Many gardeners plant different varieties of red currant on their plots. The berries make wonderful canned food for the winter, and treating them fresh is also nice. Experts have developed many varieties suitable for central Russia that are distinguished by excellent characteristics: frost resistance, productivity, good health. One of these varieties is red "natalie" currant. The variety is suitable for the central and southern regions of Russia.
Natalie red currant: variety description
Currant belongs to the gooseberry family. Redcurrant, a variety of "Natalie" bred in Russia as an intersort hybrid. Brings regular numerous crops to 12 kg from a bush. Berries go to any kind of processing. In 1991, the variety was entered in the Russian state register. The description of Natalie red currants with a photo is contained in the article. The variety is very popular among gardeners.
Red currant "natalie" looks like a low shrub with large fruits. The size of the leaves is medium, the color is green with a blue tint, matte. The leaf plate has a wavy edge and considerable dentation. The middle lobe is larger than the lateral ones. The color of petioles is green, the size is medium.
The flowers form large, in the shape of a bowl, the sepals are painted in brown-red. The axis is covered with a fluff. A photo of Natalie red currant is presented in the article.
The brushes with fruits are medium sized, the length of the brush is from 7 to 9 cm. The fruit ripening period is medium. The berries are round, saturated red, large in size, reach a mass of 1 gram. Berries are characterized by dry separation. They are covered with durable peel, which facilitates transportation. The flesh of the fruit is sweet and sour, the berries are rated at 4 points.
Pros and cons of the variety
The benefits of the variety include:
- self-fertility;
- pleasant taste of fruits;
- berries are perfectly transported and are characterized by long keeping time;
- fruiting of the bush lasts up to 10 years;
- frost resistance of bushes;
- immunity to pathologies and parasites.
Red currant "natalie", the description of the variety speaks of its minuses. The disadvantage is that over time, the bush becomes sprawling. By 5-6 years, the shoots bend, the severity of their berries inclines to the ground, support is required.
The benefits of red currants
Red currant is considered a useful plant, it contains a large number of pectins. Berries are used to remove toxic substances, prevent inflammation, and treat gastrointestinal pathologies.
Berries have a lot of mineral salts, vitamins, tannins. By the amount of vitamin C, red currants are not inferior to strawberries. Iron and potassium in its composition favorably affect blood vessels and the heart, help remove excess fluid and prevent the formation of edema. Currants have a lot of vitamin P, A. Vitamins B1 and B2, carotene are also present.
In the course of research it was found that coumarins and furocoumarins are present in red currant. These substances prevent the development of tumors, anesthetize and have many other useful properties. Coumarin helps with excessive blood coagulation.
Pectins have a pronounced beneficial effect on the human body:
- positively affect immunity;
- help restore blood elements;
- increase antioxidant activity of blood;
- reduce the adverse effects of drugs.
In addition to pectins, iodine content is increased in redcurrant berries .
Red currant berries improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal organs, remove excess salts, and act as an anti-inflammatory.
Landing
Red currant "natalie" can grow on any fertilized soil. But fertile loams and sandy loam soils with an arable horizon of more than 20-25 cm are considered the best. Light loams provided with humus loam are well suited. Currants do not like high acidity, at a pH of less than 5.5 a year before planting, you need to lime the soil. Excessively dry patches are also not desirable for Natalie.
Bushes are best planted in early spring or late September.
For seedlings, choose even sections of medium and elevated location with good lighting. Ideal for currants is a place near the fence, which will protect the bush in windy weather. The plot is cleaned of weeds.
The seedling is buried 5-10 cm into the ground. Branches are cut in half or more.
Currants do not need cross-pollination, but if present, the yield will increase, the berries will be born larger and more delicious. For this purpose, heterogeneous currant varieties are planted on the site.
Intervals among the bushes - meter and a half. The nutrition area of each bush is 1-2 square meters. meter.
In the process of planting, fertilize with horse manure or humus, it is useful to use superphosphates, potassium sulfate and wood ash.
Care
Red currant "natalie" needs watering two to three times a week. For each bush you need a bucket of water twice a day. In the fruiting phase, it is important to ensure sufficient moisture in the land to prevent a decrease in yield in the future.
Currants need root and foliar top dressing and mulching. At the end of September, 100 grams of superphosphate and 30 grams of potassium chloride are introduced under each bush. The bush is mulched with horse humus in the area of the trunk circle. This will help protect the bush from early frosts and snowless winters.
It is useful to transplant currants in autumn or spring. For this, a hole is prepared in advance, then the bush is well watered. Then they dig it out, protecting it with a film, and plant it.
Pruning
Proper pruning will help increase the yield of the bush, and also prevent the development of diseases.
The first pruning is carried out in the second or third year after planting in early spring until the buds swell or in late autumn until frost.
At the same time, four to six of the healthiest shoots are left, others are cut under the root, without hemp. Old shoots (over 10 years old) and patients are cut off. Berry branches located on the soil are also cleaned.
Thinning of the bush is carried out periodically to prevent the development of diseases and the occurrence of parasites.
Of the fragile shoots, the most hardy and straight are left. The frail and uneven remove.
Useful rejuvenation of adult bushes. To this end, cut old shoots every year. But removing too many shoots at a time is not worth it; it will be very stressful for the bush.
As a result, on a properly trimmed bush, 2-3 branches of different age categories should remain, only 15-20 branches.
Disease
Currants are not very susceptible to disease. Among the diseases that can occur throughout life, you can name:
- Anthracnose - a fungal lesion, manifested in the appearance of spots on the leaves and their drying out;
- striped mosaic - a viral disease;
- powdery mildew.
To combat these diseases, solutions of copper sulfate, colloidal sulfur, nitrafen are used. All these funds are used carefully.
The formation of anthracnose is facilitated by warm weather combined with dampness. Rainy summer is a favorable period for the development of the disease. Insects transfer fungal spores to healthy leaves. Wind also promotes fungal transport.
In winter, the causative agent lives in dry leaves, so it is so important to remove them on time.
In the dry period, anthracnose practically does not appear.
To prevent anthracnose and other diseases in the autumn, the bushes are treated with a solution of Bordeaux fluid.
To increase the immunity of the plant, top dressing is used.
To prevent the appearance of diseases and pests, the following rules are observed:
- you need to grow a bush in a well-lit place;
- regularly prune bushes;
- weeds must be removed in a timely manner;
- it is important to fertilize;
- beds need to be cleaned of weeds in order to eliminate pathogens in the area.
Red currant "natalie": reviews
According to gardeners, currants of this variety are characterized by good yields, and are distinguished by the power of the bush.
Owners do not notice any particular health problems with this variety.
Among the advantages of the variety, an impressive size of berries and good taste data are distinguished.