The gooseberry family includes a magnificent and valuable shrub - black currant. Its wild plantations grow on the territory of Europe, in Siberia and in the north-east of Kazakhstan. Natural shrubbery can be found on the edges of the forest, on the banks of a river or lake in regions with a cool or temperate climate.
Of the abundance of berry crops, black currant is considered the most valuable. By the content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, berries of the plant are in the first place. The healing properties of shrubs have long been known. It is these properties that attract the attention of gardeners.
Currant bush is a frequent guest in almost every garden plot. Growing currants, like any garden crop, requires certain knowledge. Compliance with the necessary rules will allow you to get a healthy, well-bearing plant. Diseases and pests of blackcurrant can destroy all efforts. In order to prevent this from happening, it is imperative to carry out preventive work to combat them.
When purchasing seedlings for the garden, you need to approach the planting thoughtfully. First of all, you need to correctly place the currant bushes on the garden plot. This culture is hygroscopic and shade tolerant. Perfectly suitable for her corners of the garden with fertile soil, well-lit, protected from drafts. Plants require regular, moderate watering for proper development.
To obtain a good crop of large berries, the correct formation of a bush is necessary. The annual removal of old branches that have lost productivity will help preserve the yield and condition of the bush as a whole, since diseases and pests of blackcurrant remain on these shoots. Productive young shoots also necessarily shorten.
Care of the crop includes mandatory preventive measures that will protect it from diseases and pests. Intact plants delight a good harvest. Without such work, the bushes can be severely damaged, which will lead to reduced productivity and even plant death.
Diseases and pests of blackcurrant are well known. And the fight against them begins in early spring. As soon as the snow melts, treatment with hot water heated to 70 degrees Celsius will be useful as a preventive measure. Bushes arrange a hot shower from a watering can. This water treatment will destroy pests that have hibernated on plants. Also, this event contributes to the healing of the whole plant.
The spring period is the most responsible. At this time, the foundation is laid for the future harvest. It is impossible to procrastinate with gardening. Diseases and pests are activated with the onset of warm weather. Processing bushes need to be done before budding. Prevention will protect blackcurrant from damage to many diseases. Only a set of chemical, biological and mechanical measures will contribute to the normal development of the bush.
During this period, treatment with a 1% solution of Bordeaux fluid is mandatory. This will help protect the culture from anthracnose damage. When preparing the liquid, the concentrations should be correctly calculated so as not to burn the plants.
The fruit sawfly causes considerable harm to the culture. It is activated during the ripening of the crop. Affected berries are deformed. To combat this pest, carefully examine the bushes, collecting and destroying infected berries. If such a pest is found in the garden, the affected plants must be treated. Spraying is done after harvesting.
Mechanical measures to combat diseases and pests are carried out in the autumn. The removed old shoots are taken out of the garden and burned. Fallen leaves cannot be left around the bush. It is collected and destroyed.
Diseases and pests of blackcurrant, like any garden crop, cause a lot of trouble to gardeners. The organization of preventive actions to protect against them should be well thought out and carried out with extreme caution. The use of certain drugs should be justified. Excessive enthusiasm for pesticides can only harm plants.