We grow gumi fruit shrubs on our site

China is considered the birthplace of gumi, but the Japanese were the first to actively cultivate it. They also brought it to the territory of the Far East. It was here, on Sakhalin, that Russian scientists took up the selection of this fruit shrub. Today, the culture is spread throughout Russia.

Brief botanical description

According to the botanical classification, gumi (many-flowered sucker) belongs to the sucker family and is a relative of sea buckthorn. The plant forms a vigorous branchy shrub with flexible spiny shoots. Reaches a height of 1.5-2 meters. During the flowering period, the bush is abundantly covered with numerous fragrant flowers and can perform a decorative function.

Flowering of the multi-flowered sucker occurs at the end of May. 1.5 months after pollination, gumi fruits ripen - small oval drupes. In the phase of biological ripeness, they have a red skin with light dots and are able to hold out on the bush until frost without shedding. The juicy and transparent pulp has a sour-sweet taste with a slight astringency.

In the East, gumi berries have been used in folk medicine since ancient times. In Russia, they are usually dried or frozen and used for compotes in winter. They are also added to, sauces, jams.

Thus, the multi-flowered sucker can perform several functions on the site:

• decorative;
• honey-bearing;
• economic.

In regions with mild winters, this shrub is able to show the qualities of an evergreen plant, while maintaining its decorative effect throughout the year.

Nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria readily develop on the root system of the multiflorous sucker. Therefore, planting this plant can serve to improve the soil on the site.

Growing conditions

The gumi shrub is unpretentious and easily takes root in the Russian climate, but its successful cultivation requires suitable conditions:

1. Good insolation. The plant is able to tolerate shade, but a decent yield is observed only when planted in an open sunny area.
2. Light, but moisture-intensive soil. The root system of the shrub is widely branched in the upper layers of the soil. On heavy clays, it will be very waterlogged, and on sands it will dry out. Therefore, fertile loams or sandy loams are preferred for planting.
3. Cross pollination. The flowers of the sucker are monoecious, and the culture is capable of self-pollination. But cross-pollination significantly increases the yield, and simultaneous planting of 2-3 plants is advisable.

Under good conditions, the yield of berries is 8-9 kg per bush.

Practice shows that the sucker winters well in the middle lane. But gumi is a plant with low frost resistance, and in severe winter its shoots can freeze slightly.
Therefore, gardeners in Siberia or the northern regions must provide protective shelters for their plantings.

For better wintering, the shoots of the multi-flowered sucker can be bent to the ground, and the bush can be covered with two layers of spunbond with a density of 60 g / m 2.

Gumi varieties: characteristics and photos

Gumi varieties began to be recorded by the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 1999. To date, the list of plants approved for use in Russia includes 9 items:

1. Sakhalin first. The berries of this early ripe variety are egg-shaped, red in color, and their average weight is 1.4 g. The taste of the fruit is pleasant, refreshing, with sourness, the tasting score is 4 points. It has excellent resistance to infections, is almost not damaged by pests.
   
2. Moneron. The value of the variety is increased frost resistance and stable yield. Ripening of berries occurs in the middle terms. They have a mass of 1.5 g and a high sugar content in the pulp. Evaluation during tasting - 4 points. Disadvantages - average resistance to infections and pests.
   
3. Thais. Early maturing dessert variety, with thorns only on old shoots in the lower part, which makes caring for the plant and bending it down for the winter easier. Resistance to frost is increased, to infections and pests - at an average level. Small berries have an average weight of 1.2 g, the taste is sour, delicate. Tasting score - 4.5 points.
   
4. Crillon. It is best suited for freezing. The gumi berry of this variety is bright red, thin-skinned, sweet with a pronounced but gentle astringency. Tasting score - 5 points. Winter hardiness is high, which makes it possible to recommend Crillon for cultivation in all Russian regions.
   
5. Shikotan. An early ripe variety of many-flowered sucker with large berries (on average - 2.1 g). The high percentage of sugar in fruits makes them sweet. During the tasting, the commission gave a high assessment of the taste of Shikotan fruits - 5 points. The winter hardiness of the gumi plant is good, but fungal infections are sometimes observed.
   
6. Southern. Variety with cylindrical large berries (on average - 2.3 g each). The skin is red, tender, the fruits themselves are very juicy, sweet in taste, with a pleasant astringency, they were evaluated at tasting at 5 points. Winter-hardy plant with average productivity. Resistance to fungi and pests is average.
   
7. Kunashir. A late-ripening variety characterized by high fruit quality. The berries are thin-skinned, averaging 2.2 g each. The pulp is juicy, with a high percentage of sugar, tart. Tasting score - 5 points. The plant is vigorous, frost-resistant, with decent immunity to infections and pests.
   
8. Tsunai. Mid-season variety with strong spiny shoots. Forms a shrub of medium height. The berries are medium-sized (1.9 g), with a dense skin. The taste of the pulp is sour, the juiciness is high, the tasting score is 5 points. Winter hardiness and immunity to fungi are at a high level, the plant is rarely damaged by pests.
   
9. Paramushir. The youngest gumi variety, introduced in 2016. A vigorous bush with late ripening and berries weighing 1.8 g. The pulp is covered with a thin delicate skin, juicy, tart and sweet in taste. Tasting score - 5 points. The appointment of Paramushir is universal. Winter hardiness is at a high level, which allows us to recommend the plant for all regions of Russia. Immunity to infections and pests is good.
   

When choosing a variety, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of your site. If it is located in a region with frosty winters, winter hardiness should be the defining characteristic. For growing in mild but rainy climates, plant resistance to fungal infections is more important.

Landing and care

In central Russia and in colder regions, gumi seedlings take root better during spring planting. In the south, it is better to postpone the acquisition and planting until autumn, so that the hot sun does not dry out the young plant before it grows a good root system.

Landing is carried out in a previously prepared landing pit. Its dimensions depend on the size of the root system of the seedling. The average depth is 0.5 m, the diameter is 0.8-1 m. The step-by-step landing of the gumi looks like this:

• lays a drainage layer at the bottom of the pit - expanded clay or crushed brick;
• in a separate container, a fertile mixture of garden soil, compost and coarse sand is prepared;
• 200 g and 600 g of wood ash per bush are added to the soil mixture;
• part of the soil mixture is poured into the bottom of the pit with a mound;
• the seedling is placed on the top of the mound so that the root collar is located at the level of the soil;
• the roots of the gumi seedling are straightened along the slopes of the mound and covered with the rest of the soil mixture;
• plentiful watering and mulching of the near-stem circle is carried out.

For the first time after planting, the seedling should be shaded from the bright sun and the soil moisture should be monitored.

Seedlings with a closed root system are transferred to the planting pit along with an earthen clod.

Further care of the gumi seedling consists of regular watering, weed removal and prevention of fungal infections. Feeding starts next year:

• spring top dressing - 8 kg of compost, 30 g of double superphosphate and 150 g under a bush;
• summer top dressing - watering with fermented herbal infusion 1 time in 2 weeks;
• autumn top dressing - 40 g of potassium magnesia per 1 m 2 of the near-stem circle.

Successful gumi cultivation also means regular pruning. In autumn, dry and diseased shoots are removed from young plants, and frozen branches are shortened to healthy wood in spring. Starting from the 10th year of life, the bushes need rejuvenating pruning. To do this, the oldest trunks are cut out, the rest are cut off by one third of the length.

Proper selection of varieties, compliance with growing conditions and good care will ensure stable annual fruiting of gumi and decent yields.

Gumi propagation by green cuttings - video