In many areas throughout the country you can find thorny gooseberry bushes. Most gardeners note that a good harvest of berries is obtained only in the first two to three years, and after that the gooseberries become overgrown, the fruits become smaller and lose their taste and aroma. Pruning alone is not enough. Eat the whole complex spring work, which must be carried out every year so that the harvest is stable and does not reduce volumes.

Caring for gooseberries in spring

Spring care behind the bushes is to remove the winter shelter, timely and sufficient watering, in mulching the soil, applying fertilizers, treating diseases and pests, forming a bush, and also, if necessary, replanting.

Most main principle All these procedures are timely. It is convenient that during the period when it is necessary to pay maximum attention to the gooseberries, it is still too early to carry out many other works on the site, so you will definitely have time to do everything.

Removing cover

The first thing to start with is removing the winter shelter. According to the rules, before the onset of cold weather, gooseberries are pressed to the ground, securing the branches with hooks, and wrapped natural material using fallen leaves, humus, tree bark, straw or needles, and additionally pull on top artificial materials. It can be fabric, film, agrofibre, etc.

In the southern regions, you can get by only with natural shelter. But in middle lane and closer to the north it is better to be safe.

You need to take off your winter “clothes” with the first warmth. There is no need to rush and free the branches right away. First you need to remove the artificial turf and remove the fastenings that hold it to the ground. This is done even when the snow has not yet melted. If the film is not removed in time, a greenhouse effect will be created under it, which is completely unnecessary for gooseberries, as it can cause the onset of rotting processes. With natural shelter, you need to act depending on the weather. It is optimal to gradually rake the resulting pile, allowing young branches to adapt to natural conditions and develop normally.

But just remember that last year’s remains from the bush will need to be completely removed. Many gardeners leave them, covering them with new mulch and believing that this is additional feeding of the plant. In fact, this only causes harm to the root system. Uncleaned remains of last year's shelter are an excellent place for the development of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

Watering, loosening and mulching

Gooseberry bushes are watered rarely, hoping that, thanks to their well-developed root system, they are able to provide for themselves required quantity moisture. Indeed, during the period of meltwater, when the snow melts, you should not interfere with natural processes. But after that, watering should become one of the regular procedures for caring for the shrub. It is especially important to water gooseberries during fruit formation. If the plant does not have enough moisture, the berries will turn out small and sour.

Plantings also need to be watered regularly on hot days. To do this, first loosen the soil, then water it at the roots (the leaves can be sprayed only in the evening and only if the air is too dry) and mulch.

One bush 1.5-2 years old should use at least 20 liters of water per week.

It is very important to regularly loosen the soil. This will allow not only moisture, but also air to reach the roots.

The root system of gooseberries is quite developed. It goes deep underground, but at the same time the young roots are almost on the surface. Therefore, you should not loosen the soil around the bush by more than 10 cm.

Mulching will not only help maintain a sufficient amount of moisture, but will also serve as an additional way to feed the shrubs. Most often, straw, freshly cut grass, peat and sawdust are used to mulch gooseberries.

Spring feeding

Fertilizer is mandatory stage spring gooseberry care. Fertilizing helps strengthen the root system and stimulates the development of the above-ground part, increases the plant's immunity, and has a positive effect on the volume and quality of the harvest.

Can be used ready-made mixtures, but only nitrogen can be used. It is to this that the plant responds best. Just don’t be overly zealous, otherwise the result will be visible not in the fruits, but in the overly lush foliage.

Most often, saltpeter or urea is used as fertilizer. They are applied at the rate of 20 grams per square meter. You can add them separately, or you can mix them in equal quantities.

Gooseberries respond well to nitrogen. But you shouldn’t get carried away with it, otherwise you won’t achieve a bountiful harvest, but only lush foliage.

You can use ready-made mineral complexes, or you can add saltpeter or urea at the rate of 20 grams per square meter. You can also prepare a mixture of these substances by mixing them in equal proportions.

You can apply fertilizer by scattering it over the soil, or you can prepare a solution. Then for 10 liters of water you will need a level tablespoon of the selected drug. The first time you need to feed the gooseberries is as soon as the snow melts. The second is before flowering, and the third at the time of active fruiting. But this is normal. If the plant is sick or weakened, the frequency of fertilizing increases.

If gooseberries grow in the same place, then every two years the soil should be fertilized with potassium-phosphorus preparations.

You can also use traditional methods. The most common uses are compost, manure and compost. Infusions are prepared from them and root feeding is carried out.

The simplest the folk way Potato peelings are considered gooseberry fertilizers among gardeners. They are used for mulching and used for cooking nutrient solutions. The most common recipe is to fill a liter jar of peelings with a bucket of boiling water and leave for three days in a warm place. Then pour two liters under each plant.

The secret of action potato peelings simple They contain great amount starch, which gooseberries need for full development, as well as nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

If the soil is poor, the plant may suffer from potassium deficiency. Then try making an infusion from banana skins. They can be used fresh, but experienced gardeners They always store this irreplaceable fertilizer for future use by drying it or simply freezing it.

Pruning gooseberries in spring

If the bush is overgrown and overgrown with thorns, it is the fault of the owner alone. This means that insufficient care was carried out, in which pruning is required. Moreover, it is a mistake to assume that only old branches are deleted. Damaged and diseased shoots are also subject to pruning.

This procedure must be carried out immediately after removing the cover. Then the plant will not waste energy on restoration and recovery, but will put it all into young growth and fruit formation.

Branches older than two years of age, all broken and thickening, should be pruned. And all other shoots are pruned to the level of young buds.

Pruning is carried out not only for the purpose of rejuvenating the bush. Timely removal of branches will avoid the development of diseases and prevent pests from settling on the gooseberries. Although pruning alone is not enough.

Treatment of bushes from pests and diseases

Gooseberries are considered one of the most unpretentious plants in terms of cultivation and the most resistant to diseases and pests. But this does not mean that he does not need protection.

You should pay attention to all gooseberry bushes, but first of all, those located next to currants and raspberries need it. These plants have similar problems. Crimson moths, weevils, and spider mite, aphids and other pests, as well as fungi.

If infection occurs, the affected branch must be cut off and burned outside the site, and the plant itself must be treated with fungicides, a strong solution of potassium permanganate, onion decoction or infusion of laundry soap.

What gooseberry lovers should be afraid of is anthracnose. This disease very quickly destroys the plant, but it can be quickly identified and overcome. As soon as infection occurs, the development of the bush stops. At the slightest sign of disease, spray with preparations containing sulfur.

The same is done if the bush is affected by rust.

Prevention is better than cure, so be sure to spray with special preparations in early spring. Actellik and Karbofos are in demand.

Transfer

If you plan to transplant the entire bush, it is better to do it in early autumn, but for propagation this procedure gives top scores in the spring. It is at this time of year that young seedlings take root well, and the soil contains a sufficient amount of essential nutrients and especially melt water, the benefits of which should not even be compared with tap water.

Transplantation is carried out very early, as soon as the snow melts. If the buds begin to bloom, it will be too late.

The aerial part of the cutting selected for transplantation should be shortened to 20-25 cm. Lubricate the cut with garden varnish. Immerse into the hole up to the root bud, cover loose soil and do not tamp.

Caring for gooseberries in different regions

Caring for gooseberries has general rules, but their timing depends on weather conditions region.

In the south of the country, the weather is consistently warm, so there is no need to worry about the bush being damaged by frost. In the Moscow region, the timing coincides with southern cities, but the opening needs to be removed a little slower.

In the Volga region there are features of transplanting young seedlings. They are not planted immediately in the ground, but either in a greenhouse or in pots, which are placed in a closed, relatively warm room. After the roots appear and stable warm weather has established, you can move them to permanent place residence.

Caring for gooseberries in Siberia and the Urals consists of the points listed above. Only the cover is removed more slowly and at first only for a day, and pruning should be done only when the threat of frost has passed.

Care errors

Gooseberries suffer from a lack of attention, but too much of it can also have a detrimental effect on the condition of the plant.

If you remove the cover too early, the bush will freeze, and if you do it later than the established period, rotting processes may begin.

If there is not enough watering, the foliage will wither, the ovary will crumble, and the fruits will be too small.

If there is not enough fertilizer, the plant will be weakened, and if there is too much, the foliage will be lush and there will be very few berries.

Gardeners often regret cutting off bush branches. But in doing so, they reduce productivity, turn the plant into unkempt thickets, and make it susceptible to diseases and pests.

Receive consistently excellent harvest Gooseberries are not at all difficult. Follow all care recommendations and carry out all procedures in a timely manner. That's the whole secret!

Gooseberries are a berry that many of us have known since childhood. It has many vitamins and beneficial microelements, and is also juicy and pleasant to the taste. Some people prefer to make gooseberry jam, which delights with its unusual taste and aroma on cold winter days. The gooseberry bush itself is a long-liver, because with proper care it can produce a bountiful harvest for more than 20 years. There are cases where gooseberries bear fruit for about 40 years. Of course, such a result requires a lot of effort. In this article we will look at the features of caring for gooseberries in spring.

Gooseberry care in spring, disease control

Gooseberry care: where to start?

Gooseberries: care in spring, tips from experienced gardeners

In the spring, as soon as the frosts have passed and stable weather has arrived, you can begin preparing the gooseberries for fruiting. To do this you need to do the following:

Abundant spring watering is also important. love water and if spring does not provide good rainfall, then it is necessary to organize a bush regular watering, since gooseberries spend a lot of energy surviving in unfavorable conditions. Watering should be carried out correctly at the root, so as not to provoke the occurrence of powdery mildew.

As you can see, caring for gooseberries in the spring is not difficult and does not require much time and effort. The main thing is to pay a little attention to the bush and after a while it will delight you with a bountiful harvest.

• How to plant on summer cottage actinidia kolomikta?...

In order to get a rich harvest of berries in the garden, you need to start gooseberry care from early spring. He wakes up one of the very first in the garden. Already at zero temperature, the gooseberry bush begins to grow, and at 10-15°C it fully expands. The only thing that can cause irreparable harm to it is spring frosts. Therefore, during this period, in order to preserve the buds, it is best to temporarily cover the bush. Flowering can begin at temperatures from 7°C. This usually happens in mid-May. Therefore everything spring work It is best to carry out harvesting with gooseberries as soon as the snow begins to melt. As a rule, this is the beginning of April.

2. Gooseberry diseases. Treatment options

Spheroteka (American powdery mildew)

Gooseberries are most susceptible to infection by the American powdery race, also called spheroteca. But Russian breeders have developed a number of varieties that are more than resistant to this disease.

These include the following varieties:

Commander

Ural grapes

Krasnoslavyansky

Plum thornless

Ural thornless

Northern captain

Leningradets

American powdery mildew (spheroteka) manifests itself as follows. It affects leaves and fruits with a kind of cobweb, which over time transforms into dense brown spots. They are especially noticeable on fruits. Due to the disease, the berries do not ripen and fall off. The growth of the bush slows down, and the leaves become deformed and dry out.

The most dangerous time for infection is warm and rainy weather.

In order to avoid infection with American powdery mildew, it is necessary in early spring, when the buds have not yet formed (approximately the beginning of April), to pour a bucket of boiling water over the entire bush. This way you can destroy the fungus of this disease in the initial stage. Our grandfathers and grandmothers carried out this procedure with their bushes, thanks to which they always had a rich harvest. But under no circumstances should you treat bushes that have already buds in this way. hot water may ruin them.

There are also more modern methods treatment of powdery mildew:

Treat the gooseberry bush with copper or iron sulfate, after diluting it in water. The required dosages should be found in the instructions. Treatment must be carried out in early spring before bud formation.

300 grams of onion peels are soaked in 10 liters of boiling water for 2 days. After which the bush is completely and abundantly treated. This procedure must be carried out before flowering begins.

70 grams of ammonium nitrate are diluted in 10 liters of warm water. After which the bush is completely and abundantly treated. This procedure should be carried out after flowering with an interval of 2 weeks.

Using the same methods, you can get rid of most of the diseases to which gooseberries are susceptible. These include:

Anthracnose

Gray rot

White leaf spot (septoriasis)

Observing simple rules, you can avoid most of gooseberry diseases. To do this, burn all fallen leaves in the fall, cut off heavily infected shoots and regularly loosen the ground around the bush.

3. Pruning gooseberries in spring

The best time for gooseberry trimmings is early spring. First of all, all dry shoots are cut out. Then all the shoots directed deep into the bush are cut off. And only after this can healthy branches be cut out.

It is important to know that only branches that are between 2 and 5 years old bear fruit. Therefore, all old shoots are cut out, and the rest are left in 4-5 pieces each year. As for the shoots of the first year, they can be left 2 times larger in case the gooseberries freeze in winter or become infected with diseases. Gooseberry pruning It is recommended to start from the third year after planting.

4. Feeding gooseberries in spring

If a young gooseberry bush was planted with the addition of fertilizing in the hole, it is worth adding nutrients only in the third year of life. Since oversaturation with some elements can have a detrimental effect on the development of the plant.

Start off feeding gooseberries follows in the spring, immediately after the snow melts. This is due to the early awakening of the gooseberry vegetative system.

The best spring fertilizers Ammonium nitrate or urea are considered, they help the green mass of the plant to develop and contribute to the healthier development of the bush. You can read more about fertilizers in the article Mineral fertilizers for plants. You can replace nitrogen-containing fertilizers with organic ones, using compost, green manure (more details in the article Green manure - green fertilizers) or liquid manure (diluted with water).

Potassium and phosphate fertilizers. It is also worth introducing them in the spring. You can replace them organic fertilizer, such as the wood hall.

Potatoes or their tops can serve as a very good natural fertilizer, because gooseberry bushes react very responsively to it and can be used at any period of growth.

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Gooseberries in spring - necessary care and fertilizing

Gooseberries in the spring need care and attention no less than in the fall. A tasty and rich gooseberry harvest can be harvested if you start caring for it in the early spring. With proper constant care and attention, bushes can produce abundant harvests for up to twenty years. Read on to learn how to properly care for gooseberries and achieve good fruiting.

Pruning and harvesting gooseberries in spring

With the arrival of spring, when the snow has melted, it will be possible to carry out gardening work, trash is removed from the ground around the bushes. Last year's leaves, branches, remains of straw or hay that were used as mulching material must be cleaned off and the top soil layer around the plants released. This type of land clearing work is important point in proper spring care. The fact is that various larvae and pests that have overwintered and still remain there will be removed from the site and will not harm the bushes.

The next stage of work is pruning, which should be carried out strictly before the buds swell, or this is done at the end of winter. Depending on the age of the plant, the intensity of pruning is determined. If you know how to care for the crop in the spring and do the correct pruning, then in the coming year you will be able to harvest a good harvest of berries.

Pruning and shaping a young bush involves removing weak shoots, as well as trimming vigorously growing branches, leaving up to five buds on them. It is known from the experience of gardeners that even with intensive pruning of young shrubs, a good crown and shoots are formed. Such plants are capable of bringing good harvests already in the first year of pruning.

on the picture - spring pruning gooseberries

How to trim or rejuvenate old gooseberry what if it has grown a lot? The principle of pruning is quite simple. You need to leave a maximum of four or five branches each year until it is five years old. Thus, four branches of the 1st generation are left on the bush, the same number from the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th years. But no more; five-year-old shoots are advised to be removed, as they are highly susceptible infectious diseases and pests.

Determining and finding out the age of branches is quite simple. Very light, thin shoots belong to the sprouts of the first year, slightly darker ones - the second, thick brown ones indicate that they are already more than five years old. If the bush has not been pruned for a long time, it is very neglected; first of all, all the young and shoots that come from the roots are removed. Shoots located and lying on the soil must also be cut out. In the end, after correct pruning There are approximately 20-25 shoots left on each bush.

Preventive measures against diseases and pests

Disease prevention begins not with spraying the bushes, but... The place chosen is bright, not shaded; a small distance between the bushes must be present. Preventive measures also include mulching and timely fertilization of gooseberries.

Pest Control and Prevention various diseases be carried out not only in summer and autumn, but in spring. Excellent folk remedy It is considered to pour boiling water over the culture, which is carried out only until the buds begin to swell. Treatment with boiling water is good against pests and serves as a prevention of infections and fungal diseases.

A garlic solution against scale insects, aphids and other harmful insects is prepared as follows: finely chop 5 tablespoons of garlic, add one liter of water, infuse for 3-5 days in a dark, warm place, after which the infusion can be used. In this way, you can not only fight, but use the infusion as prophylactic.

in the photo - gooseberry bushes after spring treatment

Before flowering and ten days after it, as well as when the berries fall off, the bushes are treated with sodium carbonate (soda ash) in a diluted form (½) with the addition of laundry soap, or a 0.4% solution of ammonium nitrate. This treatment will serve as a good prevention of gooseberry powdery mildew. To prevent septoria, treat the plant with a 1% solution copper sulfate in lime milk (Bordeaux mixture) before flowering and after the harvest is harvested, and also prune and destroy all affected areas.

Spring feeding of gooseberries and watering

Gooseberries do not like excessive soil moisture; watering the plant is necessary only in cases of extreme heat and drought. If the site is located close groundwater, should be planted on raised ridges or hilled if the gooseberries grow completely in the lowlands.

IN spring period The pet can be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, and in the fall with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. You can start applying fertilizers in the very early spring, when the snow has not yet melted. Two tablespoons of ammonium nitrate or 1.5 tbsp are poured directly onto the snow under the bush. urea. On poor soils, in addition to nitrogen-containing fertilizers, it is possible to apply superphosphate (2 tablespoons per plant) and the same amount of potassium salt. As the snow melts, melt water and microelements dissolved in it will be evenly absorbed by the roots.

in the photo - watering a young gooseberry bush

It should be remembered that in the first couple of years after planting, it is not recommended to feed gooseberries, unless the soil on the site is infertile. When the gooseberry reaches three years of age, fertilizing can be done. Because root system Gooseberries lie close to the soil surface; humus is often used either in the form of organic additives. Nutrient fertilizer for gooseberries is distributed near the bush, or loosened along with top layer soil.

On those soils that are quite depleted, liquid organic fertilizers (slurry, bird droppings, mullein) are used. The first watering is carried out before the gooseberries begin to flower, and then after the fruits are harvested. It is best to apply such fertilizers into grooves or holes dug on both sides of the bush, so you can be sure that the roots will not get burned by the liquid solution.

If you care for gooseberries correctly, add everything necessary fertilizers and rejuvenate the bushes, then healthy, strong plants will generously thank their owners with a bountiful harvest!

Early in the spring, as soon as the snow melts and the ground dries out, it is necessary to remove all last year's debris around the bushes - fallen leaves, dry twigs, remnants of crumbled berries and old mulch. This must be done not so much for aesthetics, but in order to remove all pests and their larvae that have overwintered in this shelter.

Further caring for gooseberries involves pruning them. It is important to do this before the buds open in order to injure the plant less and, moreover, during this period it is easier to identify the branches to be pruned. So, on healthy, prosperous branches, the buds will swell together, but sick, frostbitten or broken ones will lag behind in development. You cannot expect berries from such branches, so they need to be removed so that they do not shade or thicken the bush.

Pruning is one of the main ways to care for gooseberries in order to increase their productivity and stimulate development. The method and intensity of pruning depend, first of all, on the age of the plant, so you should know the main stages of the work:

1. Pruning of seedlings in the year of planting. In order for the gooseberry bush to form correctly, it is necessary, in addition to removing weak shoots, to shorten the strong ones, leaving 3-4 buds on them. Experience shows that it is enough to leave no more than three main shoots, from which both the crown and basal shoots will grow.
2. Second year after planting. The first harvest of berries should be expected on the branches of the second growth, which are formed in next year after landing. Therefore, when pruning, they are left, and weak and basal shoots are cut out. By the end of this summer, the bush already has, in addition to three main two-year shoots, another 3-5 new annual shoots with branches.
3. In the third year, the gooseberry bush already consists of 25-30 branches, which are left as the base of the crown. Now all young growth needs to be removed.
4. Further pruning consists of maintaining the health of the plant: cutting out old branches, leaving younger branches for replacement. Many gardeners have noticed that starting from the age of seven years of the bush, there is practically no harvest on branches of the 4th and 5th order. They only weaken the plant, but their timely pruning will stimulate the development of new, promising shoots. Also remove diseased, broken, frozen ones, cutting them off completely or to the first living bud and prevent thickening of the bush. And after eight years, when the bush is already noticeably aging, it needs radical measures. Leaving three or four of the strongest branches as a new, rejuvenated skeleton, everything else is cut off. From this moment the process of bush formation begins again.

Pest protection and disease prevention

Caring for gooseberries also involves measures to protect them. In the spring, you need to take all measures to prevent pest attacks. One of the most efficient and environmentally friendly safe ways- spraying or dousing bushes is very hot water(but this is only until the buds open, otherwise you can destroy the young leaves). With this treatment, both pests that have already managed to crawl out of the soil and their overwintered larvae die.

By the way, all these insects can not be released “into the light” at all, having covered the soil under the bushes with dense material in the fall - pieces of roofing felt or old plastic film folded in several layers. It is especially helpful in protecting against gooseberry moth.

Gooseberries are often affected various types aphids, which can be combated by spraying the bush with a solution tar soap and garlic or using the effective biological product Fitoverm. If the pests still remain, which will be visible by reddish swellings on the leaves (gall aphids) or curled leaves on the growth current year(shoot aphids), then it is necessary to collect and destroy all damaged parts, and generously treat the plant with an ash-soap solution and powder with tobacco and ground hot pepper. These procedures should be repeated every 7-10 days, otherwise it will not be possible to get rid of aphids.

Another dangerous pest- scale insect. The difficulty of the fight lies in the fact that these insects are very difficult to notice - they are tightly attached to the branches and practically merge with them, and the damaged parts of the plant wither and dry out, seemingly for no apparent reason. To combat this scourge, use a soap-kerasin solution, which is applied to the branches and left to dry. But in the case of scale insects it is more likely preventive measures, modern biological products are still more effective for its destruction.

As for the prevention of diseases, including the most common one - powdery mildew, the following solutions have proven themselves among gardeners:

• 2 tbsp. soda ash + 50g of grated soap (laundry or tar) per bucket of water;
• Increase gooseberry immunity against fungal diseases and the application of potassium fertilizers. In this case, an infusion is suitable wood ash– 1.5 kg, pour 7 liters of water and leave for 24 hours. Then filter, add 50g of crushed soap and use for spraying.
• Pouring boiling water with the addition of potassium permanganate over the bushes in the spring gives good preventive results. This destroys pathogenic spores not only on plants, but also in the soil.
• You can also use a traditional solution of iron sulfate - 100g per 10l of water.
• And, perhaps, the most “organic preparation” is mullein infusion: fill half a bucket with a bucket of water, leave for a week and, after filtering, spray the plants with it.

Watering and fertilizing

An adult plant rarely needs watering, except in dry weather. More often, gooseberries are watered during fertilizing to improve the distribution of fertilizers in the soil.

For the same reason, many people prefer to apply fertilizer directly over the melting snow. In early spring Approximately 2 tbsp are scattered under each young bush. nitrophoska and a couple of handfuls of wood ash. For adult plants, this dosage can be doubled. Fresh manure crushed between gooseberry plantings accelerates the melting of snow and, together with moisture, delivers all nutrients to the roots. If the moment with snow has already been missed, the manure is embedded into the soil with a pitchfork at a distance of 25-30 cm from the base of the bush.

But you shouldn’t get carried away with fertilizers, the first two years after correct landing Gooseberries do not need additional fertilizing. But starting from the age of three, you can add the following infusion when watering:

• 2 tbsp. ammonium sulfate + a glass of wood ash + half a liter of manure (or a little less bird droppings) - per bucket of water.
• All this, stirring from time to time, is infused for 3-4 days.
• After straining, it is used for watering: 2-3 liters for young bushes and 5-6 liters for mature bushes.

Humus scattered under the bushes is both mulch for the soil and a supply of plant nutrients. As a balanced and complete fertilizing, gardeners use a popular fertilizer - nitroammophoska. But you need to be careful when applying it - observe the dosage and frequency of use so that the soil is not saturated with harmful nitrates.