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Gooseberry is a shrub plant of the Gooseberry family, belonging to the Currant genus. There are a huge number of varieties of this culture, differing in terms of fruiting, stinging, yield, color and taste of berries, so it will not be difficult to choose according to your taste. Gooseberry Sirius is a medium-late ripening variety, popular among Russian gardeners due to its low studding.
Description of gooseberry Sirius
The Sirius variety was bred by crossing two types of gooseberries: Captivator and Besshipny. Included in the State Register of Russia in 1994, recommended for cultivation in the Central Black Earth Region.
The Sirius gooseberry forms an upright shrub of medium density. The height of the culture is about 1 m. The branching of this variety is vertical, strong, without pruning, the bush is prone to thickening of the crown.
Young shoots of the Sirius gooseberry are straight or with a slightly curved top, the color is light green, there is no pubescence. Old (lignified) branches are thickened, light beige. There are practically no thorns on the branches of this variety. Occasionally found thorns are located in the lower part of the shoot. The spines are single, shortened, dark in color, directed downward.
In the Sirius gooseberry variety, the leaf buds are enlarged, have an ovoid shape with a blunt apex, the color is dark brown or brown, no pubescence is observed.
The foliage is matte, light green in color. On palpation, wrinkles and slight pubescence are noticeable. The leaves are convex with large obtuse denticles at the edges. The sheet has 3-5 lobes with deep cutouts. The color of the veins does not differ from the main color of the foliage.
The leaves are attached to the branches at an angle of 45 ° using elongated petioles of medium thickness.
The flowering of the Sirius gooseberry is pale, the flowers are medium-sized, inconspicuous. The brush is formed by 1-2 flowers. The ovary of this variety has a weak pubescence.
The diameter of the berries in the Sirius variety is different, the weight ranges from 3.5-4 g. The dark red berries have a rounded shape, a wax bloom is visible on them, there is no pubescence. The skin covering the berries is of medium thickness and quite firm, which is a plus for transportation. The seeds are present in the berries, but not in excessive quantities. Light streaks are visible on the fruits; they differ in color from the main color.
The taste of Sirius gooseberries is sweet, after ripening is sweet with a pleasant sourness. Assessment on a five-point scale - 4.3 points.
Gooseberry belongs to self-fertile crops, but with cross-pollination it is possible to significantly increase the yield rate, therefore it is advisable to plant 2-3 varieties on the site that bloom simultaneously with Sirius. In addition, bees pollinate gooseberries, but in cold weather and high humidity during flowering, there is a risk of partial shedding of flowers, which affects productivity.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Gooseberry Sirius is a drought-resistant variety, but watering is necessary in case of prolonged drought. Moisturizing is especially important during the period of ovary emergence and after harvest. Young seedlings need regular watering (2-3 times a month).
The Sirius gooseberry variety is distinguished by good frost resistance, in snowy winters it can withstand up to -32 ° C, but if the growing region has little snow, it is recommended to insulate the roots of the seedlings with mulching materials.
Fruiting, productivity
The Sirius variety is medium late in terms of ripening. The first crop on a bush can be harvested 3-4 years after planting. The ripeness of gooseberries occurs in 1.5-2 months after flowering, that is, approximately in the first half of August.
The yield from each bush depends on the growing conditions and weather in the region, the average is 3-3.5 kg.
The berries of this variety have a pleasant sour-sweet taste. They have a universal purpose. The harvested crop can be processed or used fresh. Jams, preserves, compotes are made from berries. Thanks to its strong skin, the Sirius variety is well transported and stored.
The variety is not resistant to berry baking. In the southern regions, in direct sunlight, the bush can suffer from foliage and fruit burns. In this case, shading is necessary.
Advantages and disadvantages
Gooseberry Sirius inherited the best parental characteristics. The advantages of the variety include:
- tallness;
- a small number of thorns;
- good keeping quality of berries;
- transportability;
- frost resistance;
- drought resistance;
- dessert taste of fruits and their versatility.
Among the disadvantages are:
- weak resistance to powdery mildew;
- caking of berries in a sultry period.
Proper care, top dressing, shading from the scorching rays of the sun, preventive treatment for diseases will help increase the yield of Sirius gooseberries.
Breeding features
Sirius gooseberry propagation is carried out in various ways. The seed method is considered economically inexpedient, since as a result, you can get a bush that does not match the characteristics of the parent plant. Effective breeding methods for Sirius gooseberries:
- layering;
- lignified and green cuttings;
- dividing the bush (over five years of age).
If you choose between lignified and green cuttings, then the latter show the fastest survival rate in all varieties of gooseberries.
The main breeding method for the Sirius variety is the layering method. To do this, choose powerful annual growths or two-year shoots with good growth. Algorithm of the procedure:
- soil preparation in the spring. They dig up the earth under the bushes, fertilize;
- the formation of grooves. Grooves are made from the mother gooseberry bush in the ground;
- fixing shoots. The selected branches are bent to the ground, placed in the furrows and fixed with the help of materials at hand.
After that, the shoots are covered with earth, watered, and the tops are pinched.
The emerging shoots are spud with humus or wet soil. In early autumn, the layers of Sirius gooseberry are ready for transplant. They are separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a prepared site. Young cuttings will definitely need shelter for the winter.
Planting and leaving
The best time to plant a gooseberry seedling is early autumn. The growing season is already over, but before frost there is time for rooting. If planting is carried out too late in the fall, there is a risk of the seedling freezing out.
For good fruiting, gooseberries need to choose a place to plant. This can be a fairly well-lit area with fertile soil.
The choice of planting material is carried out according to the following criteria:
- root system... It should be well developed, branched;
- aerial part... The seedling must have at least two strong shoots.
It is better to purchase gooseberries in a peat pot, in this case the risk of damage to the root system during transplantation is reduced to zero.
The landing technology is as follows:
- The landing hole is prepared in advance. The size depends on the size of the root system.The approximate size of the pit: diameter 40 cm, depth 60 cm.
- Drainage is poured into the pit, then a nutrient soil mixture consisting of 1 bucket of compost (humus), 200 g of superphosphate and 200 g of wood ash. The last component can be replaced with 50 g of potassium sulfate. Add 50 g of limestone.
- A seedling is installed, the roots are spread over a mound with the ground.
- Fill the pit with the remaining soil mixture.
- Watered with water, each bush will need 5 liters.
- To avoid rapid loss of moisture and prevent the growth of weeds, the trunk circle is mulched.
Growing rules
Sirius gooseberries are sensitive to drying out of the soil, especially during the period of setting and ripening of fruits, therefore it is recommended to carry out drip or subsoil watering. During irrigation, the soil should be soaked by 20-30 cm. The amount of irrigation depends on the precipitation. It may take 3 to 5 waterings per season. Young seedlings are watered more often, they need more moisture for rooting.
Sirius gooseberry pruning is done in spring or autumn. Before the start of sap flow, weak, frozen and broken branches are removed, in the fall they get rid of thickening shoots. If the procedure is planned once a year, then autumn pruning is preferred.
Top dressing is carried out several times per season:
- in the spring two dressings are needed - before bud break (March) and before flowering (May). During this period, organic matter (rotted manure, bird droppings, compost) or minerals (urea, superphosphate, potassium nitrate) are used;
- in summer (June-July) make phosphorus-potassium compounds or organic matter (liquid manure);
- in the fall they loosen the earth around the bush, add humus, compost, wood ash, and mulch the trunk circle on top.
The branches of the Sirius gooseberry can bend to the ground under the weight of the berries, so many gardeners arrange props. Gooseberries of this variety can be grown on a trellis or use a hoop to support branches. You can make a welded structure from pipes or buy a special bush holder.
To protect the gooseberry from rodents, it is necessary to place poisoned baits on the site. Spruce needles treated with creolin can be poured into the trunk circle. A mousetrap will become an effective tool. It is made from a plastic bottle and buried in the ground (see photo).
Young Sirius gooseberry seedlings need shelter for the winter. After trimming, the gooseberries are tied with a soft twine and wrapped with agrospan or other insulating material. In early spring, the shelter is removed. For adult shrubs, an increase in the mulch layer in the trunk circle is sufficient.
Pests and diseases
The following insects are dangerous for the Sirius gooseberry: aphid, moth, sawfly, moth. To prevent the invasion of pests, the crown is treated with copper sulfate. Digging the soil around the seedlings is mandatory. To eliminate insects will help: Chlorofos, Karbofos, Fitoverm. Damaged shoots must be pruned and burned.
Of the diseases on the Sirius gooseberry variety, you can find:
- powdery mildew... For preventive purposes, early spraying of bushes and soil with 2% Nitrofen solution is carried out. The crown is treated with a soap and soda solution (for 10 liters of water, 50 g of soda and laundry soap);
- anthracnose... For elimination, copper oxychloride or Bordeaux liquid is used;
- white spot... Bordeaux liquid (1%) is suitable for processing;
- rust... The bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid three times (after 8-10 days).
Conclusion
The Sirius gooseberry can be grown in various regions of Russia. In areas with cold winters with little snow, the bushes will need shelter. Gooseberries of this variety are distinguished by their dessert taste and beautiful colors.They are used in the food and cosmetic industries.
