Content
Those who are looking for a gooseberry that gives a lot of tasty fruits should find out in more detail what "Consul" is, a variety that is unpretentious to the soil and has high immunity. Consul gooseberries are attractive because of the absence of thorns. This makes picking the fruit much easier.
Breeding history of the variety
Gooseberry "Consul" is a new variety, developed at the end of the last century. The main goal of the breeders was to create a new species for growing it in the harsh conditions of the middle lane. As a result of experiments, a new frost-resistant gooseberry was obtained, with large sweet berries and a complete absence of thorns.
Description of the bush and berries
Gooseberry "Consul" - a bush reaching a height of two meters, with the absence of a large number of thorns. The crown of the shrub is medium spreading, the branches are covered with bright green foliage. On annual shoots, 1-2 thorns are formed, which subsequently disappear. The shape of the fruit is round, the skin is thin, bright red, when ripe it becomes almost black. The average weight of the berry is 6 g. Under favorable conditions, the variety yields 3 kg of sweet large fruits in the first year.
In the future, an increase in fruiting is formed. This is a great indicator for those who love gooseberry jam or wine.
Advantages and disadvantages
Gardeners love the Consul gooseberry for its unpretentious care, abundant fruiting. This variety is especially popular in Siberia and the Far East, since its resistance to climatic changes is high. Before you buy Consul seedlings, you should know about the positive and negative features of the variety.
Dignity | disadvantages |
High frost resistance | Poor transportability |
Lack of thorns | Fear of drafts |
Resistant to most diseases | Susceptibility to dry soil, requires watering |
Bountiful harvest |
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Ability to bear fruit for 20 years Self-pollination ability |
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Characteristics
So, the "Consul" variety (another name is "Senator") is an ideal option for growing, which has a number of advantages. Gooseberry has one of the advantageous characteristics - it can be grown by novice gardeners and gardeners.
The variety does not require daily maintenance, does not take up much space on the site. Disease resistance allows you to grow gooseberries for many years, and collect a large number of fruits, which increases every year.
Yield
One of the main positive characteristics of the Consul is its high yield. On average, more than 6 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. Considering that the berries are tied even on one-year shoots, and the life expectancy of the plant is 20 years, the Consul gooseberry is a variety that can be safely called the record holder in yield.
Drought resistance and winter hardiness
Among the distinctive characteristics of the Consul variety is frost resistance. Gooseberries have the ability to tolerate minus 30 degrees of frost. A good variety for cultivation in the south in hot climates. But drought is poorly tolerated by all plants, including this gooseberry.Therefore, in order to obtain high yields, gooseberries are required to be watered regularly.
Disease and pest resistance
"Consul" is a gooseberry resistant to diseases and insect pests. He is not afraid of sawflies, septoria, powdery mildew. The culture has a very high immunity, and this allows you to grow a crop and get high fruiting without the help of chemical insecticides. Rarely, in dry weather, pests can attack: moth or gooseberry aphid. They can be dealt with with the help of natural preparations, by spraying the bushes.
Ripening period
"Consul" refers to varieties with an average ripening period. In regions with a warm climate, flowering occurs at the end of May. Fruit picking begins at the end of July and continues until mid-August. You need to collect them as they ripen, because because of the thin skin, the berries cannot be kept on the branches for a long time. You can lose some of the harvest.
Transportability
Storage and transportation of berries is the Consul's most vulnerable place. Large fruiting and easy care is a big plus of the crop, and many grow it for further sale. The thin peel does not allow the berry to remain intact for a long time, therefore, transportation must be done quickly and accurately, immediately after picking.
Growing conditions
The "Consul" variety can be grown on any soil. To obtain stable yields, loam is preferable. The main conditions for yield are considered to be fertile and moist soil, correct planting, regular loosening.
An adult plant does not tolerate transplanting, it is better to immediately find a permanent place for a seedling on the site. A sunlit place or light partial shade, without drafts, is perfect. Along the fence, gooseberries will be comfortable.
To grow a lot of gooseberries, first pay attention to seedlings. Two-year-old specimens take root best of all.
They must have shoots, at least three pieces, over 20 centimeters long. The root system of the seedling is very important.
Landing features
It is better to purchase seedlings in nurseries. So you can guarantee the quality of planting specimens, which must meet the characteristics:
- One-year-old seedlings should have small, dense roots, free from defects and peeling.
- Two-year-olds should be sold with a large earthy clod. The root collar of a quality specimen should be smooth, without signs of rot.
- A two-year-old bush should have several branches with buds.
- The optimal shoot length is 10-15 cm.
Correct planting affects fruiting. It must be carried out in compliance with the rules that will allow the bushes to adapt well in a new place. Saplings are planted in the fall, a month before the first frost. The bush manages to take root and winters well. You can do this in the spring, after the snow has melted.
- Saplings are located no closer than one and a half meters to each other, for the development of the root system.
- The pit should be 50-60 cm in size. Be sure to feed the soil with peat.
- The seedling is pre-soaked in a solution that stimulates growth, according to the instructions.
- A day later, the bush is planted in a hole, carefully spreading all the roots. It is important to remember that the root collar must be deepened by 6 centimeters for the correct formation of the root system.
- The planting is covered with earth and compacted well.
- Mulching is carried out, and watering of the seedling under the root with plain water.
Care rules
The correct fit is very important, but that's not all. Although the variety is unpretentious in care, it requires attention to itself. You can not do without the formative pruning of the bush.
Support
Young gooseberry branches require a support, a device that is wooden stakes, and a net attached to them. The installation of the support first of all makes it easier to collect the fruit.But it also prevents the branches from touching the ground, which prevents spoilage of the berries. The pegs with a net are carefully driven into the ground so as not to spoil the root system. Branches, as they grow and increase the yield, are tied to the structure. Additional supports are not required, since the branches of the Consul variety grow upward.
Top dressing
The Consul gooseberry variety loves feeding in order to produce a good harvest. He especially likes the potassium-phosphorus diet, which needs to be applied 1-2 times a year. The fertilizers that are applied during planting are enough for a year. It is useful to add wood ash to reduce the acidity of the soil.
Pruning
The gooseberries need pruning. First, when planting, a third of the length of the seedling is cut off. Dry and diseased shoots are removed. In the future, pruning is carried out to prevent diseases and excessive growth. It is necessary to ensure that the branches, growing, do not obscure the sunlight, the absence of which leads to a loss of the taste characteristics of the berries. After pruning, you need to loosen the soil.
Reproduction
The Consul variety is easy to propagate by cuttings or layering.
- Cuttings are made from mid-summer to autumn, cutting off a part of the shoot at an angle and 15 cm long from an adult bush. There should be several buds on the cuttings.
- They are treated with a root growth stimulant.
- The stalk is placed at an angle of 45 degrees in loose soil so that 2-3 buds remain on the surface.
- Produce regular watering.
It is necessary to propagate gooseberries by layering by bending annual shoots to the ground. They are fixed with a metal bracket, sprinkled with soil, watered. When young branches appear, the seedling is separated from the mother bush.
Preparing for winter
The variety survives harsh winters well, and these qualities help to do without shelter. Preparatory work before the onset of frost includes:
- Sanitary pruning.
- Spraying the bush from pests.
- Cleaning and incineration of garbage and fallen leaves.
- Top dressing with fertilizers.
Conclusion
Variety "Consul" is an excellent selection, frost-resistant gooseberry, and gives a high yield of sweet berries, suitable for making jam, fresh consumption. And for many years, the variety has enjoyed well-deserved popularity among gardeners, attracting unpretentious care.
Testimonials
Alexey, Leningrad region
Gooseberries never got sick. The gooseberry crop always pampers with a high, and does not particularly require care. Watering and pruning only.
