Gooseberry Black Negus

Collections of vegetable and fruit and berry crops from private gardeners contain not only modern results of breeding achievements, but also varieties that are more than a dozen years old, from those that can be safely attributed to the category of retro. Gooseberry Black Negus has been known since the first half of the twentieth century on the territory of the Moscow region, the middle zone, and the Leningrad region. Despite the fact that the variety is considered universal, and the berry can be eaten fresh, the most common way to use it is canned food in the form of compotes, jams, and also excellent wine is made from it.

The author of the Black Negus was Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin, who received it as a result of crossing the varieties Krasilny and Anibut. Due to the excessive prickling, the gooseberry did not receive industrial distribution, but it became an excellent source for obtaining sphero-resistant varieties.

A vigorous spherical bush reaches 150-200 cm in height, in an adult form it can be even higher. Thick, sturdy shoots are covered with long large double and triple thorns located in each internode, which allows it to be used as a hedge. The branches are covered with delicate bright green three to five-lobed leaves attached to long thin petioles. The leaf plate is dull, slightly wrinkled with a pubescent surface, along the edges it is covered with small denticles. The spreading bush can be up to three meters in diameter.

Round-oval medium-sized berries weighing from 3.5 to 5.7 g are colored dark purple, almost black with a reddish tint clearly visible in the bright sun. Thin but strong skin reliably protects the fruits from cracking and ensures transportability over long distances, taking up to 15-23 days. The berry is not prone to shedding, and is able to remain on the bushes until late autumn, is rich in vitamins and minerals:

• vitamins C, B, P, A and others;

• trace elements - calcium, manganese, potassium, iodine, iron, copper, zinc.

In addition, Black Negus berries contain an increased amount of anthocyanins, pectins, folic and ascorbic acids.

Juicy dense pulp has a sweet-sour dessert taste and a strong aroma. The variety has earned a tasting rating of 4.63-4.74 points out of 5 possible.

The variety belongs to the mid-season category, the harvest is harvested in late July - early August. The early maturity of the variety is 2-3 years after planting. The duration of the productive period reaches 20 years or more, subject to proper agricultural technology.

Black Negus is considered a high-yielding variety - from 3.5 to 6.8 kg per bush, with a stable annual fruiting.

The variety is adapted for the middle zone of the Russian Federation.

The plant is planted in autumn and spring, but preference is given to the autumn season, 1.5 months before the onset of cold weather. This time is enough for the root system to get stronger. The most viable plants are considered to be two or three years old. A sunny place for planting is chosen, light partial shade is permissible, but the variety does not tolerate the proximity of groundwater and low-lying wetlands, since such a neighborhood threatens the appearance of root rot.

As for the soil composition, the Black Negus does not have any special requirements for the soil, but it develops best on sandy loam or loamy soils with a neutral acidity level. The site is prepared two weeks before planting, subjecting it to cleaning from the roots during digging, as well as enrichment with organic matter (compost, humus), superphosphate and potassium fertilizers, wood ash.

The size of the planting pit is 50x50x50 cm, heavy soil must be loosened with river sand. The distance between the bushes is 1.5 meters. The roots are soaked for a while in a solution of stimulants and a root former in accordance with the instructions. When planting, the root collar is buried 5-6 cm, the soil is compacted and well watered. The next day, the soil must be loosened or immediately covered with a thick layer of peat mulch. No more than 5 buds are left on the shoots, everything else is cut off.

Further care consists in timely watering in the first year, with the exception of the rainy season, when there is enough natural moisture. In the future, the bushes are watered 5-6 times per season, especially during budding and ripening of fruits. Gooseberries do not like overhead irrigation, so it is best to irrigate under the root or by drip.

Top dressing begins in the third year, introducing superphosphate, potash, phosphorus fertilizers, organic matter and nitrogen into the soil of the trunk circle.

The tendency of the variety to form multiple shoots leads to thickening, so formative and sanitary pruning is necessary. The optimal time for the procedure is autumn, although in spring the bushes are also checked for the presence of dried, damaged and not overwintered shoots. In the fall, remove excess branches growing inward, damaged and affected, as well as broken, weak, curved and horizontal shoots, unless it is planned to obtain cuttings. A correct bush 4 or 6 years old should consist of 30 strong stems, no more.

After 6 years, the bush enters the aging period, and from that time on, annual anti-aging procedures are needed - all branches older than 6-8 years must be removed. In the third and fourth years, they begin to remove the basal shoots, allowing only a few, the most robust trunks to develop. For pruning, you should use a sharp pruner so that the cuts remain even, easy to handle with garden pitch. Sprawling powerful bushes need support. Wooden support frames are erected around single bushes, but if the bushes grow in a row along the border of the site, then they organize a trellis.

The variety has a strong immunity, which is why it is very popular in breeding work. Black Negus is highly resistant to powdery mildew, septoria, anthracnose.Almost not affected by fungal diseases.

The variety has good winter hardiness and the ability to quickly adapt to adverse weather conditions.