It is not in vain that red currants are considered a long-liver - proper care will allow you to harvest from a bush within 15-25 years. This is not the most demanding crop, however, in order for the plant to bear fruit stably, it is necessary to approach the cultivation of shrubs correctly, taking into account the nuances of planting, reproduction and care.
Description of red currant as a berry bush
Redcurrant is one of the most common crops. The berries have a pleasant taste, but they are also useful. One of the reasons for its popularity is simple care.
The height of the bushes is 1.2-2 m. There are developed shoots on the bush, along the entire length of which leaves grow. Root shoots can develop at the base. This plant is long-lived, because with proper care it can bear fruit up to 25 years.
But, like other berry crops, currants quickly consume all nutrients from the soil, therefore it is so important to remember the need for regular fertilizing of this plant. Otherwise, collecting a rich harvest will not work.
Other features of red currant include:
- flowering begins in mid-May, the buds are framed with red or yellow petals;
- berries begin to ripen in mid-June;
- fruits grow in clusters on light stalks, their diameter can reach 1.2 cm;
- this culture has powerful roots, which allows them to penetrate deep into the soil and draw out the necessary nutrients;
- in order to achieve the best yield, it is recommended to plant several different varieties on the site - this will allow the use of cross-pollination.
It should be noted that the berry has a rich vitamin composition, because the fruits of this plant are very useful. So, in red currant there is vitamin A, E, C, PP, H, as well as all the vitamins of group B. In addition, it contains valuable minerals, fatty acids. At the same time, red currants are not high in calories - in 100 g of berries there are only 43 Kcal.
Red currant reduces the risk of developing oncology, slows down the aging process, strengthens the immune system, and cleanses the body of toxins.
Despite a lot of positive properties, red currants have a number of contraindications. The culture contains organic acids, which can irritate the gastric mucosa. Therefore, the use of the product must be abandoned in the presence of stomach ulcers, gastritis, liver pathologies.
Also, red currants can lead to a deterioration in the condition and with hepatitis, pancreatitis. It is not recommended to include berries in the diet and for blood diseases, such as hemophilia.
Advantages and disadvantages of growing red currants
The positive features of this culture include:
- useful properties, high palatability, which makes the plant one of the most popular;
- early maturity - the crop can be harvested in the first year after planting the seedling;
- winter hardiness - choosing a suitable variety, you can not worry that with the onset of the first frosts, the culture will die;
- the possibility of freezing berries without losing their medicinal properties.
But culture has some minor flaws:
- despite the ease of maintenance, one should not forget the basic rules of planting and growing - otherwise, one should not expect large harvests;
- the legibility of this plant in the neighbors - it should not be planted close to plums, cherries, raspberries, unsuitable neighbors can be called birches and pines.
If you have a small plot, such a "capriciousness" of the plant will not allow you to grow all the desired crops.
The best varieties for planting
There are over 70 varieties of this culture, each have their own characteristics, requirements. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with them in advance in order to choose the variety that best meets all the parameters.
Large
The most popular large varieties include:
- Whiskey - winter-hardy variety, which is practically not afraid of pests and diseases, productivity from one bush to 7 kg;
- Fertody - winter-hardy variety, not afraid of fungus, the weight of berries is about 1.5 g;
- Rondome - a high-yielding variety that is resistant to frost.
currant grade "Wiskne"
currant grade "Fertodi"
currant grade "Rondom"
Sweet
Popular sweet varieties include:
- Svetlana - winter-hardy variety, small berries, have a thin skin;
- Early sweet - winter-hardy variety requiring close care, medium-sized berries;
- Houghton Castle - high-yielding variety, medium-sized berries.
currant variety "Svetlana"
currant variety "Early sweet"
currant variety "Houghton's Castle"
Early
Among the early varieties distinguish:
- Victoria - ideal for further processing and freezing, medium-sized berries, pleasant to taste;
- Firstborn - frost-resistant grade. You can collect up to 10 kg from the bush.
- Serpentine - A variety that is not afraid of pests, diseases. The berries are medium, the taste is sour-sweet.
currant variety "Victoria"
grade of currant "Firstborn"
currant variety "Serpentine"
Average
The most famous medium varieties of red currant:
- Buzhanskaya - high-yielding and frost-resistant variety, berry weight is up to 1 g, fruits are suitable for further processing, including freezing;
- Gazelle - winter-hardy, resistant to fungi, the berries are small, but sweet and juicy.
currant grade "Buzhanskaya"
currant grade "Gazelle"
Later
The most popular late varieties are:
- Marmalade Maker - winter-hardy and high-yielding variety that is resistant to most diseases and insects;
- Dutch red - hardy culture, resistant to anthracnose, frost.
currant grade "Marmaladnitsa"
currant Dutch Red variety
Landing features
It is recommended to plant a plant in the fall, but some gardeners also carry out spring work. When planting, you need to prepare the site, choose the right seedling. When carrying out work, it is worth remembering about the optimal planting scheme.
When to plant red currants?
According to experienced gardeners, the best time to plant seedlings is mid-autumn, so that the plant has time to take root in a new place. In this case, you can harvest at the beginning of July under favorable weather conditions.
But if you accidentally miss the autumn planting, you can postpone the work to spring. True, if a number of rules are not followed, there is a great risk that the planted shrubs will not take root.
Watch the video below about planting red currants:
Planting in autumn
Autumn is considered the most favorable period for planting red currants. This time of year has several advantages:
- you can prepare a landing site in advance;
- seedlings - fresh, recently received (and not stored all winter in the basement);
- it’s not scary if after planting the leaves dry out, because the buds on the seedling are already formed.
However, there is an important point: seedlings need to be planted at least a month before the freezing temperature (usually this is the beginning of September), otherwise the bush will not take root and will freeze.
Planting in spring
Planting red currants in spring is more difficult. In order for the bush to take root in the spring, it should be planted before the bud breaks. During this period, the land does not completely dry out, therefore many gardeners are planting shrubs with already laid buds, blossoming leaves. However, there is a high probability that red currants may not take root.
Selection and preparation of a seedling
When choosing a seedling, you should look at the root: the more developed the root system, the better the plant will take root (it is desirable that there are at least 3 skeletal roots). If the bark peels off a little, this is not scary, it is important that the branches are not dry. The height of the aboveground part is about 40 cm.
If the seedling was purchased in a pot, it must be carefully removed from the container to ventilate the root system.
Soil preparation
It is very important to prepare the site in advance. If the landing is planned in the spring, the holes should be made in the fall. This is required for soil subsidence. Sprinkle water over them to speed up the process. Red currants prefer slightly acidic loamy soil.
It is required to properly prepare the ground. If the soil is sandy, you need to add a little clay, if sandy loam - minerals. Due to this, the soil will "breathe". Chalk or limestone is introduced into acidic soil (40 kg per one hundred square meters).
Form holes need a couple of months before planting seedlings. Due to this, harmful substances that make up many fertilizers will evaporate from the soil. Fertilizers mixed with the top layer of soil are placed at the bottom of the hole. The feeding agent consists of 10 kg of compost, 300 g of ash, 200 g of superphosphate. Manure is also suitable, but in this case add a little straw, sawdust. The main thing is not to use nitrogen-based top dressing.
4-5 months before planting, you need to add 15 kg of organic matter, 50 g of potassium and phosphorus additives per 1 sq. m plot.
Landing pattern
The optimal distance between seedlings is 1.5 m, at least 2.5 m from the bush to the trees. If you plant closer, it will cause slower plant growth due to the fact that their roots are intertwined. Also try to plant bushes at least 1.2 m from the fence, otherwise the plant will be very darkened.
It is not recommended to plant the plant near other shrubs that grow rapidly (for example, near raspberries, gooseberries) - they will begin to drown out the growth of currants.
Redcurrant Care
Red currant is not the most capricious crop, since it does not require specialized care. However, there are several nuances that must be observed in order to increase the yield of the plant.
Top dressing
In April, urea is necessarily added - 15 g of the composition per square meter. m of land, in June - slurry or a solution of bird droppings (0.5 l per bucket of water with a volume of 10 l). If it is not possible to use organic matter, about 15 g of urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate are introduced under each plant.
In the summer, foliar dressing is made with microelements. In a bucket of water (10 l) dissolve 3 g of boric acid, 10 g of manganese sulfate, 2 g of copper sulfate, 2 g of ammonium molybdate, 2 g of zinc sulfate. Conduct all activities in cloudy weather.
In the middle of autumn, spend the last dressing: for each plant, add a mixture of 15 g of organic matter, 100 g of superphosphate, 60 g of potassium chloride. Read more about autumn feeding here.
In the next video, an experienced gardener talks about feeding currants at different times of the year:
Spring care
In early March, sanitary pruning and shaping is carried out. In April, you need to feed the bushes with urea. As soon as the soil dries up, be sure to loosen the ground around the currants to a depth of about 8 cm, then mulch.
It happens that in May during the flowering, small frosts come. In this case, it is necessary to protect the plants with smoke. And so that the culture does not experience a lack of water, the soil should be slightly moist. It is important to remove weeds by loosening the soil to a depth of 8 cm. The procedure should be carried out every 14 days.
We recommend reading an additional article on how to properly care for currants in the spring.
Summer care
In June, you need to feed the currants using organic fertilizers. Additionally, the bushes are sprayed with a micronutrient solution. It is also important to inspect the plants - having found pests, they need to be collected and destroyed.
When you need to harvest, berries need to be removed as they ripen and put in small boxes. After this, the bushes must be watered, loosened the soil.
Autumn care
At the end of September, you need to moisten the soil, add organic matter, mineral fertilizers, the soil must be dug up. When the leaf fall begins, you need to trim the currants.
Read the article on how to care for currant bushes in the fall.
Watering
The plant has rather strong roots, which makes the culture more drought tolerant, but with a lack of moisture, the berries will begin to shrink. It is important to regularly water the crop, especially during the period of active growth and when ovaries appear, during the formation of berries.
For each sq. m requires 20 liters of water, which will allow the soil to be impregnated to a depth of about 40 cm. First, grooves about 15 cm deep must be made around the bush, located 30-40 cm from the bushes. When the earth dries a little, it needs to be thoroughly loosened, which will avoid the formation of a crust.
Pruning and shaping the bush
Redcurrant requires shaping, sanitary and anti-aging pruning. Work is carried out either in early spring or at the end of autumn, when the plant is at rest:
- In the first year, 50% of young shoots are removed. This will contribute to the formation of a beautiful bush.
- Up to 5 years on the bushes leave no more than 20 shoots to avoid blackout.
- Then carry out anti-aging pruning - remove old shoots at the root, which will stimulate the growth of new ones.
- In the fall, sanitary pruning should be carried out, removing sick, damaged shoots. For more information on how to properly prune currants in the fall, see here.
Treatment
In early March, the plants "wake up", for which the bushes are watered with water heated to +80 degrees. Then, while the kidneys are still sleeping, they are treated with copper sulfate, which will avoid infection with various diseases. The next time, the treatment is carried out with the same tool two weeks after picking the berries. During the appearance of buds, the plants are treated with karbofos or Actellik.
Winter preparations
Preparing for winter does not require much effort, time is enough - a few simple manipulations are enough so that the shrub can survive even severe frosts:
- The formation of the crown with the help of a sharpened knife, and the slices must be covered with garden var.
- Water-charging irrigation will moisten the soil to a depth of about 1 m, which will have a positive effect on the development of roots. Each bush will require at least 30 liters of water. But it is important to moisten the soil gradually so that rot does not appear on the roots.
- If the autumn is too rainy, the number of waterings is reduced by several times. The water should be at room temperature, so that when frosts come, it does not turn into pieces of ice that are harmful to plants.
- Top dressing. Potash-phosphorus fertilizers are applied to the soil in autumn. Organic fertilizers are also popular - before the very frosts, mullein or dung is introduced into the soil.
- Mulching. You need to dig up the soil to a depth of 12 cm (no more than 5 cm when working near a bush, so as not to damage the roots). As material for mulch, you can use sawdust, cardboard or the remains of the covering material. This procedure is necessary to create the optimal microclimate.
- The last step is sheltering shrubs for the winter. In warm regions, for example, Crimea or Krasnodar, you can do without this - the branches simply bend to the ground and fix.
In colder regions, it is recommended to cover red currants with polyethylene, making several holes so that the plant “breathes”. If a very cold winter is expected, the bushes can be covered with spruce branches or any non-woven material.
Reproduction
Gardeners can buy ready-made seedlings at fairs, however, the reproduction of this culture is a fairly simple process, because many are engaged in growing plants on their own.
Layers
The main advantage is that layering does not have to be separated from the parent plant. And this means that he will not lack water, nutrients. But this method also has a minus - for planting, a little material is obtained.
Breeding instructions:
- Thoroughly loosen the soil near the bush, add a small amount of rotted manure.Due to this, more moisture will remain in the ground, which will eliminate crusts on the soil surface.
- According to the radius of the bush, make pits with a depth of about 15 cm. Carefully lay the shoots in them and press them to the ground.
- Sprinkle with earth. Do not forget to take care of the plant - water it, huddle it up.
- In autumn, separate the layers, divide them into parts - these will be the finished seedlings.
But it is worth remembering that the shoots of this plant break easily and they are rather difficult to bend to the ground, so as not to damage. Therefore, they often use the method of reproduction using vertical layers:
- In spring, cut a healthy bush, leaving a stump up to 10 cm high.
- Sprinkle it with moist soil and huddle.
- Water periodically for a young shoot to appear.
- In the fall, carefully separate the branches along with the roots, plant them in a new place.
Cuttings
Propagation by this method has advantages:
- due to the lack of transplantation, the roots are not injured, which means that the cuttings take root easier;
- You can get a lot of planting material;
- survival rate is over 90%.
It is necessary to harvest cuttings in early August - during this period the movement of juices slows down, moisture remains in the cuttings, which means that they will be easier to root. If you start breeding later, the rooting process will slow down.
The breeding guidelines are as follows:
- We choose a healthy bush, cut off annual shoots about 5-8 mm thick. We divide the branch into parts up to 20 cm long (they should have 5-7 buds each). In this case, the upper cut must be made straight so that the shoots are formed correctly, the lower cut oblique, which will allow the roots to better absorb moisture. We put the cuttings in a glass of water until the roots form.
- We prepare a place for planting: we dig up the soil, fertilize it with compost, add ash - this is necessary for deoxidation of the soil, water abundantly. We make a trench with a depth of about 15 cm. We plant it under a slight slope so that there is a distance of about 20 cm between them. Several buds should remain on the surface.
- The soil near the cuttings must be compacted, watered, mulched with humus with a layer of about 5 cm. It is recommended to cover each cutting with a plastic bottle.
- When the cuttings overwinter, get stronger, they can be planted in a new place.
By dividing the roots
If you want to transplant a bush, it can be divided into parts to immediately get plants ready for planting. Work should be carried out after the end of the growing season (usually mid-late October), so that the shrub has time to prepare for the cold or early spring - in this case, young seedlings can take root in a new place.
Reproduction is simple:
- We prepare holes about 50-70 cm deep, add humus, ash, water.
- Dig up so as not to damage the root system. We leave the annual shoots, cut to a length of 30 cm.
- We divide the bush into parts with roots and shoots. A sharpened knife works best. After completing the procedure, all sections are processed with charcoal.
- Divide the plant into several parts so that each one has roots and shoots.
- We plant, water, and spud.
Diseases and pests of redcurrant
This culture is very resistant to insects and diseases. But still she does not have 100% immunity, therefore it is so important to know how to identify diseases and pests, how to deal with them.
Diseases
- Anthracnose. Symptoms include the appearance of brown spots on the leaves, over which subsequently tubercles form. Currant leaves are deformed over time and begin to fall off. A solution of copper sulfate, which is sprayed not only on the plant, but also on the ground near the bush, helps to cope with the disease. It is necessary to treat in this way until the bud breaks.
But it is better to use effective preventive measures - spray the bush with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid once every 2 weeks after flowering. - Goblet rust. Reddish spots appear on the leaves, and spores of the fungus are located inside. Rust-affected berries and leaves must be burned, and the bushes must be treated with suitable fungicidal agents (Fitosporin-M is suitable).
- Septoriasis. It appears as brown specks with dark spores in the middle. In this case, you need to remove the affected leaves, and treat the bushes with drugs that contain copper (it is best to choose copper sulfate), but fungicides are also suitable. To avoid infection, spray the bushes with copper sulfate several times before flowering.
- Powdery mildew (spheroteka). The causative agent of the disease is a fungus. The main symptoms include:
- a light bloom forms on the plant, which darkens over time;
- leaves and berries fall;
- the bush slows down in development.
As a treatment, spray the affected bushes with fungicides. Better to use Alirin-B and Baktofit. All damaged shoots, so that the disease does not spread further in the garden, you need to burn.
Defeat of leaf and berries with anthracnose
The manifestation of goblet rust on a currant leaf
The defeat of the bush with septoria
Powdery mildew (spheroteka)
Pests
Most often, currants are affected by:
- narrow-bodied goldfish;
- kidney moth.
If we talk about a narrow-bodied goldfish, then it is the larvae that cause harm to the bushes - they gnaw the shoots, trying to make passages in them. Insects themselves appear around June, laying eggs in the shoots. The affected branches die over time, the berries become smaller, become stunted.
To avoid the death of red currants, it is necessary during spring preparation to cut off underdeveloped shoots, burn them. When pests appear, they must be destroyed. Also, it is better to treat the bushes with Actellik's solution 20-25 days after the end of flowering.
Caterpillars of the kidney moth settle at the base of the bush. If you do not start the fight in time, the yield of plants will decrease, the bushes themselves will begin to fade. In the fight against this insect, you need to treat the bushes with Nitrofen, Karbofos or another insecticide during the period of kidney swelling.
Gardeners reviews
Alla, 51 years old, teacher, Kemerovo. For the first time this year, I decided to plant red currants - I heard that they are not as demanding to care as black ones. Chosen variety "Victoria" and "Rondom". I will say right away that I am a beginner, a gardener, I did not know a lot of things, but nevertheless I gathered a small crop and even managed to freeze some berries. She covered the bushes for the winter, so I hope to harvest next year too.
Sergey, 63 years old, pensioner, Krasnodar. Redcurrant is my favorite berry. Firstly, it is very easy to care for it, especially in our area, where there are no cold winters. I planted bushes of the Buzhansky variety 5 years ago, and I still consistently remove at least a bucket of berries from each plant every year.
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Red currant is the choice of many novice gardeners, as this plant requires a minimum of effort and time, but at the same time allows you to collect good yields. In order for the plant to bear fruit well, it is only important to properly prepare the site for planting and in the future do not forget to water and regularly feed the culture.