With the onset of autumn, gardeners begin harvesting. When all the work is done, many decide to tackle the berries. Almost every suburban area certainly grows red currants. These healthy berries can be eaten fresh or made with them sweet preparations for the winter.
On average, the currant bush bears fruit for about 12-15 years. However, without proper care and top dressing, plants delight with delicious fruits for not so long. Sooner or later, the moment comes when the gardener begins to look for methods of how to propagate red currants. Of course, you can buy a ready-made bush in any market, but it is much more reliable and convenient to deal with this issue yourself. Moreover, it does not require special knowledge or experience.
How to propagate red currants
There are several methods for this procedure. The first method involves seed propagation. However, this is a rather long and exhausting way to get a fresh bush with tasty fruits. In addition, currants are grown from seeds only in special breeding centers.
If we are talking about how to propagate red currants in a summer cottage, then it is worth giving preference to the vegetative method. It, in turn, also happens to be of several types. For example, you can split a bush. However, in this case there is a big risk that the young plant will not take root. Some are looking for information on how to propagate red currants by layering, however, this method also involves many difficulties. It is much easier to cut. This method is considered the simplest and most affordable. Also, you can get the most planting material without harm to the "donor".
In this case, there are also two options. You can prepare green cuttings of red currant or remove the tops of bushes in the fall. Experts recommend performing the procedure at the end of the summer season. During this period of time, plants take root much better.
Features of autumn cuttings
Such source material loses much less moisture, so by spring the root system of young shoots is formed much better. Propagation of red currants by cuttings in the summer is also permissible. However, in this case, there is a high probability that young shoots will die in the spring, due to the fact that they do not have enough nutrients to take root. Therefore, spring cuttings are considered the best option.
If we talk about the time of collecting planting material, then there are subtleties, depending on the type of plant:
- Cutting of blackcurrant is best done in late September. If the weather is good in October, then you can propagate bushes at this time.
- Planting material from red currants is collected from the third decade of August to September 15.
- Golden and white currants are bred exclusively by spring layers.
How to choose and prepare cuttings
To make the proper cuttings of currants, you need to follow a few recommendations. Since the summer, it is necessary to choose planting material that will not be damaged. You also need to pay attention to the fact that on this cuttings there are quite a lot of berries. As a rule, for rooting take root or main shoots. In autumn, they need to be cut to the ground and cut from them cuttings with a length of about 16-19 cm. In this case, the cut should be done at an angle of 60 degrees 1 cm below the bud (from it the roots of the plant will develop in the future).
The sequence of further actions depends on the region. Therefore, before propagating red currants, it is worth paying attention to several recommendations:
- In living conditions in the southern regions, you can immediately plant the cuttings in the ground, starting from October 10.
- If the summer resident is in the middle zone of the country, then it is better to prepare a pot in the room and "put" the material there. Landing in the open ground is carried out in the spring.
It is worth considering two methods for planting cuttings.
Method 1
In this case, you need to lower the end of the handle (with a kidney) in a special stimulating solution. It can be prepared on the basis of "Kornevin", "Heteroauxin" or any other means.
In this solution, the cuttings should be about 1 week. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the ambient temperature is not lower than +20 degrees. If it is too cold, the shoots will die and you don’t have to think how to propagate red currants. In spring or fall there will simply be nothing to plant. You also need to make sure that mold does not appear on the cuttings.
After the "workpiece" was saturated with the necessary useful substances, you can plant them in open ground or in a pot.
Method 2
If the cold has come earlier, then the reproduction of red currants is not necessary to postpone. It is enough to wrap the bundles of cuttings in a burlap made of natural material, pack it all in polyethylene and put it in the refrigerator until spring. In this case, it is sometimes necessary to expand the cuttings and check whether they have deteriorated.
Autumn planting in open ground
Before germinating the currant cuttings, you need to prepare everything you need. To do this, dig a platform (school) where the cuttings will be planted. The earth needs to be fertilized with humus and compost. Fertilizers are laid to a depth of 30 cm. After this, the school is leveled. All large clods of land must be broken.
At the next stage, you need to prepare several landing trenches at a distance of at least 40 cm from each other. You also need to make one of the walls of the grooves at an angle.
After this, the cuttings are laid in trenches so that a “tail” with several buds remains on the surface.
At the next stage, the grooves are filled with soil, which must be properly compacted. No air layers should remain in the soil. After this, the cuttings need to be poured with warm, settled water.
At the final stage, the soil is mulched. To do this, pour a layer of humus, peat and fine straw on it. The height of such a "blanket" should be at least 3-5 cm.
Disembarkation in the tank
In this case, the reproduction of red currants is delayed until spring. For this, cuttings are planted in separate pots and installed in an apartment or house. As containers for future currants, you can use anything you want. For example, some gardeners like to plant cuttings in boxes or large plastic bottles, cut in half.
For such a landing, you also need to prepare the right soil. It is best to mix peat, humus, earth and sand in equal proportions. At the bottom of the container for cuttings, several small holes need to be made so that excess moisture can exit without problems. After this, the planting material is buried in the ground so that a piece of branch with several buds remains on the surface.
At the next stage, the soil is compacted and the future sprout is watered. Throughout the winter, you need to make sure that the cuttings receive the right amount of water and are on a well-lit window sill.
The plant will take root in a few months. When the thaw begins on the street and the air temperature is above +10 degrees, we can proceed with the transshipment of planting material. It is planted in open ground in the same way as previously described.
Features of the choice of place
If we are talking about blackcurrant, then it is recommended to plant it at partial shade. The site should be sufficiently moistened, however, water should not stagnate on it.
Redcurrant is characterized by drought tolerance, so it can be safely planted on well-lit elevations.
If we talk about the type of soil, then bushes with dark berries like weakly and medium-loamy soil. For redcurrant, sandy loam soil is more suitable.
Features of land preparation
Do not neglect the recommendations, the site must be aligned. The quality of future irrigation of currants will depend on this.
It is very important to remove from the soil all parts of the roots of other plants. It is also necessary to get rid of perennial weeds. They can pick up the necessary nutrients, and young currant seedlings will not be able to fully develop.
Digging the ground is recommended on the bayonet of a shovel. Also, during this procedure, it is necessary to make the necessary fertilizers, as if mixing the soil with top dressing.
Features of the preparation of seedlings
When the cuttings take root, it is necessary to carefully examine them. Only healthy seedlings are suitable for planting. If the shoot is broken, the patient or his roots are dried, then it is better to get rid of it.
Some people prefer not to suffer and propagate redcurrant cuttings in the summer. For this, you can purchase ready-made 2-year-old seedlings. In this case, after planting the cuttings, it is necessary to cut off their aerial parts. Thus, the root system of the plant will develop much faster.
It is also worth considering that the full roots of red currant begin to grow only if the soil temperature is not lower than +16 degrees. Therefore, do not rush to the landing. If the root system develops poorly, then the aerial part of the plant will be very weak. She will not give a good harvest. As a result, in a few years there will be only decorative bushes on the suburban area, on which only a few berries will grow.