Despite the high value of currant berries, its production is declining every year. The reason for this is the laborious care of seedlings, the high cost of labor resources during harvesting, and high susceptibility to pests. However, science does not stand still, and gardeners have developed new methods for growing currants, which allowed to increase productivity and increase the life of the crop. The formation of a currant stem is one of the innovative gardening methods.
How to choose a standard currant
In order to grow currants in a standard way, it is necessary to choose the right variety of berries. The most optimal are those that practically do not give thermal growth annually. The less shoots will form in the lower part of the bush, the better. If you are interested in standard currants, how to grow and get a crop with minimal maintenance costs, then opt for the “Dove” or “Goliath” varieties.
The main advantages of currant stem formation
- Due to the good access of light, the crop ripens an order of magnitude faster.
- Since the main shoots are not cut, currants begin to bear fruit much earlier.
- Sturgeon currant bears large berries on long brushes.
- When using the standard method of growing currants, soil cultivation is greatly facilitated.
- Young shoots of standard currant are less susceptible to pests and diseases.
- Buttocks acquire a well-groomed and decorative appearance.
- Shtambovaya currant is less expensive in terms of harvesting both manually and mechanically.
- Reconstruction of the berry can actually be achieved without resorting to time-consuming vaccinations.
Given all the advantages, we can conclude that the best plant for growing in a summer cottage is standard currant. How to grow it, we will consider further.
Methods of reconstruction of bushes
There are three ways to reconstruct currant bushes.
- Inoculate the currant cuttings on an annual seedling. In order to do this, it is necessary to prepare blackcurrant stalks in advance (in early spring). It must be stored in the cellar, systematically checked and protected from drying out. The stalk must not be allowed to start buds. A great time for grafting the cuttings is the end of March. You can choose both the “accounting” method and the “butt” method. It is necessary to plant the cuttings one and a half meters from the ground. Since the currant wood has a very fragile structure, it is better to strengthen the grafted stalk, for this it will be enough to tie it on both sides to a peg. After this, it is necessary to be very attentive to the plant, to carry out watering and top dressing in time. Shoots that will form near the roots must be cut off. The stem blackcurrant will begin to bear fruit next year.
- A stamp is formed by cutting the buds and shoots. To do this, take an ordinary seedling and before planting, remove all excess on the shoots to a height of at least 40 centimeters. To form the crown, only a few apical kidneys are left intact.
- The latter method is the most interesting, as it involves the use of lightproof tubes. The tubes must be put on the seedling to a height corresponding to the planned stem. Such a seedling needs to be planted in the soil by immersing a small section of the tube in the ground. It is imperative to install a support for your stem in order to avoid breakage of branches during rapid growth or exposure to wind. Additional support in case of a good crop will not be superfluous.
Whatever method of reconstruction of the berry garden you choose, as a result you will get a yield increase of at least one and a half times, renewal of the crown due to the additional supply of light and moisture, improvement of the growth of bushes, reduction of the facts of damaging currants with pests and diseases.
How to plant seedlings in order to subsequently grow boles
Seedlings must be planted in the ground ten centimeters deeper than it was in the greenhouse. As a basis, you can take the following scheme for planting standard currants : 50x200 centimeters.
During planting, you need to cut off most of the shoots at the soil level, it is enough to leave the two most developed. Next year you need to tie up shoots from two sides. Growth in no case need to be shortened. The largest berries are formed at the very top of the bush. The growth can reach 50-80 centimeters in the first year and 40 centimeters in the second. The very next year, the standard currant will yield, in contrast to bush cultivation forms.
How to care for boles
In the second year of the life of the bushes, it is also necessary to cut the extra shoots, leaving only two of the strongest and most developed. Shoots that have reached the age of three years must be cut off after they stop bearing fruit and the crop is harvested. Instead of one old escape, two young should remain. This procedure will need to be carried out several years in a row, so that the currant is properly formed.
In five years, the thickness of the stem can reach four centimeters.
This method of formation can significantly reduce diseases and damage to shrubs by pests, as old shoots are constantly removed. It also greatly facilitates the collection of berries, because they are all at the same height. Old shoots can be cut annually with the harvest: the bush will not suffer from this, and the berries can be simply shaken off with your hand.
It's important to know!
- In the fourth year, the standard currant begins to actively shoot in the lower part of the bush.
- The apical growth will be slower every year, so do not worry.
- The standard method of growing blackcurrant is permissible only in those regions where branches do not freeze.
- Such a system of growing currants does not accept an increase in the dose of nitrogen fertilizers.
- Stacked red currants must be planted and cared for in the same way as black currants.
Taking into account all the recommendations made, each gardener can easily grow this useful plant on his plot. The stem currant, the photo of which is proposed in this article, will become an adornment of any garden, summer cottage or country house.