Magnificent decoration of the garden are the glaziers familiar to the eye of the Russian gardener. And probably the brightest spot is the bushes of red currant, distinguished by a scattering of ruby brushes among lush greenery.
We will talk about this interesting culture that is indispensable in the surroundings of the garden plot, or rather, about the magnificent hybrid variety bred by domestic breeders and called currant “red sugar”. Unpretentiousness and decorativeness are combined in this plant, making care for it simple and affordable even for a novice gardener.
Sugar redcurrant: description
The lack of pectins, which causes a weak gelling ability of the berry, is more than blocked by the possibility of using it in fresh or frozen form, since the excellent taste of this fragrant currant is sweet with delicate, sour notes, compares favorably with other varieties of the species.
Currant "red sugar" - a tall shrub with erect stems. The hybrid origin of the crop provides such excellent qualities as a high level of winter hardiness, which allows it to be grown in any region of the country, early fruiting and good productivity.
An adult, shaped currant bush is compact and quite decorative. Five-lobed dark green leaves with a serrated edge, small greenish-yellow flowers collected in brushes of 15-18 inflorescences and turning over time into ruby bunches of large (up to 0.5-0.8 grams each) berries - this is a description of this hybrid varieties.
Grade Features
Currant "red sugar" is not self-fertile enough, the degree of self-pollination ranges from 30-35%. Therefore, with its appearance on the site, it is worth planting several more bushes of red currant for additional cross pollination. The best varieties for these purposes are Natalie and Viksne.
An adult plant gives up to 6-7 kg of berries per season and does not reduce productivity for 20-25 years.
Another advantage of the hybrid is its ability to withstand sudden changes in temperature without consequences for the future crop. Currant "red sugar", the photo of which is presented in the article, is resistant to many diseases and suffers only from anthracnose. But garden pests, as a rule, bypass it.
Sugar Currant Preferences
Despite the unpretentiousness of red currant, the future yield directly depends on the conditions of its cultivation. True, the demandingness of this culture does not extend further than the choice of an open solar site, protected from the north winds. The plant will not die in the shaded place, but fruit formation will be noticeably lower.
Currant "Red Sugar" develops well on loose, neutral and light loam or sandstone, quickly adapting to different climatic latitudes.
The optimal distance between plants when planting
Intervals when planting bushes also play a very important role in increasing yields. Dense planting is not the best way to increase fruiting. This mistake can result not only in loss of crop, but also expose the plant to the occurrence of fungal diseases, since it is the dampness and shading inside and between the bushes that contribute to the emergence of many currant misfortunes. The basic rule when planting and caring for any bush is that each twig should be lit by the sun.
Therefore, a two-meter distance between the bushes is the optimal interval that allows you to collect the maximum yield and provides convenient care for the plants.
Currant "red sugar": planting and care
Experienced gardeners recommend planting this crop in temperate latitudes in September, and for the southern regions in October. Before the cold weather begins, the seedling will have time to take root well, which will allow it to survive the winter. You can plant young bushes of currant in early spring, before the plant starts growing, but it is noted that autumn, successfully overwintered, seedlings are significantly ahead in the development of their spring counterparts and begin to bear fruit earlier.
Planting begins with soil preparation: they dig a hole measuring 0.4 * 0.5 m. The top layer of soil is mixed with a bucket of humus or high-quality compost, a glass of wood ash and superphosphate. Two thirds of the hole is filled with this soil, generously watered and the seedling is laid at an angle of 45 °.
This will allow him to form many lateral roots and accelerate survival. The root neck must necessarily be deepened by 5-6 cm, thereby activating the growth of renewal shoots. The young plant is covered with the remaining soil, compacted, not forgetting to make an earthen roller around the circumference to hold water, and again water the plant well. Elevated stems shorten to 0.15-0.2 m, leaving 3-4 growth buds on each.
During the first three weeks after planting, the seedling is watered every 3-4 days to facilitate rooting. Currants take root quickly. Subsequent care of the plant includes proper watering, top dressing, weeding and loosening of soil in the near-stem circle, regular forming pruning.
Watering and mulching
Currant is a moderately hygrophilous plant. The sugar currant, the description of which is presented in the article, is no exception. Water the crop based on weather conditions: in rainy summer you can forget about it, and in hot and dry weather you need regular watering. The maximum amount of moisture required currants when filling berries. Mulching the soil under the bush will help to avoid periodic weeding and loosening, and will also help regulate watering, significantly saving on these worries. As mulch, humus, peat, wood chips or plant debris are used. Periodically, the mulch layer is updated. Despite the high frost resistance of the crop in the first winters in temperate latitudes, it is recommended to cover the plant with spruce branches or other materials.
Bush formation
Pruning red currants is necessary because bush thickening leads to crop loss. It is carried out infrequently, since a feature of the culture is the formation of fruit buds on both young and old shoots - on the overgrown annulus at their base. For reasons of preserving the crop, pruning a bush of red currant is done less often than its black cousin.
A properly formed bush of red currant consists of 15-20 fruit-bearing shoots of different ages. They begin to form it like this: annually leave 2-3 young stems growing on opposite sides of the bush, the remaining branches are removed. The fruiting period of the shoot is 6-8 years, after which the branches must be removed, replacing them with younger ones. In addition to forming, they also carry out sanitary pruning, removing old, broken, diseased or growing stems inside the bush. All these procedures are carried out during periods of rest - in early spring or late autumn. In summer, you can pinch the tops of annual shoots to activate the laying of substitution shoots.
Red currant, the sugar variety, whose photo is presented, is formed in this order.
Top dressing
During the period of fruiting, currants consume a lot of nutrients from the soil, their reserves should be renewed. Therefore, feeding an adult plant is necessary. In the spring, under a bush, add a mixture of 5-6 kg of humus, 20 gr. superphosphate i25 gr. any potash fertilizer. After flowering, they are fed an infusion of manure in a proportion of 1/10 l. In autumn, for a comfortable wintering under the bush make 50 gr. superphosphate and mulch with a thick layer of rotted manure.
An excellent harvest of tasty and healthy berries will delight the gardener with red currants, a variety of sugar. The feedback of those who have already tried this culture is unambiguous: the plant is high-yielding, winter-hardy and unpretentious.