Content
Sadko gooseberries are one of the most promising young varieties created for the middle lane. His tests show excellent results in climates far from temperate. Gardeners from the Uralado of the Far East note the resistance of the variety to disease, frost, quick adaptation in unusual conditions. Sadko pleases with an abundance of red berries even in the most unfavorable seasons and is able to fully recover from severe injuries.
Description of gooseberry Sadko
The young hybrid is still at the stage of variety testing, but is already known among gardeners and has managed to become one of the most popular crops in the Moscow region and the central part of Russia. Growing a crop in harsher climates has already proven its ability to thrive and bear fruit in extreme conditions from the hot south to the northern regions.
Compact Sadko gooseberry bushes do not exceed 1.2 m in height and are distinguished by erect branches that do not droop with age. The variety belongs to the slightly thorny gooseberries: rare, thin needles cover the bases of young shoots and are completely absent on adult stems.
A self-fertile bisexual variety is capable of producing good yields with a single planting, does not require pollinators on the site. Fast-growing, powerful stems are covered with bright foliage, with characteristic corrugated plates and jagged edges. The green part changes color, acquiring a burgundy color by autumn.
Sadko berries are red with a coral shade, densely cover the branches every year. Both young and adult shoots are capable of fruiting. Old stems are subject to culling, the yield of which is gradually decreasing, and the fruits are becoming smaller.
With proper care, the first berries can be expected already in the second season after planting, but only bushes over 4 years old are considered adults. By this age, Sadko has an optimal number of shoots, and the yield of fruits reaches varietal values.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Experts attribute Sadko to gooseberries with average winter hardiness and do not recommend testing it in regions with harsh winters. Gardeners claim that the young hybrid of the Lada variety, which is characterized by increased resistance to cold, inherited the ability of the mother culture to easily tolerate low temperatures. The ability to grow quickly allows Sadko bushes to completely restore the damaged aerial part, provided that the roots are well overwintered.
The drought resistance of the Sadko gooseberry variety, according to the description and reviews of gardeners, allows the culture to easily acclimatize in the heat, the berries do not wither and do not bake in the sun.
Fruiting, productivity
The Sadko variety bears fruit stably after 5 years of age. The average yield per bush is about 6 kg per season, which, in case of mass plantings, provides an output of 1 to 1.5 kg of fruits per 1 sq. m.
Varietal characteristics of Sadko berries:
- the weight of an average berry is from 3.5 to 4.5 g;
- large specimens grow up to 8 g (mainly on young shoots);
- the shape of the berries is oval, sometimes pear-shaped;
- longitudinal venation of fruits is distinct;
- the peel is dense, sourish;
- abundant waxy coating.
The gooseberry variety Sadko belongs to sweet and sour table varieties; it officially received 4 points for taste. In practice, the accumulation of sugars in fruits is highly dependent on light and rainfall. The commercial qualities of ripe Sadko fruits are high. The content of sugars reaches 7.5%, acids - 2.2%, the concentration of vitamin C is about 25 mg per 100 g of berry mass.
The use of Sadko gooseberries is universal: they use fresh berries, in compotes, preserves, jams, jellies. The fruits are used to make wines and liqueurs. The high content of nutrients allows the use of Sadko gooseberry berries in the treatment of diseases associated with a lack of vitamins, essential micro- or macroelements, and a decrease in immunity.
A feature of the Sadko variety is the ability to retain color during heat treatment and conservation. The dense, elastic skin of the gooseberry does not burst when heated and allows the fruit to be easily transported.
Advantages and disadvantages
Positive qualities of the Sadko variety when grown in different climatic zones:
- Resistant to heat and frost. Gooseberries tolerate both seasonal and daily temperature fluctuations well.
- The compactness of the bush and low thorniness make it easier to care for, picking berries and allow you to place a large number of bushes in a limited space.
- Increased resistance to typical gooseberry diseases - spotting and powdery mildew.
- Excellent presentation, keeping quality, transportability of berries. Sadko fruits tolerate canning and freezing well.
Among the disadvantages of the Sadko variety, only the sour taste, the density of the gooseberry rind and the need to wait for full fruiting about 5 years from the moment of planting are noted.
Breeding features
Vegetative propagation allows obtaining the necessary planting material without losing the characteristics of the variety. Gooseberry cuttings and layers root equally well. The erect stems of Sadko make it somewhat difficult to fix them in the soil, but this method gives a stronger and already adapted seedlings without additional work.
The division of the bush is carried out only in plants over 6 years old. This procedure can be carried out if it is necessary to transfer the gooseberries to a new place. You should not specially dig Sadko for reproduction - an adult bush takes a long time to recover after transplantation.
Planting and leaving
Sadko gooseberries are planted in open ground in early spring or autumn, timing so that the seedling has time to take root, but does not begin to build up the green mass. When buying seedlings in containers, work can be done at any warm season.
The place for Sadko is sunny, well protected from drafts and winds prevailing in winter. The best yield of the variety was noted on loamy soils with a neutral reaction. If there is a danger of moisture stagnation in spring or autumn, crushed stone, expanded clay, sand or broken brick should be prepared as drainage.
For mass plantings, rows are marked, leaving about 1 m between the plants (at least 80 cm), between the rows of Sadko bushes, passages up to 2 m are arranged, or the plants are staggered.
Sequence of work:
- The soil is dug up, removing weeds and adding lime if necessary to deoxidize the soil.
- Mark out the rows. Dig planting holes at least 50 cm deep.The diameter of the recess should be at least twice the size of the root system of the seedling.
- The soil extracted from the pit is mixed with compost or other fertile substrate, adding a glass of complex fertilizers and wood ash per plant.
- Place the Sadko seedling vertically in the center of the pit, and carefully cover the roots with soil.
After planting, Sadko gooseberries are watered abundantly and cut off, leaving no more than 5 buds on each shoot.
Growing rules
Gooseberry Sadko is unpretentious, but gratefully responds to leaving. The main activities required by bushes in temperate climates:
- top dressing;
- shaping;
- weeding and loosening.
Watering is carried out only when necessary, if the soil dries up during flowering, pouring fruits or at the beginning of leaf fall. Do not irrigate when the berries are ripening, otherwise the taste may become watery, and the fruits will not accumulate enough sugars.
The gooseberry bush is able to bear fruit abundantly for more than 15 years, so the plant requires annual feeding. Starting from the year of the appearance of the first berries, Sadko is fertilized with a solution of completely rotted manure, diluted 1 in 10 with water. This feeding can be repeated several times a season, every 15-20 days, stopping work in early July.
Nitrogen fertilizers can be applied under the gooseberry in a dry form, sprinkling 20 g of urea or 30 g of ammonium nitrate per bush in the near-trunk circle in the spring. After harvest, phosphorus and potash formulations are acceptable to prepare the plant for winter.
Foliar dressing with special complex fertilizers prevents leaf chlorosis. Once every 3 years, in the fall, Sadko's gooseberries should be fed abundantly, adding rotted manure (up to 5 kg), superphosphate (25 g), potassium sulfate (50 g) under each bush.
The main methods of forming bushes of the Sadko variety:
- Immediately after planting, all shoots are shortened: strong up to 3-4 buds, weak up to 1-2.
- The next year, the 5 strongest growths are chosen, the rest are cut to the level of the soil.
- Further pruning is carried out annually in the resting phase: in early spring or in autumn after leaf fall.
- Old, frozen or dried stems are cut to healthy wood or removed completely.
- All sections larger than 1 cm must be treated with garden pitch.
The mature Sadko shrub consists of 8-10 sturdy stems, forming a compact vertical crown without deviating branches.
In the southern regions, the Sadko variety winters without shelter. In a more severe climate, the bushes are mulched with a layer of up to 10 cm.In case of danger of damage by rodents, spruce branches are laid. The crown is freely covered with breathable garden material and tied without tightening - the more air there is under the shelter, the less the danger of branches falling out.
Pests and diseases
Sadko is a variety resistant to spotting and powdery mildew, according to gardeners, the culture is very rare. Most often, diseases are provoked by improper agricultural technology: excessive watering, the presence of weeds on the site, thickening of the crown.
To prevent garden infections in early spring, Sadko gooseberries are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (2%) or Fitosporin. All plant residues (leaves, branches, dry grass, old mulch) are removed in autumn and burned outside the site.
Most often, the Sadko variety is threatened by such typical gooseberry pests:
- spider mite;
- shoot aphid;
- sawfly;
- moth.
To prevent the attacks of any insects, even before the buds open, gooseberry plantings are sprayed with Fufanon's solution.When an infection is detected, special preparations are used, selected according to the type of pests: Actellik, Karbofos, Vofatox, Khostakvik.
To scare away dangerous insects, folk methods are used: gooseberries are sprayed with horseradish infusions, pollinated with ash, aphids are washed off with soapy water. Tomatoes, garlic, mint are planted in the aisles. Protects bushes from pests in the vicinity of the elderberry.
Conclusion
Gooseberry Sadko is a new improved variety, which, as a result of selection, received resistance to the most dangerous diseases of horticultural crops. Powdery mildew, which affects berry plantings in any climate, can ruin the crop and the entire bush, does not threaten healthy, well-groomed plants. The bright fruits of the Sadko gooseberry are not only tasty, but also have a high concentration of vitamins, which makes it one of the most promising crops for cultivation in the middle lane and northern regions.
