How to spray gooseberries during fruiting. Spring processing of gooseberries: step-by-step instructions

Spring processing of gooseberries is of great importance, since at this time not only the plant itself wakes up, but also pests, and pathogenic microbes become active. Therefore, in order to get a good harvest of berries from the bush, you need to start caring for it even before the buds open. There are many methods for early prevention and control of gooseberry pests and diseases; let’s look at the most effective and efficient of them.

How to process gooseberries in early spring - possible options

After the warm spring sun has driven away the snow, berry bushes growing in summer cottages begin to be actively attacked by various pests. Therefore, in order to protect the plant and get a good berry harvest in early spring, as soon as the temperature outside is positive not only during the day, but also at night, it is necessary to carry out the first treatment of the bushes.

It is difficult to name the exact date suitable for processing the plant, since in this case everything depends on weather and climatic conditions. Spring, moreover, in recent years has been completely unpredictable, with surprises. Therefore, you need to navigate based on the situation and condition of the bush: the best option is when the buds have not yet blossomed and opened.

Processing methods

How and how to process gooseberries in spring? - this question quite often arises among gardeners, especially those who planted this bush on their plot for the first time, or who in the previous year were unable to collect the berries they were growing due to illness or death of the plant. But before answering this question, it is necessary to establish which pests adversely affect the bush and where they winter. Although there is one old proven method that has been used for many years and is considered truly effective. Treating gooseberries with boiling water in the spring is, of course, not a panacea for all ills, but this method gives excellent results. Watering with boiling water is carried out at the end of March - beginning of April before the buds open, when the snow has already melted, but the ground is still frozen (it all depends on individual conditions). To do this, take plain water in an approximate volume of 10 liters for 3 bushes, which is boiled (this can be done in a gas bucket). But you can use the method that is most convenient for you - a boiler, a heating element, a bathhouse in the end. Only the boiled water is poured from the bucket (tank) into the watering can, which, firstly, will provide more convenient and optimal watering, and, secondly, cool the water a little - to about 80 degrees.

It is at this temperature that water will destroy many pests that are already on the branch, and those that overwintered in old leaves, but at the same time will not cause any damage to the bush itself. In this case, it is necessary not only for the plant to give the plant a hot spring shower, but also to thoroughly water the soil under the gooseberries, which will ensure the most effective destruction of pests and microbes that cause diseases. This method is especially miraculous for bushes suffering from powdery mildew and aphids. Some gardeners do not use plain water, but dissolve pharmaceutical aspirin in it (10 tablets of acetylsalicylic acid per bucket of water), which is considered the most effective.

As for spraying gooseberries in the spring with other means, here it is necessary to initially conduct an examination of the bush or remember what the plant suffered from last year. And based on this, select the optimal remedy.

• Powdery mildew

The berries are covered with a white coating, which over time turns into a thicker formation. Accordingly, the fruits become small and develop poorly, losing their taste. The leaves of the plant curl, dry out and fall off. To combat this disease and prevent it, use a soap-soda solution, which can be used even after the gooseberries bloom. For a bucket of water, take 50-70 grams of soda ash and a piece of laundry soap, crushed with a grater. The resulting mixture is used to treat the bushes. No less effective in this case is the ash solution, which is prepared as follows: 1 kg of sifted ash is dissolved in a bucket (12 liters) of warm water, the resulting mixture is infused for a week, stirring thoroughly every day. On the last day, the solution is left untouched, allowing it to infuse. The resulting mixture is filtered, getting rid of sediment, and the bushes are treated with infusion. In order for the liquid to remain on the leaves and branches of the gooseberry, you can add grated laundry soap to the final solution.

In addition, as a preventive measure, the plant is treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).

Small insects are visible to the naked eye on branches and leaves, destroying leaves, buds, and flowers, which leads to the death of the plant. Spring processing of currants and gooseberries consists of spraying the berry bushes with an infusion of garlic (300g of garlic, leaves and arrows can be infused in a meat grinder in 10 liters of warm water), as well as washing the shoots with a soap solution made from tar soap dissolved in water.

• Shields

This is also an insect. But unlike aphids, it is almost invisible on the branches of the plant. Scale insects stick to the branches and suck the juice out of them, which leads to the death of the gooseberry. For treatment, use the following solution: dissolve approximately 80 grams of crushed laundry soap in one liter of water and add half a teaspoon of kerosene. The resulting mixture is used to treat the bushes. By the way, as for kerosene, many pests cannot stand its smell. But it is necessary to use kerosene with caution, be sure to mix it with water, as otherwise you can harm the bush being treated.

• Sawflies and moths

These pests cause great harm to the plant. Not only do they destroy green shoots, but they also make the berries unsuitable for consumption. As a preventative measure, bushes are sprayed with an infusion of plants that contain phytoncides - garlic, tomato, wormwood, horseradish, etc. In addition, pests of this group cannot tolerate the smell of kerosene (how to properly dilute kerosene was discussed above). You can also spray the bushes with ash infusion.

Biological and chemical-based drugs

Many gardeners have turned their attention to products sold in specialized stores. One such remedy is Fitosparin. Treating gooseberries with Fitosparin in early spring helps protect the plant from fungal and bacterial diseases. Copper sulfate, as well as other preparations that can always be purchased in stores, are no less popular among gardeners.

The biological product Fitoverm shows quite good results in the fight against sucking and leaf-eating pests, which is destructive only for caterpillars and beetles, while there is no effect on birds.

But when working with chemicals, it is necessary to follow certain safety rules, which are prescribed in the instructions, since most of the products are still dangerous to humans if they interact directly and enter the body. All work with these preparations must be carried out strictly before the bush blooms.

But remember that spring spraying and processing of gooseberries is not a salvation from all troubles, but only part of the necessary work, the result of which should be healthy berry bushes and a large harvest of berries. It is imperative to carry out additional prevention and pest control measures - removing bad fruits, dry leaves from under the bush, unhealthy shoots, etc., in order to achieve maximum results.

Did you know that just recently, about a hundred years ago, gooseberries were much more popular than currants? And what knocked him out of range was the spheroteca, which is often called powdery mildew. In those years, the spheroteca, which appeared after the Colorado potato beetle (it is generally believed that it came from the American continent), began to destroy hectares of gooseberries, affecting everything: shoots, leaves, fruits, tender growths. The bush simply rotted before the eyes of the owner, and the latter could not do anything about it.

Fortunately, thanks to the hard work of breeders, sphere-resistant varieties have appeared and those that, although they suffer from powdery mildew, are not to such a significant extent. And no one has canceled fungicide treatments either, so the gooseberries are little by little resurrecting. And in order to help the gooseberries catch up with at least the currants in terms of area, it is necessary to properly care for them. And not only in spring and summer, but also in the dank and rainy autumn.

Few people know, but gooseberries are literally an eternal crop and very productive, so a bush of the Malachite variety can exist productively for at least a decade and a half, annually increasing a kilogram of berry products. Thus, from a well-developed gooseberry bush, which you have looked after properly, you can collect up to one and a half dozen kilograms of both tasty and large berries at the same time, which can be stored for a long period, transported far, and consumed both fresh and in recycled. Don’t forget that “royal jam” from gooseberries is still in fashion.

So, let’s first briefly list the main activities that we need to carry out during the autumn period with gooseberry bushes, and then describe each of them in more detail so that you have an idea of ​​what and how to do, and at the same time you have with a minimum of questions.

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the gooseberry bite area, clearing it of leaves and branches. Then you should weed out all the weeds, then dig up the bush area, then carry out moisture-recharging irrigation, then carry out autumn fertilizing, do pruning closer to mid-autumn, then pay attention to the row spacing, properly loosening or even digging them up and, finally, carrying out preventive processing, mulch the surface of the gooseberry bite zone.

Removing debris from the gooseberry bush zone in autumn

What's wrong with her? On it there is a bunch of gooseberry leaves that have already fallen off, various kinds of sticks, crushed, rotten and whole, but beginning to rot, fruits and other debris. All this needs to be done very carefully so as not to damage your hands on the thorns (after putting on thick gloves) and shoots with a rake, rake them to the side, away from the gooseberry bushes. And burn it all with other leaves and branches until ash forms. By the way, the resulting ash is a very valuable natural fertilizer. Wood ash cannot be written off, and under no circumstances should it simply be thrown into the trash.

Weed control in the gooseberry bush zone in autumn

After the gooseberry bush area was clear of fallen leaves, branches and other debris, only weeds crushed by a rake remained on it. Very often, wheatgrass predominates among gooseberry weeds. Know that it greatly oppresses this culture, so it is strictly necessary to fight wheatgrass.

Of course, you can use contact herbicides, that is, those that act only when the poison comes into direct contact with the plant. Such herbicides should not be written off; they are often used even in areas where medicinal plants grow. In our case, if there are few gooseberry bushes on your site, then after rain or heavy watering, armed with a small scoop, try to pick out the unfortunate wheatgrass from the soil with the maximum amount of its root system, because even if one centimeter of it remains in the soil, the wheatgrass will be reborn again .

Digging the soil in the gooseberry bush zone in autumn

There are two ways here - to dig or not to dig. Look, if you are a resident of the center of Russia, where freezing of the gooseberry root system is very rare and this crop does not require additional mulching (in this case, just covering the roots with mulch), then it is quite possible to dig up the bite area, placing a shovel along the growth of the roots and not deepening by more than 5-6 cm. When digging up the gooseberry bush zone in the fall, it is important that the lumps of earth are turned over, but not crushed, but it is also important to prevent the gooseberry root system from being exposed, otherwise the roots may be damaged even in your area. Digging will allow you to bring the wintering stages of pests and diseases to the surface, and they will die, simply freezing in the winter. In addition, digging will enhance air and water exchanges and allow excess moisture to evaporate on warm and hot autumn days, and allow the roots to breathe and grow normally: after all, even during leaf fall, small roots that absorb moisture continue to develop.

Moisture-recharging watering of gooseberries in autumn

After the soil has been loosened, moisture-recharging autumn watering of the gooseberries can be carried out. What is it for? Just like for fruit and other berry crops, sufficient moisture in the soil will not allow it to freeze to a very great depth, and in winter, during the period of provocative thaws, it will not allow it to thaw, and also to activate the growth processes of plants. In addition, in soil rich in moisture, the roots of the gooseberry, which absorb moisture, will develop as efficiently as possible before frost, they will absorb maximum moisture into the plants and they will not be afraid of winter drying out, when on sunny days, even a small evaporation of moisture is observed from the surface of the gooseberry shoots . And if in the fall there is very little moisture in the soil, and the plants do not have time to accumulate it, then the shoots may simply dry out. Although this does not happen often, it does happen.

Feeding gooseberries in autumn

Now (in autumn) it is important to do without the use of nitrogen, which can activate the growth processes of the above-ground part of the gooseberry, and all the grown parts of the shoots and flower buds that begin to swell will simply die in the very near future, because winter is coming.

Usually in the autumn, dry phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied to the gooseberries. For bushes younger than five years of age, add 15-20 g of superphosphate and 10-12 g of potassium sulfate; for older plants, this dose can be safely doubled. You can also add wood ash; 250-300 g of wood ash can be added to each bush; gooseberries do not require other fertilizers and winter well without their use.

Pruning gooseberries in autumn

Around mid-autumn, you can prune the bushes without any danger to the crop. Here it is advisable to arm yourself with a very sharp pruning shears and thick gloves to protect against thorns. It is also advisable to take a little alcohol with you to moisten (to disinfect against infection) the sharp blade of the pruning shears when moving from one bush to another. First of all, take a good look at the gooseberry bush; usually the branches that prevent it from developing normally are striking, in other words, they are clearly visible.

Cut into a ring all the gooseberry branches broken during the harvest period, all those that lie directly on the ground or are bent to it so low that the berry touches the soil and begins to rot. Next, pay attention to the thickening shoots: they usually grow strictly in the center of the gooseberry bush, which leads to its thickening, as a result of which it stops being blown by the wind, fungal diseases form, and the harvest moves to the periphery of the crown (that is, both the quality of the crop and its quantity decrease ), therefore such branches need to be cut out, and the cut areas should be covered with garden varnish or garden paint.

Try to remove gooseberry shoots that are more than five years old, any pruning shears can break, so it is better to use a garden saw and be sure to cover all cuts with garden varnish or garden paint (just in case).

Ideally, after autumn pruning of gooseberries aged six or seven years, no more than five or six of the strongest and well-developed side shoots should remain in the bush, which should be the strongest, strongest, youngest, bear fresh lateral growths and, of course, evenly spaced, diverging radially from the bush. It is these gooseberry shoots that will give good growth and a full harvest next year.

Treatment of gooseberry rows in autumn

For those who have several rows of gooseberries, you need to take care of the row spacing, be sure to dig up the soil there, and you don’t have to mulch it in any of the regions. Digging should be combined with weed removal and treatments against possible stages of development of pests and diseases.
Preventive treatment of gooseberry plants and soil between rows

To protect gooseberries from possible overwintering stages of pests and diseases, it is best to treat the plants with 2% Bordeaux mixture, and the soil with 3% Bordeaux mixture. You can treat the plantings and soil with foundationazole or topaz at your own risk, but you already know everything about them.

Mulching the gooseberry bush zone in autumn

Finally, if you are not a resident of the central region, but an inhabitant of more northern regions of the country, then you need to mulch the root system of gooseberry plants. For this, dry and healthy leaf litter is suitable, which needs to be covered with spruce branches so that it does not scatter throughout the area, as well as pine needles, sawdust (but keep in mind that they slightly acidify the soil), humus (by the way, in the spring the humus can not be removed, but loosened and this will be an additional spring natural fertilizer), and you can also use newfangled non-woven covering materials. As a rule, not a lot of covering materials are needed; it is enough to cover only the bite area with them.

The main thing is to remember that in the spring the covering material must be removed in time, because the soil underneath it takes a long time to warm up, and we do not need this at all.

That's all we wanted to tell you about how to care for gooseberries in the fall. In principle, this is an unpretentious crop, but it suffers from the same powdery mildew or leaf necrosis quite often, so do not forget about the appropriate treatments in the spring. In the meantime, we are waiting for winter and the first snow, which will cover the gray earth for a long six months.

Many gardeners, when growing gooseberries in their garden plots, have encountered various diseases of this fruit crop and its damage by insect pests. It should be said that such problems are much easier to prevent than to deal with them later, trying to save the bush and the ripening crop. Spring and autumn spraying of plantings will be an excellent preventive measure against diseases and insect pests. We will tell you in more detail how and with what to process gooseberries.

Autumn processing of gooseberries

Processing gooseberries in the fall involves a complex of works, which not only includes directly spraying the bushes, but also a number of other agrotechnical measures that allow you to get rid of diseases, insect pests, and properly prepare the plants for winter sleep. So, for example, in the fall, after picking berries, the gardener needs to weed the weeds around the bush, remove fallen leaves and prune the gooseberries. It is also recommended to water the plantings abundantly in the fall and apply appropriate fertilizers. Treatment of gooseberries after harvest is mandatory with appropriate agrochemicals. Let's talk in more detail about how to process gooseberries.

Currently, in specialized gardening stores you can find various means for the preventive treatment of gooseberries. We can say that the simplest, most inexpensive and effective remedy is iron sulfate.

It is recommended to spray the gooseberries with a three percent solution of iron sulfate, which is used to treat the bushes after the leaves have fallen, as well as the ground in the immediate vicinity of the gooseberries. Treatment against insect pests and fungal diseases can be carried out using a solution of Bordeaux mixture. In this case, you can use a one or three percent solution.

Against powdery mildew, and this disease is extremely common on gooseberries, it is recommended to use a five percent solution of baking soda. This treatment can be carried out a few days after spraying the bushes with iron sulfate, which quickly removes plaque from the berries. You can also use an infusion of ash and a solution of soapy copper emulsion.

Karbofos and ash tincture are excellent against moths, aphids and other insect pests. Note that such treatments not only allow you to get rid of various pests, but also have a positive effect on the growth of the bush, saturating it with various useful microelements.

Spring processing of gooseberries

In spring, it is best to process plantings before the first leaves appear and the buds swell. At the same time, we note that there are mild agrochemicals that can be used even during the period of flowering and ovary formation.

A universal remedy for treating gooseberries in the spring is iron and copper sulfate. Treated gooseberries will be protected from various fungal diseases. Such spring care for plantings is not particularly difficult, and you can completely protect the gooseberries from scab and other dangerous diseases.

You can also find a variety of insecticides on sale that can help you cope with insect pests. Such agrochemicals against pests in the spring can be used directly to eliminate the existing problem, or for preventive treatments of plantings. Remember that each specific product that can be used to treat gooseberries in the spring has its own rules of use, so you must take into account such features and use each specific product in full accordance with its instructions.

Spraying plantings with fungicides

A fungicide is an effective biological or chemical agrochemical that can partially or completely protect garden plants from fungal pathogens and various plant diseases. Many gardeners use a fungicide to treat gooseberries against powdery mildew, which helps get rid of this dangerous disease. Note that it is necessary to stop spraying plantings with fungicides a month before harvest. You can eat such gooseberries without fear for your health.

The fungicides used today for gooseberries have a certain effect, which allows them to be used as preventive agents against various fungal diseases. So, for example, you can get rid of anthracnose, powdery mildew, rust and other common diseases with the help of such agrochemicals. Among the fungicides that are popular today for the preventive treatment of gooseberries, we can note Topaz and Fitosporin. Such products are completely safe to use, have an affordable price and are distinguished by their universal impact. They will completely get rid of various fungal diseases, allowing you to get a high-quality harvest in your garden.

Processing gooseberries with boiling water

Many gardeners are well aware of the folk method of protecting gooseberries and currants from insect pests by treating the bush with boiling water. It is necessary to treat gooseberries with boiling water at the end of February or beginning of March. By this time, the gooseberries should not yet have buds. This treatment allows you to cope with various pests and improves plant immunity.

Treatment of plantings with copper and iron sulfate

Copper and iron sulfate are an excellent preventive and therapeutic agent that allows you to get rid of various fungal pathogens. This effective fungicide, which has an affordable price, has gained popularity among domestic summer residents and gardeners. When treating gooseberries with copper sulfate, it is recommended to use a one percent solution, which is completely safe for planting and at the same time effectively suppresses fungal pathogens.

When using iron sulfate, we recommend using a three percent solution, the treatment of plantings with which is not particularly difficult. In gardening stores you can find various options for fungicides based on copper and iron sulfate. Use such agrochemicals in full accordance with the required instructions, and you can completely protect your garden from various unpleasant diseases.

Treatment of gooseberries with Topaz fungicide

The drug Topaz, popular today, is a systemic fungicide that allows you to cope with the pathogens of rust, powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. The drug provides plants with comprehensive protection, while it is completely safe to use. To prepare a solution for preventative spraying, we recommend adding 2 milliliters of this agrochemical to 10 liters of water and spraying manually or using special devices. This product is non-toxic, so it can be used in spring, autumn, summer, during the period of active growing and flowering.

Protecting gooseberries from insect pests

Spider mites are a common pest and cause a lot of trouble for summer residents and gardeners. The web from the insect prevents the leaves from breathing, and consequently the nutrition of the bush is disrupted. To combat this pest, it is recommended to spray the plantings with karbofos, colloidal sulfur and other insecticides. You only remember that it is not recommended to constantly use the same agrochemicals against spider mites, since the insect develops immunity.

Also, plantings can be affected by various pest caterpillars. In this case, we can recommend using Iskra, Karbofos, Gordon and Decis. Remember that the success of the fight against caterpillars on gooseberries largely depends on how quickly the gardener noticed the problems and began to carry out such preventive and therapeutic spraying. You should consider how to properly carry out such spraying, which will solve pest problems.

A common pest is the gooseberry moth, which is a gray, inconspicuous butterfly. Such a butterfly lays numerous caterpillars that make their way inside the berry, gnawing out its seeds and pulp. Affected berries quickly rot, dry out and fall off the bush. To combat the moth, it is necessary to properly treat the soil with a water infusion, mulch the soil in the immediate vicinity of the bush and treat the gooseberries twice with Karbofos, Iskra, Fufanol.

In order to harvest a good gooseberry harvest in the summer and enjoy juicy and aromatic berries, it is necessary to regularly care for the bushes in the autumn-spring period. Spring processing of gooseberries is especially important.

In order to get a generous gooseberry harvest, you need to know the intricacies of its cultivation. Due to various pests and diseases, the gooseberry harvest may go to zero. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to identify the cause of the disease, as well as promptly treat the bushes with special solutions.

How to treat gooseberries against pests?

If the gooseberry has been subjected to the harmful effects of pests, then the first thing to do is to determine their type. This will make it much easier to fight them. Gooseberry pests are divided into two types, namely:

• sucking - shoot aphids, spider mites;
• gnawing - moth, gooseberry sawfly, moth.

Shoot aphids begin to manifest themselves immediately after winter, when young shoots appear. She easily endures the winter, being in the form of laid eggs on the branches of a bush. In the spring, colonies of larvae emerge from the laid eggs and begin sucking the juice from the shoots and leaves. As a result, the leaves curl and the shoots become bent. To effectively combat aphids, prepare a solution of soda and soap at the rate of 2 tbsp. spoons of soda per 1 liter of water, then spray the bushes. In specialized stores you can purchase chemically removed solutions. Affected shoots must be pruned and destroyed.

The spider mite infects gooseberry leaves, sucking the juice from them, and also entwines them with cobwebs. As a result, the leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off. In winter they are found under fallen leaves or in the ground. To combat the pest, use a decoction of wormwood and soap. Also effective are tinctures made from garlic, tansy, and onion peels. If the bush is heavily damaged, use insecticides.

Dangerous for gooseberries is the moth. These pests initially damage gooseberries during flowering. Young caterpillars gnaw the inside of the berry, covering it with cobwebs. As a result, the berries ripen prematurely and fall off.

The moth easily endures winter in the soil, and awakens in the spring. If you notice that the gooseberry is occupied by the moth, then cut off the affected branches, dig up the soil and treat with an infusion of soap and ash or mustard. You can also use tops of potatoes, tomatoes, infusions of wormwood and tobacco. Specialized stores provide drugs that successfully fight this pest.

The sawfly is capable of leaving gooseberry branches without foliage in a few days. The berries on such a bush fall off due to insufficient nutrition. During the cold season, the sawfly is located in a cobweb cocoon in the soil. To get rid of this pest, dig up the soil, and after flowering, spray it with an infusion of ash and soap or mustard. Potato and tomato tops are also suitable for combating sawfly.

If a gooseberry bush is damaged on a large scale by a moth, it may die. This pest, like the sawfly, eats foliage and buds. In order to get rid of this pest, carefully remove fallen leaves, and also spray with tobacco solutions or special chemicals against moths.

How to treat gooseberries for diseases?

The most common gooseberry diseases are:

• powdery mildew;
• glassy rust.

Powdery mildew covers the leaves and berries with a white coating, which soon turns brown. As a result, the plant slows down, the berries burst and fall off. If you do not fight the fungal disease, the plant will die in a few years. Start fighting powdery mildew with the arrival of spring. Pour boiling water over the gooseberry bushes. Then treat them with a solution of soap with wood ash or a solution of soda. Also, an infusion of cow dung perfectly fights powdery mildew. In advanced forms of the disease, use fungicides.

When a gooseberry is infected with rust, its berries and leaves become stained and then form compactions of spores. The leaves become deformed, the berries take on an unnatural shape and fall off. To treat this disease, use Bordeaux mixture. Spray during leaf bloom, after flowering, and harvest.

To get a generous gooseberry harvest, you need to monitor the condition of the bush and, if necessary, treat it. By responding quickly to various pests or diseases, you will preserve the viability of the plant, as well as a tasty harvest.