Step-by-step instructions for caring for gooseberries in the fall and preparing for winter

Novice gardeners often ignore recommendations for caring for gooseberries during the cold season. But timely pruning, pest control and soil preparation will strengthen the plants before the cold, protect them from diseases and improve the quality of the berries. Proper care of gooseberries in the fall and preparation for winter will ensure a stable harvest in the summer.

How to care for gooseberries in autumn

A well-developed shrub, which has been carefully looked after, will give the gardener more than 10 kg of tasty and large berries. With improper agricultural practices, the crop grows quickly, which reduces fruiting.

What to do in the fall:

• remove weeds and debris from the root zone;
• dig up the soil under the bushes;
• water the soil abundantly;
• feed the plants;
• trim bushes and thin out old branches;
• protect the crop from freezing in winter.

Autumn gooseberry care

Activities for caring for shrubs in the fall are carried out in a certain order. Let's start with trimming.

Trimming

In mid-autumn, pruning is done with pruning shears. sick, old and dried branches, broken, already bent towards the ground and those that grow inward, thickening the bush.

Branches inclined to the ground are removed due to rotting of the berries near the soil. Shoots growing in the center of the bush prevent the plant from being blown by the wind, which increases the risk of fungal diseases. The quality and quantity of the harvest depends on proper and careful pruning of plants.

Use a garden saw to remove shoots that are more than 5 years old, all cuts are lubricated with special paint or varnish.

In the first year of the bush’s life, its stems are shortened by only a third. The next year, leave 1-2 strong stems, cutting off their tops. All remaining shoots are cut out so that there are no stumps left, which serve as a refuge for pests.

Important! When pruning gooseberries aged 6 and 7 years, no more than 6 strong and well-developed side shoots are left. It is they who will give high-quality growth and a full-fledged harvest next year.

Positive aspects of pruning:

• increasing the light regime;
• low risk of developing fungal diseases (for example, powdery mildew);
• increasing the quality and quantity of berries;
• the formation of the correct shape of the bush, which will facilitate harvesting in the future.

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Feeding

To enrich the composition of berries, the crop is fed. In the fall, potassium and phosphorus are added (20 g and 30 g per bush, respectively). The best months to fertilize are September and October.

For greater efficiency, add to plants layer of compost mixed with wood ash (no more than 10 cm thick):

1. Compost - This is an organic mass that rots under the influence of microorganisms. It enriches the soil with nutrients. Fertilizer is made from tops, weeds and garden plant residues, which are left until they decompose. If the compost has a loose, uniform structure and a forest smell, then it is ready for use. For 1 gooseberry bush, add 3–5 kg of the finished mass.
2. Ash - a natural product obtained by burning wood. It is sprinkled on the soil around the plant in a ratio of 100 g per 1 m².Ash enriches the soil with potassium and phosphorus, prevents the development of diseases and the proliferation of pests.

Gooseberry fed with a mixture of mineral fertilizers (for example, superphosphate and potassium salt).

Attention! Nitrogen is not added in the fall, as it activates growth processes. As a result, the buds swell and the plants die in winter.

Watering

In autumn, gooseberries continue to grow and strengthen their roots, forming buds for the future harvest, so watering is an integral part of preparing the crop for wintering. The shoots on which fruits form suffer from lack of moisture. If the plants go to winter with a dry root system, the branches will dry out in the cold.

Water consumption: 30 l per 1 bush. Plantings are irrigated until mid-October. Depressions are dug around the bushes, water is poured under the roots or along the grooves to avoid the occurrence of diseases. After all the moisture has gone, the recesses are buried.

Treatment

Small debris, weeds and rotten berries are removed under the gooseberry roots.. Large plants are dug up with a shovel, since when pulled out, the roots often remain in the soil. Fallen leaves are collected with a rake so that pests and pathogens do not remain in them for the winter.

Important! Weeds at the roots of gooseberries are removed in a timely manner - they contribute to increased humidity, which is why diseases develop.

Protection from diseases and pests

To prevent the occurrence of diseases and pest attacks in the fall, gooseberries are treated special preparations (Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate and various insecticides).

This is done at the end of October - beginning of November.

Basic insecticides:

• “Lepidocide”: diluted in 10 liters of water, used for a week;
• “Bitoxibacillin”: 100 g diluted in 10 liters of water;
• "Actellik": dilute 15 ml in 10 liters of water.

Complex action fungicides are used to protect bushes, which protect plants from powdery mildew, leaf rust and anthracnose. Spraying is carried out after harvesting and before flowering.

Fungicides:

1. "Topaz" - prevention and treatment of fungal diseases (powdery mildew, rust, septoria). The active active substance is penconazole. Application: 1 ampoule of the substance is dissolved in 10 liters of water and sprayed on the bushes.
2. "Fundazol" is used to combat late blight, anthracnose, and yellow rust. The active ingredient is benomyl. The product penetrates deep into the roots, spreading throughout the plant without touching the fruits. Application: 1 g per 1 liter of water. Bushes are sprayed for prevention and watered for treatment.

Preventive treatment of gooseberries promotes better fruiting. It is important to observe the specified proportions and choose the right drugs.

Read also:

A guide to properly preparing grapes for winter

Guidelines for pruning sea buckthorn in autumn

How and with what to fertilize currants in the fall for a good harvest

How to prepare for winter: shelter and insulation

After cleaning the gooseberries, saturating the soil and protecting them from pests, the stage of preparing shelters and insulation begins.

Gooseberries growing in mild climates do not need shelter. In harsh regions at -40°C the plant freezes, so it is insulated:

1. The branches are pulled into a bundle and tied with twine, tilted closer to the ground.
2. The bush is covered with sawdust or dry leaves.
3. Burlap or agricultural material is placed on top, securing the edges with bricks and boards.

In some cases, the shelter is built without tying up the gooseberries. It is enough to place 2 arcs crosswise over the bush, stretching several layers of agrofabric over them. Staples are inserted into the ground from below and reinforced with bricks.

A simple way to insulate gooseberries is to cover them with a 10 cm layer of snow. The soil is additionally mulched in various ways:

1. Manure or peat. Apply a layer more than 10 cm in height. Suitable not only for insulation, but also for feeding.
2. Bags of mulch. The material is poured into paper or polyethylene bags and holes are cut into them. Most of the substance will fall to the ground through holes.
3. All bushes are covered with insulation, for example, agrospan. Sometimes it is replaced with polyethylene, but it is not entirely convenient.

Care depending on plant age, growing region and variety

Unlike bushes 6-7 years old, when pruning young seedlings, 3-4 healthy branches are left. On average, they retain 4-5 buds. The same number of buds are left on newly planted gooseberries. Shoots that grow from the ground are shortened by 1/4. In adult plants, all old branches are removed.

Preparing gooseberries for winter in all regions consists of the same stages, only the timing of events:

1. In Siberia preparations begin in early autumn. Because of the harsh winters, the bushes are insulated every year. Much attention is paid to fertilizing, since high-quality fertilizers increase the winter hardiness of plants.
2. In the Urals Gooseberries are watered in early autumn, and in winter they are insulated, sprinkled with snow or other material.
3. In the middle lane Russian culture is insulated every year.
4. In North-west — upon reaching -30…-35°C.
5. In the southern regions pay attention to abundant watering.

Gooseberry is an unpretentious and strong plant that can withstand strong winds and cold weather.. Therefore, there are no special characteristics for caring for different varieties.

Important! The exception is southern unzoned and young plants, which are recommended to be insulated with peat. The most important thing is to follow preventative measures, fertilize and trim the gooseberries on time.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Experienced farmers know how to help plants during the cold season:

• do not prune gooseberries too early;
• remove large branches with a long-handled lopper;
• prune and thornless varieties.

It is not recommended to grow bushes in one place for more than 8–10 years - their berries begin to shrink.

Conclusion

To properly prepare gooseberries for winter, a number of procedures are performed in the fall. Pruning the bushes will ensure a full harvest in the summer, fertilizing will fill the crop with nutrients, and treatment with special means will reduce the risk of developing diseases and pests. To save plants from freezing, they are insulated with mulch, snow or agricultural material.