Sweet frost-resistant gooseberry variety Yantarny
Gooseberry Amber is considered a proven variety. Its berries are sweet, with a honey smell. One large bucket of berries is collected from one bush. The variety appeared in the 60s. XX century. It was bred through open pollination of the English gooseberry. This unpretentious and frost-resistant plant is capable of developing normally in almost all regions of Russia. In the article we will provide a detailed description of the Amber gooseberry variety.
Gooseberry variety Amber
It’s not for nothing that Amber gooseberry is so popular among gardeners. This plant is resistant to many diseases, easy to care for and produces berries with excellent taste.
History of origin and distribution
The Yantarny variety was developed by Russian breeders led by M. Pavlova in the mid-20th century. It was not included in the State Register, but it has been preserved unchanged to this day. Many nurseries are now actively engaged in growing this gooseberry and selling seedlings and fruits. It is also exported to many countries around the world.
Characteristics and description of bushes
Main characteristics of Amber gooseberry bushes:
- The height of the plant reaches 1.5 m. The branches have sparse but very sharp thorns. There are few leaves.
- Variety Amber early ripening. In the central zone, the harvest is harvested in early July.
- This gooseberry is very productive. About 10 kg of berries are harvested from 1 bush.
Temperature resistance
All gooseberry varieties are resistant to low temperatures, and Yantarny has improved these indicators. It can withstand temperatures down to -40°C.In this case, the root system does not suffer at all, but shoots that are not insulated may be damaged.
The variety is resistant to summer drought and tolerates long periods of lack of watering and rain.
Resistance to diseases and pests
This gooseberry has immunity to most fungal diseases. It is also resistant to the invasion of various insects. Gardeners note that Yantarny gets sick infrequently and is rarely attacked by gooseberry aphids.
Characteristics and description of fruits
The berries of this variety are oval in shape and yellow-orange in color with light veins. On average, the weight of one berry is 6 g. Tasting score is 4.7 out of 5. The berries have a sweet taste with a slight sourness and a honey aroma.
Harvesting takes a long time. Ripe berries do not burst or fall off, but stay on the branches for a long time.
Areas of use
Most often, Amber is consumed fresh. Breeders created this dessert variety, so its berries are suitable for preparing culinary delicacies. It is used to make jam, confitures, jams, and compotes.
The pulp of the Amber gooseberry is dense, which allows it to be harvested for the winter. The berries also tolerate transportation well. Gooseberry leaves are collected to make vitamin teas.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages usually include:
- Long fruiting period.
- Good transportability of fruits.
- After ripening, the berries continue to hang on the branches and do not fall off.
- When stored fresh, gooseberries do not spoil for a long time.
- Dessert berries are also suitable for making preserves, jams, and compotes.
Among the disadvantages, summer residents often note the following:
- The bushes are too spreading and require constant pruning and installation of supports.
- The thorns, although rare, are very sharp. This creates problems during maintenance and harvesting.
- When exposed to high temperatures for a long time, the berries burst, so they are not very suitable for making compotes.
Growing technology
To obtain a large gooseberry harvest, compliance with growing technology is required. Deviation from the rules is guaranteed to reduce the number of berries and reduce the speed of development of the bush.
Optimal conditions
2 weeks before planting, prepare the area. It is dug up to a depth of 25-30 cm. Until planting, the soil is left in a loose state, removing sprouted weeds. Then the surface is leveled to ensure high-quality watering in the future.
Landing dates and rules
Seedlings are planted at any convenient time, except winter. Many believe that the most suitable period is late autumn. This makes it more likely that the plant will take root.
The site for planting is selected to be sunny, fertilized, and protected from drafts. It is desirable that the soil be neutral, slightly alkaline or slightly acidic.
The distance between individual seedlings is maintained at 1.5 m, between rows - 2 m.
Further care
After planting, they move on to caring for the plants. The speed of development of the shrub depends on the correctness of various procedures. Care methods depend on the season and weather conditions.
in spring make sure there are no weeds. They also fertilize and regularly loosen the soil. In summer, intensive watering is added to these actions. In autumn, gooseberries are prepared in the winter. The bushes are trimmed and insulated.
Young bushes are regularly watered with warm water: 2 times a week, one bucket for each plant. Water is poured under the root.In rainy weather, the plants are not watered, as the crop does not like overly moist soil.
Gooseberries are fed annually. To do this, take 5 parts of humus and 1 part of ash. The mixture is scattered under the bush in a layer of 2-3 cm.
After harvesting, the soil is mulched with straw or sawdust. In the spring, this layer is removed, and the ground around the bushes is loosened.
In the first year after planting, formative pruning is carried out. It is required for the proper development of shrubs. In the second and third years, two-year-old shoots are cut off by half. In the fourth year, the gooseberries are thinned out. At the same time, dried and weak branches are removed.
Powerful and spreading bushes are supported. They drive stakes around the gooseberries and tie them with a tight rope. If the plant is planted near a fence, its branches are tied to a trellis.
Possible problems, diseases, pests
Most often, gooseberries affect powdery mildew. Define it the presence of a white coating on the leaves. After a while it gets dark. Ovaries and fruits are affected.
For anthracnose leaves become covered with brown spots. To treat this disease, the plant is treated with Bordeaux mixture several times during the summer.
Mosaic appears as spots with a yellow tint. This disease cannot be treated, so the bush will have to be dug up and burned, and the area disinfected.
Among pests Gooseberries are parasitized by aphids, moths, and leaf beetles. To remove insects, the bush is treated with fungicides.
Wintering
When the harvest is harvested, the plant is treated with Bordeaux mixture. After this, the bushes are dug up, fertilized and pruned. Then a layer of fallen leaves is poured, and additional insulation is laid on top - dense agrospan.
Reproduction
Gooseberries are propagated two ways: cuttings and planting layering.
In the first method, cuttings are prepared and cut from young shoots. The minimum length is 12 cm. The cuttings are cut in early May and immediately planted in a moist substrate. After this, they are watered regularly and protected from direct sunlight.
Planting layering is considered the most effective method of propagation. This procedure is carried out in mid-autumn, when sap flow stops. Low-lying cuttings are selected from the bush, bent to the ground and dug in. After germination they are replanted.
Features of cultivation depending on the region
The variety is known for its high viability. It has been grown in the middle zone for many years. In the northern regions, special attention is paid to the bushes - they must be fed before wintering. In southern climates, the shrub is regularly watered abundantly.
The ripening period of berries varies depending on the region. In the southern regions, the harvest is harvested in early July. In the western and eastern regions of Russia, this time shifts to the end of the month or the beginning of August. In the north, gooseberries ripen by September.
Pollinator varieties
Amber gooseberry was bred from the self-pollinating English variety, and therefore does not require additional pollinators on the site.
Reviews from summer residents
The variety has long been known to gardeners and has many positive reviews.
Karina, Anapa: “I spent a long time choosing gooseberries and settled on the Yantarny variety, because I wanted to combine all the best in one bush. Sweet berries and very juicy. The plant produced its first fruits the very next year after planting. The only problem is the need to constantly tie up the branches.”
Anatoly, Moscow: “I’ve been gardening for many years.There are several varieties of gooseberries on the site, but my favorite variety is Amber. It is unpretentious to soil and watering. The berries are delicious. Every year my wife makes jam for the winter.”
Conclusion
The Yantarny variety is unpretentious to growing conditions and is resistant to drought and frost. Also, bushes rarely get sick and are attacked by pests. In order for the harvest to be large, they adhere to basic rules of care: water the plant on time, carry out anti-aging pruning and feed it.