Gooseberry Harlequin

Summer residents who plan to grow gooseberries in a harsh climate should pay attention to the Harlequin gooseberry variety. The bush has no thorns. The berries are bright reddish-brick in color. The variety was bred at the South Ural Research Institute. The author of the crossing of gooseberry varieties such as African and Chelyabinsk green, became Ilyin V.S. as a result of such selection and the gooseberry Harlequin turned out. The variety was bred in 1989 and only 6 years later was included in the state register with a recommendation for cultivation in the Ural and West Siberian regions.

Gooseberry Harlequin: variety description and characteristics

Gooseberry Harlequin: variety photo

Dark cherry gooseberry Harlequin has a medium-sized shrub with medium spreading, straight branches. Shoots have small thorns, no pubescence. Shoots are light green in color. Thorns are very rare, on some shoots.

The leaves of the Harlequin gooseberry variety are slightly larger than average, there is a shallow edge, they do not shine very much. The buds are small, brown in color, pointed at the top, and deviate from the branch. The stalk is dark green.

The inflorescence includes 2-3 small sepal flowers that are pink or light red in color. The berries are round-oval, deep dark cherry color. The mass of one berry can be up to 5.5 g.

Peel of gooseberries Harlequin with medium density, without pubescence. The pulp has a sweet and sour taste and is distinguished by its juiciness. Berries contain a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid

Gooseberry Harlequin photo variety

Consider the main features that are inherent in the Harlequin gooseberry

• Yield characteristic... From 1 sq. m. you can collect about half a kilo of berries. Compared to other gooseberry varieties, this figure looks much lower.
• Drought tolerance... The Harlequin gooseberry variety is able to tolerate drought well for a certain period. But at the same time, he loves plentiful watering, which will help the berries to form correctly.
• Frost resistant... It can tolerate frosts well down to -35 degrees. When there are severe frosts outside, the top may freeze. The shoots are able to quickly recover and bring a good harvest of berries. It tolerates temperature drops well in spring.
• Pests and diseases... Gooseberry Harlequin has good immunity to powdery mildew, but can be prone to white spotting of the foliage. Also, sawfly larvae can eat the leaves of the bush.
• Ripening period late... Depending on the region of cultivation, the crop can be harvested at the end of July or in August.

Due to its dense structure, it tolerates well transportation... At the same time, it does not lose either taste or external qualities.

Gooseberry Harlequin: planting and care

With proper care and adequate lighting, Harlequin gooseberries can grow for about 10-15 years. In order for the bush to grow and develop well, the following nuances must be taken into account:

• A spacious and well-lit area is chosen for planting.
• If the soil is heavy, sand should be added. Otherwise, the plant will not develop well.
• You can not plant a bush in the lowlands. This will negatively affect the root system of the plant. In order for the plant to grow better, before planting a bush from the ground, the roots should be held in a mullein solution for 3-4 hours.

How to plant a gooseberry Harlequin

Harlequin gooseberries can be planted both in autumn and spring. Summer residents are advised to carry out an autumn planting. It is better to choose the end of September, since in spring the buds of the plant bloom quite quickly.

A bush that was planted in spring takes root less well, begins to weaken and may eventually die. If you are going to plant several bushes, then do not forget to maintain a distance of up to 1.2 m, so that there is an opportunity for the comfortable development of all bushes.

When choosing a Harlequin gooseberry seedling, the first step is to pay attention to the root system. The shoots must be healthy, without any damage. Autumn seedlings must be hilled high, protecting them from frost. How to plant a bush correctly:

• We are preparing a landing hole with dimensions of 0.7 * 0.7 m.
• Prepare drainage downward. Suitable for drainage: pebbles, gravel, fragments of red brick. Then cover everything with sand.
• To prepare a nutrient mixture, you will need: fertile soil, humus or compost (8-10 kg), sand (5 kg if the soil is heavy), wood ash (200 g), nitrophosk (100 g), or a special mineral fertilizer complex for berry culture.
• It is necessary to make a mound of the nutrient substrate and spread the roots of the plant at a depth of about 55-60 cm. Sprinkle the root collar.
• The soil needs to be tamped, watered well. Mulching on top with peat or humus.

Harlequin gooseberry care rules

As we said earlier, the Harlequin gooseberry variety does not need special care. All actions are minimal.

• We install supports. After you plant the plant, you will need to install the supports intended for the gooseberry branches. As a support, wooden beams, metal-plastic pipes are suitable. Such supports will protect against inclination of the bush towards the ground.
• We introduce fertilizers. The variety most of all needs organic and mineral fertilizers. It is necessary to apply fertilizers after watering.
• After the snow melts and the soil is wet, it will be necessary to add wood ash (200 g) and nitrophosk (40 g) to the trunk circle.
• Before flowering, you must add mullein (500 g) or bird droppings (200 g), which will need to be diluted in 10 liters of water. To such organics, you will need to add potassium sulfate and ammonium sulfate (50 g each). For fertilizing a young plant, 3 liters will be sufficient. For an adult bush - 2 times more.
• During the formation of the ovaries, you can use the mixture discussed above.
• In the autumn, about once every 2-3 years, it will be necessary to add humus. About 10-15 kg for each bush.
• We are pruning the bush. Those branches that reach the age of 5 years must be removed. But this is only if they are damaged or because of their "middle-aged" age.
• The rest of the branches must be cut from the top to about 15 cm in length. Also, shoots that have been damaged or have undergone any disease are subject to removal.

Breeding methods for gooseberries Harlequin

For the propagation of the Harlequin gooseberry, the method of layering or dividing the bush is used. Next to a healthy branch that is low enough, you need to dig a furrow.

The depth of the furrow should be up to 15 cm. Place a branch in the furrow using garden pins.

The place of the layering needs constant watering. This is necessary in order to stimulate the emergence of new shoots and roots. The sprouts are subject to hilling, which will reach a length of about 12 cm.

With the onset of autumn (September), the seedling can be transplanted to a permanent place. As for the division, the bush must be carefully dug up and the roots must be divided with an ax. The resulting delenki will need to be hilled.

Harlequin gooseberry diseases

Gooseberry Harlequin photo variety

• Septoria (white spot). If you notice that spots of a grayish tint appeared on the leaves, and then dots with black spores began to appear on the spots. And at the same time, the leaves began to curl, dry out and fall off. This means that the plant was infected with this disease. Those leaves that have been damaged must be cut off. Then carry out the treatment before and after the flowering period with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid. And also 2 weeks after you harvest. In order to avoid the appearance of this disease, it is necessary to remove all fallen leaves with the onset of autumn. In early spring, spray a solution of copper sulfate (40 g) diluted in 10 liters of water. You can also add boron, manganese sulfate, zinc and copper.
• Anthracnose... The signs of this disease are: a dark brown stain has appeared on the leaves, the leaves begin to dry out and fall off. Young shoots begin to grow poorly. Berries acquire a sour taste. The yield is significantly reduced. Control measures are the same as for the first disease. For prevention, it is also necessary to collect all fallen leaves. In the spring, carry out processing with copper sulfate.
• Gooseberry mosaic (viral)... Typical signs of this disease: spots in the form of a pattern of yellow tint may appear along the veins of the leaf. The newly emerged leaves become small. Shoots stop growing. The yield also decreases. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease. The entire bush must be removed and must be burned. Disease prevention can only be the purchase of healthy seedlings. Also, fight against aphids and ticks, as they can spread this disease.

Variety pests

Gooseberry sawfly. Signs of the presence of this insect are that small insects appear (up to 5-6 mm), which have a shiny black body and webbed wings. The larvae and caterpillars begin to eat the leaves.

The berries become small. The bush begins to weaken and is unable to endure the winter period. As a struggle, you need to manually collect the caterpillars. Carry out the processing using an infusion of wormwood, tobacco or garlic.

For preventive purposes, it is necessary to dig up the soil with the onset of spring. In the summer, carry out its loosening, collect fallen berries.

Aphid. The appearance of aphids immediately becomes noticeable in the colonies, which are located at the tops of the shoots. The upper leaves begin to curl. For the fight, special preparations Spark and Fuvanon are used. You can also use the infusion of soap and garlic.

For prevention, with the onset of spring, you can pour boiling water over the bush.

The medium dark cherry gooseberry Harlequin was able to win love and popularity among many summer residents who do not get tired of saying good reviews about the Harlequin gooseberry. If you take proper care of it, apply top dressing and water, protect it from various diseases and insects, the plant will repay you with a good and healthy harvest.

Gooseberry Harlequin: gardeners reviews about the variety

• Natalia Viktorovna, Voronezh region: “Harlequin chose the gooseberry variety for cultivation because of its self-fertility. I did not want to grow other varieties of gooseberries nearby. What can I say after 10 years of cultivation: the branches of the Harlequin gooseberry variety have a weak thorniness, which simplifies harvesting, the variety itself perfectly tolerates both drought and frost. Harlequin gooseberries are not only tasty, but also have an excellent presentation. I definitely advise you to grow Harlequin gooseberries in your garden! "
• Victoria Mikhailovna, Sverdlovsk region: “The Harlequin gooseberry, unfortunately, is not the most fruitful variety among all the gooseberry varieties I know. Although the berries are very tasty. Also, despite the fact that the characteristics of the variety include its good immunity to many diseases, my gooseberry Harlequin was struck by an insidious septoria blight.