Gooseberry varieties from Belarusian breeders: “Ravol”, “Coral” and others

Gardeners most often choose gooseberries for planting on the plot, which are unpretentious in care, hardy to weather conditions and produce tasty berries. All these criteria are met by the varieties bred by Belarusian breeders - Ravolt, Coral and Belarusian Sugar. We will talk about their features, for which regions they are suitable and how to grow them.

Gooseberry varieties zoned in Belarus

Belarus is located in a temperate climate region. Its features are mild winters, cool summers and arctic winds. In such conditions, the gooseberry varieties Ravolt, Coral, and Belorussky Sugar successfully develop.

Important! All three varieties are resistant to powdery mildew and anthracnose.

Plant Features:

1. Gooseberry Ravolt – a frost-resistant medium-late variety that bears fruit at the end of July. The thorns are light, sparse, single, small in size, located perpendicular to the trunk. Productivity high – up to 10 t/ha.
2. Variety Coral - frost-resistant early ripening gooseberry, bearing fruit in early June. It has long double and triple spikes. The yield is ultra-high – 14 t/ha.
3. Belarusian sugar variety It belongs to the mid-early variety, bears fruit from late June to early July, and is frost-resistant. It bears fruit for 12-18 years. It is distinguished by a large number of spines and brown color.

History of origin and distribution

Scientists-breeders from Belarus under the leadership of A.Dmitrieva, at the Institute of Fruit Growing of the National Academy of Sciences, tried to develop gooseberry varieties that would be resistant to severe frosts (down to -30°C), powdery mildew, and sudden changes in temperature.

When crossing the gooseberry varieties Black Negus and Yarovaya through open pollination, the variety Ravolt was obtained, which inherited all their qualities.

The institute's staff continued the experiment and crossed Ravolt and Yarovaya. The result was Gooseberry Coral.

The sweet Belarusian sugar gooseberry was bred by crossing the White Krupny and Belorussky varieties.

On a note! In 2007, the Coral gooseberry, and in 2009, the Ravolt gooseberry, were included in the Unified Register of Varieties of the Republic of Belarus.

Characteristics and description of bushes

1. The height of the Belarusian sugar bush is up to 1-1.5 m. The branches are long, straight, slightly spreading, and bend to the ground due to the weight of the berries. Productivity from one bush is 3.5-6 kg. Leaves with a grayish-green tint, large.
2. Ravolt grows as a medium spreading bush up to 0.8-1 m high. The branches form a spherical crown. The basal shoots do not bend toward the ground, but extend upward. The leaves are green in color, rough on the reverse side. Begins to bloom in May.
3. Coral grows as a compact bush up to 1 m high. The basal stems are strongly thorned with thick needles.

Reference. In gardening, bushes are used to plant decorative hedges.

Temperature resistance

All three varieties of gooseberries are frost-resistant. Withstands temperatures down to -30°C.

Moisture and drought resistance

The bushes tolerate dry weather for up to 3-4 weeks. During the period of flowering and fruit set, they need abundant watering once a week. Swampy places and high humidity retard the growth of the bush.

Resistance to diseases and pests

At the beginning of the twentieth century, most gooseberry bushes were destroyed by powdery mildew. The varieties Ravolt, Coral and Belarusian Sugar are highly resistant to this disease, as well as to anthracnose. Pests (aphids, mites) are not dangerous to plants if preventive measures are taken.

Characteristics and description of fruits

1. Description of Ravolt gooseberry fruits: The berries are round, dark red in color, weighing 3.4-4.4 g. The taste is sweet and sour. 1-2 pcs per brush.
2. Variety Coral: fruits are round-oval, with a white waxy coating, yellow, weighing no more than 3 g. Collected in 1-2 pieces. The pulp inside is juicy, the skin is thin.
3. At the Belarusian Sugar large fruits weighing 9-10 g, light green in color. The skin is smooth, thin, but durable, which allows them to be transported without mechanical damage. The taste is sweet, dessert. They are consumed fresh.

Areas of use

Gooseberries are used in cooking, fresh and frozen, for making jam, jam, compotes, salad, fruit cocktail, and baked goods.

In medicine, gooseberries are recommended for metabolic disorders in the body, as a diuretic and choleretic agent.

Advantages and disadvantages compared to other varieties and hybrids

Advantages of Belarusian gooseberry varieties:

• ease of care;
• frost resistance;
• resistance to powdery mildew, anthracnose;
• transportability of fresh berries;
• self-pollinating.

The disadvantages gardeners include are the presence of thorns, which complicate the process of caring for the bush, pruning it and harvesting it.

Growing technology

Successful cultivation does not require much effort, since these varieties of gooseberries are unpretentious in care.

Optimal conditions

Chernozem, loamy, sandy loam soil are suitable for cultivation. Gooseberries grow poorly in dark places, without sunlight, with close groundwater (up to 1.5-2 m). Does not like drafts and north winds.

Landing dates and rules

Gooseberries are planted in the fall, a month before the onset of predicted frosts. In cold regions, planting in spring is not recommended, since the period between warming up the soil and swelling of the buds is very short.

How to plant:

1. Dig a hole with a diameter of 50 cm and a depth of 60 cm.
2. A mixture of leaf compost and chernozem, 200 g of superphosphate, and 30 g of potassium fertilizer are poured into the bottom of the hole.
3. Pour in 2-3 buckets of water and wait for it to be absorbed.
4. A gooseberry seedling is planted in the center, placing the root collar 5-7 cm above the soil surface, straightening the roots and covering it with soil.

Further care

To obtain a healthy harvest, follow the rules for caring for the bush:

1. Water the gooseberries once every 7-10 days.
2. Feed the plant once a year. To do this, use chicken or cow manure (0.5 liters of infusion per 10 liters of water), wood ash, leaf compost, and mineral fertilizers.
3. Loosen the soil so that more air flows to the roots and a crust does not form on the ground.
4. The bush is pruned for better fruiting in early spring or late autumn.

Possible problems, diseases, pests

Pests that attack gooseberry bushes are aphids, gall midges, sawflies, and mites. To combat them and for prevention purposes, plants are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture, colloidal sulfur (30 g per 10 liters of water).

Recommendation. In early spring, remove old mulch around the bush - it may contain overwintering fungi and pests. Replace with new mulch.

With improper care and in conditions of constant cold, dampness and unstable temperature, the plant is affected by powdery mildew, rust, anthracnose, mosaic and septoria. Symptoms diseases – the appearance of spots on leaves and fruits.

In the spring, for preventive purposes and for treatment, the bushes are sprayed:

• copper sulfate 5%;
• Bordeaux mixture 1%;
• colloidal sulfur;
• fungicides "Maxim", "Skor".

Wintering

Adult bushes over 5 years old tolerate frosts down to -30°C. For young bushes to successfully winter, the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw, manure, spruce sawdust, or the plants are covered with agrofibre.

On a note! The construction of covering wooden structures is detrimental to the plant.

Reproduction

Fruit and berry bushes are propagated in two ways:

1. By layering. In spring, young shoots are bent to the ground and covered with soil. Until autumn, these shoots will take root, then they are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a new place.
2. Cuttings. They use last year's powerful shoots, from which cuttings of 20-30 cm are cut. All leaves except the top two are removed and planted in the ground at a distance of 7 cm from each other. Then a mini-greenhouse is created, watered and ventilated daily.

Features of cultivation depending on the region

Gooseberries are suitable for cultivation in various regions of the country. But there are differences in planting time and preparation for winter:

1. In the Southern regions, it is allowed to plant seedlings in the spring, before the buds swell and open, or in the fall, in October - November. There is no need to cover the bush and insulate the root part.
2. In the Northern and Central regions, bushes are planted only in the fall. In winter, the bushes are wrapped in agrofibre and the tree trunk is sprinkled with mulch.

Pollinator varieties

Ravolt, Coral and Belarusian sugar are self-pollinating plants. They do not need additional pollinating varieties. But if you plant several different varieties of gooseberries on a plot, the yield will increase due to cross-pollination between them. The berries will be larger, juicier and tastier.

On a note! Gooseberries are successfully pollinated by insects. In rainy summers, due to reduced insect work, yields are reduced by 8-10%.

Conclusion

Belarusian gooseberry varieties Ravolt, Coral and Belarusian Sugar are popular among gardeners because they are unpretentious in care, can withstand frost, and are resistant to fungal diseases. If you plant three varieties on a plot, the harvest will be ensured throughout the entire summer period.