Gooseberry Gingerbread Man - a high-yielding variety of medium maturity. He earned his popularity due to the small number of thorns and fragrant sweet berries.
From the article you will learn the pros and cons of this variety, the features of agricultural technology and methods of combating the most common diseases and pests of gooseberries.
Gooseberry variety "Kolobok"
gooseberry bush "Kolobok" is covered with numerous shoots, practically devoid of thorns
characteristic pleasant taste provided the Kolobok variety with a tasting score of 4.5 points out of a possible 5
Short story
In 1977, at VSTISP, I. Popova tested a new table mid-early gooseberry variety that could be grown both in Central Russia and in the northern regions of its middle lane.
As a basis, the breeder took 2 varieties that were popular at that time: Change and Pink 2. The resulting hybrid inherited all the best qualities of the ancestors: low prickling, large-fruited, resistance to powdery mildew.
In 1988, Kolobok was brought to the State Register. The variety immediately became in demand among summer residents and professional gardeners. Kolobok is recommended for cultivation in Eastern Siberia, as well as other regions of Russia:
- Volga-Vyatka;
- Central;
- Central Black Earth.
Some gardeners successfully grow crops in the more northern regions, covering with winter spanbond for the winter. However, in this case, the risk of freezing gooseberries remains due to sudden changes in temperature.
Appearance of gooseberry cultivar Kolobok
Gooseberry Gingerbread man is a vigorous shrub with beautiful large leaves.
The beginning of flowering occurs in late April, then the bush is strewn with medium light green with a pink rim flowers. Powerful shoots, crown thickened.
During fruiting, the lower branches literally lie on the ground, which contributes to rotting of the berries and complicates the harvest. The variety is slightly prickly - in the nodes on the lower part of the stems single short spikes are visible.
Bush
The height of the plant usually does not exceed 1-1.5 m. The shrub is sprawling, the branches are strongly curved towards the ground. Shoots are dark green, without pubescence.
The first 2-3 years after planting, Kolobok grows quite intensively, then the growth force slows down.
Gooseberry leaves are large, smooth, with smooth edges. Petioles are short but thick. The buds are dark brown, large.
The tillering density of Kolobok is high, therefore, for successful fruiting, the bush requires regular pruning.
Berries
The main advantage of Kolobok is dark red sweet berries. They can be both medium to 3 g, and large - 5-8 g.
Fruits are round-oval in shape, have an intense waxy coating. In full ripeness, they do not crumble for a long time, they are easily separated from the branches when harvesting. The skin is medium in density, does not burst when pressed.
The pulp is juicy, sweet, with a slight acidity. Each berry has 18-20 seeds of medium size.
See below an overview of one of the most famous varieties of gooseberry "Kolobok":
The variety is considered to be a canteen, but the tasting committee rated Kolobok's taste at 4.5 out of a possible 5.
Pros and cons
An important advantage of Kolobok over other mid-ripening varieties is early maturity - the culture begins bearing fruit for 2-3 years. Subject to the rules of planting and proper care, gooseberries bear fruit in one place for 25-30 years.
Other advantages of the Kolobok variety include:
- frost resistance;
- extended fruiting period;
- medium and large fruit size;
- disease resistance;
- good transportability;
- presentable appearance;
- frizziness.
The variety is undemanding for agricultural technology, therefore it is successfully grown even by inexperienced summer residents. The disadvantages of Kolobok are:
- tendency to thicken the crown;
- sprawling bush;
- instability to sudden changes in air temperature.
Preparation for landing
Preparation of the site for planting gooseberries begin in 2-3 months. An important step is the removal of weeds, especially wheat grass. This can be done either manually or using herbicides.
To increase soil fertility, apply organic fertilizers at the rate of 2-3 kg per 1 sq. Km. m
Areas with poor soil are additionally fertilized with superphosphate 50 g, potassium chloride 20 g and urea 25-30 g per 1 sq. Km. m
To improve aeration, river sand is sprinkled. After fertilizing, the site should be deeply dug and watered.
Read useful information on how to properly plant and grow gooseberries.
Plot
Sandy, sandy, loamy and even clay soil is suitable for gooseberries. However, he does not tolerate acidic, marshy and cold soil. The optimum soil pH is 6.
Avoid planting shrubs in areas with a high occurrence of groundwater, as excess moisture leads to rotting of the roots and death of gooseberries.
Gooseberry is a photophilous culture, so you need to choose a sunny place for planting, not under the crown of trees. Even in the scattered shadow, Kolobok is stretched, and the berries lose their sweetness and become smaller.
In too open areas, planting a shrub is not recommended, as drafts and strong winds significantly harm the plant.
It is undesirable to plant Kolobok in the area where currants or raspberries used to grow. If spores of fungi or eggs of pests of berry crops remain in the soil, they will damage young bushes. The best predecessors of gooseberries are row crops and vegetables.
Season
Autumn is the best time to plant gooseberries. Plant bushes 2-3 weeks before the first frost, so that the roots have time to harden and grow.
You can plant Kolobok in the spring, but you need to do this immediately after the arrival of heat, until the buds have moved to growth. In this case, a landing pit is prepared in the fall.
During spring planting, gooseberry roots are necessarily treated with a root stimulation biostimulator, such as Epin or Zircon. The planted planted at an angle, and the shoots are shortened, leaving 3-4 buds.
Planting material
For planting, choose 1- or 2-year-old seedlings having 3-4 healthy shoots. The root system should be well developed, not overdried.
If you are buying a plant with an open root system, carefully wrap it with a damp cloth. It is advisable that the seller dipped the roots of the plant before selling it in a clay mash.
Seedlings in a container are transported vertically.
Correct landing "Kolobok"
To provide the bush with the nutrition necessary for development in a new place, prepare 6 kg of compost, 200 g of superphosphate and 1 glass of ash before starting work.
Gooseberry planting technology is as follows:
- Dig a hole 50x50. Remove the bottom layer of soil, set aside the top layer to backfill the seedling.
- Fill the pit with 2/3 of the laid fertile soil and add pre-prepared fertilizers. Shuffle.
- Set the seedling in the hole vertically, spread the roots. Fill with the remaining soil so that the root neck is deepened by 5-7 cm.
- Tamp the ground, forming sides around the hole. Pour the plant with water at the rate of 10 liters per bush.
- Mulch the soil with humus.
- If you plant gooseberries in spring, cut the shoots, leaving 3-4 buds.
Care Tips
In order to get high yields of delicious berries from year to year, Kolobok needs to be given enough attention. In case of non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology, the yield is reduced by a third, and the fruits lose their sweetness and aroma.
We recommend reading the article on how to care for gooseberries in the fall after harvest.
Shrub care includes:
- sufficient watering;
- regular top dressing;
- pruning
- preventive spraying;
- protection against freezing.
Watering
Gooseberry Gingerbread Man loves moderate watering, easily tolerates a temporary lack of moisture.
Be sure to water the bushes during flowering, active growth of young shoots and during the formation of berries. However, make sure that the water in the root area does not stagnate, as this increases the risk of fungal diseases.
To gooseberry wintered well, be sure to carry out autumn water-loading irrigation. It is carried out before the first frosts in October-November. 40-50 liters of water are poured under each bush.
Pruning
The gingerbread man is prone to thickening the crown, therefore, requires regular thinning of the shoots.
The next spring, after planting, all weak and frostbitten branches are removed. After harvesting, a bush is formed: the shoots are cut to half length so that the topmost bud grows inside the bush.
For 2-3 years in the fall, only 8 of the most powerful shoots are left on the bush and half-cut. By the 4th year of life, the shrub is considered formed.
Next, you should cut only weak and diseased shoots, as well as branches that grow inward and thicken the crown.
Spraying
Gingerbread man is a disease-resistant variety that is rarely attacked by pests. However, with improper care, the plant's immunity drops, and gooseberries need additional protection.
Preventive spraying is carried out from mid-March. For this, both biological and chemical preparations are used.
For the prevention of fungal and bacterial diseases, as well as from aphids and ticks, use:
- fitoverm;
- trichodermin;
- copper sulfate;
- one percent Bordeaux mixture;
- kalbofos.
All drugs are used according to the instructions.
Weeding and cultivation
In October, trunks are treated. To begin, slightly moisten the soil under the bushes. Sprinkle the weed away and dig it.
Be careful when working directly near the bushes, as the fibrous roots of the gooseberry are located near the surface.
Feeding and mulching
If the gooseberry planting was carried out according to the instructions, then in the next 3 years, additional top dressing to the bushes is not needed.
For 4 years before the autumn digging of the plot under the bush make:
- half a bucket of compost;
- 40-50 g of superphosphate;
- 20 g of potassium sulfate;
- 20 g of ammonium sulfate.
After fertilizing and digging, the bush is once again watered and mulched. As a mulch, use peat, humus or rotted manure.
Winter preparations
The gingerbread man is quite frost-resistant and can withstand temperature drops of -24 degrees. However, sudden thaws and sudden changes in daily temperatures can seriously damage the bushes.
In Central Russia, it is advisable to cover Kolobok with a spanbond or any other covering material. Before shelter, for convenience, the branches are collected in a bundle and tied in the middle.
Diseases and Pests
Powdery mildew - the main enemy of gooseberries - Kolobok is practically not afraid.
Occasionally, bushes are affected by glass rust. The disease is manifested by bright orange swelling on the leaves and shoots, which burst over time. Shoots bend and die closer to winter.
The disease can be prevented by spraying the bush with copper chloride 90% immediately after flowering.
Of the pests, Kolobok is susceptible to attack by aphids and moths. Having noticed pests on the leaves, treat the bushes with Decis, Fufanon or Karbofos according to the instructions before and after flowering.
Breeding
Gooseberries can be propagated in several ways:
- Layering. Make a hole under the bush. Choose a powerful side shoot on the mother bush and bend it, laying on the bottom of the hole. Secure with brackets and sprinkle with earth.
- Cuttings. Cut several annual shoots and cut them into cuttings of 8-10 cm. Dip the cuttings in the root stimulator and plant them in a greenhouse in moist, fertile soil at an angle of 45 degrees.
- By dividing the bush. The uterine bush is dug up and 2-3 side shoots with a part of the rhizome are separated. A new bush is immediately planted and the branches are shortened by 1/3.
Kolobok is easy to propagate at home in any of the presented ways. Work is best done in the fall, after harvesting.
Productivity
If the summer turned out to be dry and warm, the gooseberry crop is harvested from the 2nd decade of July. During this period, the berries are painted in burgundy color and gain sugar content.
In the rainy season, the fruits are removed from the bushes when they begin to turn pink, as the skin is cracked due to excess moisture.
With proper care for the season from the bush, you can collect about 10 kg of large berries. At a temperature of 0 ... + 1 degree, gooseberries are stored for up to 2 months.
Kolobok fruits contain 9% sugars, 2.7% acids and 25 mg / 100 g vitamin C.
This variety is suitable for fresh consumption, as well as for processing for jams and preserves.
Similar to Gingerbread Man Varieties
Most often, the gingerbread man is compared with a non-studded variety African. It is believed that the fruits of the second are sweeter, but it is highly susceptible to anthracnose.
Competitors also include Krasnodar lights and Black sea. Their berries are no less tasty, but compared to Kolobok, they are much smaller.
Reviews summer residents about gooseberries Kolobok
The mid-early variety received many positive reviews from summer residents and gardeners throughout Russia:
Vitaliy, 61 years old, summer resident, Bryansk. A good table variety, annually I get about 6 kg from the bush. The berry is tasty, but without regular top dressing it is very small.
Maxim Alekseevich, 57 years old, amateur gardener, Smolensk region. The variety is old, but proven. I do not spray preventively, the bushes never hurt, unlike the Date. The berries are large, tasty.
Marina, 43 years old, professional gardener, Moscow region. 3 bushes Kolobok grows on the site, I have no problems with them. In winter, I do not shelter, the bushes do not freeze. The only problem is the Kolobok sprawl. The lower branches practically lie on the ground, if they are not cut in time.
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