It has long been known that currants are saturated with vitamins and nutrients. But in order to get a rich harvest of this berry, you need to know some of the rules of agricultural technology. This is not to say that a very capricious currant. Growing and caring for this crop is not particularly troublesome. It is necessary to carry out some activities depending on the season, and then the plant will delight with a rich harvest and its beauty. Everything from planting to preparing for wintering is discussed in this article.
Types of Currants
Today, thanks to the work of breeders, many varieties of currants have been bred. The latest hybrids are highly resistant to pests and diseases, as well as increased productivity. There are three main types of this plant, more familiar to gardeners. These are white, red and black currants. Each of them has many varieties that differ in ripening time and some other features.
Blackcurrant varieties
This species is more whimsical and requires careful care. It is represented by a wide range of varieties that are distinguished by a pleasant taste. The fruits of culture, as the name implies, are black. A summer resident is a high-yielding currant, the cultivation and care of which is quite simple. It has very large berries, juicy and delicious. The mid-ripening varieties include Vologda, whose sweet and sour berries, Bagiru with large sweet fruits, Vigorous with large sweet and sour berries, Oryol waltz and Black pearl. The late representatives of this species include Sophia, who has large sweet fruits, and Tatyana’s day - a plant with sour-sweet berries of large size.
Varieties of red currants
Red currant is very popular among gardeners. It does not require careful maintenance, is easy to breed and gives a good harvest. Variety Zadunaysky has sweet and sour berries and belongs to mid-season. Here you can also note Jonke's torn aunt, with large and surprisingly tasty fruits. The early varieties include Natalie, Sugar, Early Tolmacheva and Early sweet.
White currant varieties
The third species is white currant. Cultivation and care of this shrub is carried out in the same way as for red currant. These two species are very close to each other. Two main varieties can be distinguished here: White grape, which is distinguished by very tasty and sweet berries, and White yield, with sour-sweet large fruits, of late ripening. Among the many varieties, each gardener can choose the one that he will most like.
The Importance of Spring Care
Prepare plants for awakening must begin in the early spring, after the end of frost. It is during this period that the foundation for the future crop is laid. What does currant require? Growing and caring for this crop in the spring are not complicated activities, but at the same time require certain skills and knowledge. It is necessary to provide the plant with sufficient moisture. During this period, intensive growth begins, for which drought will be fatal. Therefore, it is necessary, if possible, to delay meltwater or to carry out regular watering. During this period, pruning the bushes and freeing them from old branches is important. They will not bring benefits, but will interfere with the full development of the plant. You also need to remove some of the young shoots, leaving some of the strongest. A very hot shower affects the development of currants, which frees the bush from pest larvae. Of course, loosening the soil and fertilizing is of great benefit. These are elementary agricultural practices that need to be carried out in early autumn. Growing and caring for currants, of course, are not limited to the listed actions, but this minimum will allow you to get a good harvest. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Spring currant pruning
Some believe that you can do without this event. But pruning currant bushes is very important. Why? Firstly, every year, if you do not thin out the plant, there will be a decrease in yield. Secondly, dense thickets are an ideal place for reproduction of diseases and pests. Thirdly, the life of the plant without pruning is reduced. If you do not neglect this advice, then a delicious and fragrant currant will grow for a very long time. Cultivation and care (pruning, as you probably already understood, is one of the most important stages) should be correct - only in this case the culture will delight the gardener with a plentiful harvest.
Cropping technology
This procedure is carried out in early spring, after the snow melts. At this point, the buds have not yet blossomed, and the plant will tolerate pruning painlessly. However, if the moment is missed, and the winter was not very harsh, later dates are also acceptable. Then, shoots that have not suffered wintering will be very clearly visible. As a result of pruning, the old branches are replaced by more productive ones, which increases the life span of the plant. Black currants can produce crops for five years, and red and white for eight years.
First, cut off all the shoots, leaving a few buds. This applies to young plants. Next year, several strong shoots should be distinguished, and the rest cut off near the ground. The remaining young twigs are cut by about a third. In the third year, again we leave no more than four root shoots, and the rest we remove under the root. In the future, when the bush is fully formed, you just need to remove the old and frozen branches. They differ in the color of the bark and are much weaker than the young shoots.
Spring shower
Many experienced gardeners have their own tricks, from the use of which a good and productive currant grows. Cultivation and care is a certain set of procedures that can improve the quality of the crop. One such technique is a hot shower. Spend it at the very beginning of spring, before the leaves bloom. To do this, prepare water, the temperature of which will be no more than 70 degrees. Then the plant is abundantly watered from the watering can. Hot water allows you to get rid of pests wintering on the bush, without causing harm to the plant itself. This simple procedure is very effective. But just do not exceed the set temperature limits so that the currant does not suffer. Growing and caring (illnesses are very harmful to this process, so try to avoid such troubles) will become more productive if you adhere to the above recommendations. Below, we’ll talk about what to do if it was still not possible to avoid infection of the culture, and about preventive measures.
Detect the presence of a tick
It is very important to carry out treatment of the plant from pests in spring. This applies not only to currants, but also to all plantings. Diseases and pests significantly reduce productivity and lead to the death of shrubs. First of all, when the buds begin to bloom, it is necessary to check the currant for the presence of a tick. It is very easy to recognize this pest. The buds of an infected shrub become bloated and head out. If the damage area is small, then remove the damaged kidneys and fill them with boiling water to prevent the spread of the pest. If the currant is completely damaged, it is better to remove this bush.
Pest Prevention and Control
In early spring, when the snow melts, it is possible to treat the currant with nitrafen. This will be an excellent prevention of the development of diseases and the appearance of pests. After the appearance of leaves and buds, the bush is sprayed with karbofos. Particular attention should be paid to the flowers of currant. They should not be deformed and have terry edges. If they are infected, then their color becomes bluish. Such a bush will not bear fruit, the ovary will simply fall away. There are no methods to combat this disease, so you just need to uproot the infected plant. Powdery mildew is very common on currants. It appears due to excess moisture and improper watering. To protect the culture from this disease, it is necessary to treat it with a solution of laundry soap and soda ash. Spraying is carried out twice, with an interval of a week. For 10 liters of water, you need to take 50 grams of each substance.
Blackcurrant: care
Blackcurrant requires the greatest attention to itself . Growing and caring for this plant is slightly different from activities carried out in relation to other species. This culture is hydrophilic. Blackcurrant loves well-lit areas. An ideal place to plant it can be well-moistened, understated, well-lit areas that are protected from the wind. However, too wetlands are not suitable for breeding this plant. In such conditions, there is a high risk of various diseases and pests. This variety of currant does not tolerate acidic soils. Therefore, a year before planting, 0.5 kilograms of lime per square meter of land should be added and the soil should be dug up. The rest of the agricultural technology is no different from the cultivation of other berry bushes. It is necessary to remember about pruning, which needs blackcurrant. Growing and caring for this plant are the same as for other varieties.
Features of care for red and white currants
These two varieties are the most popular. White and red currants, the cultivation and care of which require less effort from gardeners, have a more powerful and deep root system. The period of their productivity is longer than that of blackcurrant. When planting plants, compost, superphosphate and potassium chloride should be added to the well . But this must be done with caution so that the roots do not come into contact with fertilizers. These plants also love the sun and moisture. Once every three years, fertilizers must be applied and pruned annually.
Mulching
What else does currant require? Growing and maintaining in the garden is a lot of work, but at the same time it is also an opportunity to get a rich harvest of juicy, tasty berries. For this, all cultivation methods should be used. In the spring, it is necessary to fill the soil under the bushes with ash and mineral fertilizers. We introduce these two components in a small amount, and then slightly loosen the soil. Digging the earth to great depths is not necessary, because this can damage the roots, which are not very deep at the currant. Then we spread a layer of rotted organics, mulch. It will protect the plant throughout the season from pests preserved in the soil and from drought. Mulching will provide the bush with additional fertilizing and will not allow weeds to break through.
Currant watering
Currant is a moisture-loving plant. Its roots are not very deep, and it cannot provide itself with sufficient moisture through groundwater. Therefore, watering is so important for good growth and future harvest. Lack of moisture affects the size of the fruit and their quantity. At the same time, currants do not require frequent watering. Growing and caring on farms have shown that simply good soil moisture at certain times is mandatory. As a rule, this is spring - a time of growth and formation of ovaries (approximately May and early June). Further, a ripening process occurs in which drying of the soil must not be allowed. It's about June. And finally, the harvest time is in August and September, depending on the variety. During these periods, it is especially important that the plant receives enough moisture. If autumn is not distinguished by an abundance of rainfall, then winter should be watered in October. In any case, you should well moisten the earth to a depth of about 30-40 centimeters. Under each bush you need to pour about 3-5 buckets of water.
Autumn care
After collecting a good harvest, you need to take care of the plant itself and do everything so that next year you will again be pleased with currants. Growing and caring in the fall are as follows. First, the bush needs to be fed. During flowering, growth and fruiting, the currant spent a lot of energy that needs to be replenished, in addition, it will be useful to make a supply of useful substances that are so necessary for the culture for an excellent wintering. For fertilizing use any fertilizer designed for this. Re-pruning is performed in the fall. It is necessary to remove the side branches that have grown over the summer. Young shoots at the base should not be touched, as this is the key to a future harvest. In late autumn, you can sprinkle the base of the bush with earth a little. You can use snow for this. Currants are cold-resistant plants, but additional care will not hurt. With a little effort and all the necessary measures, you can confidently expect a good harvest next year.