieties. It is valued for the exquisite taste of purple berries and high frost resistance. Let's find out how to plant and grow this productive variety.

gooseberry variety "Krasnoslavyansky"

gooseberries "Krasnoslavyansky" are sweet, with tender and juicy pulp

variety "Krasnoslavyansky" is very productive and unpretentious

Description of the Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry bush and berries

Brief botanical description of Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry:

• Bushes. Medium-sized and slightly spreading. Height - up to 1.5 m. Shoots are medium thick, unevenly colored - brown at the base, and green further on. There are a lot of thorns - thick needles are evenly located along the entire length of the shoots.
• Leaves. Small, round, rich green in color, matte, with a slight shine. On the inside there is pubescence.
• Flowers. Medium size, bell-shaped. Color – pale yellow. Brushes – one- and two-flowered. The plant has male and female flowers.
• Fruit. Large, weighing 6-7 g. When ripe, they acquire a dark red color. The berries are aromatic, sweet and sour. Tasting score – 4.9 out of 5 points. The shape of the fruit is round or oval. The berries are densely pubescent.

Description and distinctive features of gooseberries of the Krasnoslavyansky variety

Krasnoslavyansky was obtained by crossing the varieties Avenarius and Oregon. The originator is the Leningrad Fruit and Vegetable Experimental Station. The authors are domestic breeders I. S. Studenskaya and O. A. Medvedeva.

In 1992, the variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements for use in the North-Western, Volga-Vyatka and Central regions.

Bush of medium growth rate, compact, slightly spreading. The height of an adult plant is about 1.5 m. The shoots are straight, directed upwards and to the sides, unevenly colored: at the base they have a light brown tint, and closer to the tops they are light green. The spininess is strong. Sharp thorns are located throughout the shoot at right angles to the branch or slightly bent down. The buds are small, pointed, brown in color.

The leaves are medium-sized, broadly rounded, green in color. The surface is matte or with a slight shine, smooth, slightly wrinkled. The upper side of the leaf is without pubescence. The leaf is three-fingered: the middle lobe is rhombic, the lateral lobes are oval. The base has a small heart-shaped notch. The petiole is thin, green, pubescent, and of medium length. The flowers are bell-shaped and medium in size.

Gooseberry bush of the Krasnoslavyansky variety, low

The fruits are large, the average weight of one berry is 4.3 g. The shape is round or slightly elongated. The color is dark cherry. The pubescence is dense, velvety and sparsely bristly. The skin is thin and tender. The average number of seeds per berry is 45 pieces. The pulp is juicy, tender, sweet, but sometimes there is a slight sourness. Taste rating: 4.9 points out of 5.

Distinctive features of the variety: compact bush, shoots with numerous thorns, very sweet berries, thin skin and weak venation, which is practically not felt when eaten, high rate of self-fertility.

Large, juicy and sweet berries are one of the main advantages of the Krasnoslavyansky variety

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety - table

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the Krasnoslavyansky variety:

• high productivity;
• good immunity;
• precociousness;
• low maintenance requirements;
• tasty and beautiful berries;
• transports well without losing its presentation.

The variety has few disadvantages, but for many gardeners they can become a serious obstacle:

• strong thorniness of shoots;
• average susceptibility to fungal diseases;
• rapid shedding of ripe berries.

Characteristics

The Krasnoslavyansky variety is valued not only for the taste of its berries, but also for its good agrotechnical characteristics. Let's find out more about this fast-growing variety.

Usage

The berries are used for fresh consumption, as well as for cooking compotes, jams and preserves. Ripe berries make an excellent filling for baked goods and sauces for meat and fish dishes. The fruits of Krasnoslavyansky can be dried - when dried they are very similar to raisins.

Ripening and harvesting dates

Krasnoslavyansky is a mid-season variety. Ripening is fast, the berries are ready for picking in late July or early August. Krasnoslavyansky berries have the property of quickly crumbling when ripe, so you can’t delay harvesting.

The variety is early-bearing - within 2 years after planting the first harvest ripens. True, it is insignificant; Krasnoslavyansky’s yield is gradually gaining. Peak productivity is observed at 8 years of age. Then the harvests decline. To prolong the fruiting of the bush, anti-aging pruning is used.

Productivity

Full crops are harvested from bushes over 6 years old. 6-8 kg of berries are harvested from one adult plant. Up to 200 centners of gooseberries are harvested from 1 hectare.

Shelf life and transportability

The berries have thin skin, but this does not prevent them from safely surviving transportation. The key to successful transportation is laying the fruits in thin layers. Fully ripe berries can be stored for no more than two days. They can be stored in the refrigerator for much longer – up to 10 days.

If there is long-distance transportation, the fruits are collected unripe - this way they will better withstand transportation.

Climate and growing regions

The variety, characterized by good winter hardiness and drought resistance, as well as resistance to temperature changes, successfully adapts to the climate of most regions of Russia. Krasnoslavyansky grows excellently and bears fruit in the Central region, in the Middle Zone, the Black Earth Region, and in the North-West.

Resistance to diseases and pests

The variety is quite resistant to traditional diseases of berry crops, including their main scourge - powdery mildew. The variety also resists anthracnose and white spot well. It is affected by pests traditional for gooseberries - moth, moth, gooseberry aphid.

Conventional preventive measures help resist diseases and pests - destroying fallen leaves, pruning bushes, loosening, maintaining normal soil moisture.

Drought resistance and winter hardiness

The variety tolerates drought well provided it receives moisture-recharging water in the spring. Any crop can tolerate prolonged droughts with consequences for the harvest, but the Krasnoslavyansk gooseberry easily tolerates short-term lack of water. The maximum frost that this variety can withstand without shelter is minus 37°C.

Advantages

1. It is not picky about the type and composition of the soil in the same way as the Lada variety;
2. High self-fertility;
3. Stable annual harvests;
4. Krasnoslavyansky, like the Redball and Konservny varieties, is immune to common diseases, including powdery mildew;
5. The taste is excellent. The berries are sweet, with thin skin. There is a piquant sourness;
6. Large fruits resembling berries of the Redball, Plum, Grossular varieties;
7. The variety is not afraid of transportation, the fruits are stored for a long time. In this way, Krasnoslavyansky resembles the varieties Invicta, Green Rain, and Izumrud.

Gooseberry Commander

Growing conditions

Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry requirements for lighting, soil and planting site:

• Almost any soil is suitable for growth. But the bush produces high yields only on fertile, well-fertilized soils. The exception is acidified, highly podzolized soils - they are not suitable for gooseberries. Acidic soils are limed in two stages - before and after planting seedlings.
• Choose an area with good lighting. Partial shade is allowed, but shaded areas are not suitable for gooseberries. In the shade, the shoots stretch upward, become thin, and the berries become small.
• There should be no drafts on the site. It is best to plant gooseberries on slopes, elevated areas, and plains. Lowlands are not suitable.
• It is preferable to plant bushes near fences.
• The groundwater level is at least 1.5 m. Excessive soil moisture leads to freezing of the shoots. High groundwater levels lead to the death of the root system and the entire bush.

Growing technology

The growing technology is simple, but it is important to take into account certain nuances and create optimal conditions for obtaining a good harvest.

Optimal conditions

Conditions for growing Krasnoslavyansk gooseberries should be as follows:

1. Almost any soil is suitable for the culture. But the largest harvests are obtained only on well-fertilized and fertile soil. Only highly podzolized and acidified soils are not suitable for cultivation.
2. It is advisable to choose a well-lit place. Areas with partial shade are also suitable, but in the shade the shrub will not develop well. In shaded areas, the shoots begin to stretch upward and become thin, and the berries become crushed.
3. The area should be free of drafts. It is advisable to plant bushes near a fence or walls of a building.
4. The minimum level of groundwater is 1.5 m. If there is excessive humidity, the shoots will freeze. Also, with a high level of groundwater, there is a possibility of rotting of the root system.

Landing dates and rules

Planting is carried out in spring or autumn. In the spring this is done after the snow melts and before the buds open, and in the fall - a month before the first frost. Seedlings must be annual or biennial.

First, prepare the landing hole. Its depth should be about 60 cm, and its diameter should be 50 cm. The distance between seedlings in a row is maintained at 1-1.5 m, and the distance between rows should be at least 2 m.

At the bottom of the planting hole, a drainage layer of stones 15 cm thick is made. After this, the hole is filled halfway with a nutrient substrate, which consists of:

• 2 buckets of humus;
• 2 buckets of topsoil;
• 1 bucket of peat;
• 250 g of ash;
• 200 g superphosphate.

Then 3 buckets of water are poured into the hole.

Before planting, the roots of the seedlings are soaked in water for 1 hour, after which they are treated with any store-bought root formation stimulator (according to the instructions) or a mash made of clay and mullein.

The seedling is placed in a planting hole, the roots are straightened and covered with soil. The soil is compacted a little to remove air pockets. After planting, the root collar should be 5 cm below the ground surface.

Then the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw, sawdust or humus. The planted bush is pruned so that there are 4-5 buds on each shoot.

Further care

Subsequent care consists of creating support, regular feeding and pruning.

This variety has branches that grow upward and to the sides, so when there is a bountiful harvest, they bend to the ground. To preserve the berries, supports are made around the bushes. To do this, hammer in several stakes and stretch a wire between them.

Krasnoslavyansk gooseberries require high-quality feeding. It is carried out 3 times:

1. In early spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are scattered on the snow. When the snow melts, they will fall into the soil. At the same time, 10 kg of rotted manure, 20 g of saltpeter, 80 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium chloride are added to each bush.
2. During the flowering period, the crop is fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. If growth is weak, additional nitrogen is added.
3. In autumn, plants also require potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. This will allow the bushes to overwinter normally.

Pruning is carried out in autumn according to the following scheme:

1. 1st year. The branches are cut by a third, leaving 4-5 buds. Cut out all the branches except the 3-4 strongest ones that grow upward.
2. 2nd year. The shoots are pruned in the same way as in the first year. But now they leave 6-8 basal branches on the bush.
3. 3rd year. Pruning is carried out in the same way. Leave 10-17 branches.
4. 5-7th year. There are already up to 20 shoots in the bush. Cut out all branches that are older than 5 years. The remaining ones are cut by a third.

Possible problems, diseases, pests

The culture is affected by white spot, anthracnose, and spheroteca. To avoid these diseases, bushes are treated.

Before the buds swell, the branches are sprayed with the drug “Nitrophen” (diluted with 300 g of the substance per bucket of water) and a solution of copper sulfate (30 g per 10 liters of water). 2 weeks after harvesting, the gooseberries are additionally sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. To do this, 100 g of the substance is diluted in 10 liters of water.

Dangerous pests include moths, moths and aphids. To prevent their appearance and destruction, gooseberries are treated with Actellik, Metafos or Karbofos.

Wintering

In autumn, moisture-recharging irrigation is performed. First, the soil is loosened to a depth of 10 cm, after which 5-6 buckets of water are poured under each bush. The tree trunk circle is mulched with peat or sawdust.

If the winters in the growing region are snowy, gooseberries are not covered. When there is little snow, agrofibre is used for protection.

Reproduction

Usually the Krasnoslavyansky variety is propagated using:

1. Layers. In the spring, trenches are made near the bushes, into which young and long shoots are laid. They are covered with earth, watered and pinched. It is important that the soil is always moist and loose. By autumn the shoots give rise to roots. They are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
2. Divisions. For this method, the bush must be young, no older than 5 years. The plant is dug up and divided into several parts, which are then planted.

Gooseberry propagation by layering

Landing Features

Krasnoslavyansky gooseberries are planted using standard technology for this crop. The main thing is to take into account the size of the bushes and soil requirements.

Dates and place of landing

Krasnoslavyansky gooseberries can be planted in spring or autumn. But the best time for planting this variety is considered to be early autumn - seedlings can be planted from September to mid-October. It is impossible to do it later - the seedlings may not have time to take root before the onset of frost.

The distance from gooseberry bushes to trees is at least 3 m. Gooseberries are not recommended to be planted next to stone fruit crops - such proximity has a negative impact on productivity.

Site preparation

The landing site is prepared in advance. If gooseberries are planted in the fall, then fertilizer should be applied no later than 1.5-2 months in advance. Spring planting is easier - all fertilizers are applied in the fall. To create favorable conditions for the seedling, you need to properly prepare the hole and area.

The procedure for preparing the site and planting hole:

1. Spread compost over the area - approximately 10 kg per 1 square meter. m.
2. Dig up the area. The digging depth is the bayonet of a shovel.
3. Prepare the soil mixture - you will pour it into the hole. Soil mixture composition:
   fertile layer dug out when digging a hole (10-15 cm);
4. bucket of peat;
5. 2 buckets of humus;
6. 200 g superphosphate;
7. 250 g wood ash.
8. Dig holes for seedlings. The depth of the hole is 50-60 cm. The width is 45 cm. Place a drainage layer on the bottom - stones, crushed stone, etc.
9. Pour the soil mixture into the hole and pour 2 buckets of water on top. It remains to wait for the landing day.

When digging holes for gooseberries, keep in mind that the bushes of this variety are medium in size. The optimal distance between bushes is 2 m.

Selection of seedlings

Buy planting material from specialized nurseries or their stores. Signs of a suitable seedling:

• Age – 1-2 years.
• The root system is preferable to a closed one than an open one. Seedlings with ZKS tolerate transplantation better and take root faster.
• The number of shoots is 2-3 pieces. Height – up to 45 cm. There should be no leaves on the shoots.
• The bark is even, smooth, without traces of mechanical damage or disease.
• The seedling must have 3 skeletal roots. Rhizome length – 15 cm.

Try to keep the roots of seedlings less exposed to the air - if they dry out, this will have a bad effect on the health of the plant.

Step by step planting process

Procedure for planting gooseberry seedlings:

• An hour before planting, soak the seedling in water. Right before planting, dip the roots in a manure-clay mixture.
• Trim off all damaged and weak branches of the seedling. When planting, cut each seedling into 4-5 buds.
• Rake a mound on the soil mixture poured into the hole - you will place the roots of the seedling on it.
• Place the seedling in the hole. Place it at a slight angle. Spread out its roots. When planting seedlings, deepen the root collar by 5-7 cm. If the soils are light, then lower them even deeper - by 8-10 cm.
• Cover the roots with soil, shaking the seedling from time to time to fill the voids. Compact the soil.
• Water the seedlings with 15-20 liters of water for each.
• Mulch the tree trunk with sawdust, straw, peat or humus.

Landing

Krasnoslavyansky gooseberries are planted in spring or autumn. Berry crops should not be planted in a plot of the garden where raspberries and currants were previously located. The variety loves warmth and sun. The plant must be protected from winds and shadows. The site is prepared several months before the intended planting procedure. A hole is dug 50 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter. All roots and weeds are removed. A mixture of soil, humus, ash, and superphosphate is placed there. The pit is well watered and covered with earth. In a few months it will be possible to plant Krasnoslavyansky gooseberries there.

Rules of care

Any gooseberry is good because it does not require special attention. This unpretentious crop requires minimal care. The main thing is the timeliness of the measures taken, there are few of them, but each of them is important, both for the yield and for the life of the plant.

Read on for more information on how to care for gooseberries in the fall after harvest.

Support

Gooseberry branches, deprived of support, bend all the way to the ground - this creates inconvenience and negatively affects the quality of the berries. To prevent the branches of the bush from touching the ground, special bush holders are installed - they are sold in gardening stores. Or they make the supports themselves - from plastic or metal tubes, from wooden blocks or any other suitable material.

Advantages of using supports on gooseberry bushes:

• the plant becomes more compact and neat;
• lodging of branches is prevented;
• branches do not break off under the weight of snow or in the wind;
• the berries do not get dirty on the soil;
• simplifies maintenance - weeding, loosening, watering.

Top dressing

Gooseberries are fed annually - the nutritional value of the soil directly affects its yield. Feeding order:

• In early spring, potassium sulfate is scattered in the tree trunk circle - 15 g per 1 square meter. m.
• After picking the berries, the bush is watered with a nutrient mixture. One bucket is enough for 1 square. m. Mixture composition: 10 g of urea;
• 8 g potassium sulfate;
• 20 g superphosphate;
• 10 liters of mullein (solution 1:10) silt and bird droppings (1:20).

Instead of a nutrient mixture, you can use a regular complex fertilizer. Feeding begins 2-3 years after planting.

Bush pruning

The Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry is best suited to the classic bush formation. The procedure and principles of pruning:

• In the first year of life, each shoot is cut by a third, leaving 4-5 buds.
• Having selected 3-4 of the strongest root shoots, cut out all the others. Also remove all branches growing inside the bush or towards the ground.
• In the second year of life, the shoots of the current year are cut back by a third. Leave 6-8 strong root shoots.
• In the third year, the bush should have 10-18 branches of different ages. The bush is pruned in the same way as the previous year.
• At 5-7 years the bush has 16-20 branches. It's time to thin out. All branches older than 5-6 years are cut out - they are easy to distinguish by color, they are darker than others. The remaining pruning techniques are repeated.

It is recommended to prune gooseberries in the fall. In spring, pruning is carried out early, before the buds open. As a result, the plant may be subject to return frosts after pruning and suffer.

Pruning is carried out annually. If you do not trim the gooseberries, the berries will be small.

Adult bushes are subject to anti-aging pruning - 2/3 of their shoots are removed, cutting them at the root. Only the most powerful branches are left. You can remove all the branches, leaving a stump 15 cm high. If you prune the gooseberry correctly, its fruiting will be extended to 15 years.

Watering

Gooseberries are drought-resistant crops, but there are periods during which they desperately need moisture. Watering order:

• formation of young shoots - from the 2nd ten-day period of May to the 1st ten-day period of June;
• formation and ripening of fruits - 2 and 3 decades of June;
• pre-winter watering - from the 3rd ten-day period of September to the 2nd ten-day period of October.

If autumn is rainy, pre-winter watering may not be necessary. The watering rate is determined taking into account the age of the bush. One bush requires 2-6 buckets of water. Moistening depth is 35-40 cm, during moisture-recharging irrigation - 60-70 cm.

The best method of watering is drip irrigation. Or they use the ditch method - they dig shallow grooves at a distance of 40 cm from the branches of the bush. The depth of the grooves is 10-15 cm. After absorbing moisture, the tree trunk circles are sprinkled with mulch. You can read more about the principles of soil mulching here.

Reproduction

The Krasnoslavyansky variety can be propagated by any of the following methods:

• By layering. Gooseberries can be propagated by horizontal, arcuate or vertical layering. For layering, one- and two-year-old shoots are taken. To awaken the buds, pinch the tops.
• Branches. The method is used when propagating bushes older than 5 years. Select a powerful branch and separate it along with part of the roots.
• Dividing the bush. This method is used mainly for bushes older than 10 years. The bush is dug up and divided into parts.
• By cuttings. The method allows you to obtain a lot of planting material. Lignified cuttings are obtained from shoots growing from the base. Cuttings are taken from bushes no older than 10 years.

Preparing for winter

The Krasnoslavyansky variety is frost-resistant and tolerates harsh winters well. But this does not mean that the plant does not need to be prepared for winter. Preparation procedure:

• Collect and burn fallen leaves.
• Do not use fallen leaves as mulch - they may harbor overwintering pests.
• Spray the bush with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Water the ground with a solution of potassium permanganate (per 10 liters - 1.5 g of potassium permanganate).
• Trim off any broken, damaged or dead branches.
• Add fertilizer to the soil and dig it to a depth of 10 cm.
• Sprinkle the tree trunk circle with peat - a layer of 10-15 cm.
• If the winter turns out to be snowy, sprinkle the bushes with snow. If there is no snow, the bushes are covered with agrospan, spunbond or other covering material.

Planting and care

The most favorable time for planting is considered to be autumn - from mid-September to October. Since gooseberries are a perennial crop, their further yield will depend on the choice of planting site. The area should be open, maximally illuminated and dry. A slight slope of the soil is allowed - 1 - 3°. In the southern regions, the direction is chosen to be western or northwestern so that the sun does not overheat the soil. The best predecessors of Krasnoslavyansky are annual and perennial grasses and row crops. Maintenance is the most common, including watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening. An important component of care is pruning. It is carried out taking into account the characteristics of the variety - the most fruit-bearing branches are seven and eight years old. But after this, fruiting activity on them decreases and they can be cut out next spring. All horizontally located shoots and branches must also be removed, thus forming a more elevated bush. Do not forget that in the spring, before flowering and immediately after it, the plant must be treated against pathogens of fungal diseases. In winter, it would be useful to cover the bush with a snowdrift. The plant propagates easily using lignified cuttings.

Pest and disease control

The Krasnoslavyansky variety has fairly high immunity, but under unfavorable conditions and in the absence of preventive measures, this gooseberry can be affected by traditional diseases of berry crops. The most dangerous diseases for the Krasnoslavyansky variety are in Table 1, the most dangerous pests are in Table 2.

Table 1

table 2

Landing

If you follow the planting rules, the Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry variety will not be slow to please the owners with rich and stable harvests:

• It is recommended to plant seedlings of the crop in the fall, before the onset of cold weather;
• For this variety, a dry, well-lit and wind-protected area with fertile soil is suitable;
• groundwater should not be closer than 1.5 meters from the surface of the earth;
• the site is prepared in advance - the soil is dug up, all weeds and roots are removed, mineral and organic fertilizers are applied;
• The holes are prepared a month before planting. Their size is 45 x 60;
• the hole is filled 1/3 full with fertile soil mixed with humus and wood ash;
• using this mixture, make a small mound on which the seedling is placed, spreading the roots;
• the hole is covered with earth and compacted, then watered abundantly, and the soil around the seedling is covered with mulch - peat or humus.

Krasnoslavyansky gooseberry is unpretentious in care:

• It is enough to water the plants three times a season. The first time moisture is added is in May, when young shoots form. The second watering is done during fruit set, the third time the bushes are watered in the fall, before the onset of cold weather. One plant uses 3-5 buckets of water;
• From the 3rd year of growth, gooseberries begin to be fed. In the spring, before the sap begins to flow, potassium sulfate is added. In the fall, after harvesting, the bushes are fed with a mixture of organic matter and mineral fertilizers;
• pruning is necessary to thin out plants and shape them. This procedure is usually carried out in the fall;
• the soil around the bushes is freed from weeds and organic debris, in which fungal spores, pest larvae and harmful bacteria that cause diseases can multiply;
• the loosening process allows oxygen to flow to the root system;
• Do not forget about preventive treatment of bushes against diseases and pest attacks.

Harvest and storage

The collection begins at the end of July. The berries are placed in a wooden or plastic container - gooseberries are stored or transported in it. The fruits are collected unripe if there is a long transportation ahead, and placed in a container of up to 5 liters. Ripe gooseberries are placed in a container with a volume of up to 2 liters.

Gooseberries are stored in the refrigerator. They can be frozen or dried. At a temperature of +1 to +4°C and a humidity of 85%, the berries are stored for up to 4 days. Fruits that have not reached consumer ripeness are stored longer - up to 8 days.

Only fresh gooseberries are frozen. Frozen fruits are stored for 3-5 months. The berries are dried in drying cabinets. Dried gooseberries are very similar to raisins. Dried fruits are stored for up to 2 months at temperatures from 0 to +1°C, and at lower temperatures the shelf life increases to six months.

Birds like the berries of the Krasnoslavyansk gooseberry - it is necessary to cover the bush with a net shortly before ripening. But only so that the coating does not touch the branches.

Reviews about Krasnoslavyansky gooseberries

★★★★★
Mikhail T., Kursk region. Based on the totality of its characteristics, I consider Krasnoslavyansky to be the best gooseberry.
Tasty, productive, rarely gets sick. But there is a drawback - thorns. I pick berries only with rough gloves. ★★★★★
Pavel P., Rostov region. The variety is ideal for planting in our climate.
In recent years, the sun has been very active - in the summer everything bakes. Due to their pubescence, the berries tolerate the sun well. The variety's assets include large yields, endurance, and undemanding properties. Hide

Add your review

It is not for nothing that the Krasnoslavyansky variety is considered one of the best - it is tasty and makes excellent preparations. This gooseberry is beneficial for commercial cultivation, and even a beginner can cope with its agricultural technology.

0

0

Copy link