A detailed description of the gooseberry variety Black Negus

Each year, breeders develop new varieties of berry crops. Thanks to modern technology, research institutes create plant varieties that are resistant to disease, pests or frost, and also improve the taste of their fruits.

But there are varieties that are not afraid of time and competition of modern hybrids. Generations of gardeners are replaced, but they still retain their popularity. One of such varieties is Black Negus gooseberry, which has been spread over the territory of our country for about 100 years.

Black Negus Variety Selection

Black Negus Recipe Black Negus has developed a pattern that has become a factorMichurina I.V.in the 20s of the last century. But, before telling about its creation, let us turn to the history of home gooseberry.

In the Middle Ages, gooseberries were extremely popular among gardeners in the UK.English breeders were bred over a thousand plant varieties. They differed in taste and color of the berries, some of which were comparable in size to a chicken egg. But this expanse came to an end when, in the middle of the 19th century, gooseberry varieties from America came to Europe.

Because, together with them, a disease that is destructive to the plant has penetrated into European gardens - powdery mildew. As a result, in just a few years, almost all the gooseberry plantations were destroyed in England. Many European varieties were lost, and the American varieties were significantly inferior to them in taste. The only way out of this situation was to start experiments on the crossing of powdery mildew-resistant American varieties with European ones that have an excellent taste.

An innovator of hybridization of plants growing in areas remote from each other was I.V.Michurin. At his institute, he developed many such hybrids, and the Black Negus variety is considered one of the most successful. For its creation, the gooseberry Krasilny, a wild American variety of the plant, and the European cultivar "Anibut" were crossed.

Michurin planned to use this interspecific hybrid only as a breeding semi-finished product, on its basis to bring other varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew. But, unexpectedly for everyone, the Black Negus gained popularity and it began to be considered as a full-fledged plant. Since then, almost a century has passed, and this variety is still grown in amateur gardens.

Gooseberry Grade Black Negus

Characteristic Grade

The Black Gooseberry Negus is a powerful bush 1.5 to 2 meters tall. It has thick, durable shoots covered with spikes and long arcuate branches growing to the sides and upwards. The foliage of the plant is large, bright green, edged. Thorns are long, sharp, located as on two and three, and unary.

The size of the fruit is small, their length does not exceed 2-2.5 cm. The skin is thin, but does not crack even in dry weather. Keep on the bushes well, do not crumble. They are characterized by a sweet and sour taste, in which sourness prevails, and a bright aroma specific to the plant.

Black Negus has an average ripening period, which begins in the third decade of July.

The popularity among gardeners received for the following advantages:

1. Dessert taste ( 4.7 points) and rich vitamin composition of berries. And because of the bright color, the berries of Black Negus are widely used in cooking. They make excellent compotes, wines, jams and jams to taste and color. A small amount of gooseberry can be added and compotes from other berries, so that they acquire a beautiful ruby ​​shade.
2. Winter hardiness. The variety perfectly tolerates both winter cold and unexpected spring frosts, therefore it is suitable for breeding in all regions of Russia.
3. Regular fruiting. Starting from 2-4 years of life, Black Negus stably bears fruit every year.
4. High yield. With an adult bush can collect up to 7 kg of berries.
5. Reasonably good transportability, which is 20-25 days.
6. Disease Resistance. Practically not affected by powdery mildew, rust and other fungal infections.

The only shortcomings of the variety will be its large and sharp spikes , which makes harvesting extremely difficult.

Thus, the Black Negus variety has a lot of advantages, and is almost devoid of drawbacks. Like any garden culture, it is valued, above all, for its tasty and healthy fruits. Therefore, let us consider in more detail their nutritional value, the therapeutic effect that they can have on the body, as well as possible contraindications.

Gooseberry berries Black Negus on the bush

The benefits of black gooseberry and contraindications to its use

Gooseberry berries have a rich vitamin and mineral composition. It is believed that the darker the color of the fruit, the more value it carries for health. Therefore, there are 3-4 times more nutrients in black gooseberry than in its green and white relatives.

Black Negus berries have the following healing properties:

1. They help in the fight against viral infections due to the high content of vitamin C. Most of the ascorbic acid is concentrated in the acidic shell of the berries.
2. Establishes the normal functioning of the nervous system, which is facilitated by the presence in the composition of vitamins of group B, and trace elements such as calcium, manganese, potassium, iodine, iron, zinc and copper.
3. Heals blood vessels with vitamins P and C, and potassium and magnesium take care of heart health.
4. They have a positive effect on the condition of the skin and visual function due to vitamin A.
5. Recommended for use during pregnancy because of the high content of folic acid , without which full intrauterine development is impossible.
6. A large amount of pectic substances normalizes the work of the digestive organs and helps to eliminate toxins from the body.
7. Anthocyanins, which are present in the composition of the fruit, help to clear blood vessels from cholesterol, normalize blood pressure and prevent the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques.
8. A high iron content( 800 mg per 100 g) makes the fruit an effective treatment for anemia.
9. Black gooseberry berries can be safely included in the diet of patients with diabetes, because they contain the minimum amount of carbohydrates, but they are able to provide the body with vitamins and fiber.

Despite all the benefits of black gooseberry, there are a number of contraindications to its use:

1. Due to the large amount of vitamin C, with gooseberries need to be careful people who suffer from allergic reactions. For the same reason, the berry is not recommended for nursing mothers.
2. The high content of acids can provoke an aggravation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. People with such a problem is better to heat the berries.
3. Do not mix gooseberries with dairy products, together they give a strong laxative effect and provoke diarrhea.

With the therapeutic effect and contraindications, we figured out, then we will consider how the gooseberry berries can be used in cooking.

Black Gooseberry Berries

The Most Popular Recipes with Black Gooseberry

When preparing black gooseberry blanks, it is important to preserve as many beneficial properties of the berry as possible. And, as you know, all the vitamins are destroyed during heat treatment. Therefore, the production of cold jam will be the most valuable option for health from the berries.

Cold black gooseberry and orange jam.

To prepare such a jam without heat treatment, which allows to preserve the usefulness of the berries. In the season of catarrhal diseases, such a delicacy will help to cope with the infection more quickly, and with regular use will increase immunity. To prepare it, take 1 kg of Black Negus, 500 g of sugar and 1 orange.

The procedure for making jam includes the following steps:

• wash the fruits of the gooseberry, peeling from the stalks and leaves;
• dry the berries on a towel;
• orange wash, without removing the skin from it;
• mince gooseberry and orange with zest;
• mix the resulting mass with sugar.

Spread ready-made cold jam over sterilized jars and refrigerate.

No less popular is gooseberry wine, and it is not at all inferior in taste and aroma to a grape drink.

Black gooseberry jam

Homemade gooseberry wine.

To prepare it, you need 1 kg of gooseberry berries, 2 cups of sugar, 1 liter of water.

Making homemade wine consists of the following steps:

1. Enumerate the berries by removing the stem.
2. Mash the gooseberries thoroughly.
3. Cook the sugar and water syrup and cool it.
4. Put the pulp and juice of the gooseberry, which was formed during its crushing, into the glass container. Pour in sugar syrup.
5. Stir with a wooden spatula, cover the container with gauze and remove for a week in a warm place. Capacity is better to install in the pelvis, because gooseberry ferments intensively, and some of the contents can go out.
6. After a week, pulp is formed on the surface, which must be removed with a wooden spatula.
7. Pour the liquid into a clean container with a water stopper and store in a warm place for the next 2 months.
8. After the end of the fermentation process, which you will learn about using a water seal, filter the young wine and pour it into convenient vessels.
9. Place the bottles in a cool place so that it finally matured there for another 6 weeks.

Fragrant gooseberry wine will be a worthy decoration of your holiday table.

If many have heard about jam, wine and gooseberry compote, and they are prepared using the same technologies as similar products from other berries, few people know about the spicy sauce made from Black Negus berries. This sauce can give a highlight, as meat dishes, and dishes of cereals and vegetables.

Domestic black gooseberry wine

Black gooseberry sauce

For its preparation, for 1 kg of gooseberry fruit you will need:

• 400 g red onions;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 1 tbsp.vegetable oil;
• 60 ml of water;
• 170 g sugar, preferably brown;
• ½ tspground ginger;
• 2 tspcurry;
• 2 tbsp.white wine vinegar;
• 70 g raisins;
• 4 tspsalt.

Preparation includes the following steps:

1. Wash and clean the gooseberries from debris.
2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and simmer for 20 minutes in a mixture of vegetable oil and water.
3. Add berries, sugar and salt to them. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add raisins, spices and vinegar. Simmer for about 10 more minutes until the gooseberries are ready and the mixture thickens.

Ready sauce is poured into sterilized jars. For a more delicate consistency, it can be crushed with a blender, only after that it needs to be reheated a little before being filled into jars.

Black gooseberry berries can not only nourish your body with nutrients and help in the fight against diseases, but also diversify your menu with delicious and unusual recipes. It is no coincidence that the Negus Black for such a long time does not lose its leading position to new varieties of gooseberry.

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