Planting and caring for currants. Black currant: care and cultivation in open ground

Planting and caring for blackcurrants require certain knowledge and skills. To get a rich harvest, it is important to follow all recommendations for planting and caring for young blackcurrant seedlings as much as possible.

Blackcurrant bushes are planted in spring or autumn. IN spring time the process is carried out before the sap begins to flow in the plant and the buds open. In the autumn, the crop is planted in the ground in September or October. Autumn is considered the ideal time for planting currants, because a plant planted at this time of year actively grows in the spring.

Soil selection

The culture is considered unpretentious in terms of soil and a certain area in the garden. It will grow well in sun, shade and moist soils (they should not be swampy).

However, it is better to choose an optimally comfortable place for the bush in order to get more harvest.

Choose:

1. Fertile lands.
2. A place protected from the wind.
3. A place with enough space, but maybe a little dark.
4. Allowed to plant on a hill.
5. Requires soil with an acidity level of 6 - 6.5 pH.
6. It is not recommended to choose soils that are too wet, where groundwater flows close to the surface.
7. You can plant the crop separately from other plants, or you can allocate a place for it between the rows.

How to choose seedlings?

When purchasing, pay attention to root system. It should be powerful and strong, with two or three main branches, the length of which reaches 25 centimeters.

There should be no dry or diseased roots with damage. High-quality seedlings have fresh, wrinkle-free bark. Pinch off a little bark: if there is a green trunk under it, then the seedling is alive, and if the trunk is colored brown, you are offered an already dead plant.

Landing instructions

Preparatory work and the planting process itself include the following steps:

1. Dig holes measuring 40 by 40 centimeters at a distance of about a meter from each other.
2. Add a bucket of humus, 150 grams of superphosphate, 300 grams of wood ash and limestone to the hole.
3. Mix all the fertilizers with the soil and water.
4. Lower the seedling into the prepared hole, tilting it at an angle of forty-five degrees.
5. Spread out the roots.
6. Cover the root system with earthen mixture, making sure that all voids are filled.
7. Place regular soil on top of the hole.
8. Water and mulch the planting.

Spring care

Awakening blackcurrant from hibernation occurs very early, so the gardener must catch the time before the buds swell in order to get rid of damaged and diseased branches, as well as remove buds damaged by the bud mite.

In spring, in addition to sanitary pruning, pruning is performed to give the bush the required shape. If hilling was carried out before winter, now you need to remove the soil from the tree trunk circle.

The soil is carefully dug up and covered with mulch with a layer of 5 - 10 centimeters. As mulch, you can use humus or manure, which is laid out around the plant while maintaining a distance of 20 centimeters from the branches of the bush. Sprouting weeds are promptly removed.

Black currant is a moisture-loving crop, so it needs to be watered regularly, especially in the case of a snowless winter and a dry spring without precipitation. After watering, it is convenient to immediately weed and loosen the soil. Loosening is carried out about two to three times a week, but mulched soil can be loosened less often.

Since currants wake up early, they are threatened by return spring frosts. Gardeners protect crops from sudden temperature changes with polyethylene film.

After the start of flowering, the bush is carefully inspected for the subsequent removal of branches that were affected by doubleness (the flowers have changed shape: instead of bell-shaped, they have become separate-petaled). Install supports if the bush clearly needs them.

Summer care

Summer care includes timely watering, followed by loosening and weeding. At this time, organic fertilizers are applied at the root.

You can resort to spraying the leaves with special foliar fertilizers: currants respond well to such fertilizing. 3 grams of boric acid, 5 grams of potassium permanganate and 40 grams of potassium permanganate are diluted in water in different containers. copper sulfate.

Then all the components are mixed together in 10 liters of water and poured into a bottle with a spray bottle, with which the bushes are thoroughly sprayed. The procedure is carried out in the morning or evening, treating the leaves well on both sides.

If you notice traces of the moth moth on the currant, immediately destroy its nests. Be prepared for an invasion of sawflies, from which they can be saved by treating with special preparations, for example, Actellik or Karbofos.

In July and August it is time to harvest a juicy harvest. The technology for harvesting black currants differs from the principles for harvesting red berries.

Blackcurrant fruits do not ripen at the same time, so the crop is harvested selectively and not in whole clusters. Select the container carefully. Wide baskets and boxes with shallow depth are preferable so that the berries do not wrinkle under their own weight. After the harvest is completed, the bushes are watered abundantly, and after the soil dries, they are thoroughly loosened.

Autumn care

In September or October, currants are fed with mineral or organic fertilizers, then watered abundantly, and then dug up so that the fertilizers get into the soil. Autumn time involves sanitary pruning.

Remove branches that thicken the bush. They will serve as excellent planting material that can be rooted in the fall. At this time, layerings dug in in the spring are planted on a permanent plot.

If there is little rainfall in the fall, water thoroughly before the onset of winter so that the plant can stock up on life-giving moisture.

Features of watering

Black currant grows well in loose soil, which acquires this structure with abundant watering combined with loosening. If a bush receives insufficient moisture, its shoots and branches stop growing, the crop becomes smaller and crumbles.

Watering is of great importance at the beginning of summer, when the bush is actively growing and forming ovaries. During the period of fruit appearance, that is, in June and July, great attention should be paid to watering. The soil should be moistened to approximately 35–45 centimeters, that is, to the entire depth of the root system. On square meter The land uses about 20 - 30 liters of water.

Around the bush, at a distance of 30–40 centimeters from the base, peculiar grooves are dug to a depth of 10–15 centimeters. If currants are planted in rows, you can make furrows located along the row spacing.

Water is poured into these grooves and beards during irrigation. After the soil dries, it is loosened. A mulched area has to be loosened, weeded and watered much less frequently.

Nuances of feeding

During the planting season, if the hole has been prepared according to all the rules, fertilizing will not be required. Starting from the second year of growth, it is necessary to add 40–50 grams of urea to each bush.

You can treat the bushes themselves with a urea solution of seven percent concentration, but only before the juices begin to move through the plant. Mature bushes that are more than four years old are fertilized with less urea. From 25 to 40 grams of urea are added to each bush, distributing this volume into two doses.

In the autumn, they resort to using organic fertilizer, using 10 - 15 kilograms of manure, compost or bird droppings per crop. Of mineral fertilizers, 10–20 grams of potassium sulfate and 50 grams of superphosphate are used for each plant.

If in the spring the area was mulched with organic fertilizer, you can neglect the application of this type of fertilizer in the fall. In the case when the currants were fed with humus in the fall, nitrogen fertilizer was added in the spring.

How to trim black currants?

Newly planted plants are shortened so that no more than two or three buds remain on each branch. On a crop growing for the second year, there should be from three to five of the strongest and most powerful shoots, which in the future will form the skeleton of the shrub. The remaining small and weak branches are cut off.

In the middle of the growing season, that is, in the summer, pinching is carried out on exactly two buds. This is necessary for new shoots to actively grow and fruit branches to appear. For three-year-old and four-year-old currant bushes, three to six of the strongest branches are left, the rest are removed.

The tips of the shoots that grew last year are pinched off. When the fourth year of life of the currant crop comes to an end, the bush is considered mature and fully formed. After the fifth year, the plant requires anti-aging pruning, which consists of cutting out the oldest shoots.

If in the spring you have carried out all the necessary pruning, in the fall all you have to do is remove damaged and diseased branches, that is, carry out pruning for sanitary and thinning purposes.

If it was not possible to carry out all the activities in the spring, carry out pruning according to the above scheme in the fall, when the currants have lost all their leaves. Dried branches can be removed at any time of the year, but it is recommended to pinch the tops in mid-summer. For pruning, use sterile pruning shears, garden knives or hedge trimmers.

Reproduction

The crop can be propagated in several ways: cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. Using seeds, you can also grow a new bush, but there is no guarantee that it will inherit all the varietal characteristics of the parent plant. In addition, this method takes much longer than those listed above.

Cuttings

Cuttings are most often used to obtain a new currant bush. Shoots of the first year of life, growing at the very roots, are suitable for making cuttings. Cut cuttings from 15 to 20 centimeters long, making sure that the thickness of the branches is at least 7 millimeters.

That same fall, the cuttings are placed in the ground. If during this period it is not possible to find a new place for future young plants, planting can be postponed until spring.

The tips of the planting material should be dipped in garden varnish, the cuttings tied together, placed in moistened paper and plastic film, and then store it in the refrigerator or bury it in the snow.

In spring, cuttings are planted in open ground using the same technology that applies to adult currants. A polyethylene greenhouse is built over them and they wait for rooting. Cuttings that have already developed roots are watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out. As soon as they have one or two shoots, the cuttings are moved to permanent place.

Layerings

The propagation method using layering is considered the simplest and most effective, since the gardener is able to obtain seedlings with a strong root system in just a year.

In early spring, dig a hole 10 centimeters deep next to the currant bush. From the side of the bush, select a powerful, healthy branch that is already two years old, lower it to the ground and place the middle of the branch in the hole, making sure that 20 - 30 centimeters of shoot remain above the surface.

To prevent the shoot from crawling out of the ground, secure it with wire and cover it with soil. The cuttings need to be watered regularly, then by autumn it will have a developed root system and two thick branches. So strong young plant it will be possible to separate it from an adult bush and plant it in a new place.

Dividing the bush

The division of the bush is done in the spring or autumn, when the adult specimen is about to be replanted. The bush is removed from the ground and, using a sterile ax, divided into several parts. Each division must have a developed and powerful root system and strong shoots.

The cut sites are treated with charcoal, young shoots are shortened by 30 centimeters, and diseased and damaged roots are removed. The cuttings are planted in the ground and watered abundantly. The harvest from such young plants can be obtained after a year.

Blackcurrant is considered relatively unpretentious plant therefore, by attaching minimum quantity effort, you can get a rich harvest of sweet and healthy berries.

Black currant (lat. Ribes nigrum)- a species of the monotypic genus Currant of the Gooseberry family, which is deciduous berry bush. IN wildlife black currant today grows throughout Europe, in the Urals, in Siberia to the Yenisei and Baikal, in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. It is also widespread in North America. It is cultivated throughout the world in amateur gardening and on an industrial scale. IN Kievan Rus it appeared in the 10th century - they began to grow it in monastery gardens, and only then black currants began to conquer Europe.

• Landing: in early autumn or early spring.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Soil: non-acidic, well-drained and fertilized.
• Watering: on average once every five days, using 20-30 liters of water for every 1 m² of land: the soil should be wet to a depth of 30-35 cm.
• Trimming: in spring - sanitary cleaning, during leaf fall - main pruning.
• Feeding: if fertilizers were applied to the soil before planting currants, fertilizing begins in the third year: nitrogen is added in early spring, three foliar fertilizings are carried out in June-July, and in the fall the soil is dug up with compost, manure or chicken manure, as well as phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
• Reproduction: layering, lignified and green cuttings, rooting of two-year-old shoots.
• Pests: shoot, gall and red gall aphid, moths, pale-footed moths, fruit and yellow sawflies, biennial leaf rollers, spider and bud mites, moths, glass beetles, gall midges.
• Diseases: white spot (septoria), gray rot, goblet and columnar rust, anthracnose, terry, necrosis of shoots and branches, powdery mildew, striped mosaic, nectria necrosis.

Read more about growing blackcurrants below.

Blackcurrant - description

The fibrous root system of black currant is located at a depth of 20-30 cm. The height of the black currant bush reaches 1 m. Young shoots of currants are pale and pubescent, adults are brown. Black currant leaves are from 3 to 12 cm long and wide with three to five wide-triangular lobes, the middle of which is often elongated, have jagged edges and golden glands along the veins, which emit a well-known aroma. Top side The leaf blade is dark green, dull, the underside is pubescent along the veins. Drooping racemose inflorescences consisting of 5-10 pinkish-gray or lavender bell-shaped flowers, often densely pubescent outside, bloom in May or June. The fruits of black currants are glossy blue-black fragrant berries with a diameter of up to 1 cm.

Black currant is one of the most popular in middle lane garden crops, which is grown by amateurs as often as raspberries, gooseberries and strawberries, and much more often than blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. This culture has earned such popularity not only due to its taste and bright aroma, but also due to the large quantity necessary for a person vitamins, acids, micro- and macroelements that blackcurrant berries contain.

We will tell you about how to plant and care for black currants, in what ways they reproduce, how to prune black currants, what to feed them, we will give a description of the varieties of black currants, the most productive and easy to care for, we will describe what pests and diseases of black currants can complicate its cultivation - you will find answers to all your questions in our article.

Planting black currants

When to plant black currants

Currants bear fruit for 12-15 years, and produce the richest harvests in the sixth or seventh year of growth. Almost all varieties of black currant are self-fertile - they do not need pollinators, but the largest and sweetest black currants are obtained when several varieties of this crop are cross-pollinated in one area.

You can plant black currants throughout the growing season, but it is best to do this in late September or early October - before winter, black currant seedlings will take root well, and in early spring they will begin to grow. If you decide to plant currants in the spring, then try to do this before the sap flows and the buds begin to swell.

Soil for currants there should be a fertile, slightly acidic or neutral reaction - pH 5.0-5.5. The crop likes loam most of all. Black currants are planted on the south or southwest side, in a well-lit area, protected from the wind. Groundwater should lie no higher than 1.5 m.

Planting black currants in spring

The area for blackcurrants should be prepared in the fall: the soil is dug up to the depth of a spade, adding 7-10 kg of humus, 1 liter of wood ash and 80-100 g of superphosphate per m².

The planting density of blackcurrant bushes depends on the crop variety. For example, low-spreading or straight-growing varieties are planted at a distance of 100-130 cm from each other, maintaining row spacing up to one and a half meters wide. A planting hole is dug approximately 50x50x50 cm in size, half a bucket of water is poured into it, the seedling is placed in it at an angle of 45º, 4-6 cm deeper than it grew in the mother liquor - this planting method stimulates the intensive formation of roots and shoots.

The roots of the seedling are carefully straightened, covered with soil, compacted, after which another half a bucket of water is poured under the seedling. In order to avoid rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, the area is mulched with peat, humus, dry soil or sawdust.

Planting black currants in autumn

Pits for autumn planting Blackcurrant seedlings are prepared two to three weeks in advance. They are poured into top layer soil mixed with two tablespoons of double superphosphate, a large handful of ash and 5 kg of rotted compost, filling the hole two-thirds. The soil in the hole must settle and compact before planting. The planting procedure is carried out according to the same rules as in the spring. After planting, all shoots of the seedlings are cut off, leaving no more than 2-3 buds on each.

Blackcurrant care

Caring for black currants in spring

Black currants awaken very early in the spring, so you need to have time to trim broken or diseased branches before the buds swell, and also remove buds damaged by mites. If there are too many buds in which mites have settled, trim the entire bush to the base. In spring, in addition to sanitary ones, formative pruning of bushes is carried out. If you hilled up the bushes for the winter, rake away the soil from them.

The soil around the bush is dug up and mulched with a layer of humus or manure 5-10 cm thick, trying to lay it out at a distance of 20 cm from the branches of the bush. As soon as weeds begin to sprout, remove them immediately.

Since black currants are moisture-loving, do not forget to water them, especially if the winter was without snow and spring without rain. After watering, it is advisable to weed the area, as well as fertilize the blackcurrant with nitrogen fertilizers, followed by loosening the soil and embedding granules to a depth of 6-8 cm. Loosening is carried out on average 2-3 times a week, but if you have mulched the area, you can do this through mulch and much less often.

Since black currants enter the active growth stage very early, their opening buds can be damaged by return frosts, so be prepared to protect the bushes from a sharp cold snap with smoke or plastic wrap.

In May, when the currants begin to bloom, inspect the bushes and cut out branches affected by doubleness (reversion) - those on which the flowers have changed from bell-shaped to separate-petaled. If the currants need supports, install them.

Caring for black currants in summer

In June, blackcurrant bushes are watered, weeded and loosened the area around them, and the currants are also fed at the roots with organic fertilizers. The crop also responds well to foliar feeding - spraying microfertilizer solutions on the leaves.

If a moth appears, it is necessary to destroy its nests, and if some berries turn brown and become deformed prematurely, this is a sure sign of sawfly activity, so be prepared to treat black currants as well.

In July and August, red and black currants ripen. Black currant fruits are collected selectively, in individual berries, and not in the same way as red currants - in whole bunches. The best dishes for picking berries are trays, boxes or boxes in which the fruits will not be crushed.

After harvesting, currants require abundant watering, and as soon as the soil dries out, it will be necessary to loosen the soil in the area.

Caring for black currants in autumn

At the end of September or beginning of October, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied to the currant bushes, after which the area is watered and then dug up to incorporate the fertilizers into the soil.

An important point in caring for black currants in the fall is sanitary pruning of bushes. As a result of removing thickening branches, you may experience planting material, which is the time to root in the fall. The cuttings dug in the spring for rooting are separated from the mother bushes and planted in a permanent place.

If there is no rain in autumn, carry out water-recharging irrigation. That's it autumn work with black currants.

Processing black currants

Early spring Treatment of black currant bushes begins by scalding the bushes from a garden watering can with water heated to 80 ºC. Replace hot shower You can pollinate the bushes and the surrounding land with wood ash.

To combat some insects, as well as to feed currants with nitrogen, the bushes are treated with a seven percent urea solution, but this must be done until the buds on the branches begin to bloom.

As soon as the first leaf begins to emerge from the buds, the currants are treated with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate against diseases such as anthracnose, rust and septoria.

If last season you noticed moths in the butterfly area, treat the blackcurrant before flowering with Karbofos, Agravertin, Fitoverm, Iskra-bio in accordance with the instructions, and in addition to this measure, cover the area with film so that the butterflies cannot get out of the ground. As soon as the currants bloom, the film will need to be removed so that beneficial insects can get to the surface.

At the same time (before flowering), the currant should be sprayed with Karbotsin, Iskra or Inta-CM against gall midges, aphids, sawflies and leaf rollers, but since one treatment will not be enough, you will have to spray the currants with these preparations twice more - immediately after flowering and after harvesting .

After flowering, if you find anthracnose, septoria or powdery mildew on black currants, you need to treat the bushes with Strobi, Vectra or Cumulus, and Topaz, Thiovit Jet or colloidal sulfur will cope with American powdery mildew (provided that the air temperature is the temperature in the garden will not be lower than 18 ºC). After harvesting, it is necessary to re-treat currants against American powdery mildew.

After leaf fall and autumn pruning bushes, it is necessary to collect and destroy plant debris, after which currants should be prevented from diseases with one percent solutions Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate.

Watering black currants

Growing black currants requires maintaining the soil in the currant plant in a loose state, which can be achieved by frequent and abundant watering, provided that it is not excessive. Lack of moisture slows down the growth of branches and shoots, and during the formation and filling of currant berries, poor or irregular soil moisture can cause them to grind and fall off.

Watering black currants is especially important in early June, during the stage of intensive growth of bushes and formation of ovaries; it is also necessary in late June and early July, during the period of fruit filling. At this time, the soil must be moistened to the depth of the entire root layer - approximately 35-45 cm. The approximate water consumption is 20-30 liters per m² of site. Water should be poured into specially made furrows along the row spacing or into grooves 10-15 cm deep, dug around each bush at a distance of 30-40 cm from its base.

After watering, loosen the soil as soon as it dries slightly. If the area is mulched, you will have to water, loosen, and weed the area much less often.

Feeding black currants

In the year of planting, if you applied fertilizer to the hole in accordance with our recommendation, black currants will not need fertilizing. From the second year of life in the spring, it will be enough to distribute 40-50 g of urea under each bush or treat the bushes with a seven percent solution before the sap begins to flow. Bushes older than 4 years are fed with urea in smaller quantities, using only 25-40 g of nitrogen fertilizer per bush, applied in two doses.

In autumn, black currants are fed with organic matter once every two years - compost, manure or bird droppings at the rate of 10-15 kg per bush. And from mineral fertilizers add 10-20 g of potassium sulfate and 50 g of superphosphate per plant. If you mulched the area with a thick layer of organic fertilizer in the spring, then in the fall you don’t have to add organic matter to the soil, but if you added humus to the soil in the fall, then next spring You can skip fertilizing currants with nitrogen.

Blackcurrant pruning

When to prune blackcurrants

We have already written that it is best to carry out sanitary and formative pruning of black currants in the spring, at the end of March. But the problem is that the crop begins to vegetate very early, and pruning must be done before the buds swell. If you managed to meet the deadline in the spring, then in the fall, before the onset of the dormant period, carry out only sanitary pruning.

Pruning black currants in spring

As we have already written, all branches of newly planted seedlings are shortened, leaving no more than 2-3 buds on each.

On bushes of the second year of life at spring pruning leave from 3 to 5 of the most developed zero shoots - they will become the first skeletal branches of the currant bush. The remaining shoots are removed. In mid-summer, the skeletal shoots are shortened by pinching them into two buds - this manipulation promotes the intensive formation of fruit branches and the growth of new zero shoots. Thus, the bush is formed correctly and the harvest grows.

In the third and fourth years of life, from the growing zero shoots, from 3 to 6 of the most promising ones are left, and the rest are cut out. The tops of last year's shoots are shortened. On each branch of the skeletal branches, 2-4 buds are left. By the end of the fourth year, the blackcurrant bush can be considered mature.

In the fifth and sixth years, old branches appear on the blackcurrant, and the bush needs rejuvenating pruning, in which five- to six-year-old branches are cut off at the very surface. Otherwise, when pruning, they adhere to the same scheme:

• branches of the second, third and fourth years are shortened along all branches, leaving no more than 4 buds at each end;
• the tops of last year's shoots are shortened;
• from the zero shoots of the current year, from 3 to 5 of the strongest and most developed ones are left, the rest are cut out.

Pruning black currants in autumn

If you managed to carry out full pruning in the spring, in the fall you will only have to cut out dry, broken, diseased and improperly growing branches and shoots, that is, carry out thinning and sanitary pruning. If you didn’t manage to tidy up the bush in the spring, do it in the fall, after all the leaves have fallen from the currants.

Dry branches can be removed from the bush at any time of the year. It is best to pinch the tops in mid-July.

Propagation of black currant

How to propagate black currants

Black currant propagates vegetatively - by layering, green and lignified cuttings, as well as by dividing the bush. Seed propagation black currant is also possible, but the offspring may not completely inherit the characteristics of the variety, and besides, vegetative methods give faster and more reliable results.

Propagation of black currant by cuttings

This is the most common way. Currant cuttings are prepared from annual basal shoots or shoots of the first order of branching. The thickness of the cuttings should be at least 7 mm, and the length should be 15-20 cm. Using a sterile pruning shears or knife, cut the cuttings 1-1.5 above the bud. It is better to do this at the end of September or at the beginning of November, when the bush has already entered the dormant period. In the same autumn, blackcurrant cuttings are planted in the ground, but if planting is delayed until spring, the ends of the cuttings are dipped in liquid paraffin or garden varnish, after which the planting material is tied, wrapped in damp paper, then in polyethylene and buried in the snow or placed in the refrigerator until spring. Before planting, the lower end with paraffin is carefully cut off obliquely.

In spring, cuttings are planted as early as possible, as soon as the ground warms up to 8-9 ºC. They are placed in the ground at an angle of 45º, deep enough so that only 1-2 buds remain above the surface. After planting, the cuttings are watered and the area is mulched with humus, peat or sawdust. Arches up to half a meter high are installed over the bed and polyethylene is thrown over them, which is removed as soon as the first leaves appear. Once the cuttings have taken root and released their first leaves, they begin to be watered regularly, under no circumstances allowing the soil to dry out even briefly.

In the summer, the bed with the cuttings is weeded, fertilized with a solution of mullein with ash and superphosphate, and in the fall, provided that the seedlings grow to a height of 30-50 cm and they develop 1-2 shoots, they are transplanted to a permanent place.

You can also propagate black currants green cuttings, however, this is a more complex method, carried out only if you have a greenhouse or greenhouse with a fogging function.

Reproduction of black currant by layering

This is the simplest and most reliable of the vegetative propagation methods, since it allows you to obtain seedlings with a well-developed root system in one year. In early spring, select a healthy two-year-old branch growing obliquely on the periphery of the bush, bend it to the ground, and place its middle part in a pre-dug groove 10-12 cm deep so that the top 20-30 cm long remains on the surface.

Secure the cuttings in the groove with wire, fill the furrow with soil and water regularly during the growing season. By autumn, the cuttings will develop a powerful root system, produce 2-3 thick branches, and it can be cut off from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Propagation of black currant by dividing the bush

You need to divide the currant bush in spring or autumn when replanting. The bush is dug up, carefully releasing the roots from the ground, and divided into several parts with an ax or saw, having previously sterilized the tool. Each division should have well-developed shoots and roots. Cut out old, diseased branches and roots, and shorten young branches to 20-30 cm, then treat the cuts with charcoal and plant parts of the bush in prepared holes in the manner that we described to you earlier.

After planting, seedlings require abundant watering. The division will yield a harvest only after a year, since the root system, injured by division, needs time to recover from the shock.

Black currant diseases

Among the diseases that can affect currants fungal diseases anthracnose, white spot, goblet or columnar rust, powdery mildew, gray mold, shoot dieback and nectar shoot dieback.

But viral diseases for which there is no cure are much more dangerous for black currants. These include black mosaic and terry, or reversion.

Pests of black currant

Pests that can affect blackcurrants include currant glassfly, blackcurrant fruit, palelegged and yellow gooseberry sawflies, biennial leafroller, gooseberry moth, gooseberry shoot and leaf gall aphid, gooseberry moth, spider and currant bud mites and currant gall midges.

As you have probably already noticed, black currants and gooseberries have the same insect pests, and they also have common diseases. That is why we have dedicated a separate article entitled “Diseases and Pests of Gooseberries” to a description of these enemies, as well as ways to get rid of them.

Blackcurrant varieties

Today, more than two hundred varieties of black currant have been cultivated, and among them it is very difficult to find two or three exactly the ones you need. We will try to divide the varieties into groups, in accordance with the requests of our readers, to make it easier for you to make your choice.

Large varieties of black currants

Large-fruited varieties of black currant are those whose berries weigh more than 1.5 g. The most famous varieties of large-fruited currant are:

• Vigorous– black currant of this variety has fruits whose weight reaches 8 g. The skin of the fruit is dense, the flesh is fleshy, sweet, juicy. The ripening period is medium late - in the third ten days of July. The disadvantage of the variety is that it reproduces poorly, is not resistant to powdery mildew, and needs to be rejuvenated frequently;
• Dobrynya- large black currant, the weight of the berries reaches 7 g. The ripening period is average - the second half of July. Dobrynya is distinguished by its winter hardiness, early fruiting and resistance to powdery mildew;
• Selechenskaya-2– productive, winter-hardy and powdery mildew-resistant variety early maturation with berries weighing up to 6 g of sweet and sour taste.

Sweet varieties of black currants

The sweetest varieties of blackcurrant are:

• Nina– consistently productive, winter-hardy, self-fertile and sweet early ripening black currant, resistant to powdery mildew, with large berries up to 13 mm in diameter. Unfortunately, the variety is not resistant to leaf mite and bud mite;
• Bagheera– resistant to change environment, precocious and winter-hardy variety with large sweet berries almost completely without acid, characterized by good gelling. The disadvantage of the variety is its instability to pests and diseases - anthracnose, powdery mildew and bud mite;
• Green haze– early-fruiting, winter-hardy and high-yielding variety of medium ripening with aromatic sweet berries. The variety is affected by bud mites.

Sweet varieties are also Izyumnaya, Otlichitsa, Perun and Dobrynya.

Early varieties of black currant

Early ripening blackcurrant varieties ripen in early July, and since the harvest from these bushes ends before the heat sets in, they are not afraid of most of the diseases and pests that plague later varieties. Early currants are represented by the following varieties:

• Dove seedling– an extremely early variety with small berries weighing from 1 g to 1.5 g, which crack when overripe;
• The Little Prince– a self-fertile and early-fruiting variety that produces up to 6 kg of juicy, almost black berries with a sweet and sour taste per bush;
• curiosity– a winter-hardy, self-fertile, productive variety that does not tolerate drought well, but is resistant to powdery mildew. The berries are oval, medium in size, with thick skin, sweet and sour.

Medium varieties of black currants

Mid-season blackcurrant produces a harvest from mid-July. Among the most famous varieties of medium ripening are the following:

• Titania- a variety resistant to powdery mildew with berries of different sizes, sweet and sour taste, with durable skin and greenish pulp. The berries do not ripen at the same time, so the harvest may take longer;
• Black pearl– consistently productive, self-fertile and very frost-resistant variety universal purpose with one-dimensional berries weighing up to 1.5 g. The variety is not resistant to powdery mildew;
• Bolero– self-fertile, early-fruiting, productive and frost-resistant variety, resistant to anthracnose and powdery mildew, with large, aromatic oval or round berries weighing up to 2.5 g with a sweet and sour taste.

Late varieties of black currant

Late blackcurrant varieties include those that ripen in August. It is the berries of late-ripening varieties that are best stored frozen and processed. The most famous varieties:

• Vologda– a productive, large-fruited, disease-resistant variety with high self-fertility and winter hardiness, but is damaged during spring frosts. The berries are sweet and sour, large, with a dry detachment, weighing up to 2.2 g;
• Daughter– a productive self-fertile and drought-resistant variety for universal use, resistant to bud mite. Berries with dry detachment, large, sweet and sour taste, weighing up to 2.5 g;
• Lazy– a self-fertile, winter-hardy, blight- and anthracnose-resistant variety with round, large berries and a sweet taste. Disadvantages of the variety include prolonged fruit ripening and unstable yields.

The varieties Venus, Natasha, Rusalka, Katyusha, Kipiana and others are also popular.

The highest scores for taste - above 4.5 points - are given to blackcurrant varieties considered dessert. The best black currants are the varieties Selechenskaya, Selechenskaya-2, Venus, Nadiya, Centaur, Perun, Pygmy, Oryol Waltz, Slastena, Tisel, Nestor Kozin, Black Boomer, Pearl, Legend, Izyumnaya, Lazy, Ben-lomond.

Blackcurrant varieties for the Moscow region

When asked by readers whether black currants can be grown in areas with cold winters, we can answer with a clear conscience: yes! Among the blackcurrant varieties there are many winter-hardy ones that tolerate winter temperatures. Black currants for the Moscow region are represented by the following varieties:

• Paulinka– a mid-season, productive, winter-hardy variety with thin-skinned, small and sour berries. Disadvantage: susceptible to fungal diseases;
• Izmailovskaya– also a mid-season variety, but the berries of Izmailovskaya blackcurrant have a thick aroma, large, sweet and sour taste;
• Belarusian sweet– a variety resistant to cold and disease with medium-sized but very sweet berries. Despite the fact that ripening is extended over time, the berries do not fall off the bushes.

In addition to those described, the varieties Karelskaya, Moskovskaya, Pygmy, Exotika, Selechenskaya-2, Detskoselskaya and others grow well in the Moscow region.

Black currants can also be grown in cooler areas. For example, in the Urals the currant varieties Nina, Kent, Rhapsody, Pamyat Michurina, Dashkovskaya, Sibilla grow well, and in Siberia - Minusinka, Hercules, Lucia, Zagadka and Buraya.

Properties of black currant

Beneficial properties of black currant

Black currant fruits are considered a source of health - so many beneficial substances for human body is included in their composition. Blackcurrant berries contain vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, B9, D, A, E, K and P, pectin, essential oil, sugars, carotenoids, phosphoric and organic acids, potassium salts, iron and phosphorus. And the leaves, in addition to phytoncides, vitamin C and essential oil, contain sulfur, lead, silver, copper, manganese and magnesium.

The amount of vitamins and other useful substances in black currant is much higher than in any other berries, which is why it is a product healthy eating, helping to strengthen the body, increase immunity and enhance the therapeutic effect in the fight against diseases. Black currant is indicated for Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, malignant tumors, problems with the cardiovascular system and vision. Eating currant berries is beneficial for progressive atherosclerosis, kidney, respiratory tract and liver diseases.

Due to the anthocyanidins they contain, blackcurrant berries have anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties that help the body cope with sore throat - currant juice, diluted with water, gargles a sore throat.

A decoction of black currant berries is useful for anemia, hypertension, bleeding gums, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and gastritis. A mixture of currant juice and honey is used to treat severe coughs.

By rubbing the pulp of the berries into the skin, you can make freckles and age spots less noticeable, and by rubbing it into the cuticles and nail plates, you will make your nails stronger and more beautiful.

Black currant leaves also have medicinal properties, which many are happy to add to tea, marinades and brines. The leaves contain more vitamin C than the berries, so decoctions, infusions and teas have tonic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, diuretic, cleansing and antirheumatic properties. Preparations from the leaves are used for gastritis, cardiovascular diseases, gout, and externally for dermatitis and exudative diathesis.

Both decoctions and infusions can be prepared from both fresh raw materials and dried blackcurrant leaves. From young leaves in spring you can prepare a vitamin drink that strengthens the body: dilute any sour juice with boiled water, pour this mixture over currant leaves for a day, then strain, add a little honey if you want and drink half a glass a day.

From the leaves you can make a wonderful and healthy blackcurrant vinegar, a few drops of which will add taste and aroma to any dish: fresh leaves pour black currants with cold sugar syrup (100 g of sugar per 1 liter of water), cover the container with gauze and leave to ferment for 2 months, then strain and pour into dark glass bottles.

Black currant - contraindications

Due to the high content of phenolic compounds and vitamin K in black currants, it is contraindicated for thrombophlebitis - long-term consumption of berries can lead to increased blood clotting. Fresh blackcurrant berries and juice from them are not beneficial for high acidity of the stomach, ulcers and hyperacid gastritis. Fresh berries and their juice are not recommended after a stroke, heart attack or with developing thrombosis.

Pure, undiluted blackcurrant juice can cause allergies in children, but when diluted in small quantities it helps increase hemoglobin levels in the blood. It is not advisable to consume blackcurrant juice during pregnancy.

For healthy people to get required quantity vitamin C, it is enough to eat only 20 black currants daily.

49 5 1 Black currant: planting and care, pruning and propagation 4.1836734693878 Rating 4.18 (49 votes)

After this article they usually read

The cultivation of black currants is widespread due to the numerous beneficial properties berries. Compliance with planting conditions, proper care and timely pest control will be the key to harvesting a good harvest.

There are more than 200 varieties of black currant. When choosing a seedling for cultivation, the size of the fruit, yield and sweetness of the berry are important. We bring to your attention the varieties that are most convenient for growing on your own plot.

Vigorous

The largest fruits, reminiscent of grapes, belong to the Yadrenaya variety. The weight of one berry is in the range of 3-8 g. The spherical compact bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. It belongs to the mid-late varieties. Main characteristics of the Yadrenaya variety:

1. 3-6 kg of berries are collected from the bush.
2. Harvest ripening after July 20.
3. The skin of sweet and sour berries is dense.
4. Advantages when growing - excellent winter hardiness, not afraid of bud mites.
5. Disadvantages include rapid aging and are susceptible to powdery mildew.

Dobrynya

The Dobrynya variety is suitable for growing large berries. Weight Limit berries 7 g. In terms of the height of the bush and the taste of the berries, it has similar characteristics to Yadrenaya. Information useful for growing:

1. Productivity ranges from 1.6-2.4 kg.
2. The fruits ripen at the end of July.
3. The berries are of different sizes, weight varies from 3 to 7 g.

Green haze

Variety characteristics:

1. Fruit weight is 1.6-2.4 g, high yield - 4.2-4.9 kg.
2. The flowering period is the end of May; you can enjoy the harvest from mid-summer.
3. Vulnerability to the bud mite is considered the main disadvantage for cultivation.

Bagheera

The Bagheera variety is another representative of the sweet blackcurrant. The peak of summer will mark the beginning of the harvest. Relatively large berries contain 9-12% sugar. The following information will be useful for growing on your site:

1. The yield is quite high, 3-4.5 kg per bush.
2. Vitamin C content 160-185 mg per 100 g.
3. Not afraid of heat and drought, high winter hardiness.

Exotic

Among early varieties Exotics are prized. The upright bush grows compactly within 1-1.5 m. Thin-skinned berries are medium in size. Flowering in May will produce a harvest at the beginning of the second summer month. The yield is low, only 1-1.5 kg per bush, the weight of the berries ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 g. When grown, resistance to powdery mildew is valued. Exotica is susceptible to other diseases such as anthracnose, blight and bud mite.

When choosing early varieties, the growing region is taken into account. Frosts in early May, when flowering occurs, can destroy the bush. Timely shelter will save the culture.

Black pearl

Middle period maturation in Black pearls. One-dimensional sweet and sour berries reach a mass of 1.3-1.4 g. The sugar concentration is 9.3%, 100 g of ascorbic acid fruit contains 133 mg. Characteristic properties:

1. Productivity 3.5-5 kg.
2. Flowering in early May will produce a harvest in mid-summer.
3. Among the advantages for cultivation are high productivity and resistance to frost.
4. Gardeners are saddened by the lack of resistance to powdery mildew.

Lazy

Lazy people are valued among late varieties. The dense bush grows up to 1.8 m. The berries are large and sweet, the sugar content is almost 9%, but there is less vitamin C per 100 g compared to other varieties. Key Features:

1. Productivity ranges from 1.8-2.1 kg.
2. Berry weight 2-3 g.
3. Valued for the dessert taste of the berries and immunity to most diseases.
4. When growing the Lazy Tree variety, one is disappointed by the unstable yield of black currants and the unfriendly ripening of the fruits.

Although all the described varieties are self-fertile, it is recommended to organize the cultivation of different varieties of black currants nearby. Mutual cross-pollination has a positive effect on the yield and size of berries.

Selection of planting material

The key to the full development of currants is a combination of factors, including the choice of location, compliance with the rules of agricultural technology, suitable variety. But at the initial stage, a high-quality seedling is important.

In order for currant cultivation to be successful, choose planting material without visible damage to the roots and stems, with healthy appearance. The number of skeletal roots ranges from 3 to 5; the presence of developed fibrous roots is mandatory. They must be processed and kept moist.

The above-ground part of the seedling includes developed one- and two-year-old shoots 25-40 cm high, flexible, light gray in color. The optimal age of planting material is 1-2 years; perennial specimens take root less well. A sign of a healthy shoot is normal bud size. Their swelling indicates infection with a kidney mite. A seedling with leaves is not suitable for planting.

Planting time at summer cottage

It is preferable to plant black currants from late September to mid-autumn. The specific period depends on the climate of the region. It is oriented that before the onset of frost, black currants have about a month to restore and strengthen the roots.

Will cause more trouble spring planting However, this procedure is less tolerated by berry crops. In April, choose a place where the ground has thawed at least 20 cm. Good soil moisture after the snow melts is important for further cultivation, this promotes better rooting. Early awakening of black currants obliges us to take care of planting before the buds begin to bloom.

Planting black currants

Black currants are grown in several ways.

Single landing

• Choose a well-lit area.
• The holes are dug to a depth of 0.5 m at intervals of 2 m, the approximate diameter is 0.6 m.
• The bottom is covered with humus to a third of the height of the recess, and 1 cup of wood ash is added.
• The seedlings are inspected and damaged roots are removed with pruning shears.
• In the hole, the planting material is placed at an angle of 45°, the roots are straightened, the root collar is 6 cm below the edge.
• The seedling is sprinkled with soil, filling the space between the roots, and compacted. Add half a bucket of water.
• After filling the hole completely with soil, water it thoroughly.
• The planted bush is pruned, leaving 4 buds from the soil, the 5th is removed with pruning shears.
• Removed shoots are cut into cuttings and rooted.
• To avoid crust formation, mulch the soil.

If the planting of black currants is organized in the fall, the bushes are hilled to a height of 15 cm before the onset of frost. In the spring, the earthen protection is removed.

Ordinary landing

Row planting differs slightly from single planting. The difference is the distance between the bushes.

Growing berries requires space. Minimum distance to fruit trees– 2.5 m. A row spacing of 2-3 m will provide comfortable harvesting and space for the full development of bushes.

When planting in rows, the interval between plantings is at least 1.5 m. If currants are planned to be grown along a fence, leave a gap of 1.5-2 m.

Planting on a trellis

For growing on trellises, use metal pipes or wooden poles up to 2.5 m high. For stability, the load-bearing supports are equipped with wire covers or placed at an angle of 20° to the outer rows. On long rows, intermediate supports are installed at intervals of 7 m. The lower parts, which will be buried in the ground, are treated with an antiseptic or tar, depending on the material used. This will protect the pillars from rotting or corrosion processes.

When growing black currants on a plot, do not allow close proximity to raspberries, cherries and apple trees. Cherries and pears also react negatively to the presence of healthy berry bushes.

Blackcurrant care

Compliance with agricultural technology - the most important stage growing black currant bushes. The result of systematic care will be a good harvest.

Watering

Black currants need regular watering. High-quality hydration is especially important at two stages of development. The beginning of June is characterized by intensive growth of bushes and the formation of the ovary, the second stage is the filling of fruits, depending on the variety, it lasts from late June to mid-July.

With insufficient watering, the growth of blackcurrant branches slows down, and the berries become crushed and may crumble. To prevent problems during cultivation, the soil is moistened to the entire depth of the roots, usually 40-45 cm. Watered at the rate of 25-30 liters per 1 m2.

If the plantings are single, they are poured into grooves around the bush, spaced 35 cm from it and dug to a depth of 10-15 cm. When grown by row planting of black currants, furrows are formed between the rows for watering.

Loosening

After watering the black currants, when the soil dries out slightly, it must be loosened. The procedure helps enrich the root system with oxygen and retain moisture. This has a beneficial effect on growing results.

Top dressing

Growing healthy black currants is not complete without fertilizing. Fertilizer application scheme:

1. The first year after planting, seedlings do not need additional fertilizer if they were present in the hole.
2. Starting from the second year, before the start of sap flow, 40-50 g of urea is added under the bush.
3. After 4 years of growth, only 25-35 g of nitrogen fertilizer is enough for one bush.
4. Autumn feeding will be organized in a year. 40 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium sulfate are used as mineral fertilizers.

If mulching with organic matter was carried out during cultivation in the spring, application in the fall organic fertilizers not required.

Feeding black currants can be done by spraying the leaves with a solution of microfertilizers.

Trimming

Blackcurrant pruning is carried out in the spring before the buds swell. Damaged or broken branches must be removed; they will interfere with further cultivation. Pruning prevents the proliferation of pests and promotes the growth of young shoots.

To form a bush, shoots are pruned annually. Leave 3-4 branches that are correctly located and well developed. The process is completed in the 5th year of growing the blackcurrant bush.

If the bush develops insufficiently, 2-3 skeletal branches are removed. If everything is done correctly, an adult blackcurrant bush contains from 10 to 15 skeletal branches, supplemented by lateral shoots.

Mulching

Mulching is extremely important when growing crops. To do this, the soil around the blackcurrant is dug up and covered with humus 5-10 cm thick. Organic matter is placed from the branches with a gap of 0.2 m. When weeds appear, they are immediately removed.

Reproduction methods

Vegetative propagation when growing black currants it is considered the most effective. There are three main ways:

1. Propagation by cuttings, when branches from one-year-old shoots 25 cm long are used.
2. Propagation by green cuttings. To do this, a shoot 15 cm long is cut from a young branch.
3. Reproduction by layering. Here they use layering from the mother bush at the age of 3 years.

Each of the growing methods is accessible even to a novice gardener.

Preparing for winter

When growing blackcurrants on a plot, it is important to take care of their protection from winter and spring frosts. Blackcurrant bushes can withstand frosts down to -25 °C, but it is better to take safety precautions. Pruning and feeding bushes in the fall is the first step to preserve useful crop. The second stage is protecting the branches.

The most common technique is to bend them to the ground. After which the branches, grouped in 3-5 pieces, are pressed down with a board or brick. Non-metallic tiles will also work. If frosts drop below -35 °C in the region where currants are planned to be grown, the branches are buried. But here a new danger lurks: if an ice crust forms on the covered surface, the blackcurrant branches will no longer receive oxygen and may die. When burying, under no circumstances should metal sheets with high thermal conductivity be used.

During spring frosts, blackcurrant bushes are covered in advance with cloth, special film or bulky paper bags.

Diseases and pests of black currant

Growing healthy blackcurrants on a plot is not without problems in the form of diseases and pests. The most common diseases:

1. Anthracnose. It is characterized by the appearance and further growth of brown spots on black currant foliage. Sometimes it appears on petioles and young shoots.
2. White spotting. Initially, brown spots on the leaves gradually turn into white.
3. Glass rust. The sign is rusty growths on the foliage.
4. Powdery mildew appears as plaque white on berries and shoots. Gradually it changes to brown. The disease leads to cracking of the berries.
5. Terry also damages blackcurrant foliage.

The growing process can be overshadowed by pest attacks. Enemies you need to know by sight:

• Currant aphid.
• Moth and leaf gall midge.
• Kidney mite.
• Spider mite.
• Berry sawfly.
• Shield.

If there is any sign of damage, you should recognize the disease or pest in time and begin treatment, where necessary - destroy the damaged areas of the blackcurrant.

In order for currant cultivation to bear visible fruit, it is important to follow the recommendations of agronomists. Choosing a healthy seedling and suitable place, regular and competent care, timely protection from frost and pests are the main conditions for maintaining healthy bushes and high yield.

Black currant is considered one of the healthiest and delicious berries. Blackcurrant is used in medicine and cooking. It is used to prevent certain diseases.

Black currant provides the human body different types vitamins (A, vitamins E, B, C, H), microelements (fluorine, iron, iodine, copper, cobalt, zinc, manganese), macroelements (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium). It is the most beneficial for health, gives strength and vigor.

Also, black currant is valued due to its content of dietary fiber, organic acid, pectin, sugar, essential oils. Currant leaves are also endowed with generally beneficial properties. After all, it contains a large amount of phytoncides - these are volatile substances that fight microbes. The berry, black currant, is used for brewing various teas. Tea with it is tastier and healthier.

Black currant is endowed with the following beneficial properties:

1. Black currant is an excellent folk remedy for strengthening the immune system. It contains a lot of ascorbic acid.
2. Rich in antioxidants.
3. It contains many macroelements, and without them cellular metabolism is impossible.
4. The microelements included in the composition are necessary for cellular metabolism.
5. Currants are rich in anthocyanins (these substances act as protection against various damages).
6. It perfectly disinfects and relieves inflammation. It is recommended to take it for ARVI, in the postoperative period.
7. It has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. It is also recommended for consumption by those who have poor eyesight or have liver problems.
8. By consuming black currants, small wrinkles may disappear.
9. It has also been proven that currants are excellent for the prevention of serious diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and the appearance of malignant tumors.

Blackcurrant retains its beneficial qualities, even after freezing or heat treatment. In folk medicine, it is used to treat cough.

The most popular varieties

Today you can count 224 varieties of currants. They are divided into early ripening ( Exotica, Nara, Summer resident, Nika, Sevchanka), mid-season varieties (Dubrovskaya, Dobrynya, Perun) and late ( Vologda, Katyusha, Nuclear, Mermaid) varieties.

To the types of currants that bring maximum yield, include: “treasure” - the sweetest berry, “nuclear” - the largest, “gross” - the most delicious. The homeland of these varieties is Altai. From one currant bush you can collect almost five buckets of berries. One berry will be the size of a grape. All the currants will ripen almost simultaneously.

1. Variety "Ilya Muromets". It is invulnerable to such pests as bud mite. This is a strong, huge and immense bush. When ripening, the berries do not fall off.
2. The variety “Vasilisa the Beautiful” belongs to the mid-season bushes. Invulnerable to powdery mildew.
3. The “Yubileinaya Kopanya” variety has strong bushes and high yields. This variety is not picky about hot summers and various pests.
4. Another variety that is immune to heat and fungal microorganisms is Selechenskaya-2. She will also be comfortable growing in the shade.

How to plant currants correctly

Blackcurrant planting dates

The most best time The year for planting currants is autumn. Although it can be planted in the spring. But it is not recommended to do this, since in the spring the buds bloom very quickly, and there is very little time left for the plant to get stronger.

Currant bushes are planted at the end of September - at the beginning of October, it is advisable to do so before the onset of frost. The advantage of planting in the fall is that the soil becomes denser near the root system during the hibernation period, and in the spring the bushes awaken and begin to grow well.

Currants prefer moist soil. Therefore, she will like it in the northern or northwestern part of the land. The main thing is that the place is protected from the wind. Currants can live not only in the shade, but also where there is sun rays, but everything should be in moderation.

Soil requirements (acidity, hole depth)

14 days before the start of planting currants, holes must be dug. Everyone will leave the open pit harmful substances, for example, chlorine, which came in when applying fertilizer in the form of manure. This is the first step.

The second step will be feeding the hole, i.e. introduction of nutrients. A mixture should be prepared for application to the ground in the following proportion: for 1 bucket of manure, take 300 grams of ash and 200 grams of superphosphate.

Calculate the depth of the hole. It should be twice as large as the roots of the future seedlings. A standard hole for seedlings will be a hole of this size: width - 60 cm, and depth - almost 50 cm.

Now we will talk about soil acidity. If the acidity of the soil where the seedlings will grow is 4-5 pH or lower, then 100 g of limestone, for example, chalk, slaked lime with water, is poured into the hole. To preserve moisture, you need to periodically loosen the soil under the seedlings.

Proper care is the key to a good harvest

Don't forget to water

Currants are watered infrequently, usually two or three times a season. The first watering is the beginning of shoot growth and the formation of ovaries, the second is when the berries begin to ripen, and the third watering is after the end of the harvest. Sometimes they water in the fall, but this is only when there is no rain.

Water the currants in the amount per 1 square meter. m. 4-5 buckets of water, in pre-constructed holes, about 15 cm deep. In the summer heat, it is necessary to check the soil moisture, this is done the easy way. You need to dig up the ground with one spade blade; if the ground is wet, then there is no need for additional watering.

If there is a lack of moisture, the plants exhibit slow growth of shoots, and during the ripening of the berries, the fruits may crumble. During drought in the fall, the bushes may freeze.

Fertilizer for black currants

Sometimes in the ground, there are not enough black currants the most useful substances. She needs to be fed. This is done throughout the entire period of growth of the currant bush. Immediately after planting the plant in the ground, and in the first two years, currants receive the required amount of potassium and phosphorus from the soil, which was used to fertilize the ground before planting. At the beginning of spring, it needs nitrogen, it is applied under the currants, it is buried and watered.

After three years, in addition to fertilizing with nitrogen in the spring, about 5 kg of organic fertilizers, superphosphate (50 grams) and potassium sulfate (20 grams) are added to the soil in the autumn.

If currants grow on swampy peat soils, then they need feeding once every three years. Lime must be added to the soil 4 times throughout the year. Also superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Currants, which grow on sandy soils, need annual feeding. This is done in the spring.

Is bush pruning necessary?

Blackcurrants need to be pruned annually. Each currant branch should be renewed once every three years, as old branches produce a poor harvest.

Pruning currants has a beneficial effect on the formation of the bush, constant renewal and normalization of the crop load on the bush.

Currants can be cut in spring and autumn. The main purpose of cutting in the spring is to remove frozen branches; you need to thin out the thick currant branches. It should be pruned in early spring, before the sap flows. Sections of branches are smeared with varnish. But this needs to be done as early as possible, before the buds open. In the fall, unnecessary one-year-old stems are removed: these are branches that lie on the ground, are infected with pests that grow on the plant for more than two years and have a darker color.

Getting ready for winter

Preparing blackcurrants for winter requires a lot of attention. It is better to do this at the end of October, while there is no cold weather yet. IN winter period it must be protected from severe and persistent frosts, from lack of water, and from various pests.

61 once already
helped

White currants are a variety of red currants and are related to black currants and gooseberries. Therefore, agricultural technology and care for these crops are largely similar. However, growing white currants has some peculiarities.

This shrub has three-lobed, serrated leaves of a dark green color. In May, small yellowish-green flowers appear, and in July, spherical fruits form in their place. different shades white and yellow tones. The taste of white currants is almost the same as that of red ones. At the same time, the fruits do not have a rich aroma, like black currants.

Planting white currants

White currant seedlings with an open root system are best planted in late September - early October, and plants with a closed root system (in a container) can be planted not only in the fall, but also in the spring (April), but the planting site is still prepared in the fall .

For the bush, choose a well-lit area. Unlike black currant, its white “sister” does not tolerate shade. In addition, moisture should not stagnate at the planting site, so an area with high groundwater is not suitable for white currants.

The soil must be fertile, moisture- and breathable, neutral or slightly acidic. Lime is added to acidic soil, and added to depleted (for example, sandy) soil. complex fertilizers. The area is dug up and a bucket of compost, 200 g of wood ash, 20 g of superphosphate, 15-20 g of urea and 10 g of potassium sulfate are added to each square meter.

A planting hole is dug with a diameter of 50 cm and a depth of 40 cm, and fertilized soil is poured onto its bottom. White currant seedlings are planted 5-7 cm deeper than they grew in the container and placed at an angle of 45 degrees. Plants are placed at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other. Saplings with an open root system must first be kept in water for 24 hours.

After planting the seedling, the soil is compacted and watered at the rate of 5 liters of water per plant. After the water is absorbed, the soil is mulched with peat. And the currant shoots are trimmed, leaving no more than 5 buds on each.

White currant care

In the spring, after the snow melts, sanitary pruning of white currants is carried out: all diseased, frozen, old and broken branches are removed. Before the buds open, the bushes are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture. The mulch is raked under the plants, the soil is loosened to a depth of 7-10 cm. After 2-3 weeks, this procedure is repeated.

Also, before sap flow begins, formative pruning is carried out. In newly planted plants, all shoots are shortened to 3-4 buds. For two- to three-year-old bushes, 3-4 well-developed shoots are left, the remaining basal shoots are cut out, trying not to leave stumps. Then, every year, another 3-4 strong shoots are left from the basal shoots and the rest of the shoots are cut out until the bush has formed 16-20 skeletal branches different ages. There is no need to shorten annual growths of fruiting branches, as this leads to a decrease in yield.

In spring, white currants may suffer from recurrent frosts, so prepare spunbond for shelter and carefully monitor weather forecasts. In summer, the soil on the site is kept moist and loose, and weeds are regularly weeded.

It is important to water the currants in time while the berries are forming, otherwise they will be small and tasteless. When watering, the soil should be saturated with moisture to a depth of 30 cm. The approximate water consumption is 20-30 liters per 1 sq.m of planting. To keep moisture in the soil longer, currants are mulched.

In summer you can spend foliar feeding on leaves with microfertilizers. To do this, dissolve 2-3 g of zinc sulfate, 5-10 g of manganese sulfate, 2-2.5 g of boric acid, 2-3 g of ammonium molybdate, 1-2 g of copper sulfate in 10 liters of water.

During the growing season, the condition of the bushes is closely monitored. If pests and diseases of white currant are detected, the plants are treated with insecticides or fungicides.

In July-August, ripe berries are harvested. After the end of fruiting, be sure to water the bushes and thoroughly loosen the soil. At the end of September - beginning of October, fertilizers are added to the soil (for each white currant bush - 10-15 kg of compost or humus, 80-120 g of superphosphate and 30-50 g of potassium chloride) and remove all damaged shoots that thicken the bush. If after pruning there are a lot of good branches left, they can be cut into cuttings and used for propagation.

To prevent diseases and pests, after leaf fall, the bushes and soil in the tree trunks are treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture.

How to propagate white currants

The easiest way to propagate white currants is using cuttings - semi-lignified (harvested in February-March) or green (cut in summer or early autumn). Cuttings 10-15 cm long should have 5-7 buds. Rooting is carried out in sand, loose soil or moss, then the cuttings are grown in a schoolhouse for 2 years, after which they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Currants are also propagated by horizontal layering. In early spring, while loosening the soil near the bush, they dig grooves 10-12 cm deep, bend and pin well-developed annual or biennial shoots to the soil, sprinkle them with soil, leaving the tops of the cuttings above the surface. As the shoot grows, it is covered with moist and loose soil up to half its height.

The soil is regularly moistened, and in the fall the cuttings are separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place or to a school for growing (if the shoot is weak).