The technology of growing black currant in your country house in the garden. Agrotechnology for planting seedlings, further care for the bush and pruning. Video with tips. For the successful cultivation of black currant, it is advisable to purchase seedlings of different varieties. So, mutual cross-pollination will give a much greater effect, since the number of ovaries increases and, accordingly, the size of the berries.
Read about the benefits, dangers and find out what calorie content of black currant
Planting black currant seedlings
Saplings are planted in autumn - in the first half of October. During wintering, the earth around the bush will settle and compact, and in the spring the young plant will begin to actively grow. The distance between seedlings should be within 1-1, 25 m. If this rule is not observed, the yield and life expectancy of each planted plant will be reduced. When choosing a landing site, make sure that it is illuminated by the sun and protected from the wind. Keep in mind that black currants love moisture, so choose a low, moist soil. The plant prefers to grow on fertile light loamy soil, but not on heavy and acidic soil.
Prepare the site before planting: align it well from pits and deep depressions. Dig up and remove the roots of perennial weeds. A planting pit of standard sizes: 35x40x50 cm. We fill it with two-thirds of fertile soil along with useful fertilizers. This can be compost, wood ash, potassium sulfate or superphosphate.
As for the seedlings, their lignified root system should have up to 5 skeletal roots (each up to 20 cm long). One seedling is 1–2 branches of the aerial part up to 40 cm long. If the roots are slightly dried or damaged, then they are carefully shortened and buried so that the root collar is covered by 6–8 cm. This is done to form additional basal buds.
Planting ends with abundant watering (half a bucket of water). Then the soil is mulched with peat, and the place under the black currant is loosened. Mulching allows for longer moisture retention and reduces the need for loosening.
Video: how to plant black currants
Video: propagation of black currant by cuttings
Black currant bush care
Digging under the bushes is done in the fall - as a rule, not too deep, by 8 cm. In comparison with red currants, black currants are very fond of moisture, which makes them different from other crops. The reason is that its root system is in the upper layers of the earth (depth up to 20-30 cm). But it especially needs moisture when it actively grows and forms ovaries, which falls on the beginning of June. It is also watered abundantly during the period of fruit filling (from June 20 to July 10) and after harvesting (August-September).
Black currant pruning
The purpose of annual pruning is to replace old branches with new ones in a timely manner and thin them out regularly so that there is no strong thickening. So, let's consider in order which branches should be cut:
- Branches that have been bearing fruit for 4 years are replaced with strong annual shoots.
- Annual branches that over-thicken the bush.
- Young main branches - they are shortened to lateral branching so that the bush does not turn out to be very dense.
- External branches of black currant, very drooping or even lying on the ground, interfere with processing and are poorly productive.
- Affected by currant glass and dry branches.
In addition to the glass currant, black currant leaves may become covered with gray spots. The causative agent is a mushroom that has spent the winter on fallen leaves. This is why it is so important to collect and burn fallen leaves! As soon as stains appear, spray the plant with 75 B perocine solution or 1% Bordeaux liquid. Repeat the procedure after 2 weeks. Against currant glass, the bush is treated with a solution of Vofatox 30 (0.15%). As a preventive measure, healthy seedlings should be planted, the affected branches and stems should be cut off along with the glass caterpillars and burned.
Thus, subject to all the rules (technologies) of planting and care, you can achieve a good harvest of black currant. A little patience, and your own planted plant will bear fruit for 2-3 years. The yield will increase up to 5-6 years, then it will remain at the same level for another 3-4 years, after which it will sharply decrease. That is, the "life" of black currant bushes lasts up to a maximum of 10-11 years. You can extend the period for another 3 years by performing anti-aging pruning. But that's all - perennial bushes have been eradicating and planting new, young seedlings for over 15 years.
Video about planting, growing and caring for a bush
Wish you a luxurious garden and be healthy!
