Gooseberry Commander: description of a thornless variety, growing rules and reviews from gardeners

Gooseberry variety Commander: reviews, photos, description, planting and care, pruning, fertilizing

Among fruit bushes, gooseberries occupy a special place; not all gardeners like bushes with thorny shoots and often overly sour fruits. We can say that gooseberries are a berry crop for everyone.

But breeders still develop new varieties and hybrids of various berry bushes, including gooseberries, when breeding which experts tried to create plants that would have high yields and the least number of thorns on the shoots.

One of these gooseberry varieties is Komandor, a fruit of Russian selection with thornless stems and excellent yield.

. Other characteristics of this berry bush, its main advantages and cultivation techniques will be discussed in this article.

The content of the article:

1. History of the variety 2. Description and characteristics of the variety 3. Productivity of the Komandor variety 4. Advantages of the variety 5. Diseases and pests 6. Gooseberry Komandor: planting and care 7. Pruning gooseberries Komandor 8. Feeding 9. Preparation for winter 10. Reviews of gooseberries Commander

Conditions for growing the Commander variety

Gooseberry Commander successfully adapts to new living conditions; it is grown according to the standard scheme for the crop. Proper care and proper fit are important.

Landing Features

Planting work is carried out in the fall, then the plant is most likely to take root. Preference should be given to September or early October. There should be 1 month left before the onset of cold weather. Then the root system will successfully adapt to the new location and will not freeze out. You can purchase cuttings in the spring, but plant them before the buds begin to open. The air temperature should be stable from +10 degrees, there is no threat of a return of frost.

Site selection

Gooseberry Commander loves bright places, in the shade, does not bear fruit well, and gets sick. Bushes should not be planted in lowlands where moisture often accumulates. In partial shade, plants take root, but they should not be blown by northern winds.

See also

When and how to pick gooseberries with your own hands so as not to prick yourself

Read

Preparatory work

The soil is prepared 2 weeks before planting, loosened with a shovel, and weeds are removed. Humus, peat, and wood ash are added to the soil. You can treat the soil against diseases and pest infestations with insecticides/fungicides. A hole is dug at least 30 cm deep and 0.5 meters in diameter. Humus combined with superphosphate and potassium salt is added to the holes. Apply the last 2 substances in an amount of 50 g. The distance between bushes should be 1 meter.

If there is a tree or a tall building growing nearby, the gap should be increased to 2-3 meters so that the shadow does not block the sunlight.

How to plant gooseberries Commander

Gooseberry seedlings are planted according to the scheme below:

• dip the seedlings in the growth stimulator Zircon for 2 hours, then in a weak manganese solution for 30 minutes;
• planting material is placed vertically in the hole, sprinkled with soil;
• the root collar is shortened to 5 buds for better survival;
• Water the plantings abundantly, take 0.5 buckets of water for each bush.

Provided that the planting is successful, the harvest will be ripe by the next season.

History of the variety

The gooseberry variety Komandor was bred at the end of the last century at the South Ural Research Institute of Fruit, Vegetable and Potato Growing by breeder, Professor V. Ilyin

. African and Chelyabinsk green were taken as the basis for developing this variety. From the first shrub, the new species received an almost black color of the fruits, and from the other, increased resistance to frost and resistance to many diseases.

Gooseberry Commander - photo

In addition, the breeder wanted to get a gooseberry whose shoots would be devoid of thorns. And the Commander, indeed, does not have prickly shoots, which makes caring for this berry garden and collecting ripe berries easier.

.

Reproduction

It is possible to grow Gooseberry Commander yourself. This is used to rejuvenate the bush and increase the number of plants. Propagated in several ways:

• cuttings - in the fall or spring, cuttings are cut and planted in a greenhouse for growing, then after the formation of the root system they are transplanted into open ground;
• dividing the bush - the mother bush is divided and replanted separately;
• layering - low branches bend to the ground, deepen and grow young shoots, which are then transplanted to a permanent place of growth.

Preparing gooseberry layerings

And which of these methods is the most productive, you will learn from the article: How gooseberries reproduce.

Gooseberry Commander: description and characteristics of the variety

The bushes of this gooseberry are of medium height, erect, slightly spreading, with good formation of shoots. The shoots of this perennial are small in thickness (no more than 5 cm), well-leafed, without pubescence, and slightly curved at the base. The color of the bark is greenish-beige; if it is constantly illuminated by the sun, then pink notes appear in the color. The shoots are completely devoid of thorns, which is one of the main advantages of the Komandor gooseberry variety.

The foliage is large and medium-sized, wide, quite dense, the upper leaf plates have a slight glossy sheen, bright emerald, arranged alternately on the branches, five-lobed. The petioles are of medium size, slightly pubescent, and may have a slight yellowish tint.

Oval, slightly pointed buds are slightly deviated from the main shoot. The shape of the blooming small buds is cup-shaped. The flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences, each of which contains no more than 3-4 pieces. The petals are green with a yellow tint; when exposed to sunlight, they acquire a pinkish tint.

Gooseberry Commander - video

Komandor gooseberry fruits - medium size, weighing up to 6.5-7 g

. The skin is smooth and thin, brown in color with a burgundy tint. The pulp is juicy and has a good taste - sweet and sour with a slight tartness, color - dark crimson. The berries of this gooseberry contain a small number of small black seeds.

The gooseberry variety Komandor is medium-early in terms of fruit ripening

– harvesting begins in the second ten days of July, and the berries are collected together with the stalks, otherwise their skin is damaged.

Ripe fruits are immediately eaten or processed. If you plan to store the berries, it is better to pick them slightly unripe.

Note to the gardener!

Too thin skin of ripe fruits is the reason that the harvested crop does not tolerate transportation well; the Commander berries may crack.

100 g of product contains:

• sugars – about 13%;
• vitamin C – approximately 54 mg.

Gooseberry Commander is characterized by a fairly high resistance to drought, if such periods are short-lived.
If the plant does not have enough moisture for a long time, this negatively affects the quality of the fruit and the growth of shoots. Important!

Another positive quality of this berry bush is its high resistance to frost - the Komandor gooseberry is a frost-resistant variety and can easily tolerate cold temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius, without needing additional shelter.

But in some regions where winters are unpredictably cold, gardeners play it safe and cover the shrubs with special covering materials.

Description of the variety

In terms of thorns, Komandor differs favorably from the usual gooseberry varieties; it simply does not have them. The assortment was obtained in 1995 by Russian scientist Vladimir Ilyin by crossing the Chelyabinsk green gooseberry (winter-hardy and resistant to pests and diseases) and the African variety (thornless with a beautiful black berry). The result was a thornless variety that collected all the best qualities of its ancestors.

1. Vladil (the second name of the variety after the first letters of the surname and first name of its author) is distinguished by dark berries and thornlessness.
2. The low Komandora bush has a compact shape (up to 1.5 m) and is somewhat prone to thickening. The shoots at the base are slightly curved - reminiscent of a parabola. The greenish-beige bark on woody shoots takes on a pinkish tint when exposed to direct sunlight.
3. Bright green leaves are arranged on the branch in a checkerboard pattern. The leaf petioles are slightly pubescent, their length is medium, and their color is slightly yellower than the color of the leaf.
4. Commander flowers, an unusual lemon color for a gooseberry, are collected in a cluster of 2-3 pieces; they bloom in the 2nd half of May (Moscow region). The petals show the same effect as the bark - when exposed to sunlight, they turn pink.
5. The variety belongs to the mid-early variety. The berries begin to ripen in early July, they are one-dimensional - weighing 4.5...5.5 g, spherical in shape, on a long thin stalk.
6. The skin of the berries is smooth, thin, and easily separated from the inner pulp. The pulp itself is juicy, bright raspberry color, aromatic, sweet and sour harmonious taste, the seeds are small and almost imperceptible.

Under the load of berries, the branches may lie on the ground - for the Komandor variety, a garter on a trellis is desirable.

Advantages of the variety

Experts attribute the undoubted advantages of the Komandor gooseberry variety to:

:

1. high productivity;
2. good presentation of ripe berries;
3. excellent taste of the fruit ( tasting assessment of berries of the Komandor gooseberry variety - 4.5 points out of 5
   );
4. resistance to short periods of drought;
5. high resistance to frost;
6. the variety is resistant to some diseases and pests that usually affect other varieties of this berry perennial;
7. shoots without thorns;
8. extended fruiting period;
9. The fruits are not prone to cracking and do not fall off after ripening.

Gooseberry varieties!
Gooseberry Grushenka Gooseberry Malachite
But the Komandor variety also has a number of disadvantages that need to be mentioned

:

• the harvested crop does not tolerate transportation well;
• ripe berries do not last long even in the refrigerator;
• sufficient whimsical care;
• low resistance to some types of rot and a number of pests;
• the berries are medium in size.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Today Komandor is one of the most popular gooseberry varieties in the Russian Federation. This is due to a number of advantages that it offers its owners. Among the main advantages of the variety it is worth noting:

1. Lack of thorns, which greatly simplifies harvesting.
2. Good taste of berries.
3. High yields.
4. Resistance of the variety to powdery mildew.
5. Long fruiting period.
6. The berries do not crack or fall off the bush after full ripening.
7. The variety has high frost resistance.

At the same time, we should not forget about the Commander’s shortcomings. These include:

1. Low transportability indicators. The reason for this is the thin skin, which causes the berries to simply wrinkle.
2. Short shelf life of berries.
3. Small size berries.
4. Instability to septoria and sawfly.

It is precisely because of a number of shortcomings that this variety is not very attractive in commercial circles.

Diseases and pests of gooseberries

According to experts, the Komandor gooseberry is highly resistant to the following diseases and pests

:

• sawfly attack;
• powdery mildew;
• viral diseases.

Fungal diseases of gooseberries - methods of control

It also has average resistance to:

• late blight;
• anthracnose;
• gooseberry moth.

How to deal with gooseberry moth - video

But there are diseases and pests from which this berry bush should be protected, since the Commander’s resistance to them is low:

• from aphids;
• from the moth;
• from spider mites and currant bud mites;
• from currant glass;
• from shoot and leaf currant gall midges;
• from drying of stems;
• from goblet and columnar rust;
• from white spotting;
• from gray rot;
• from mosaic disease.

What to do in spring to protect gooseberries from diseases

Spraying with insecticidal preparations should be used against insect pests.

Pests and diseases

The main diseases that gooseberries of the Vladil variety may encounter:

1. Drying of stems. With this disease, cracks appear on the bark of the plant. To combat this disease, Bordeaux mixture is used. The affected areas of the crop are treated with it. Preventive measures consist of removing damaged stems.
2. Rust. With this disease, orange or reddish bumps appear on the crop's leaves or fruits. To combat rust, copper oxychloride is used (spraying can be carried out only before flowering or after harvesting).
3. Septoria. When a gooseberry is infected with this disease, light gray spots appear on its leaves. To combat this disease, use Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate. The plant can be processed only before the leaves bloom or after harvesting.
4. Gray rot. With this disease, the berries on the lower branches begin to rot and crumble. Leaves and shoots also rot. To get rid of this disease, you must immediately remove infected shoots, leaves and berries.
5. Mosaic disease. When a plant encounters mosaic, pale green or yellow circles/stripes/spots will begin to appear on its leaves. Eventually, the leaves begin to wither and fall off. It is impossible to fight this disease.

We recommend reading: Description of the gooseberry variety Grushenka

As for the pests that most often affect Vladil gooseberries, these are:

1. Aphid. Aphids are groups of tiny light green insects that settle on the backs of leaves and suck all the juices out of them. You can fight aphids using ordinary folk remedies: a solution of laundry soap, an infusion of hot pepper, an infusion of wormwood, an infusion of garlic, etc. You can also resort to the help of special insecticides, which can be purchased at any specialty store.
2. Moth. These are gray caterpillars that eat gooseberry leaves. The easiest way to fight this parasite is to collect it manually, along with its clutches of eggs. But it's routine. In spring, the bush is watered with boiling water (butterfly caterpillars overwinter under the bushes). You can also resort to the help of special pesticides (insecticides), which can be purchased at any specialized store.
3. Spider mite. This pest settles on the back side of the leaf and sucks all the vital juices out of it. An infestation with spider mites is indicated by the presence of white threads that closely resemble spider webs. They fight the parasite using an ordinary infusion of wormwood/onion/garlic. You can also use special pesticides.
4. Currant glass. Currant glassworm is a caterpillar that settles in cracks in the bark and begins to eat away the wood from the inside. You can fight this parasite using wood ash, scattering it under the plant. You can also use insecticides.

Gooseberry Commander: agricultural technology for growing, planting and care

Seedlings of the Komandor variety are planted in both spring and autumn.

. The main thing is to choose the right area for planting. It should not be located in a lowland or in a place where groundwater comes close to the surface of the earth.

Useful article:
Planting gooseberries in spring
The best soils for Komandor gooseberries are sandy loam, loamy or soddy-podzolic, loose and fertile

. The area should be well lit by sunlight and protected from gusts of cold winds.

The landing pit should have dimensions: 0.6 * 0.6 m.

The soil selected from the pit is mixed with 10 kg of rotted manure, 5 cups of wood ash and approximately 350 g of dolomite flour are added. A healthy gooseberry seedling should have at least 6 strong roots about 9-10 cm long.

Interesting!
Potassium nitrate - use in the garden
The seedling is placed in the hole strictly vertically, the roots are straightened along the diameter of the hole. The root collar is buried by about 5 cm. The hole is filled with prepared nutrient substrate, compacted and watered - at least 5 liters of water are needed for each gooseberry seedling. You can add a layer of mulching material on top.

Planting gooseberries in spring - video

Although the Komandor gooseberry variety is relatively unpretentious, some agrotechnical measures must be carried out

. The soil in the tree trunk circle is loosened several times a season, but not deeply, so as not to damage the roots, which are located close to the surface.

In hot weather, plants are watered every day, adding up to 3 liters of settled water under each root.

. If the weather is rainy, then it is enough to water this gooseberry once every 6-8 days.

Landing

The Komandor gooseberry does not have a clearly defined planting date.

1. A seedling planted in the fall will be hardened by cold and will additionally increase natural immunity, which will greatly simplify the future care of an adult bush.
2. Spring planting allows the plant to immediately begin to grow and quickly form a developed root system.

Gooseberry Vladil is a self-fertile variety, but to increase productivity it is better to plant at least one more variety of gooseberry on the site, which will act as a pollinator.

The choice of planting site should be approached carefully - with good care, the bush bears fruit without loss of yield for at least 12 years.

The influence of unfavorable conditions can be weakened by planting bushes along the fence, carrying out local drainage work and deoxidizing the soil with lime (100 g per 1 m2) or dolomite flour (a glass per 1 m2).

The planting site should be prepared in advance: 10...15 days in the fall, for spring planting - on the eve of winter.

Planting a Commander seedling - step by step:

1. Dig a hole 60x60 cm, 40...50 cm deep.
2. Prepare a nutrient composition from the extracted soil - add 8...10 kg to the soil and mix well. compost or rotted manure, 0.5 kg. ash, 0.3...0.4 kg. dolomite flour. For spring planting, you can add 2 tbsp. spoons of urea - nitrogen will accelerate the growth of the green part of the bush.
3. A purchased seedling with an open root system should be prepared - soak the roots for a day in a solution of a root formation stimulator (Kornevin, Epin, etc.).
4. The roots and tops of the seedling are shortened - 4-5 buds are left on the branches, the roots are trimmed to 10...12 cm in length. You can try to root the cut tops of the stems. If the operation is successful, you will receive several seedlings at once.
5. In the planting hole, the roots are spread over a mound of nutrient mixture poured at the bottom. The hole is filled to half the depth with nutritious soil, which is slightly compacted.
6. The seedling should stand vertically, the root collar should be buried 4...6 cm below the level of the bed.
7. The young bush is watered, spending up to 10 liters. water for each plant.
8. When the water is absorbed, fill the planting hole to the top with nutritious soil and form a hole with sides for watering.
9. Water the plant again (about 5 liters) and mulch with loose organic matter.

For autumn planting, caring for the seedling is completed until spring.

Gooseberry Commander - pruning

Gooseberry Komandor is pruned in spring and autumn.

. At the same time, all diseased, weak and damaged stems are removed, as well as those shoots that are more than 7 years old, since they no longer produce berries.

Proper pruning of gooseberries in spring - video

A properly formed gooseberry bush has no more than 18 stems of different ages

. During one pruning, you cannot remove more than a third of all branches, otherwise the bush will hurt for a long time.

How to prune gooseberries correctly

Harvesting

The Komandor gooseberry is considered a mid-early plant; the berries begin to be picked in mid-July. From one bush you can remove 5–6 kg of berries, but sometimes you can collect 6–7 kg. It is worth remembering that for better shelf life, it is better to harvest the crop 10 - 15 days before full technical ripeness. The size and material of the container in which the berries are collected depends on their degree of ripeness. For example, fully ripened fruits are best placed in a basket made of strand tape, which can hold up to 2.5 kg. This crop will be stored in a cool room for 4 to 5 days. If you plan to process the berries immediately after picking, you can take a larger container.

Unripe berries are collected in containers with a volume of up to 5 liters and placed in a cool place, where they can remain for up to 10 days. At the same time, they must be dry and not have any damage. If the container has rigid, strong walls, the harvested crop can be transported over long distances. Considering that the Commander variety does not tolerate transportation well, it is best to pick the berries when they are unripe.

It is better to collect gooseberries during the period of incomplete ripeness if you want to store them

Gooseberries are harvested in dry weather, when the dew has dried. Wet berries do not last long and spoil quickly. Before storing them, they are scattered in a thin layer and dried completely. If such fruits are placed in small baskets and boxes, they can be stored for up to one and a half months indoors at a temperature of about 0 degrees and a relative humidity of 90%. Berries can last up to 3–4 months in plastic bags at a temperature of -2 °C.

Berries may become foggy when stored in plastic bags. To avoid this, they are pre-cooled in the refrigerator and then placed in bags.

To eat berries preserved in this way, they are first kept for 5–6 hours at a temperature of +4 ... +6 °C, then brought to room temperature.

Fertilizing gooseberries Komandor

Bushes up to 5 years old are fertilized in the spring by adding a bucket of water under each plant, in which 40 g of nitrophoska and 20 g of urea are dissolved. Older shrubs require twice as much fertilizer.

During the season, you should fertilize this gooseberry with organic matter - an infusion of diluted cow manure or bird droppings. During the period of fruit ripening, you need to feed the Komandor gooseberry with complex mineral fertilizer.

Plant care

Gooseberry Commander is quite unpretentious and sometimes bears fruit even in the absence of minimal care. But maximum yields can be obtained only by paying enough attention to the plant.

Tree trunk circle

Gooseberry Commander needs frequent loosening of the soil - this will ensure access of moisture and air to the roots. But the procedure must be carried out carefully - the root system is located quite close to the surface. If you go too deep into the soil (more than 10–12 cm), there is a risk of damaging the roots. The tree trunk circle is loosened for the first time when the snow has completely melted. During the summer, 5 more procedures need to be performed.

Every autumn, the tree trunk circle is thoroughly cleaned of fallen leaves, fallen berries, dried broken branches and similar debris. If this is not done, the eggs and larvae of many pests, fungal spores and bacteria will comfortably overwinter under the bush.

Watering

Gooseberries of the Komandor variety are quite moisture-loving. But it is strongly not recommended to flood it, turning the tree trunk circle into a swamp.

In hot summers, water the plant daily, using 2–3 liters of water. If the weather is rainy and cloudy, once a week is enough. For those who visit the site only on weekends, it is recommended to mulch the tree trunk circle with peat or freshly cut hay. This will help retain moisture in the soil.

From the beginning of July, the Commander needs to be watered every other day. This promotes rapid ripening of berries and has a positive effect on their taste.

For watering, use sprinklers or pour water into the grooves. If you water directly under the roots, the layer of soil will be washed off from them, they will come to the surface and begin to dry.

Trimming

Before pruning, soak all tools in a deep purple potassium permanganate solution

The crown of the Gooseberry Commander is quite dense, so the bush needs regular sanitary pruning. In spring and autumn, prune all dried, broken branches damaged by pests and diseases, as well as those that grow down and deep into the crown. You also need to remove all branches older than 7 years - they still won’t bear fruit. They are easy to notice - they are significantly darker than the others.

Gooseberry pruning scheme will help shape the crown

In addition, starting from the first spring after planting, the crown is formed. There are two main ways:

1. Standard. The bush is pruned to make a miniature tree. The most developed shoot is left as the central shoot, the rest are cut to the second bud. The shoots that form on the central one are pruned so that the total height of the bush does not exceed 1 meter. In subsequent years, 4–6 of the strongest branches formed this year are left, the rest are cut to half. The disadvantage of this method is that the central shoot gradually ages. Accordingly, after 10–12 years the bush will have to be uprooted.
2. Trellis. In addition to pruning, the gooseberry bush requires support. Trellis are installed next to the bushes. Tall poles, pipes, thick stakes are dug vertically into the ground. The wire is pulled horizontally at a height of 50, 80 and 100 cm. From each bush, no more than five branches are tied to the trellis at a distance of 15–25 cm. Every year, all branches at the roots are removed, last year’s shoots are cut off by a third. This method allows you to illuminate the crown more or less evenly and keep the berries clean.

If you don’t want to spend a lot of time pruning, leave 3-4 of the strongest branches for the first year, and 7-8 for the next year. Next, just annually cut off a third of all last year's shoots and remove those that grow too close to the ground. By the fifth year, you should have formed a bush of 15–18 branches of different ages.

In the spring, prune before the leaves begin to appear, in the fall - after they fall. Be sure to use disinfected scissors and secateurs, also disinfect the cuts and coat them with garden varnish. Breaking off branches is strictly prohibited.

Too much pruning is very stressful for the plant. You can cut off no more than a third of the existing branches at a time.

Principles of spring pruning - video

Fertilizer application

If the Commander was planted in the fall, in the spring, when digging, add urea or other nitrogen-containing fertilizer to the tree trunk circle at the rate of 15–20 g per 1 m². You can dilute 40 g of Nitrophoska and 20 g of urea in 10 liters of water. This is enough for young bushes. For fully formed ones, the norm is increased by 1.5–2 times.

In the future, digging up the soil in the spring, annually add compost (5–7 l), simple superphosphate (60 g), potassium nitrate (20–25 g) and ammonium sulfate (25–30 g). Starting from the fifth year, the norm is doubled. Fertilizers are not buried at the root, but along the perimeter of the crown. The root system of gooseberries is quite branched.

Immediately after flowering and after another 15–20 days, add organic matter. Fresh cow manure or chicken manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5 or 1:10, respectively. You can soak nettles in water for 3-4 days. Before feeding, the infusion is filtered and diluted half with water. Watering rate is 5–10 liters per bush.

At the beginning of June, complex mineral fertilizer (Yagodka, Master, Biopon, Gaspadar, Agro-Nova) is applied, preparing the solution according to the instructions. An adult bush will require 20–30 liters. Wood ash is added to the tree trunk circle (a glass per 1 m²).

When fruit sets, the Commander is watered with a solution of potassium humate (50 g) and Nitrophoska (25 g) per 10 liters of water. The norm is the same.

Feeding berry bushes - video

Preparing for winter

In late autumn, dig up the tree trunk circle. Pest larvae and fungal spores buried in the ground will end up on the surface and die from the cold.

Gooseberry Commander tolerates harsh winters quite well. But it’s better to play it safe and cover it with Agrospan, Spunbond, Agril, burlap or other breathable material in several layers.

If a snowy winter is expected, tie the branches and bend them to the ground. In this case, there is a higher probability that they will not break under the weight of snow.

By tying gooseberry branches, you minimize damage from the weight of snow

Preparing Komandor gooseberries for winter

To properly prepare this perennial for winter, the following steps should be taken:

:

• after leaf fall, up to 30 liters of water are poured under each bush
  . Such moisture-charging watering will provide the roots with moisture and help protect them from the cold. A layer of mulch 15-18 cm thick is added on top;
• after watering, the last fertilizing must be applied
  , which includes superphosphate and potassium salt;
• planned pruning is carried out
  , after which only strong and healthy stems should remain on the plant;
• the variety is highly resistant to frost, so it is usually not covered for the winter, but it is advisable to throw as much snow as possible on the bushes during the winter period.

What a harvest to expect

The productivity of Commander is quite high - up to 6.5 kg. Ripe berries are collected with the stalk. It is preferable to harvest in dry and cloudy weather.

The fruits can be collected while still unripe - then they are suitable for processing (preparing preserves, compotes, jams). To eat gooseberries fresh, it is better to wait until the berries are fully ripe. The ripening of the crop can be easily determined by the dark red color of the fruit. Ripe fruits are stored for 5 days, and unripe ones - much longer (4-5 weeks).

The Commander bush can produce up to 6.5 kg of berries

Reproduction methods

Vegetation is propagated by layering easier and of better quality. To obtain planting material, around September - October, zero annual growths are selected on bushes 6 years old. Each shoot is bent to the soil and pinned with staples. Then sprinkle with a layer of soil 10 cm high, water generously and mulch with a layer of sawdust 5 cm thick.

In the spring, the buried layerings begin to be cared for as standard for an adult plant. By autumn the shoots will sprout and take root. At this moment, they are separated from the mother plant, dug up and divided into equal parts according to the number of sprouts that have sprouted. Each of them is planted in a separate peat container for growing. The soil for seedlings is mixed from sand, peat, compost and garden soil. All elements are connected in a ratio of 1:1:1:1. In spring, seedlings can be planted in a previously prepared place.

Dividing the bush gives good results. To carry out propagation in this way, plants of three years old are selected. The manipulation can be carried out in spring or autumn. The bushes are dug up and divided into 2 parts so that an equal number of roots remain on them. The resulting planting material is placed on a previously prepared area.

Landing Features

Suitable soil for gooseberries is sandy loam or loam, which allows air and moisture to pass through well. The plant is not suitable for acidic soils. The site must be reliably protected from drafts and well illuminated by sunlight.

If the garden is in a lowland, then you can plant a gooseberry bush on an artificial hill.

Selection of seedlings

Komandor (Vladila) gooseberry seedlings are best purchased from nurseries. Preference should be given to plants with a closed root system. Gooseberry branches should be gray-green, without dry areas. The length of the roots is at least 10 cm.

An annual plant should have one shoot, a biennial plant should have 2-3 stems.

It is preferable to buy seedlings with a closed root system

Preparing the site

Gooseberries are planted from mid-September to the end of October.

1. The planting site (at least 1 m²) must be weeded and dug up, breaking up all hard pieces of earth.
2. Dig a hole 40 cm deep, 50 cm in diameter, setting aside the top layer.
3. Organic and mineral fertilizers must be added to this soil - 10 kg of humus, 50 g of superphosphate, 40 g of potassium salt.
4. Mix everything thoroughly and fill the planting hole 1/3 full with the mixture.

To make clay soil looser, add a bucket of sand to the ground along with fertilizers.

Step by step planting process

When planting several plants, it is necessary to leave 1.5 m between them, and 2 m between rows.

1. Before planting, you need to carefully examine the root system of the plant, and, if necessary, trim dry roots.
2. The plant is placed in a hole at an angle of 45° (this is how gooseberries form new shoots faster and easier).
3. The roots are straightened out - they should not be cramped in the hole.
4. Fill the hole with the remaining soil, shaking the seedling a little so that there are no voids left between the roots.
5. Water with 5 liters of water.
6. Mulch with straw, humus, peat.

The roots are covered with earth, shaking the seedling a little so that there are no voids left between the roots.

Video: rules for planting gooseberries

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.

Features of seasonal care

The plant loves abundant watering, but this does not mean that it needs to be filled with water. In spring, the first watering is carried out after removing the mulch layer. Usually this watering is combined with ferrous sulfate or urea fertilizing.

From the moment the ovary appears, a period of regular watering begins - once every 5-7 days, fertilizing is done once every 3 waterings. The last fertilizing with minerals is carried out 14-21 days before harvest.

For the winter, it is recommended to fertilize with organic matter, applying it under the bush and covering the roots with mulch.

Mulching and loosening

This variety is well suited to systematic loosening of the root zone to a depth of 15 cm. Mulching does not require special technologies for gooseberries; straw, chopped grass, pine bark are suitable - anything that can be used to protect the roots from drying out.

Using supports

For the Commander, the use of supports or trellises is mandatory. Tall shoots up to 1.5 m need to be lifted above the ground or fixed to something.

Garter on a trellis of a row of gooseberry bushes

The gardener can use plastic pipes, metal wire structures, or traditional wooden planks as supports.

For trellis plantings, stands up to 2 m high and garden twine are used.

Preventative treatment

When pruning, use garden pitch or sprinkle with ash. Before bud break, it is recommended to treat with a protective drug. During the growing season, complex preparations are used. For the winter, it is recommended to treat it with an anti-spore preparation.

Trimming

During seasonal pruning, shoots older than 4 years are removed. During sanitary summer pruning, dried and damaged branches must be cut.

Preparing for winter

The bushes do not need to be covered for the winter; it is enough to prune them correctly, apply organic fertilizers and pour a layer of pine mulch under each bush. If desired, you can treat the shoots with protective paint.