It is no coincidence that the gooseberry is lovingly called the northern grape. It is highly regarded for its nutritional properties, and scientists claim that regular consumption of berries prevents some cancers. Meanwhile, growing gooseberries is not difficult even for a novice gardener.
The nutritional and healing properties of gooseberries
Gooseberries are dietary and contain about 40 kcal per 100 grams, where 9 g are carbohydrates, 0.7 g are proteins, 0.2 g are fats. The value of the product is a large set of vitamins, sugars, mineral salts, pectin. Gooseberry is useful for heart disease, atherosclerosis, blood pressure surges.
Berries increase hemoglobin, which is important in treating anemia. They have a laxative, choleretic, diuretic, vaso-strengthening effect. In folk medicine, gooseberry fruits are used for metabolic disorders, obesity, stomach colic, diarrhea and pulmonary tuberculosis.
Crush one tablespoon of gooseberry berries in a glass, pour boiling water, insist in a warm place for 45-50 minutes and take the broth in a quarter of a glass 3-4 times a day.
Where and how to plant a gooseberry seedling
For cultivation, choose sunlit, moderately moist soils. The shrub will not develop and bear fruit in wetlands. Like any plant, gooseberries require fertile soil that is well structured. Although gardeners achieve good yields on heavy clay lands.
For planting, seedlings or cuttings that are two years old are preferable, with developed roots and an aerial part. The technique of planting seedlings is similar to planting currants. Gooseberries can be planted obliquely and buried 5-10 cm from the root collar.
This technique stimulates the formation of the root system from the buds on the stem. But on heavy soils, deep deepening is not desirable and plants, due to lack of air at the roots, may not take root.
A distance of 1.5-2 m is maintained between the bushes. After planting, the seedling is cut, watered and mulched to retain moisture.
Fertilizers are applied to one planting pit:
- compost -1-2 buckets, or humus - 1 bucket, or peat - 1-2 buckets;
- superphosphate - 150 g;
- ash - 0, 5 l can, on acidic soils add dolomite flour 2-3 tablespoons;
- potassium chloride - 150 g or potassium sulfate 2 tbsp. spoons.
A pit for planting is dug about 40x40 cm in size. The soil mixture is mixed with all fertilizers, and poured into the pit.
When is it better to plant gooseberries: in autumn or spring
The best time to plant gooseberry seedlings is autumn. This work is usually carried out 2-3 weeks before the onset of frost. In spring, gooseberries start growing early, and seedlings with open roots must be planted before bud break. Plants from nurseries in containers with a closed root system are planted at any time, from spring to autumn.
Gooseberry care
Loosening the trunk circle, removing weeds, feeding, watering, pruning, protecting against diseases and pests - this is the main list of gooseberry care.
The berry grower loves humus and experienced gardeners in late autumn mulch the root zone with a layer of at least 8-10 cm. In spring, with melt water, plants receive nutrition and actively start growing. Gooseberries need a lot of potassium for a crop, and if there is excess ash, be sure to dust all the branches and the root circle at the roots more often. This will be beneficial: the yield will be higher, the berries are sweeter and the plants will be less sick.
Gooseberries are considered to be long-lived plants. With proper care, the bush can live and bear fruit in one place for 15-18 years.
Gooseberry harvesting feature
First, the berries are removed for processing into jams and preserves. They begin to be harvested when the fruits stop growing in size. The rest of the berries are harvested at full biological ripeness, when the color typical for this variety appears.
The use of gooseberries in cooking
Delicious gooseberries are eaten fresh or prepared in a variety of dishes. For home processing, fruits of varying degrees of ripeness are used. Unripe, ripe, but still firm - for compotes. Semi-ripe - for jam, ripe - for dessert. Freshly picked gooseberries are sorted, the berries are divided by size and ripeness. Sick, rotten fruits are thrown away. The stalks and dry sepals are cut off.
Berries are used in the preparation of sweet canned food: jam, jam, marmalade, juice, compote. Gooseberry juice has an unsightly color and therefore, to improve the appearance, add a few tablespoons of cherry, strawberry, blackcurrant juice to it.
Sauces are prepared from gooseberries, marinated, served with fish, seafood, chicken, meat, added to vegetable salads and dishes, and casseroles are prepared.
Here is one original and understandable recipe.
… 500 g gooseberries, 150 g rice, 2 cups milk, 40 g butter, 80 g sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp. fruit marmalade, 3 tablespoons chopped nuts, 0.5 cups of kefir (sour cream).
Step by step recipe:
1. Put washed rice in boiled milk and cook until half cooked over low heat.
2. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and, last but not least, whipped egg whites to the rice.
3. Boil the gooseberries in a little water with the addition of a spoonful of sugar until the berries soften.
4. Prepare sauce for watering casserole: mix marmalade and kefir.
5. Put the gooseberries and rice mixed with the rest of the products in a greased form (frying pan), alternating layers.
6. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and cover with marmalade and kefir sauce.
7. Place in a hot baking oven for 20 minutes.
Rice can be partially replaced with cottage cheese or replaced completely with noodles.
