Black currant is a source of useful microelements; almost every gardener grows it in the country. The variety of shrub varieties makes it possible to choose the right crop variety for a specific climate and region.
Blackcurrant: description
The bush is a low perennial plant. Develops both at home and in the wild. It is found on sandy soils. Most of the crop varieties grow in Europe and North America.
The berries of a perennial shrub were considered Russian fruits for many years. Information indicates that the culture began to grow in the territory of Ancient Russia in the 11th century. The bush was planted in many areas, they were decorated with land. Today it is impossible to go into the garden and not see the spreading berry culture in it.
The value of the bush is black tasty aromatic fruits. A distinctive feature - black currant is considered the ancestor of many other berry bushes. The plant does not need special care, the shrub brings an excellent harvest already in the 2nd year after planting in open soil.
The fruits of the shrub are rich in vitamin C, so it is better to eat them fresh, but many gardeners freeze the crop or make various preserves from it. The berries make incredibly tasty and healthy jams, fillings for sweets, compotes, and alcoholic drinks.
The bush leaves are suitable for pickles. Greens are suitable for making salads. Currant leaves reduce the amount of glucose in the blood, they make teas. The berries of the culture are eaten as a prophylaxis against scurvy, also against low blood clotting and heavy bleeding.
Representatives of traditional medicine are advised to eat fresh or canned berries for gastritis and other stomach ailments. Dried bush greens are used as a powerful antibiotic. Extracts from the foliage have a positive effect on the treatment of rheumatism, urolithiasis and cystitis.
It is worth clarifying that the bush is an excellent cosmetic product. It is used to create soap, and the juice is rubbed into the nail plate.
Do not eat berries with thrombophlebitis.
Shrub characteristics:
- The roots are branched, in depth lie 0.2-0.4 m.
- The bush is a large number of branches of different ages located at different levels. It is thanks to this that the plant has been bearing berries for more than 13 years.
- The largest crop can be obtained on the 6th year after planting.
- The buds of the plant in spring swell already at a temperature of about +5 degrees Celsius.
- It begins to bloom at +12 degrees. Because of this, the bush often suffers from spring chills.
- Many varieties do not need pollination, they are also cold-resistant. But to improve the taste of berries, other types of crops should be planted nearby.
- The greenery of the plant is fragrant; it is often added to tea.
- The harvest is rich in vitamins.
Planting black currant
Planting and growing this shrub is not a difficult event, but in order for currants to grow yields, it is necessary to adhere to some recommendations.
When to plant black currants?
You can plant it both in autumn and spring. But it is better to opt for the autumn season of the year. Saplings should be planted in late September or early October. Before the winter cold, the plant manages to take root in the ground, the roots are fully adapted. Thanks to this, the currant bush will perfectly survive the winter frosts and in the spring will begin to develop with renewed vigor.
You can plant it in the spring - in April. But this option is less favorable for the plant. In the spring season, it is better to plant currants in places where there is practically no snow in winter, otherwise the roots will start to freeze. If the cuttings were purchased in the fall, and it is not possible to plant them, then they are added dropwise, and the planting is carried out in the spring (before the budding period).
Before planting, it is necessary to trim the shoots.
Planting blackcurrant in spring
The shrub is considered one of the first plants to blossom very early. Spring planting should be done as early as possible.
Culture is easier to propagate by division or cuttings. The first option is simpler - shoots with roots are separated from the main plant. The soil is prepared in advance, the grass is removed, the soil is fed with humus (about 5 kg per 1 depression). If there is no humus, then ammonium nitrate can be added.
The root is deepened by 80 mm. The distance between the berry plants is about 1-1.5 m. The planted seedlings are watered. As for the propagation of the culture in spring by cuttings, in this case the branches are bent down and sprinkled with soil. In the fall, they are separated and planted.
Planting black currants in autumn
The main requirement for autumn planting is to plant the plant 14 days before the first winter colds.
Algorithm for planting crops in the fall:
- Pit size: 0.4 x 0.4 m. Depth: 0.3 m. Dig a hole and cover it with less than half of the nutrient soil.
- Take humus on one landing pit, compost (peat) 1-2 buckets, 150 g of superphosphate, 40 g of potassium sulfate.
- Inspect the root system before planting, remove any broken and dried out suckers. Two buds should remain on the shoot. Plant seedlings at an angle so that the branches are arranged in the form of a fan. Pour the recess, with the calculation of 1 bucket per 1 bush.
- In order for the seedlings to take root, the soil around them should be mulched with humus or peat. Alternatively, you can use dry sand.
- If autumn was without rainfall - water the plants more abundantly.
- Highlight black currant a separate plot in the garden. There should be a distance of 3 m between the rows of bushes. If the variety is compact, then the distance can be halved.
- To a greater extent, the cultivars are self-pollinated, but it is better to pick up a pair of inter-pollinated species.
Soil preparation
This berry shrub loves wetlands. A great option is a humidified area. It can be flat or flat. The territory should be protected from draft. But in choosing a place you also need to adhere to a measure - places with a close location of groundwater are not suitable for growing blackcurrant.
The soil must be nutritious. The culture grows well and develops on medium and heavy loamy soils. If there is a lot of carbonate in the ground, look for another site to plant the bush.
To prepare the site, you should plan the territory - remove all depressions, depressions and hills. The territory is plowed to a depth of 0.3 m. Rhizomes of weeds are dangerous for the culture, they should be disposed of, and then the earth should be dug up again.
If possible, then for a year before planting a shrub, any vegetables should be planted in the ground. During the final digging, 1 kg of manure, 5 kg of superphosphate and 3 kg of potash dressings are added (calculated per 100 sq. M). Deepenings are prepared 14 days before the cuttings are planted, during this period of time the soil will completely settle and be ready.
Black currant care
Caring for black currants depends on the period of the year, age, and also on the specific variety of berry bushes.
In the spring
Spring care is divided into three stages:
- Early period (last days of March-mid-April). By this time, the snow should have melted or partially come off the garden bed, but the currant buds did not have time to swell. Use nitrogen as a fertilizer, as it helps the shrub grow green mass quickly.
Pour the purchased mixture for bushes onto the ground. They are poured onto moist ground and sprinkled with soil a little on top. To prevent pests from attacking, collect and destroy all round buds. Collect organic residues left over from the fall and take them to the humus mixture. Some gardeners pour boiling water over the plants to awaken the bush.
- The average period (the last days of April to the first days of May). The buds are already swollen, but spring frosts are still possible. If you did not add nitrogen earlier, then do it now. Use urea (2 tablespoons for 20 liters of water) or ammonium nitrate (4 tablespoons for 20 liters of water). After spreading, dust the area around the root stem with soil.
Add humus under the plants, you can use compost. Also, this period is suitable for planting new seedlings. Treat old plants with iron sulfate (3-5%). You can use other means, for example, Fitoverm or Kleschevit. - Late period (all May). The shrub needs starch, so use dried potato peel as fertilizer. Bury them in the holes made in the areas above which the ends of the branches are located. You can substitute corn starch for potato starch. An excellent result is brought by foliar feeding with purchased mixtures. We advise you to read our article on spring currant feeding. Water blackcurrants regularly, especially during droughts.
Read more about caring for currants in spring here.
Weeds grow quickly, so loosen the soil regularly, just be careful not to damage the roots. Inspect the culture constantly. The moth pest is especially active; a weak solution of nicotine sulfate helps to get rid of it.
Summer
Summer care is divided into three stages:
- Before harvest... Pour wood ash under the root. Water abundantly. During a drought, increase the amount of water. At this time, caterpillars appear. Manual collection can be used, but it will not bring significant results. Spray plants with special products, for example Iskra. Cut off all dry branches.
- Collecting berries. Pour wood ash under each plant and dig it up with the soil. Trim the ends of shoots affected by powdery mildew. Plants are often attacked by moths. Collect ripe fruits, do not let them overripe.
- After harvest. You can use superphosphate to feed. In early August, 2 tbsp. for 20 liters of water, a double dose is required after 14 days. Treat the plants with Fitoverm, as it protects the bush from a kidney tick.
Fall
In the autumn period of the year, caring for black currants is as follows:
- Feed the plant with superphosphate or ready-made mixtures. How and what to fertilize currants in the autumn, read here.
- As soon as the shrub has completely shed the leaves, be sure to powder the soil with wood ash, add compost or new nutrient soil.
- Remove any large, swollen kidneys.
- Cut off infected branches, collect fallen leaves.
- Plant new layers at the end of September, but do everything carefully so that the roots of the plant do not suffer.
- In early October, transplant the cuttings into the open ground.
- Do water charging watering.
More about caring for currants in the autumn is written here.
As soon as the plant has lost all the foliage, tie the bushes with a string, put boards under some branches and make one large frame of wood. If this is not done, then in winter the plant will crush the snow, and in spring it will not contain most of the branches.
Black Currant Processing
Culture loves to be cared for and taken care of, so don't deny this to the bush. Proper and regular care will help you get a rich harvest of tasty and healthy berries.
Watering
Culture loves moisture, if there is not enough water, then the bush stops growing, the berries become smaller. Currants will not be able to survive the winter without the autumn moisture charge. The root system is not too deep (from 0.1 to 0.6 m).
Watering is necessary, but not worth it too often. You can water 4-6 times in 1 season. If the summer is too dry, then you need to water the plant once a week. The norm of water is 50 liters per plant.
Summer residents with experience recommends digging small grooves near the bush, into which water should be poured.
Top dressing
In early spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, young bushes need 50 g of urea. When the bush reaches the 4th year of life, then the feeding data is reduced. In the autumn season, about 5 kg of organic fertilizers are applied under the plant, for example, bird droppings, compost or manure. You should also add 20 g of potassium sulfate and 50 g of superphosphate.
The frequency of fertilizing directly depends on the composition of the soil, the poorer it is, the more fertilizers must be applied. If the land on the site is nutritious and you fertilized it in advance before planting cuttings, then the plant does not need large amounts of useful additional trace elements.
Pruning in spring and fall
Pruning in the spring season of the year is carried out only if it has not been carried out in the fall. All frozen shoots are cut off, weak branches are destroyed.
At the end of the summer season, the tops of the branches, powdered with a layer of powdery mildew, are cut, and weak shoots are destroyed. They will not produce crops, they will only thicken the plant.
At the end of August, pinch the blackcurrant branches - this event helps to ripen the tree and reduce the risk of powdery mildew. It is better to destroy the branches lying on the ground, spores of fungi or larvae of pests could already settle on them.
In autumn, pruning is not much different from spring pruning - all old and thickening branches are removed, it is desirable to reduce the length of the tops of the shoots. Always burn leaves and branches, as they can be carriers of various diseases.
Read more about autumn pruning in this article.
To be trimmed:
- broken branches;
- diseased branches;
- black shoots;
- old branches;
- tops of zero shoots;
- branches without forks.
Garden shears or a knife are used for trimming. This procedure will help the plant to lose "unnecessary load" and increase the amount of harvest.
Preparing for winter
It is very important to properly prepare the bush for the coming winter. The first step is to loosen the soil, then cultivate the bush and feed it. Urea is great for this, you can take a small matchbox with granules and dilute them in 10 liters of water. A sprayer is used to apply the mixture. After some time, you can feed the soil, make phosphorus-potassium fertilizing.
Loosening is a mandatory procedure that helps the culture better survive the cold. However, you need to be careful so as not to damage the root system of the plant. Old newspapers, straw or peat can be used as a mulch layer. If winter is approaching very harsh, then you can cover the shrub with special agrofibre or other covering material.
Blackcurrant propagation
Berry bushes reproduce in various ways. All of these methods have pros and cons. If you take a responsible approach to this event, then reproduction of the bush will be an easy task.
Cuttings
Propagation of the culture using lignified cuttings begins in the fall season:
- Prepare the area for planting: add humus or compost (5 g per 1 sq. M), superphosphate (35 g), potassium magnesium (18 g). Dig it all up.
- Strong and healthy shoots are suitable as a cutting; during planting in the fall, divide them into 0.2 m long sections.The upper cut should be 20 mm above the bud, the lower cut 10 mm lower.
- Any part can be used as a branch for planting, except for the lower one, where the buds are too small.
- Plant the cuttings so that 2 buds remain above the soil.
- After planting, compact the soil, cover the area with a layer of mulch and water. Mulch prevents the soil from drying out, protects the plant from pests and protects the soil from overheating.
The stalk can be cut in the fall or early spring. Branches cut in the autumn are tied in bunches and placed on the ground, covered with 20 mm foliage on top. In the spring season, they are taken out, cut into slices and planted in thawed ground.
If the gardener did not have time to cut the shoot in time, then you can try to propagate blackcurrant cuttings with rosettes of foliage. Not always, but sometimes this method works, and the plant successfully takes root. Sprigs are constantly watered, it is important to monitor the amount of moisture at the time of bud opening. As soon as the length of the branches has reached 40 mm, the bushes are fertilized with slurry (10 liters per 1 square. Repeat feeding 1 time in 14 days.
An experienced gardener in his video shows how to propagate currants by cuttings:
Layers
Blackcurrant branches can be arched and horizontal.
- Reproduction by arc layering. Under a strong branch, form a depression of 0.1 m. Bend the branch and fix it, bring the end out. Give the shoots a vertical position, tie with a hammered support. Fill the hole with nutrient soil. During the summer period, fertilize with slurry, water and destroy weeds.
- Reproduction by horizontal layers. On the plant should choose 1 or 2 branches of one or three years of age. Branches that bend fit. Dig a ditch 0.1 m deep under each branch. Shorten it by a quarter and fix it, sprinkle with loose soil 30 mm. Feed the slurry slurry (10 liters per 1 sq. M).
With high-quality care, the shoot length will reach 60 cm by autumn, it will already have its own root system. In the second half of September, the branch is cut off, divided by the number of shoots that have formed on it, and transplanted. Strong seedlings are suitable for independent development.
Watch a video about the propagation of currants by layering:
Dividing the bush
This reproduction technique is used in rare cases, for example, during the redevelopment of the territory, when the culture is transferred to a new site.
Reproduction by dividing the bush is performed as follows:
- Dig the plants and divide into equal parts, each should have 2-3 branches with a root system.
- Shorten the branches by a quarter.
- When planting the branch, deepen, the soil layer above the roots should be about 60 mm.
The best varieties of black currant
The culture is rich in varieties. They are divided into large, sweet, early, late, etc. Each summer resident will be able to choose a suitable variety for the climate and region in which he lives.
Large varieties
Large black currants are famous for fruit diameters of about 1.5-1.7 cm. Some berries also reach large sizes.
The largest variety is considered to be bred in Siberia under the name Yadrenaya. The berries reach 7-8 g, the first harvest can be obtained in early summer. The only negative is that the variety is not suitable for cultivation in the south, the berries become smaller, acquire a sour taste. The plant needs constant reproduction.
Other large varieties:
- Dobrynya.
- Comfort.
- Sanyuta.
- Beauty of Lviv.
- Cherry.
- Jubilee Digging.
Sweet varieties
This kind of culture is considered sugar. The fruits contain a huge amount of sweetness, pectin trace elements, minerals and vitamins.
The best sweet varieties:
- Bagheera. The amount of sugar is 10.8%. The berries are not small, suitable for creating various preservation. The crop retains its presentation during transportation.
- Green haze. The amount of sugar is 10.2%, sometimes it reaches 12%. The fruit size is medium and large. The fruits are used for making jelly and jam.
- Nina. The amount of sugar is 11%. The crop brings large, medium-sized bushes. The fruits are nutritious and healthy.
- An excellent pupil. The amount of sugar is 11.1%. Coal fruits with sourness. The variety cannot boast of strong immunity, it is often sick and insects attack it.
- Triton. The amount of sugar is 10.6%. The variety is intended for cultivation in the northern regions.
Early varieties
The most popular early varieties are:
- Litvinovka. Of universal purpose, the plant grows tall. The fruit weighs about 3-4 g, with good care it can reach 5 g. From one plant you can get about 2 kg of the crop. Litvinovkaya grows well in the Moscow region. The main disadvantage is that it does not tolerate heat.
- Gift of Smolyaninova. One plant can harvest 3 kg of berries. Plants are small. Differs in strong immunity, does not need pollinators. The variety shows itself well in the Middle Lane. Cons - low productivity and cold resistance.
- Selechenskaya 2. The plant reaches 2 m in height. Fruits are about 4 g, with proper care they reach 5 g. About 7 kg of harvest can be harvested from one shrub. It is better to grow the variety in Western Siberia, Altai and Yakutia. Minus - in the summer attacks aphids.
- Summer resident. The bush is small. Fruits are about 4 g, from one plant you can get 5 kg of yield. It has established itself well in the territory of the Moscow region. Cons - it is impossible to transport, sensitive to frost, crumbles.
Mid-season varieties
The best representative of this group is Dobrynya. The plant needs good agricultural technology. Bushes of medium size with a compact crown, in the fruiting season, need supports, otherwise they will begin to fall to the ground.
It has good performance even in compacted stands. The mass of one berry is about 6 g. From one plant, you can collect 2 kg of yield. Differs in excellent cold resistance, high transportability.
It boasts a strong immunity to powdery mildew and kidney mites. It is better to grow in the territory of Western Siberia and the Central region. Disadvantages - long ripening period, poorly propagated by cuttings, needs fertile soil.
Late grades
The representative of this group is Lazy. A fruit weighing 2 g, from one plant it will be possible to harvest about 1 kg. Self-pollination is low, so it needs pollinators.
The plant has excellent cold resistance, strong immunity to terry and anthracnose. It grows well in the Volga region, Moscow region and in Central Russia. Cons - on one plant berries of various sizes, the yield is variable, is exposed to powdery mildew.
Diseases and pests of black currant
Like any berry crop, black currant can suffer from various diseases. Also, the plant is often attacked by insect pests.
Diseases / pests | Symptoms | What to do? |
Kidney currant tick | The buds quickly swell, and later they do not bloom. | Treat with a suspension of colloidal sulfur 150 g per 20 liters of water. |
Currant aphid | The leaves are wrinkled and curled. | Treat with anabazine sulfate solution (0.2%). |
Currant leaf gall midge | Formation of shriveled, disfigured leaves. | Treat chlorophos (40 g per 20 l of water) with the addition of malathion (60 g). |
Common spider mite | The leaves become brown and the plant dries completely. | Treat with infusion of onions or sulfur. |
Currant Disease Terry | Currant flowers become unusual in shape and color, do not bear fruit. | Use special chemicals. |
Anthracnose | Brown spots form on the leaves, they fall, the currant does not bear fruit. | Treat the plant with Bordeaux liquid (1%). |
We recommend that you read the article about what black currant is sick with and what pests spoil the bush.
Blackcurrant is one of the best representatives of berry bushes. The plant is famous for juicy, healthy and tasty berries, even a novice gardener can grow a bush on his plot.