High-yielding frost-resistant gooseberry variety Masheka
The gooseberry variety Masheka is one of the favorites of experienced gardeners. It is valued for its stable harvest and pleasant taste of the fruit. It is not difficult to grow, and its distribution area is very extensive due to the culture’s ability to tolerate severe frosts.
Features of the gooseberry variety Masheka
Masheka gooseberry is a self-fertile, high-yielding variety with good winter hardiness and drought resistance.
History of origin and distribution
The variety was developed by Belarusian breeders in 1997 by crossing the Confection and Houghton varieties. Due to the average period of fruit ripening, Masheka gooseberries are intended for cultivation in the central region of Russia. However, it is able to please with fruiting in more climatically harsh areas with additional shelter or in greenhouses.
Characteristics and description of bushes
Bushes of medium height, with a spreading and dense crown. The shoots grow with a slight slope, the branching is average. The bark of the branches is light green, with medium-thick yellowish-brown spines on it.
The leaves are dark green, wrinkled and leathery, with teeth bent to the inside. The inflorescences are small, two-flowered.
Temperature resistance
The Masheka variety tolerates low temperatures well and is not afraid of frost. You should not be afraid of temperatures of -30°C, and with additional shelter the bush will withstand -35°C.
Moisture and drought resistance
For full growth and timely fruit set, Masheka gooseberries need regular watering. The root system of the shrub does not like stagnant water, so it should not be planted in lowlands and swampy areas.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The variety is famous for its strong immunity to many diseases and is not afraid pests.
Characteristics and description of fruits
The berries of this variety are orange-red, without edges, medium in size and oval in shape. At the highest stage of ripeness, the fruits become brick red. Their taste is sweet and sour, the pulp is very juicy, with a lot of seeds. Tasting score – 4 points out of 5.
Areas of use
Jams and compotes are made from gooseberry fruits, jams and confitures are made. However, they are most useful when fresh - they contain a lot of vitamins and microelements, which are destroyed during heat treatment.
Advantages and disadvantages compared to other varieties and hybrids
The main advantages of Masheka gooseberries over other varieties:
- frost resistance;
- good yield indicators (up to 6 kg of berries from one bush);
- self-fertility;
- transportability of fruits;
- strong immunity to many diseases and resistance to most pests.
This variety has few disadvantages. Despite its frost resistance, it develops and bears fruit better in warm climates. Unfavorable conditions during the season reduce yields and interfere with the growth of root shoots necessary for reproduction.
Growing technology
By following simple rules for planting and care, you can achieve high yields for up to 18 years.
Optimal conditions
The site should be well-lit, protected from the wind and with high groundwater levels (but not higher than 1.5 m). Loose fertile soil with a low pH level is required.
In the year of planting, humus or compost is added to the sandy soil (10 kg for each planting site). Clay soil requires a combination of organic fertilizer and sand. Acidic soil is treated with lime or dolomite flour.
Landing dates and rules
It is best to plant gooseberries in the fall, about 3-4 weeks before the first frost. In this case, the seedlings have time to take root and can successfully overwinter. You can plant in the spring, but you need to ensure regular watering.
The planting process differs little from planting other shrubs:
- The soil is dug up, removing remnants of weed roots, stones and branches.
- Holes measuring 50x50x50 cm are dug at a distance of 1.5 m from each other.
- The soil is mixed with mineral fertilizers and organic matter.
- The seedling is placed in the hole, the roots are lightly pressed and covered with soil.
- The soil is compacted and watered. Peat or humus is distributed on top.
Further care
Masheka gooseberry is a drought-resistant crop, however, to obtain a rich harvest it is necessary to ensure regular watering throughout the spring. It is best to use the sprinkling method or supply water through small grooves. Two weeks before the berries ripen, watering is stopped to avoid the sour taste of the fruit. The bushes are watered for the last time before wintering.
Gooseberries require annual pruning for consistently high yields. The first few years, all excess shoots are cut off, leaving only 3-5 most developed ones. An adult plant is regularly checked for weak and broken branches.
Fertilizing is carried out in the fall, once every 2-3 years. The best way is to mix 6 kg of organic matter, 100 g of wood ash and 20 g of superphosphate. In spring, gooseberries are fertilized with ammonium nitrate (15 g per 1 sq. m).
Possible problems, diseases, pests
Of the diseases, the greatest danger to the variety are diseases such as septoria, anthracnose and powdery mildew. To avoid diseases, gardeners in early spring, after the snow has completely melted, spill boiling water on the soil around the bushes. Immediately after this, the plants are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture. When a bush is affected by these diseases, the damaged shoots are cut and burned, after which the treatment with Bordeaux mixture is repeated.
For guard from harmful insects Gooseberries are treated with insecticides at the beginning of the season.
Wintering
The variety easily tolerates exposure to negative temperatures, so there is no need to cover it for the winter. If there was little rain in the fall, the shrubs are provided with moisture-recharging irrigation, which allows the soil to retain heat for a long time. In winters with little snow but frost, the bushes are covered with a thick layer of snow and left in this form until spring.
Reproduction
The variety produces a lot of basal shoots. In the spring, you can dig up several one-year or two-year-old shoots, on which 3-4 swollen buds have already formed, and plant them in a previously prepared area.
Variety effectively multiplies digging in shoots. Shallow ditches are dug around the trunk in early autumn, into which several branches of the bush are lowered. They are sprinkled with a small amount of earth. To form a root system in the shoots, they are periodically watered. In the fall, the finished shoots are separated from the mother plant and moved to containers with peat.By spring, the shoots will be completely ready for planting in the ground.
Features of cultivation depending on the region
Masheka gooseberry does not require special attention in warm regions with rainy autumn and not very dry summer. But in the central regions, it is important to monitor soil moisture in a timely manner and properly prepare the bushes for wintering.
If the plant is grown in more severe climatic conditions, it is protected with additional shelter and protected from adverse weather conditions. However, you should not count on a rich harvest in such regions.
Pollinator varieties
The variety is self-fertile, that is, it does not require pollinators to set fruit.
Reviews from summer residents
Reviews about Masheka gooseberries are mostly positive. Gardeners note the sweet taste of the berries, resistance to frost, diseases and pests.
Tigunov Victor, Novosibirsk: “On my plot I grow several varieties of gooseberries, among them there is the Masheka variety. The berries are juicy, sweet, and children and grandchildren eat them with pleasure. We harvest at the end of summer. Among the significant disadvantages, I can note the need to regularly thin out the bush - before the buds appear, a little in the summer and in the fall before wintering. For the winter, I cover the bushes with burlap and cover them with snow; in 10 years they have never frozen, and they bear fruit consistently.”
Vybornova Inna, Obninsk: “I planted seedlings of this variety in the spring, the bushes took root and produced a harvest in the second year. For several years, the gooseberries did not get sick or freeze, and tolerated severe frosts well. In the summer I install supports for the branches - under the weight of the berries they sink to the very ground. We use the harvest to make jam and compotes, and eat some of it fresh.”
Conclusion
The Belarusian gooseberry variety Masheka has many advantages.Due to its good winter hardiness, it can be grown in regions with cold winters. It is not afraid of pests, is resistant to diseases, and does not require much attention. Summer residents claim that it is easy to get a stable harvest every year; you just need to regularly water the bushes and trim unnecessary shoots in time.