Planting and caring for gooseberries

Planting and caring for gooseberries

According to many gardeners, gooseberry is an unpretentious berry that does not require special knowledge in its cultivation. But despite this, this plant has a number of features and subtleties in breeding.

With the development of plant breeding, varieties appeared absolutely without thorns, as well as resistant to various diseases. This allowed the return of gooseberries to the plantations of amateur gardeners, as well as to industrial greenhouses.

Where to plant gooseberries

Since the gooseberry is very fond of sunlight, it will not produce the desired harvest in the shade. In terms of soil, gooseberries are lovers of loams, black earths and sandy loams. Does not tolerate heavily waterlogged soils, sand and heavy loams. Favorable acidity - pH 6-6.5, that is, close to neutral.

Before planting, you need to do some manipulation. First, rid the soil of perennial weeds. To do this, you can use sprayers such as a hurricane, for example. If you planted rye or mustard in advance, then this will best affect the structure of the soil, making it looser and more fertile. And also, just before planting gooseberries, organic fertilizers, compost, for example, should be applied.

Planting dates for gooseberries

For the central zone of Russia, the optimal planting time is autumn. If you can't plant gooseberries at this time, then you can also in the spring. But in terms of development, spring crops may be inferior to autumn crops.

How to choose gooseberry seedlings

It is best to buy gooseberry seedlings from specialized nurseries. But if you find yourself in the market, you can also choose a suitable material there. Make sure the cuttings are healthy and free of fungal damage. Next, make sure the cutting is alive. Make a cross-section of the spine. If you see a white or cream color, then the plant is alive, if the cut color is black, brown or gray, the plant is dead.

Make sure the kidneys are alive. Mash one of them, if you feel moisture, then yes. And do not neglect the condition of the bark of the seedling. Remove bark from a small area. If you see that there is a green layer under it - this is a good sign, you can safely buy a plant!

Gooseberry planting scheme

If you have purchased a large enough bush, then the optimal distance between shoots is 1.5-2 m, but with more frequent pruning and rationing of shoots, the distance can be 70 cm.

How to plant

In order for the plant to take root better, first, it is necessary to soak the root system in water for 12 to 48 hours. If you want to increase the survival rate of the plant, then add a growth stimulator. Remove the leaves.

If planting takes place in the fall: add complex mineral fertilizers (0.5 kg) and wood ash (2-3 liters) to a hole measuring 40 by 40 by 40 cm.

If planting occurs in the spring: add organic fertilizers to everything else, a bucket of manure, for example.

Next, pour 3-4 liters of water into the fertilizer pit. Wait until it is absorbed and pour out the same amount. The plant is planted obliquely, sprinkling the root collar of 5-15 cm with soil. This procedure is necessary in order to improve the growth of shoots.

After about a day, it is necessary to mulch the hole and loosen the soil around the planted plant.

For autumn plantings for the winter, seedlings must be spud. In the spring, respectively, remove excess soil, at the level of 2-3 buds.

Gooseberry photo