Berries of red currant can be called a source of health, since the content of pectin in them is very high. Redcurrant is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, as well as to reduce the risk of various neoplasms and inflammatory processes. That is why most gardeners consider her the queen of berries and are happy to grow on their sites.
With proper care, the shrub reaches a height of 1.5 m, it can bear fruit up to 25 years. The plant is not particularly demanding for watering, but it belongs to light-loving shrubs, it needs constant thinning and cutting. Like other garden crops, red currants are prone to many diseases. The control of currant diseases must be carried out in a timely manner. Otherwise, death of the bush may occur.
Fungal diseases of red currant and the fight against them
Sferoteka (powdery mildew) develops after the shrub fades. The tops of shoots, leaves and still unripe berries are affected. A characteristic white coating appears on them, then the affected areas dry out and die out. As soon as the first signs of this disease appear, the plant should be sprayed with the following solution: 50 g of soda ash and 50 g of soap in 10 liters of water.
You need to spray 2-3 times, the interval between procedures is 10 days. If the bush is already severely affected, then a solution of copper sulfate is used (for 10 liters of water - 300 g of vitriol). And you need to spray not only the plant itself, but also the soil near it. All leaves that have fallen after the lesion should be collected and burned.
Septoria (white spotting) affects shoots and leaves. Round spots of gray color appear on them, dark spots appear in the middle of the spots. The affected plant must be treated with a Bordeaux mixture (1% concentration). The first treatment is done before flowering, and the second - immediately after harvesting. Pathogens can easily winter on fallen leaves, so they should also be collected and burned.
Anthracnose affects the stalks, leaves and shoots, which subsequently dry and crumble. To deal with this disease should be the same as with Septoria.
Redcurrant viral diseases and their control
Reverse (terry) - this disease is mainly susceptible to blackcurrant, but recently it has been observed on redcurrant. In a diseased plant, the leaves become small, narrow, purple. In addition, they lose their characteristic smell. Terryness can be brought in by infected seedlings, it is also carried by aphids and a kidney tick. The most effective method of combating this disease is prevention. To do this, in the spring, before the buds open, the plant should be carefully examined. If the kidneys are infected with a tick, then they are increased in size and rounded in shape. Such kidneys must be cut off and burned. But if there are too many of them, then the entire shoot is cut off and destroyed. After this, the bush is sprayed with colloidal sulfur (50-100 g per 10 liters of water), this must be done before flowering. The second spraying occurs after the flowering of currants. Treatment with karbofos (75 g per 10 l of water), tinctures of tobacco, garlic and dandelion gives another excellent effect.
Pests and diseases of redcurrant diseases
Spider mite is another cause of the disease of the bush. They often hit red currants. Diseases and pests are generally very closely interconnected, since the latter are direct pathogens. A spider mite lives in the lower part of a mature leaf. It reproduces especially actively in dry, hot weather. Leaves affected by this pest are covered with cobwebs on the lower side, and light dots appear on the upper side. To combat infusions of tobacco, garlic or onion husks are used. Spraying is carried out before flowering. Pay particular attention to the inside of the sheet. In autumn, all fallen leaves should be removed and destroyed, and the earth around the plant should be dug up.
Aphids are another pest of redcurrant. If you find that currant leaves are affected by aphids, then they need to be cut and burned. And with a strong defeat, shoots are completely removed and destroyed. To avoid an aphid attack, it is necessary in the spring, before the buds open, to process the plant with tinctures of garlic or tobacco. The procedure must be repeated after 10 days.
Currant glass and narrow-bodied goldfish are another pest of red currant. If you notice that shoots dry on bushes for no reason, then your plants are most likely affected by these insects. This can be easily verified by cutting dry shoots along. Detect the presence of larvae - it means that the bushes are affected by pests. To get rid of them, you need to spray the shoots with emulsion of malathion (emulsifying concentrate). This should be done 20 days after the currant fades.
After all of the above, it may seem to you that the disease of red currant and the fight against them is too troublesome. But in fact, everything is much simpler. Currant is an unpretentious and productive crop. Pay attention to it in spring and autumn, treat it for prevention, and your plants will delight you with a constant, plentiful harvest.