Late-ripening gooseberry variety Date
The gooseberry variety Date meets the basic requirements of gardeners - it is unpretentious in care and bears fruit consistently. The advantages also include self-fertility, resistance to drought and low temperatures, and the pleasant taste of the berries. Let us consider in detail the features of planting and growing this variety.
What kind of gooseberry is this?
This is a late-ripening gooseberry, the bushes of which begin to bear fruit 4 years after planting and live on average 20–22 years.
The berries reach technical ripeness in early July and fully ripen in August. Productivity - 8–10 kg per bush.
Reference. With proper care on fertile soil soil The yield reaches 25 kg per bush.
The fruits are collected as they ripen. They are stored for 5 weeks without loss of commercial quality and taste.
History of origin and distribution
The date is the result of the work of Dutch breeders, although the originator of the variety is not indicated. This gooseberry was patented in the 20th century; in Russia it has been successfully cultivated in all regions since the times of the USSR.
Description of gooseberry variety Date
Bushes with a powerful root system extending into the ground to a depth of more than 2 m, vigorous, reaching a height of 2 m, spreading, densely foliated. Powerful straight or arched shoots are covered with medium-sized double or single sharp spines, which are not present on the tops.
The leaf blades are small, slightly wrinkled, glossy, with large blunt teeth along the edges, and painted dark green. Flower ovaries are pale green, slightly pubescent.The flowers are collected in small white inflorescences with a slight greenish tint.
Temperature resistance
Date bushes tolerate air temperatures down to -35°C. Cultivation in northern regions with more severe (-40°C and below) winters requires additional shelter from frost.
Moisture, drought resistance and immunity
Thanks to the deep root system, the bushes tolerate drought lasting 2-3 weeks. A longer lack of moisture and its excess negatively affect the size and taste of the fruit.
The variety is prone to powdery mildew, spider mites and aphids.
Characteristics and description of fruits
The berries are round or oval in shape, weigh on average 15 g, and are covered with a smooth, light burgundy skin with a purple blush. When growing gooseberries in a sunny area, the fruits at the fully ripened stage acquire a dark purple, almost black color.
The pulp is green, dense, juicy and aromatic, the taste is pleasantly sweet, with a slight sourness. Berries contain up to 9% sugar, but in case of high rainfall this figure decreases.
Areas of use
The fruits of date gooseberries are consumed fresh and used for making compotes, jams, marshmallows, preserves, jellies, marinades and wines. For processing and preservation, berries that have reached technical, rather than full, ripeness are used.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantages of Date:
- long fruiting period;
- stable and high productivity;
- large fruit;
- frost and drought resistance;
- good keeping quality and transportability;
- self-fertility;
- pleasant taste.
Among the shortcomings are noted:
- the presence of thorns on the shoots;
- prone to powdery mildew;
- late ripening of the crop;
- spreading of the crown, need for space.
Growing technology
To obtain a rich harvest, it is first of all important to choose high-quality planting material and a suitable site. In the future, it will be necessary to strictly observe the agrotechnical requirements of the variety: monitor the frequency and abundance of watering, applying fertilizers, prune bushes, protect them from diseases and pests.
Optimal conditions
For cultivation, select 1- or 2-year-old seedlings no more than 30 cm high, without leaves and young shoots, with a dense and flexible root system, without signs of disease or pest damage.
2 days before planting, the roots of the seedlings are placed in a solution of a growth stimulator (Kornevin, Heteroauxin) with the addition of potassium permanganate to kill bacteria. 2 hours before planting in open ground, roots process clay mash.
To plant Dates, choose a well-lit place, protected from the cold wind, located on the south side of the site, with a groundwater level of 1-2 m.
Reference. Lack of light leads to a decrease in yield and quality of fruits.
The variety prefers nutritious and loose soil with good moisture permeability, aeration and medium or neutral acidity (pH about 5.5). The most suitable option is loam and sandstone. Acidic soil is limed in advance or dolomite flour is added to it.
At least a month before planting, the soil is cleared of plant residues and dug to a depth of 30 cm. 10 kg of manure or humus, 2 kg of potassium nitrate and 4 kg of superphosphate are added per 1 m² of soil.
Landing dates and rules
Gooseberries are planted in spring (early March) or autumn (mid-September - early October), choosing a cloudy and windless day.When planted in autumn, the bushes take root better and adapt faster to new conditions.
Landing instructions:
- Every 1.5–2 m in the prepared area, dig planting holes 0.7 m deep, 0.5 m wide and 0.5 m in diameter.
- Fill them halfway with a nutritious soil mixture (1/2 of the excavated soil, 10 kg of humus, 200 g of superphosphate and 2 g of potash fertilizers).
- Trim the shoots on the seedlings, leaving a maximum of 6 buds on them.
- Place the plants vertically in the holes, straightening the roots.
- Sprinkle them with soil so that the root collar is 8–10 cm above the soil surface.
- Compact the soil, water the plants at the rate of 10 liters of warm water for each bush.
After watering, the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw, humus or peat. The thickness of the mulch layer is 10 cm.
Further care
Watering is carried out every 8–10 days. 30 liters of water at room temperature are poured under each bush so that the soil is moistened to a depth of 40 cm. It is especially important to prevent the soil from drying out during the formation of shoots and ovaries, during the formation and ripening of fruits.
To improve moisture and air permeability, the soil is dug annually to a depth of 15 cm in the fall and 7–10 cm in the spring. To retain moisture in the ground, the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat or compost.
The bushes are not fed for 2 years after planting, then fertilizers are applied according to the following scheme:
- for autumn digging - 1 kg of superphosphate, 300 g of saltpeter and 500 g of wood ash per 1 m²;
- in summer - 10 kg of humus or 3 kg of compost per 1 m².
Pruning is carried out twice a year: in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, and after harvesting. A year after planting, all weak shoots are removed from the bushes, leaving no more than 4 fertile buds and tops.From the age of 2, weak and damaged branches are pruned, last year’s shoots are shortened by 1/3. In the fall, branches on which ovaries and fruits no longer form are removed.
When the bushes are 8 years old, they enter the phase of maximum active fruiting. At this time, they are carefully monitored; shoots that do not bear fruit are removed along with the roots.
Formative pruning consists in removing branches growing inside the crown, overgrown shoots that shade other plants.
Possible problems, diseases, pests
Diseases and pests dangerous to Date are described in the table.
| Disease/pest | Signs | Treatment/prevention |
| Powdery mildew | A loose white coating appears on the leaves, shoots and fruit ovaries, which over time becomes dense and turns brown. The shoots become deformed and dry out, the leaf plates curl, the fruits stop developing and crack. | To prevent the disease, the area is thoroughly cleaned of plant debris and weeds, treated twice with an interval of 5 days with a solution of copper sulfate (300 g per 5 liters of water) or “Fitosporin” (50 g per 6 liters of water).
The disease cannot be treated, so infected plants are dug up and burned, other bushes are treated with fungicidal preparations (Acrobat MC, Ridomil Gold MC, Oxychom, Arcerid, Avixil). |
| Spider mite | A thin web appears on the inside of the leaf blades, the leaves dry out and fall off. | The bushes are sprayed 2-3 times with an interval of 2 weeks with a solution of copper sulfate (20 g per 10 liters of water) or the preparation “HOM” (1 ampoule per 5 liters of water). |
| Aphid | Insects feed on the sap of the plant, as a result the internodes are deformed. |
Wintering
In October they begin to prepare the bushes for winter.The tree trunk circle is cleared of plant debris and pruned, removing all old branches. The soil in the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw and humus (layer thickness - at least 30 cm).
In the northern regions, polyethylene film or agrofibre is additionally laid on top.
Reproduction
Date gooseberry bushes are propagated by seeds, dividing the bush, cuttings and layering. Most often, gardeners use the latter method:
- At the end of summer, on an adult bush, select 2-3 shoots growing at the bottom.
- Bend them to the ground, secure them with special brackets and sprinkle them with a layer of earth 5–10 cm thick.
- Regularly water the cuttings, young roots on which will appear within 1-2 months.
In the spring, after wintering with the mother plant, the cuttings are separated and planted in a permanent place.
Features of cultivation depending on the region
Variety requirements for landing and care do not change depending on the region of cultivation.
The only thing that is important to consider is the need to additionally cover the bushes with polyethylene or agrofibre when growing Dates in northern regions with harsh winters.
Pollinator varieties
Date is a self-pollinating gooseberry variety that does not require planting of pollinating varieties for successful fruiting. At the same time, productivity indicators increase with the appearance of insects, which increase the level of pollination, and the planting of several plants in one area.
Reviews from summer residents
Gardeners speak positively about the variety.
Victoria, Tver: “Phoenix has been growing in my dacha for a very long time, I can’t even remember exactly how many years. I like that the maintenance of the bushes is minimal: I water it 3-4 times during the summer, I feed I cut it several times. The yield is good, the berries are large and tasty.The only drawback is that the fruits do not ripen at the same time; you have to first collect them from above, and later from the lower branches.”
Vasily, Tambov: “About 10 years ago I decided to plant gooseberries, and on the advice of a neighbor I bought Date seedlings. Now there are 2 bushes of this variety growing on the site, and I am more than satisfied. They bear fruit annually and the yield is excellent. We eat the berries fresh and have enough for processing: my wife makes compotes and jam and grinds them with sugar.”
Conclusion
Date is a late-ripening, self-fertile variety of gooseberry, which is characterized by a long fruiting period, consistently high yield, resistance to frost and drought, good keeping quality, transportability and pleasant taste of the berries. The main disadvantages of the plant include the thorniness of the shoots and the tendency to be affected by powdery mildew.