In recent decades the thorny bushes bearing sweet and sour fruit have been forgotten.Today, fortunately, they are returning to favor again.
Wild gooseberry bushes grow everywhere in Europe, but only the English have tried to grow large-fruited cultivars. Two hundred years ago, you could find as many as 300 different varieties in English gardening!
If you are looking for proven and ecological remedies for pests, diseases and liquid manure, check out these books:
Even in the middle of the last century, gooseberry (actually currant gooseberry Ribes grossularia) was one of the most popular fruit shrubs in Poland. In addition to purely European forms, North American species were introduced to breeding.The import was unfortunately burdened with a fungal disease plaguing American gooseberries.
American powdery mildew appears on shoots, leaves and fruits in the form of a gray-white coating that darkens with time. Infected fruit becomes unpalatable. The tops of the affected shoots die and the weakened plants freeze very easily.It is hardly surprising that the commonly sick and dying shrubs began to disappear from the gardens, and the group of people interested in growing them was decreasing very quickly.
Gooseberry - varieties resistant to mildew
In a short time, new varieties with increased resistance to mildew were bred, but only some, such as 'Invicta', had the taste of the fruit of the older forms.Fortunately, also among the previously most valued varieties distinguished by their vitality and resistance to mushroom attacks were found. Among them is 'Weisse Triumphbeere', dating back to the 18th century, which produces fruit with a delicate skin covered with soft hairs and a fresh, slightly sour taste.
Berries of 'Black Velvet' amaze with the mixture of aromas. This almost completely forgotten and extremely resistant to mildew variety was created from the crossing of Ribes divaricatum with the wild North American species Ribes hirtellum. Its only disadvantages are smaller fruit and a more extensive habit.
If we want to facilitate the care and harvesting of fruit, let's reach for new forms, such as 'Lady Late' and 'Pax'. Let us not be fooled by the catalog descriptions that mention thornless varieties. The gooseberry has no thorns, but thorns.They are firmly attached to the shoot, while the spines, for example in rose and raspberry, can be easily torn off.
Vitamin treasures of the garden
All gooseberry varieties tolerate very badly the long periods of summer heat. The fruit of the most sensitive even burns and becomes covered with brown spots. For this reason, gooseberry bushes were formerly planted in the shade of taller fruit trees.In today's small gardens, gooseberry shoots can be shaded with nonwoven agrotextile.
Gooseberry planting and care
An important care treatment is the translucent cutting at the end of summer. Thanks to him, the shrub gains a looser habit and bears more beautiful fruit.
In home gardens it is popular to keep shrubs very loose with five main shoots.
When space is limited, gooseberries can be planted in a row, just like raspberries.
A shrub in the form of a tree looks impressive in the container.Tall-stemmed plant should be placed in a sheltered place from the wind and tied to a strong stake reaching the center of the crown.
