The best gooseberry varieties for the Moscow region: large-fruited, sweet, planting and care

Gooseberries are a tasty and healthy berry that many gardeners grow. The culture is considered heat-loving, but thanks to breeders, many varieties have appeared that are suitable for growing in the cold climate of the Eastern European part of Russia.

The best gooseberry varieties for the Moscow region are characterized by resistance to adverse weather factors, have high immunity and a powerful root system. In order to have a harvest every season, you need to choose a crop that meets these requirements.

Description and characteristics of culture

Gooseberry is a heat-loving plant. In the wild it is found in Asia, South America or the sunny Caucasus. Not only residents of warm countries, but also the middle zone wanted to grow tasty and healthy berries. Thanks to the work of breeders, summer residents now have this opportunity. Now they are presented with a wide selection of varieties and varieties, differing not only in terms of ripening, but also in the appearance of the fruit, taste and aroma.

Gooseberries are considered an undemanding, unpretentious crop. However, in the damp and cool conditions of the Moscow region, even it requires preventive treatments against pests and diseases and timely feeding.

Large-fruited gooseberry varieties

Large-fruited varieties are considered to be varieties with a weight range from 9 to 30 grams. As a rule, they all have medium or weak thorns and are well adapted to the moderate frosts of the western part of the country.

Below is a table with some large-fruited varieties whose weight does not exceed 15 grams.

Table: varieties with large berries and their characteristics

In addition to the above-mentioned varieties, large-fruited varieties include Severyanin (9 g), Ogni Krasnodar (9 g), Lada (9–10 g), Zashchitnik (up to 160 g), Krasnoslavyansky (up to 10 g), Green Bottle (15 g).

Photo gallery: large-fruited gooseberry varieties

The berries of this variety are round, large and sweet. Ogni Krasnodar is a variety popular not only in Krasnodar. The berries are large (up to 16 g), oblong-oval and I. Pear-shaped berries of the Green bottle variety ripen in the second half of July Grossular - a variety that has almost no thorns and tolerates winter well The berries of the London variety are the size of a medium-sized chicken egg Warshavsky - a variety for the Central Black Earth region and the Moscow region, the berries are juicy, with pinkish flesh The dark red fruits of Shannon are very pleasant to the taste, sweet and sour, with thin skin White Triumph is considered a dessert variety, the berries are very light, when ripe they acquire a yellow tint. Lemon Ispolinsky is a winter-hardy variety that responds to timely applied fertilizers with an increase in yield

Some heavy crops greatly exceed these standard sizes of large-fruited berries. For example, Antagonist grows up to 40 g, Leveler - up to 45 g. And the London variety (54–58 g), a product of European selection, is recognized as the record holder for weight.

Variety selection criteria

The climatic features of the Moscow region impose their own requirements on the choice of varieties of garden plants for the site. Gooseberry was no exception.

Frost resistance

In winter in the middle zone, the temperature sometimes drops to -30 ° C, so for these conditions it is important to choose a frost-resistant variety that can tolerate such indicators in open ground. In this case, the plant must retain the ability to bear fruit.

Resistance to temperature changes

Temperature changes often occur in the Moscow region, especially in winter. Thaws give way to severe frosts, and in the spring, spring frosts are dangerous. In addition, gooseberries must be able to adapt to long periods of rain and few sunny days.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Due to high humidity and temperature fluctuations in the Moscow region, plants are susceptible to diseases and the negative effects of pests. The most common are powdery mildew, rust and spotting. Dew is considered an insidious and dangerous disease that is difficult to treat, so experienced gardeners recommend carrying out preventive treatments of plants in risky regions in advance.

Drought resistance

Due to the instability of weather conditions, gooseberries suitable for growing in the Moscow region must not only have good frost resistance and immunity to disease, but also drought resistance. During the summer heat, shrubs often experience moisture deficiency.

Malachite

This variety was the result of crossing the Black Negus and Date gooseberries in 1950.

Characteristic

Malachite is a gooseberry variety with small bright green berries. The spreading shrub is compact. Its maximum height is 1.3 m. There are rare thorns on the branches of the plant. Young shoots of the plant are green and slightly pubescent. The berries are round in shape and weigh 5-6 g. The pulp contains small seeds. The skin is quite thin.

Gooseberries for the Moscow region - the best varieties - Malachite

Gooseberries have a mid-early ripening period. The yield of the plant is 4 kg of berries per bush. This variety tolerates severe frosts well, but may suffer from dry summers. The fruits are suitable for making jelly and jam. They are stored in a cool place.

Features of planting and care

Gooseberries are grown from one-year or two-year-old seedlings with 3-5 young shoots and developed roots. The best planting time is autumn or early spring. Plant specimens are planted in an elevated area illuminated by the sun, where strong winds do not blow.

The soil must be cleared of weeds and drained. Loamy or chernozem soil is suitable for gooseberries.

Before planting, the shoots of the selected seedlings are pruned. The upper part of the plant should be 10-15 cm. The roots of the specimens are straightened, disinfected and sprinkled with wood ash. For gooseberries, a planting pattern of 0.7-1 m is chosen. The seedlings are lowered into holes 0.6 m deep, covered with soil and compacted tightly.

Watering gooseberries

The bushes are watered with 10 liters of water at the root. In autumn they are fed with fertilizers. Before wintering, gooseberries are fertilized with a mineral mixture of superphosphate, potassium sulfate and ammonium sulfate. Young shoots are shortened by 10 cm before flowering.

Vulnerability to diseases and pests

Gooseberries for the Moscow region (the best varieties are shown in this material) have good resistance to powdery mildew. Due to improper care, the variety can be affected by rust, septoria and anthracnose.

To combat rust, Bordeaux mixture is used, a solution of copper sulfate is used against anthracnose, and manganese sulfate or boric acid is used against septoria.

Groups

All varieties of gooseberries grown by gardeners are conventionally divided into several groups. Each of them has distinctive features.

European

The difference between European types of gooseberries is the large size of the berries and excellent taste characteristics. The disadvantage is the low ability to reproduce and weak immunity to disease.

American

The American species is the direct opposite of the European one. The bush produces a large number of small but tasty berries. At the same time, it has high resistance to pathogens. The plant propagates both by cuttings and layering, showing decent survival rates.

Hybrid

Ideal for gardeners near Moscow is the hybrid, American-European type of gooseberry, which has not only large berries, but also pronounced taste. Plants are characterized by increased fertility and average resistance to diseases and pests.

Classification of varieties by ripening time

When choosing a shrub, take into account the early maturity of the fruits, it can be different, there are species that bear fruit early, but there are others that will not immediately delight you with sweet berries.

When carrying out classification, the following indicators are taken into account:

origin of culture;
indicator of yield and ripening speed;
average parameters of berries;
taste characteristics, color and characteristics of the pulp;
indicators of plant resistance to major pests and diseases.

Early

The following types differ in similar characteristics:

Eaglet.
Amber.
Russian.
Vladil.
Spring.

Three varieties from the list have already been described earlier, so let’s pay attention to two other varieties:

Russian - ripens in mid-July, produces large-sized fruits that have a bright, red hue.
Vladil - despite its popularity, it is not distinguished by large berries, they are medium in size, up to 5 grams. The branches are practically devoid of thorns.

Average

The list of similar ones should include:

Krasnoslavyansky - fruit weight reaches 7 grams, the pulp is pleasant, dense, with sweetness and sourness. Medium-sized bushes and branches studded with thorns.
Beryl - gooseberry fruits of this variety reach 7.5 grams, they are green, with a pleasant sweetness in taste. The main advantage is the dessert taste.
Northern captain is a self-fertile, large bush that has good immunity. The dark burgundy berries reach a weight of 5 grams.

Mid-late

The list should include the following varieties of gooseberries:

Harlequin;
African;
Beryl.

Late

Such plant varieties often have a strong immune system and rarely get sick, however, everything is relative. It is believed that berries that ripen late are not afraid of frost. Let's consider several varieties:

Date - a spreading and large-sized bush attracts gardeners with the size of the fruits - they can reach 15 grams. But at the same time, you will have to regularly thin out the gooseberries, removing shoots.
Grushenka - this variety has already been written about; its advantages are the following qualities: frost resistance, disease resistance, lack of thorns.

Features of different types

Gooseberry varieties differ from each other in parameters according to which gardeners also group them into groups and subgroups.

Early

Early ripening varieties delight gardeners with healthy and tasty fruits already in the second half of July. They differ not only in the size of the fruits, but also in their color, shape, and the presence of thorns on the bushes. They have proven themselves best in the Moscow region:

Eaglet;
Spring;
Vladil;
Russian;
Amber.

Mid-season

Varieties with medium ripening periods produce a harvest closer to the end of July - beginning of August. Experienced gardeners highlight the best among them:

Krasnoslavyansky;
Beryl;
Northern captain.

Thornless

Breeders surprised gardeners by introducing thornless gooseberry varieties to their attention. I liked this feature, and these varieties began to gain popularity, although they failed to completely displace the classic shrubs with thorns due to some shortcomings.

Winter-hardy

It is not often possible to find gooseberry varieties that have sufficient resistance to low temperatures and satisfactory characteristics in other respects. Breeders do not stop working in this direction, annually supplying the market with new products worthy of attention. Shrubs are able to withstand temperatures down to -30 °C in winter without additional shelter.

Large-fruited

Large gooseberries have always been popular with gardeners. In the Moscow region, such varieties also produce good harvests. The average fruit weight of a large-fruited variety is about 5 g, some specimens exceed this figure. They have excellent taste characteristics and dense flesh.

Dessert

These are the most delicious varieties, for which there is certainly a place in the garden. The berries are able to satisfy the needs of even the most demanding gourmets and win the hearts of those who do not have a great love for gooseberries.

New

Most summer residents near Moscow give preference to old, proven varieties when growing gooseberries. However, there are no less worthy new products on the market that can satisfy any needs and requests. These include:

Belarusian sugar;
Cossack;
Sirius;
White nights.

Greens

For some summer residents, the color of gooseberry fruits is fundamentally important. Varieties with green berries make beautiful emerald jam, and when fresh they amaze with their balanced sweet and sour taste. Such shrubs have been grown in the Moscow region for quite a long time and have already won the love of gardeners.

Self-fertile

A feature of self-fertile gooseberry species is that they do not require planting a pollinator variety nearby and bear fruit well even if only one bush is planted on the site. Also, the quantity of their harvest is little affected by unfavorable weather conditions, with the exception of frosts that can destroy flower buds and ovaries.

Planting gooseberries in the Moscow region

But in recent years, breeders have made a breakthrough: they were able to obtain the best gooseberry varieties for the Moscow region, which completely lack thorns. Very quickly, such forms became in demand in private gardening. However, if you are interested in which gooseberry varieties are best for the Moscow region, you should consider the purpose of using the crop.

The climate in the Moscow region has its own characteristics. Winter here is long, and in summer the number of warm and sunny days is often insufficient for berries to ripen. Therefore, the best gooseberry varieties for the Moscow region should be winter-hardy with a developed root system that adapt well to rapid changes in weather conditions that tolerate gusty and strong winds.

It is best to plant gooseberries in gardens near Moscow in the fall. In the Moscow region, the organization of the sale of planting material is now well organized. Therefore, you can often purchase a seedling with a closed root system, that is, in a container. In this case, gooseberries can be planted with a whole earthen lump even in summer.

A seedling with a closed root system can be planted even in summer

When planting several gooseberry bushes, maintain a distance of up to 2 m between them: in the conditions of the Moscow region, very large bushes often grow.

The peculiarities of the climate near Moscow are sufficient rainfall and the absence of sweltering heat, so plants quickly increase their green mass. Planting pits in the Moscow region are prepared with a diameter and depth of 0.5–0.6 m. In addition to the top layer of soil, 10–12 kg of manure or a mixture of peat and manure (4:1 by volume) is placed in the pit. Any organic fertilizer is used, but usually in a mixture with peat, a shortage of which is not observed in the region. Peat significantly improves soil aeration, optimally structuring it.

Ripening dates for gooseberries in the Moscow region

Early varieties ripen by the end of June or early July, mid-ripening varieties by mid-summer. The ripening period depends on weather conditions, compliance with planting and care rules. Late varieties ripen by July 20-25 or early August. Gooseberries do not ripen quickly, so gardeners collect the berries in several stages. Fruiting in most varieties continues for 20-30 days.

Attention! The ripeness of gooseberries is determined by the color and size of the berry. Ripe fruits are easily separated from the stalk and have a pleasant berry aroma. The skin becomes thin and slightly translucent in the sun.

Review and rating of the best varieties

During the cultivation of gooseberries in the Moscow region, summer residents managed to identify the best varieties that can satisfy most of their needs.

Spring

This variety will be an ideal option for those who have minimal time to care for shrubs. The crop ripens even in extreme conditions. The oval yellow-green fruits have a pleasant sweet taste and are suitable for all types of preparations. With proper care, the weight of the berries reaches 8 g, and in the absence of it - 5 g.

Kolobok

Resistant to temperature fluctuations, frost-resistant variety, with large, tasty fruits weighing about 7 g. The thorns on the branches are single and sparse. Gooseberries are highly resistant to diseases and immune to the negative effects of pests. When ripe, the fruits acquire a beautiful burgundy color.

Sirius

Red-fruited thornless variety with medium-late harvest ripening. The bush is erect, not very dense. The plant tolerates low temperatures and prolonged drought well, and has a small number of thorns. Immunity to diseases is good.

Grushenka

The shrub tolerates temperature fluctuations and is immune to most common pathogens. The fruits weigh no more than 5 g, but have a unique shape. As they ripen, they acquire a brown tint.

Ural

Cold-resistant variety that can withstand temperatures down to -36 °C. The fruits weigh on average up to 8 g, the yield is high.

Northern captain

A popular variety with high yields. Each bush produces up to 12 kg of fruit if provided with proper care. The taste of the berries is balanced sweet and sour.

Belarusian sugar

Gooseberries of this variety tolerate cold temperatures down to -30 °C. The berries are quite large, the yield of the bushes is high.

Malachite

A time-tested gooseberry, known to gardeners since 1959 and obtained through experimentation by breeders. The bush is small and compact. Fruiting is stable, berries are medium in size. The harvest is suitable for transportation and short-term storage. The taste of the fruit is pleasant, with a subtle sourness.

Krasnoslavyansky

This variety attracts the attention of gardeners not only for its sweet and large berries, but also for its high frost resistance, which cannot but please residents of the Moscow region.

Russian yellow

A type of gooseberry perfectly adapted to temperature changes. Its distinctive feature is a light waxy coating. The average weight of one fruit is 6 g.

Commander

This variety differs from others in that its fruits are not only dark in color, but also taste very similar to black currants. They are quite large, with thin skin. Commander is considered one of the leaders in frost resistance among gooseberries.

Senator

The plant tolerates frosts down to -39 °C and has the positive property of increasing productivity over the years. The taste of the berries is balanced sweet and sour.

Anniversary

Gooseberries of the Yubileiny variety are cultivated primarily to obtain a harvest of large berries suitable for long-term storage and transportation over long distances. The berries are oval and acquire a beautiful yellow color when ripe. Their taste is sweet, with a slight sourness. The bush is compact, the thorns are small.

Eaglet

An early dark-fruited variety with berries weighing about 6 g. Their taste is sweet and pleasant. The shrub is completely devoid of thorns and is characterized by high yields. The plant is not afraid of frost and is resistant to fruit rot.

Ural thornless

An excellent variety with high yield and excellent taste of fruits, with high frost resistance. Gardeners note that the shrub may form the ovary too early. As a result, the future harvest suffers from return frosts.

Serenade

The variety has increased drought and cold resistance and is not susceptible to powdery mildew. The shoots have almost no thorns. The fruits are suitable for long-distance transportation and long-term storage. During flowering, the plant does not tolerate return frosts and sudden temperature fluctuations.

Pax

The taste qualities of this gooseberry can conquer the most demanding gourmet. The berries are large and acquire a bright red color when ripe. Fruiting is regular, stable, the harvest ripens early.

Gentle

Large-fruited gooseberry with late ripening. It is characterized by increased winter hardiness and productivity. The berries are sweet, pink in color.

African

This variety will appeal to lovers of dark berries with a sour taste. Fruiting occurs 2-3 years after the shrub is planted on the site. Productivity and disease resistance are at a high level. The plant has no thorns.

Beryl

The bush is covered with thorns only in the lower part. If proper care is provided, up to 10 kg of fruits, suitable for any type of processing and transportation, are collected from each adult plant per season.

Consul

A frost-resistant species that can withstand temperatures down to -40 °C in winter. It attracts the attention of gardeners because it increases productivity over the years. The fruits are tasty, sweet and sour, medium in size.

Ural emerald

Large-fruited, cold-resistant variety. The weight of the berries reaches 9 g. The yield is high. The plant does not have excessive care requirements and is endowed with excellent disease resistance.

Thornless varieties for the Moscow region

The berries of the Eaglet variety are black, they contain many useful substances.
Thornless varieties are safe and easy to care for. The bushes are fertile. All varieties are winter-hardy and disease-resistant. Among the thornless varieties, the following varieties are distinguished:

Eaglet;
Sirius;
Northern Captain;
Ural thornless;
Serenade;
Pax;
Gentle;
African.

Bushes of the Nezhny variety are distinguished by their thick shoots. The berries are green; up to 7 kg of fruits are collected from the bush.
Gooseberries of the Serenade variety, like Tender, are vigorous. The fruits are dark red.
The fruits of the Pax and Serenade varieties are suitable for transportation.

Common selection mistakes

Beginning gardeners often make mistakes when choosing a gooseberry variety for their plot. First of all, pay attention to the taste, size and color of the berries. At the same time, they forget about such important characteristics for the Moscow region as susceptibility to powdery mildew and other fungal infections, resistance to temperature changes, and frost resistance. It is preferable for this region to choose plants with late flowering periods so that they do not suffer from return frosts.

For this region, varieties with green or red fruits are preferred. But rare and ornamental species that require special careful care and attention are unlikely to take root in a harsh climate for them. Plants must be resistant to adverse weather conditions.

In the Moscow region it is better to cultivate American-European varieties of gooseberries. They are endowed with the best characteristics of resistance to cold and disease. But even such a shrub requires periodic care and maintenance. In the absence of feeding, it weakens and loses resistance to adverse factors.

Which winter-hardy varieties to choose for the Moscow region

Senator fruits are poorly stored and cannot be transported due to their thin skin.
Almost all varieties of the group of American-European hybrids are frost-resistant. It is worth highlighting the following varieties:

Beryl;
Consul;
Ural emerald;
Krasnoslavyansky;
Belorussian.

Beryl is a medium-sized plant. Up to 9 kg of crop is harvested from one bush. In addition to resistance to fruit rot, the variety is resistant to frost down to -36 degrees. The berries are green and sweet.

The Ural emerald, like the Senator, survives frosts down to -37 degrees. Bushes of the Senator variety are medium-sized, practically without thorns. The berries are burgundy up to 6 g. The Belarusian variety contains thorns, but the fruits are juicy and soft. These are medium-ripening bushes with frost resistance down to -39 degrees.

Features of cultivation and care in the region

When growing gooseberries in the Moscow region, you should adhere to the rules and recommendations developed by specialists and experienced gardeners.

Selecting planting dates

It is better to plant gooseberries in the Moscow region in the spring to avoid the risk of roots freezing due to sudden cold weather. Plants should be planted in a previously prepared sunny place. At the same time, they should not be exposed to open scorching rays of the sun. In the fall, the holes are filled with organic fertilizer and superphosphate so that by the onset of spring they have time to decompose and enrich the soil with nutrients.

If there is a need to plant shrubs in the fall, then do it in the second half of September or at the very beginning of October. Seedlings must be able to take root in order to successfully withstand winter cold. For planting, planting material 1-2 years old is used.

Gooseberries should not be planted in areas close to groundwater. The place for planting it should be protected from cold winds, and the soil should have good air and moisture permeability. The distance between neighboring bushes is 1.5-2 m.

Top dressing

Gooseberries should be fed only from the 2nd year of life. When it comes to organic matter, preference is given to mullein and compost; you can also use a solution of chicken manure. The application of nitrate and mineral fertilizers shows positive results. Potassium and phosphorus are preferably used before flowering.

In the autumn, there is no need to incorporate nitrogen-containing fertilizers into the soil, as this can provoke the beginning of active growth of new shoots, which will not have time to ripen by winter and will freeze over. Also, when choosing fertilizers, pay attention to the variety of gooseberries grown and the requirements for soil composition.

Preparing for winter

Frost-resistant varieties of gooseberries can winter in the Moscow region without additional shelter, however, experienced gardeners recommend playing it safe and insulating the plants to avoid freezing of the shoots. Pre-mulch the tree trunk circle with suitable material (needles, hay, straw, peat). The mulch layer is made 15 cm thick.

The branches of the bush are tied together with twine, pressed to the ground and reinforced with staples or pressed down with heavy material (not metal). The top of the gooseberries is covered with burlap and sprinkled with a layer of soil. Also, wooden shields are placed on top of this, which will be covered with a layer of snow in winter.

Preparation of the shrub for the winter season begins only after moisture-recharging irrigation and treatment against pests and diseases have been carried out. The climatic conditions of the Moscow region introduce an additional risk of developing fungal diseases, in particular powdery mildew.

The drugs “Topaz” and “Fitosporin” help fight it, as well as preventive spraying with Bordeaux mixture before sheltering for the winter. For preventive purposes, some gardeners use iron sulfate, which helps protect garden crops from pathogens and pests.

Gooseberry care

Caring for gooseberries is not complicated and consists of watering, weeding, loosening the soil, pruning and fertilizing.

Watering and fertilizing the bush

Before watering, a small ditch 15 cm deep is dug near each bush. About 10 liters of water are spent on young bushes, about 30 liters on adult plants. The first watering is carried out during the formation of ovaries. The second is during fruit ripening. To avoid moisture evaporation, after watering the bushes are mulched with peat or compost. It is recommended to water the berries in the evening or morning to avoid sunburn. It is advisable that the water gets directly under the roots, and not on the branches, berries or leaves.

Attention! Overwatering of gooseberries leads to the development of fungal and viral diseases. Experienced gardeners recommend marking the day of watering on the calendar.

Gooseberries are fertilized several times a season. The first feeding is a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:10, the second is a mixture of organic and mineral components. To prepare the composition, use warm water (3 l), potassium sulfate (8 g), superphosphate (20 g). It is recommended to apply fertilizers after harvesting.

To grow high-quality green mass and roots, your crop needs nitrogen fertilizers. Such as urea and saltpeter are suitable. The first feeding is applied when the annual shoots grow to 5 cm. The procedure is repeated after a couple of weeks. Ammonium nitrate is used in an amount of 70 grams in 3 approaches. For 2-3 year old bushes, fertilizing with this preparation is needed at the rate of 0.3 kg per plant. Half of the fertilizer should be applied in the spring, the rest in May. When scattering fertilizer, it is recommended to retreat about 0.5 meters from the base of the bush.

It is recommended to apply phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen-containing fertilizers to four-year-old shrubs. Each bush requires up to 10 kg of rotted manure or compost. It is recommended to use potassium sulfate at the rate of 0.35 kg per crop and superphosphate, the consumption of which in granules is 0.1 kg. Before the ovaries begin to form and after harvesting, your plants will need to be supplemented with saltpeter.

Weeding and weed removal

Do not forget about removing weeds - it is better to keep the bite area clean throughout the life of the gooseberry bush. I advise you to combine weed removal with loosening the soil (depth no more than 5-6 cm) and watering.

Trimming

Every season, gooseberries produce many new shoots, which make harvesting difficult and provide a suitable environment for insect pests. The first pruning is carried out immediately after planting the seedlings in the ground - no more than 5 cm of shoots are left above the ground.

Mature plants are cut by a third before winter. It is important to remove dry, weak and damaged branches in time to allow young and healthy growth. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the fall, so that in the spring you can only remove frozen branches.

Shelter for the winter

Despite the moderately warm winter, gardeners cover the gooseberries with thick fabric, burlap or a diaper in late autumn or early winter. Before this, the branches are carefully tied together, placed on the ground and pressed with a board. If snow has already fallen, you can sprinkle the shoots. Before sheltering, the bush is watered generously with warm water.

The shelter is removed only in April or May, when all the snow has melted and the likelihood of frost has passed. After a few days, the bush moves away from the ground on its own, straightens and takes on the desired shape.

New types of gooseberries for the Moscow region

Sweet gooseberries for the Moscow region are successfully grown on their plots by many summer residents, but they give preference to old, proven species, not paying attention to new products, which include:

Belarusian sugar is also considered large-fruited.
Cossack - breeders were lucky enough to meet this variety in 2006.
Sirius - has no thorns.
White nights - was bred only recently, in the early 2000s.