Gooseberry Masheka

The article presents the Mashek gooseberry: a description of the variety, its advantages, the rules of planting, care, protection.

And this gooseberry variety is famous for its extraordinary taste. Mashek gooseberry grows mainly in central Russia, however, this gooseberry variety can also be grown in other regions of our country. Breeders are working intensively to develop new species of this crop. It is believed that the Masheka gooseberry variety is one of the best gooseberry varieties, because it is distinguished by an interesting fruit shape, an extraordinary taste and a fascinating berry color. Often this gooseberry is even called decorative for the special structure of the bushes, but if you plant it on your site, then make sure: Masheka gooseberry is an excellent fruit and berry crop.

Gooseberry Masheka: variety description and characteristics

Gooseberry Masheka: photo of the variety

The gooseberry variety Masheka was bred in Belarus, and entered the State Register of the Russian Federation in 1997. It can be grown in central Russia, however, due to its drought resistance and winter hardiness, this variety grows well in many regions of our country. The appearance of the plant is especially attractive. Its bushes are very sprawling, therefore, Mashek gooseberries are often called an ornamental culture. However, this is not the case, and this gooseberry will truly surprise you with its high yield. As we have already noted, the gooseberry bushes are medium-sized, up to 80 cm high.It is because of this that this variety is not always taken seriously, since most other varieties of this berry culture have incredibly tall bushes.

The leaves of the Masheka gooseberry variety are light green, and the branches are quite thick and elastic. Shoots grow slightly at an angle. Branching is rated as average. Due to the fact that the shoots are well removed from each other, the bushes have a spreading shape. It should be noted right away that there are usually a lot of thorns on the branches, therefore, any work in the garden with the plant should be done in rubberized mittens or gloves. Many perceive this as a disadvantage of the variety. The petioles of the leaves are quite long, located at the corner. At the edges, the leaves have some notches.

The berries are oval, red in color, and when the fruit ripens, they turn brown. Slightly elongated in shape, rather large. The fruit tastes sweet and sour. You can make jam, jam, compote from gooseberries. And berries are consumed both fresh and processed.

As we noted earlier, the Masheka gooseberry variety is very high-yielding, and the plants are frost-resistant. If you plant gooseberries in a small summer cottage, then do not worry, this variety is self-fertile, so it will not need additional plantings for pollination.

Best of all, Mashek's gooseberry grows in the central regions of Russia, however, if you correctly organize the shelter of plants for the winter, then you can plant gooseberries in more severe climatic conditions. However, it should be noted that this variety does not tolerate drought very well, so in order to get a high yield, you need to water the gooseberry bushes regularly. But the winter hardiness of the Masheka gooseberry variety is high. Plants are able to withstand up to minus 30 degrees, and if you also properly cover the root part of the bush, then -35 plants in winter will not be afraid.

The yield of the Mashek gooseberry is very high, so more than 6 kg of fruits are usually harvested from one bush.Berries usually ripen in mid-August, however, depending on the climatic conditions of a particular region, the timing of fruit ripening may be somewhat different. One berry weighs about 4 grams, but many fruits are relatively large. As we noted earlier, the fruits are oval in shape, sweet and sour in taste, but the flesh of the gooseberry is incredibly pleasant and juicy. Another indisputable advantage: the berries do not fall off for a very long time after ripening, so you can not rush to harvest. Over time, they do not crack, but only gain sugar and ripen. Another irrefutable advantage is that, due to the dense skin, the berries can be transported over long distances, since they are not deformed during transportation.

Masheka gooseberries: planting and care

Gooseberry Masheka: photo of the variety

The Mashek gooseberry propagates by cuttings, layering or dividing the mother bush. Propagate by the root method most efficiently, so wait for the growth of the bush and divide the root system boldly. It is best to bury the shoots in the spring, so that during the growing season they have time to harden well in the ground, and in the fall you could already separate the layers and plant new seedlings.

It is important to remember that all measures for the breeding of Mashek gooseberries are best carried out in the spring, before the start of sap flow, in order for the plant to normally adapt to new conditions.

But it is best to plant Mashek gooseberries in open ground in the fall, so that the root system has time to adapt to new conditions before the onset of frost. And as soon as the first rays of the sun warm up in the spring, the seedlings will begin to actively develop, without wasting time on adaptation. It is best to plant gooseberries in open, sunny areas, the groundwater should be low, and there should be no drafts.

The gooseberry variety Masheka does not like stagnation of moisture, remember this. In the lowlands, the root system develops poorly and rots. And the plant does not have enough air. Before planting, you need to carefully examine the plants, remove the dried parts of the roots, and then soak them in a growth biostimulator. This gooseberry variety loves fertile soils, but does not grow on sandy soils. It is best to add top dressing in advance to the soil. For this, both mineral and organic fertilizers are used.

The pit is usually rectangular, about 50 by 50 cm. It is important to maintain the distance between the bushes, remember it should be at least one and a half meters. Before planting, the pit is filled with a mixture of minerals and organics, and then, spreading the roots, a seedling is placed there. After that, the hole is filled up, and the trunk circle is tamped. It is advisable to mulch the top layer of the soil so that moisture does not evaporate, and the earth remains loose and well structured.

In order to get a high yield of the Mashek gooseberry variety, you need to adhere to the rules of care. If you water well, feed, cut the plants, and also carry out preventive examinations, then in the second year after planting you can enjoy ripe berries.

If we talk about moisture, it should be noted that the Masheka gooseberry loves water. Therefore, it is simply necessary to water the bushes regularly. The most intensive soil should be moistened in spring and summer. But if rainfall occurs regularly in your area, then you do not need to water the plant. But remember, it's important not to overdo it here. Stagnation of moisture provokes the development of many diseases, and also contributes to the formation of rot on the root system. Therefore, do not allow abundant waterlogging of the soil.

As we noted earlier, basal shoots are actively growing in Mashek's gooseberry. Therefore, the shrub must be pruned frequently. Otherwise, due to the density, the branches will not be evenly illuminated by the sun, and the air will simply circulate around the site. Because of this, the fruits often begin to rot and the plants get sick.Also do an annual sanitary pruning. This is necessary so that only strong and strong shoots remain on the bushes. All damaged branches will need to be removed. Due to the fact that the Masheka gooseberry variety has rather large fruits, young bushes often lean to the ground under the weight of the berries. Therefore, the gooseberries need to be tied up. Usually, the support is installed along the outer edge of the bush, a wire or net is pulled between wooden pegs, this will also facilitate the harvesting process, all the berries will look directly at you, besides, they will be incredibly clean, and this is best done in the third year after planting. ...

For feeding, mineral, organic and complex fertilizers are used. It is best to add organic matter to the soil in autumn, and minerals in spring. Often, gooseberry bushes are sprayed with useful solutions, this is called a foliar feeding method. But this must be done before flowering. In order to prepare the plants for wintering, you can cover the root part with spruce branches or sawdust. Such a pillow will help the plant to endure the cold more easily. In the most severe climatic conditions, it is recommended to bend the branches to the ground and cover them with agrofibre. It should be noted that before wintering, it is also necessary to water the plants abundantly in order to protect the root system from freezing.

Gooseberry Masheka: resistance to pests and diseases

The gooseberry variety Masheka is quite resistant to diseases, however, with intensive soil moisture, as well as other unfavorable conditions, the plants are affected by the fungus. Sometimes gooseberries are sick with powdery mildew, so preventive treatments and examinations need to be carried out regularly. It is best to water the bushes with boiling water in early spring for prevention, in order to destroy the pests and spores of some diseases that survived the winter. In order to protect Mashek's gooseberries, many gardeners use insecticides.

Gooseberry Masheka: reviews of gardeners about the variety

Gooseberry Masheka: photo of the variety

• Maria Stanislavovna, Sverdlovsk region: “I have been growing Masheka gooseberries for a very long time. I like the high yield of the variety and the excellent taste of the berries. To obtain such a yield, the variety must be looked after. The fact is that root shoots are often formed in the Masheka gooseberry variety, and this greatly complicates the possibility of leaving, they must be cut and removed in a timely manner. If you follow this rule, then this variety will no longer cause any problems in cultivation. "
• Egor Viktorovich, Saratov region: “My sister advised me to grow the gooseberry variety Masheka, she really likes it because it gives rich harvests. In addition to the excellent yield of the variety, I liked that the Mashek gooseberry is a self-fertile and winter-hardy crop, the variety is resistant to diseases and pests. The only thing I didn't like very much was that Masheka's gooseberries really don't like high air humidity, so this factor has to be carefully monitored. "

Conclusion

Gooseberry Masheka is a wonderful taste and aroma, ripe and radiant berries, and unpretentious plants. The variety is very resistant to frost and temperature extremes, therefore it is recommended to grow it in many regions of our country. It is best to plant Mashek gooseberries in the fall. Then next year he will be able to please you with large and ripe berries. Rest assured, your whole family will love this gooseberry.

Gooseberry Masheka: video about the variety