Description of gooseberry variety Kolobok

Description of the variety

The Kolobok variety was bred by VSTISP breeders by crossing two very popular gooseberry varieties “Pink 2” and “Smena”. In 1988, after short and very successful tests, it was entered into the State Register and allowed for cultivation in several regions of Russia: Central, Central Black Earth, Volgo-Vyatka and East Siberian.

In terms of ripening, gooseberries are mid-ripening - the berries reach full maturity by mid-July. The bush is impressive in size. Its external description is as follows: vigorous, branches are powerful, spreading, inclining to the bottom, young shoots are very long, slightly branching, smooth (without thorns and not pubescent). The bark of stiff shoots is light gray, smooth - thorns are located only in the nodes of the leaves perpendicular to the branch.

The leaves are large, green above, glossy, below - grayish, matte. The edges of the leaf plates are even, serrated, rounded at the petioles. The petioles are short and smooth, on the shoot are located at an acute angle. The flowers are pinkish-green, collected in small clusters. One cluster contains large and medium flowers. The peduncle is short, bifurcated.

Berries of the Kolobok variety are medium (3-4 g) and large (5-7 g). On bushes that have been properly cared for, berries can grow up to 8 g. In shape, the berries are round, sometimes slightly elongated, dark red in color. The rind is of medium density, with a slight waxy coating. The pulp is very juicy, sweet and sour, crunchy, contains a few small seeds. The sugar content in the pulp is 8.7%, ascorbic acid is 25 mg, and there are many anthocyanins. The berries are easily removed from the branch, but do not crumble when ripe.

Characteristic

Gooseberry variety "Kolobok" grows well and bears fruit in areas with a temperate continental climate. But if you provide proper care and optimal conditions, then its cultivation can be quite successful even in harsh climates with cold and long winters. This variety perfectly tolerates severe frosts, but is afraid of sudden temperature changes - a sudden thaw and a decrease in the degree to zero cause irreparable harm to the shrub and can lead to its death.

This is a significant disadvantage of the variety, however, for residents of regions with stable frosty winters, this is rather an advantage, since it is not easy to choose a frost-resistant gooseberry variety for their climate. Another disadvantage is its low drought tolerance. In the absence of rain, gooseberries need to be watered periodically, and maintaining normal soil moisture is the main care of the crop.

However, the Kolobok variety has positive aspects that make it a favorite among other types of gooseberries. Of its advantages, it can be noted:

• high survival rate of young shoots;

• a small number of thorns (thorns) on the shoots;

• high frost resistance (this variety can be grown even in Siberia);

• good resistance to infectious and fungal diseases (many gardeners noted that when other gooseberry species growing in the garden are affected by powdery mildew, the Kolobok variety remains healthy);

• high yield (by providing proper care, up to 10 kg of berries can be removed from one bush);

• excellent presentation of berries (ripe gooseberries are well transported and do not crumble from the branches for a long time).

Growing features

This gooseberry variety can be planted in autumn or early spring. Autumn planting is more successful, since before the frost the seedlings will have time to take root, and by the spring of next year a full-fledged young bush will already grow. Spring planting should be carried out around mid-March so that the seedlings develop a root system before the start of the growing process.

When choosing a place where the gooseberry will be planted, the following recommendations should be followed:

• The area should be open to the sun.

• Groundwater should be located at a depth of 1.5–2 m. This gooseberry does not like drought, but excessive moisture is harmful for it, as it contributes to the development of fungal diseases.

• Currants and raspberries are considered bad predecessors for seedlings - planting after these crops leads to frequent diseases of the bushes.

• The soil should be loose, fertile, neutral or slightly acidic.

The landing itself is carried out in the following sequence:

• A hole is dug about 0.5 m wide and deep. For autumn planting, a hole is dug in 2-3 weeks, in spring - in a week.

• Compost and ash are laid out at the bottom of the pit, if planting occurs in the spring, then mineral mixtures (potassium sulfate, superphosphate) are also added to the pit.

• The seedling is placed vertically in the hole and covered with earth so that the root collar is deepened by 6-7 cm.

• The bush is well watered and the shoots are cut so that 5-6 buds remain on each.

• Finally, the seedlings are mulched with peat, humus or other organic materials - mulch will prevent moisture evaporation and crust formation.

Further care for the gooseberry includes the following activities:

• systematic removal of weeds and loosening of the soil around the bushes and in the aisles (if there is no mulch);

• watering if necessary (watering must be strictly at the root, sprinkling is not recommended, as it contributes to the appearance of fungal diseases);

• complex feeding 1 time / 1 year (compost 0.5 buckets / 1 bush, superphosphate 50 g, ammonium sulfate 25 g and potassium sulfate 25 g);

• regular pruning and shrub formation.

Pruning shoots is a must, as the bushes tend to thicken. As already mentioned, the first pruning is carried out immediately after planting the seedlings. In the second year, all weak shoots that have not reached a length of 20 cm, as well as those located near the ground, should be eliminated. In subsequent years, it is only necessary to thin out the crown, prune the shoots and get rid of the root branches.

The formation of fruiting bushes is carried out in the spring. During pruning, you should remove all basal shoots and those that do not have ovaries, and they interfere with the growth of the bush. Shoots, strongly inclined to the ground, are shortened. After the end of fruiting, the branches are pruned again - next year they will form most of the crop.

If proper care is provided, the bushes begin to bear fruit in 3-4 years, and consistently give a high yield for 10-15 years.

Video "Kolobok gooseberry"

We offer you a small review of the Kolobok gooseberry. You will get acquainted with its features and cultivation experience.