Today, there are about 200 varieties of black currant. Such a variety appeared due to the painstaking work of breeders. Understanding which of the varieties is better is sometimes difficult even for experienced gardeners. What kind of currants to plant on your site and how to choose the right seedlings, we will try to parse in more detail.
How to determine the best varieties of currants?
The benefits of currants have been known for a long time, so many gardeners plant this plant in their plots. To determine which of the varieties is better, you can use a simple algorithm. The plant should have the following qualities:
- high productivity;
- resistance to various pests and diseases;
- the fruits should be large and tasty.
Disease and pest resistant varieties
The most reliable varieties in terms of endurance are those that tolerate frost and drought well, and are also resistant to various pests and diseases inherent in currants.
In areas where early frosts occur, and in the summer season dry weather is maintained, it is recommended to plant varieties that are able to withstand natural disasters. These include such types of currants as:
- Sophia.
- Bagheera.
- Grace.
- Minx.
- Pygmy.
Currants must be well adapted to the region where it is grown, then the yield of the plant will be high.
Bushes may be affected by a mite or powdery mildew. To have a good crop on your site, it is best to choose the following varieties for planting:
- Temptation.
- Wonderful.
- Sensei.
- Carmelita.
- Sophia.
Particular attention should be paid to the grade Pygmy. Currants stand out among many others with a very sweet taste. The berries of the plant are large, despite this name. The plant is recommended to be planted in areas of the Far East, the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia.
The currant Pygmy was bred at the Research Institute for Horticulture and Potato in Yuzhnouralsk by V. Ilyin, a breeder. He has established himself well, and therefore is in some demand among gardeners.
Description of the variety Pygmy
Considering the grade of Pygmy currant, the description should begin with the appearance of the plant:
- The bush is medium in size, can reach a height of about 1.5-2 m.
- New shoots of light green and pink-green hue, have an average thickness.
- Leaves are large, five-lobed, wrinkled. Have a rich green color.
- Petioles are long, of medium thickness. Like young shoots, they are painted in light green or pink-green shade.
- Inflorescences in the form of brushes. On each of them can ripen up to 10 berries of currant.
- The flowers are pale pink or yellow-pink.
- The berries of the plant are very large. Their weight can be 5-7 grams.
- Fruits are black, shiny. They have a regular rounded shape. The seed content in the berry is minimal. The skin of the fetus is very thin.
Currant Pygmy (photo above) is great for making stewed fruit and jam. Often the berries are harvested for the winter: dried or frozen. But the most useful substances are found in fresh fruits that did not lend themselves to any processing.
Grade characteristics
Pygmy is a currant that does not belong to the early varieties. The fruit ripens in the middle of the season and lasts for 2-3 weeks. Depending on the region where the shrub grows, the interval from flowering to the appearance of ripe berries can be 30-45 days.
Currant Pygmy, the description of which we are considering, bears fruit from the end of June to mid-July. A decent crop can be harvested from one bush - from 3.5 to 5.5 kg. Fruits the plant once a year. The variety is self-fertile, thanks to which you can get stable, good yields every year.
The main advantages of this currant are:
- resistance to frost and drought;
- good fertility;
- sweet taste and size of berries;
- ability to withstand anthracnose and powdery mildew.
Although the plant has a slight drawback - currants have only insignificant resistance to the pest of the kidney tick and to the disease of Septoria.
How to choose seedlings for planting?
When choosing material for planting, you need to carefully consider the rhizome of the plant. It is best to buy seedlings of two years old, as their root system is well developed and consists of several stiffened processes, the length of which is 15-20 cm. It is also important to have a large number of thin roots resembling threads. It is also worth paying attention to their color.
A healthy rhizome has a tan hue. But if the dirty brown color predominates, this indicates that the plant was frozen, sick or overdried.
When buying planting material in a pot, you should still see the root system, for this, ask the seller to remove the seedling from the tank. If the soil is tightly braided with filamentous processes, this indicates that the currant will be well absorbed and will be able to develop rapidly.
If you want to plant a healthy plant, remember: there should not be any spots on the leaves, buds and branches, as this may indicate that the seedling is affected by the fungus. There should also be no signs of wilting.
How to care for the bush?
Pygmy is a currant that does not like windy and shaded areas, therefore, choosing a place for its planting, you need to consider these features. The ideal time for landing is the beginning of autumn. The first thing to do is till the soil. After digging, we remove all the roots of weeds and loosen the soil. Next, prepare a hole with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of 40 cm.
To prepare fertile soil, you will need:
- superphosphate - 200 g;
- potassium sulfate - 60 g;
- 1 bucket of compost;
- 0.5 l of wood ash.
In order for the plant to grow quickly, we make a small slope of the seedling when planting, not more than 45 degrees. After this, you need to carefully pour the currants and cut the branches, leaving about 3 buds. The next step is to mulch the soil under the seedling. Peat or sawdust is suitable for these purposes.
To increase productivity, experts recommend planting several varieties of currants in one plot.
Watering for the plant is very important, it is especially necessary when the ripening of the fruits begins. The site is poured with water at the rate of 30-50 liters per 1 m 2 . You also need to do watering in the fall when fertilizers are applied.
Plant nutrition is carried out in the 3rd year after planting. In the spring, before flowering, currants are fertilized with liquid mullein. Ammonium nitrate (20-30 g) is added when the plant has flowered. In the autumn, fertilize the soil under each bush with a prepared compound, which includes:
- Phosphorus (50 g).
- Potassium (40 g).
- Compost (half a bucket).
Reviews about the grade Pygmy
Pygmy currants received high marks from specialists for their characteristics. Reviews about the plant are positive, as the variety has established itself as one of the best and hardy. Large sweet berries contain a lot of useful substances, which also generates positive statements of people who choose this plant. Currants can be grown in regions where there are early frosts, as this variety is resistant to frost.