Gooseberry Ural emerald

Gooseberry, a plant from the currant family, has spread across the planet from the regions of North Africa and Western Europe. In Russia, it was grown already in the XI century. The modern collection has been replenished with many new varieties with unique properties. The Ural emerald is considered one of the best results of domestic breeding. Its fruits have a universal purpose, are suitable for fresh consumption, amazing preserves, jams, confitures, and jam are made from them.

The authorship of the gooseberry Ural emerald belongs to the breeder of the South Ural Research Institute of Horticulture and Potato Growing V. S. Ilyin. The culture was obtained as a result of crossing the varieties Samorodok and Pervenets Minusinsk. Approved for use in 2000

A dense, medium-sized, weakly spreading bush has shoots with medium thorniness. One-, two- and three-split spines are located in nodes of medium length (7-9 cm). The growth of the thorn is perpendicular to the carrier, sometimes the direction is changed to the upper or lower. The upper nodes and internodes have no spines.

Advantages of the variety:

• early maturity and self-fertility;

• high yields and lack of tendency to shedding;

• good resistance to traditional diseases and pests.

The disadvantages of the Ural emerald are the difficulty in harvesting and caring for the crown due to the large number of thorns.

Growing upright shoots are colored in green tones with a strong sheen, at the tops the color takes on anthocyanin shades. Mature lignified branches are covered with a matte light brownish-gray bark. The bush is covered with leaves of various sizes with a dark green shiny wrinkled surface. The gooseberry blooms with large, matte pink brightly colored single flowers.

A one-dimensional round-oval berry of medium, sometimes large size, weighing 3.5-7.5 grams, painted in pale green tones with white veins and covered with a thin skin.

The fruits have a sweet and sour taste. Juicy pulp contains an average amount of seeds, has a balanced chemical composition:

• the amount of sugars - 9.3%;

• titratable acidity - 2.2%;

• ascorbic acid - 20.5 mg / 100 g.

Gooseberry is widely used in folk medicine, it is even used in traditional medicine, since its fruits are not only a delicacy. Organic acids (citric, malic and others), pectins, vitamin C, vitamin E, provitamin L, carotene, various pigments, micro- and macroelements solve problems such as:

• violations of the gastrointestinal tract;

• normalization of pressure, acceleration of metabolism;

• increased hemoglobin, treatment of anemia, liver;

• gooseberry is able to inhibit the development of cancer cells;

• it is used as a laxative and in the treatment of dermatological problems such as psoriasis.

The variety received the highest tasting mark - 5 points out of five possible.

Ural emerald belongs to the early category - the harvest is harvested in early July, in the south a little earlier. Fruiting occurs 3-4 years after planting. The bush is able to actively bear fruit up to 25 years, if you follow agrotechnical rules and carry out rejuvenation.

The variety shows high yield results - up to 7 tons per hectare in the conditions of the Central and southern regions. But, even in the harsh Siberian regions, with good care, the bush will reward with a harvest from two to five kilograms of a beautiful, healthy and tasty berry.

Officially, the regions of cultivation are the West Siberian and East Siberian regions, but in fact, the variety is found in all regions of the Russian Federation.

Despite the fact that the variety is considered self-fertile (38.9%), cross-pollination, along with self-pollination, has a beneficial effect on yield indicators. Beryl, the Commander can be planted next to the Ural emerald. Weak spreading of the bushes allows planting with a distance of 1-1.5 m between the roots. Gooseberries prefer areas with good lighting, but unlike many, they do not require protection from winds and drafts.

As for the soil, here the variety makes more stringent requirements - it shows the best result on loose fertile loams. The moisture level should not exceed moderate levels, so low-lying wetlands are not suitable, as well as those where there is a close occurrence of groundwater. If there is no other place, then you can organize an artificial hill - a flower bed 40-50 cm high.

Saplings are planted in spring and autumn, with preference given to the autumn season, if climatic conditions permit. The usual dates are late September and mid-October. Even a three-week period of warmth will allow the seedlings to take root and overwinter safely. In the spring, they will start the growing season on time. Planting in the spring takes time for rooting and adaptation.

The planting pit 70x70 cm, perhaps a little larger, is filled by about ⅓ with compost or humus mixed with the removed soil, superphosphate and wood ash are added. When planting, the root collar is buried 6-10 cm, the soil is compacted and well watered with warm water. The next day, a layer of mulch from peat, dry grass or straw is loosened or poured.

Further care does not require much effort, and does not differ from traditional measures. This is timely watering, the lack of moisture negatively affects the development of the plant and its vegetation. Weeding, loosening and mulching, as well as pruning and feeding - such measures are mandatory for any cultivated plants. The variety does not need abundant irrigation, but during the dry period, watering is carried out several times a season - in early spring during flowering and budding, then during the filling of berries, after harvest and in the fall to help the shrub overwinter.

Seasonal feeding is a little different from the conventional one. In the spring, during the growth of green mass, pay attention to the size of the leaf. If the leaves are large and shiny, then the plant does not need additional nitrogen. A little later, during the formation of the ovary, the bushes are fed with potassium-phosphorus compounds.

The variety has a tendency to build up an excessive number of shoots. To avoid thickening, and to provide access to the sun and air inside the crown, form pruning is carried out. Sanitary pruning is designed to rid the plant of old, broken, deformed and diseased branches. The procedures are carried out in early spring and autumn.

High frost resistance saved gardeners from the need to equip winter protection. However, young first-year bushes need to be protected for the winter so that immature plants can survive severe frosts. The variety is propagated by layering, cuttings, perennial branches, it is possible to sow seeds that give good germination. In addition, the Ural emerald tolerates bush division well.

The variety is resistant to diseases such as American powdery mildew, anthracnose, and pests - moth and sawfly. Usually, it does not need prophylactic treatments.

Ural emerald has high winter hardiness.