Blackcurrant: cultivation and care. Caring for currants Caring for currants in early spring top dressing

19.11.2019

The time has come spring work in the garden, berry, in the garden. Today we will talk about blackcurrant. What care is needed for this berry in the spring. It must be said that the spring processing of berries is more important than the autumn one and includes such urgent work as:

cleaning blackcurrant bushes;
pruning bushes sanitary;
pruning bushes normalizing;
treatment against pests and diseases;
top dressing of black currant;
watering;
soil loosening and mulching.

The sequence of work can be changed if there is still snow and some work cannot be done. For example, to carry out spring cleaning of blackcurrants from garbage accumulated during the autumn-winter period. Do not carry out formative pruning if it was done in the fall. But let's try to consider all the works in order.

Cleaning blackcurrant bushes

The main cleaning of blackcurrant bushes from old branches, fallen leaves, weeds is carried out in the fall. However, during the autumn-winter period, garbage accumulates and must be removed. We carefully rake off the old overwintered foliage from the blackcurrant bush and between the branches in the bush and be sure to burn it. In it, no doubt, part of the pests winters, leaving late to rest.

Sanitary blackcurrant pruning

We carefully examine the blackcurrant bush. We cut out all broken, growing inside, diseased and dry branches.

We examine the lower branches and cut off those lying on the ground. They were crushed by snow. We cut off at the last or penultimate living kidney, looking up. We put the branches in a heap.

We examine the old branches of blackcurrant, whose effective fruiting has ended. These are 6-7 year old branches. They are covered with old rough bark, have practically no young lateral shoots and buds. Such branches will not form a crop, but some of the nutrients from the young will be taken away. We cut them off at the very ground and also send them to a pile.

We turn to the living fruiting shoots of blackcurrant. We examine each from the bottom to the tip of the branch. If there are frozen parts, cut to a living kidney.

If the blackcurrant bush looks emaciated, the young fruiting shoots are thin. We cut off all young shoots by 8-10 cm. This technique will save the strength of the bush for the formation of the crop.

Once again, we examine the fruiting shoots. On some branches, the buds are swollen, round. A tick is located there for the winter. If the entire branch is affected, cut it off without regret. Otherwise, we may be left without a crop. Affected blackcurrant branches must be burned.

If there are 1-2 swollen buds on the fruiting blackcurrant shoot, we pinch them off and put them in a bag or pocket. Then, like all cut branches, we burn them.

Normalizing blackcurrant pruning

After carrying out all the preparatory pruning, they begin the annual pruning of blackcurrant bushes, in order to load the bush.

The load of the blackcurrant bush is carried out in parallel with sanitary pruning. In young 2-3 year old bushes, 3-4 young well-developed shoots are left, the rest are cut into a ring near the ground. The stems are cut so that an impromptu circle or quadrangle is formed with approximately equal distances from each other. Inside this circle / square, you do not need to leave young shoots. The wider the base, the lighter the blackcurrant bush and the greater the set of berries.

Every year, the blackcurrant bush is replenished with 3-4 basal annual shoots. By the age of five, the bush will have 8-12 strong fruitful shoots. There may be more of them if the base of the bush has a large diameter. The distance between the shoots of black currant is 8-12-15 cm. The shoots of the second order are practically not touched. They can be shortened if the growth of the previous year is equal to or greater than 40-45 cm.

Remember! The width of the base of the blackcurrant bush depends on the correct planting. The seedling is planted obliquely, not vertically. With an inclined landing, the bush develops additional roots and forms more shoots from dormant buds.

The most active period of blackcurrant crop formation is 5-7 years, then the fruitfulness of aging and old branches decreases. These branches, during the March load of the bush, are cut first. Old 8-9 year old bushes are uprooted and replaced with young ones, gradually transferring the berry bush to a new place. It is possible to replace blackcurrant uprooting with rejuvenation, which is more practical to carry out in the spring before the buds wake up (March). During rejuvenation, all shoots are cut into a ring and a bush is formed from new young ones.

Techniques for early processing of blackcurrant

Immediately after pruning, we proceed to the processing of blackcurrant bushes from pests and diseases.

Experienced gardeners carry out several types of treatments on sleeping bushes:

fire treatment;
boiling water treatment;
treatment with solutions of pesticides;
biological treatment.

Processing black currants with fire

A large number of experienced gardeners they began to use early blackcurrant treatments (in early March, while the bushes were sleeping) with a blowtorch or gas burner to combat ticks and aphids.

After pruning, the blackcurrant bush is quite sparse. We direct the burner fire to the branches of the bush at a distance of 8-10 cm and lead along the branches from top to bottom 2-3 times. As if stroking with fire. Do not bring the fire close and do not keep it near the branches, they do not need to be roasted. Only burn the surface. At the same time, aphid eggs and a large number of mites wintering in buds swollen from their number die.

Remember! Only blackcurrants, redcurrants, white currants and strawberries/strawberries can be treated with fire. Other types of berries (raspberries, gooseberries and others) are not allowed.

If there is still snow, you can rake it from the roots of blackcurrant, and return it to its place after a few days.

If you are afraid of being treated by fire, go to one of the following types, in your opinion, less dangerous.

Processing blackcurrant with boiling water

Like fire treatment, it is carried out in early spring, while the blackcurrant bush is at rest.

About 1-1.2 buckets of hot water are consumed on a large blackcurrant bush. Fill a sprinkler with boiling water, and from a height of 15-20 cm above the bush, wash it with boiling water. Until the water reaches the bush, the temperature will drop to + 60 ... + 70 ° C and will not damage the plant. Bathing reduces the number of pests, fungal diseases, but does not completely destroy them. Therefore, in the phase of bud swelling, we will return once again to the treatment of plants from pests and diseases.

Treatment of blackcurrant with pesticides

At the end of March - the first half of April, blackcurrant bushes are treated with a 1-2% solution of copper sulfate or a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. You can use a solution of copper oxychloride, as recommended. Treatment with these preparations partially destroys wintering ticks, aphids, as well as a fungal infection.

During the beginning of the formation of blackcurrant buds, experts recommend treating the bushes with dispersed sulfur or a suspension of colloidal sulfur. During this period, it is still possible to spray with Sulfarid, Kinmiks and others approved for use. It is possible to use drugs Aktara, INTA-Vir and others.

But in a private garden, the use of chemicals is undesirable, and in families with small children it is prohibited. Environmentally friendly products can be obtained using biological products, infusions and decoctions of insecticidal plants.

Treatment of blackcurrant with biological products

To rid the currant of ticks, aphids, moths, fungal infections of various pathologies and other pests and diseases, biological products that can be used to treat currants throughout the warm season until harvesting will help.

The maximum effect of biological preparations is manifested at positive temperatures from +15..+18°C.

Please note! It is necessary to dilute and use biological products in strict accordance with the recommendations, then their effectiveness will be maximum.

Biological products are harmless to people, animals and birds. They start working in a few hours. Their action lasts at least 2-3 weeks. Re-treatment before the end of the drug is carried out only after rains.

To protect plants from pests, nemakabact, lepidocid, bitoxibacillin, fitoverm and others are used.

To protect against diseases - pentophage, trichodermin, phytosporin-B, alirin-B, gamair and others.

Biological products are well mixed in tank mixtures, which reduces the number of treatments and the load on the bushes during treatments.

Decoctions and infusions of insecticidal plants

Currently, there are tips and recommendations from gardeners and gardeners on the use of insecticidal plants to protect fruit crops from pests:

infusion of garlic;
infusion of celandine, marigolds (tagetes), dandelion, yarrow;
fresh potato tops;
decoction of tobacco, yarrow, etc.

Along with harmless insecticidal plants, recommendations are replete with the use of very poisonous plants, which will not only destroy a miserable part of the pests, but also serve as a poison when unwashed berries are used as food. Be careful!

Black currant nutrition

Rules for top dressing when applying any type of fertilizer:

the diameter of fertilizer application is equal to or slightly larger than the crown of the bush;
fertilizers are evenly applied from all sides, scattering over the surface of the soil for irrigation or small incorporation into the soil by 5-8 cm;
in early spring, you can feed blackcurrant bushes with organic or full fertilizer using the deep application method. Depending on the age and size of the bush, at a distance of 50-60 cm around the perimeter, they dig a ditch 30 cm deep and 7-10 cm wide. A solution of organic or mineral fertilizers is poured into it and covered with soil after absorption;
fertilizer solution can be applied to the surface of loosened soil directly under the blackcurrant bush. In this case, after top dressing, the soil is watered with clean water and mulched.

Phases of fertilizing blackcurrant

In the spring, 2 top dressings are carried out:

at the start of flowering. Late varieties during the formation of 1-2 cm shoots of the current year;
the beginning of mass tying of berries.

The first spring top dressing of blackcurrant

Feeding blackcurrants begins at the age of three (first fruiting).

If no fertilizer has been applied under blackcurrant since autumn, then the first spring top dressing is performed:

a solution of organic fertilizer (manure, bird droppings);
complete mineral fertilizer;
mixture of organic and mineral fertilizers.

To feed blackcurrant with manure, a solution is used at a concentration of 1 part mullein per 10 parts of water and 20-25 g of urea or ammonium nitrate are added.

If bird droppings are used instead of manure, then 1 part of the droppings is dissolved in 12-15 liters of water with the addition of urea.

In the absence of organic matter, nitroammophoska can be applied at the rate of 30-40 g / bush, followed by watering and mulching.

If the blackcurrant bushes are large, with a high level of fruiting, then in the spring it is better to apply an organic-mineral mixture of manure or bird droppings and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. 1 part of manure is diluted per 10 liters of water, 20-25 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potassium sulfate are added. The mixture is thoroughly stirred and brought into the furrows located along the edge of the currant bush. After applying and closing fertilizers, you can water the bushes with an average rate of water (do not erode fertilizers).

If in autumn the soil is under blackcurrant was filled with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, then in the spring only nitrogen fertilizers in the form of urea or ammonium nitrate at a dose of 50-60 g / sq. m area. Shrubs older than 4 years receive ½ of the specified rate.

The second spring top dressing of blackcurrant

The second spring top dressing of blackcurrant according to the period of time occurs after 14 days or in the phase of mass berry setting. Currant during this period needs, in addition to basic fertilizers, trace elements. The plant can get them in the form of top dressing:

wood ash in 0.5-1.0 cups under a bush, followed by shallow embedding by loosening and watering with mulching;
you can add 1-3 kg of humus mixed with potassium sulfate under each bush. Processing after top dressing, as with ash;
for top dressing, you can use mineral fertilizers containing trace elements - kemira, berries and others. They can be applied to the soil under a bush or foliar top dressing by spraying with a solution. 50-60 g / sq. m. are applied to the soil. m area. When foliar top dressing, 10 g of fertilizer is dissolved in 8-10 liters of water and sprayed;
foliar top dressing can be carried out after the first root top dressing in 7-8 days, using boric acid, wood ash infusion, kemira and other microelement kits that are sold in specialized stores;

The second foliar top dressing of black currant is carried out at the beginning of summer when the berries grow. The dose and method of feeding are the same.

Watering black currant

In early spring, currants, as a rule, are not watered separately. Irrigation is used for fertilization.

The first time an independent watering of black currants is carried out in long-term dry weather in the phase of mass flowering.

With a sufficient supply of winter moisture, the first watering of black currants is carried out in the phase of ovary formation (approximately the end of May).

The second watering of blackcurrant is already summer. It is carried out in the phase of growth (filling) of berries.

Currant loves sprinkler irrigation. They are best done before or after flowering. During flowering or in the absence of devices for sprinkling, it is possible to irrigate with a hose:

along the furrows between the rows;
under a bush, where a roller is made to retain water;
into a ditch made along the perimeter of the bush and in other ways.

It is important that the soil, when irrigating black currants, be well soaked in a layer of 40-60 cm.

In order to retain moisture longer after absorbing water, the soil under the blackcurrant bush is loosened and mulched. As mulch can be used under bushes:

mature compost;
humus;
neutral peat;
rotted sawdust or shavings, bevelled lawn grass or beveled siderat.

The use of mulch will not only retain moisture, but also serve as an additional organic fertilizer, and will also improve physical properties soil.

The berry must be kept clean. Timely destroy weeds and loosen the soil, which will increase the access of air to the roots of plants, improve the microclimate in the root layer. The implementation of spring work will serve as a reserve for the formation of a high yield of blackcurrant with good quality berries.

Dear readers! The norms and combinations of fertilizers given in the article for root and foliar dressings of blackcurrant, chemical and biological preparations for treatments against pests and diseases are not a dogma. Without a doubt, many gardeners and gardeners use their berry farming methods that have been developed over the years. Share your experience with us in the comments.

Particular attention should be paid to soil cultivation - it is important to ensure maximum moisture retention and good penetration air. To do this, the soil (especially the top layer) must always be in a loose state. Periodically loosening the soil is necessary when it dries slightly after snow melts, rain or watering. Especially important is the digging of dense, silty or heavy soil. If the currant grows in light and loose soil, it is enough to make shallow loosening of the soil around the bushes.

Fertilizer

Starting from the third year of growth, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the soil in the spring at the rate of 20 g of urea or ammonium nitrate per square meter earth. After 4-5 years, you need to feed regularly organic fertilizers, making every 3 years 6-7 kg per square meter.

The plant is especially responsive to phosphate fertilizers, but it needs a balanced supply with other elements. During the autumn digging of the soil, potash fertilizers and superphosphates (20 g per square meter) must be applied every year.

pruning

Regular pruning and timely replacement of obsolete branches with more productive ones create favorable conditions for the growth of white, black and red currants. Thanks to this, the bushes can bear fruit for 20 or more years. Within five years, starting from the moment of planting, with the help of pruning, it is necessary to form a bush with branches different ages.

Pruning currant bushes is always done with a well-adjusted and sharp pruner.

In subsequent years, it is necessary to maintain the formed ratio of branches of different ages, removing old ones and leaving strong young shoots.

After cutting, you do not need to leave stumps, as they can turn into a wintering and nesting place for some garden pests.

When pruning a thickened bush, first of all, broken, diseased, lying on the ground and then branches growing inside the bushes are removed. The next to cut out are the weakest and those with a small number of branches. To encourage the bushes to form strong shoots, drags are cut out in the lower parts of the old branches. Dying tops and dry branches are removed from old abandoned branches. If there are few branching branches left in the bushes, the tops are greatly shortened.

Pruning should be carried out annually before bud break in spring or autumn before loosening and digging the soil.

Features of caring for blackcurrant bushes in spring. Tips from seasoned gardeners.

Blackcurrant is a constant resident of summer cottages and homestead plots. Her fragrant and healthy berries they try to freeze or keep all housewives in jam.

Blackcurrant bushes bear fruit abundantly and for a long time as a result of careful care for them, watering and feeding.

We will talk in more detail about the nuances of growing blackcurrants in our area in the article.

When is it better to plant and transplant blackcurrants - in spring or autumn?

dug up blackcurrant seedlings before planting

Blackcurrants can be planted and transplanted in early spring and autumn. Take note that she wakes up early with the first rays of the sun and begins the growing season.

Most auspicious time for transplantation - September-mid-October. So the plant will have time to take root before the arrival of frost and actively grow from the first days of heat in the spring.

How to plant and transplant blackcurrant seedlings in spring into the ground: step by step instructions

gardener planting blackcurrants in a moat

In cases where it is impossible to plant blackcurrant in the fall, do it in the spring:

choose a healthy seedling with 3-5 formed strong roots at least 20 cm long and a similar number of branches up to 30 cm long. Carefully inspect the plant for the absence of painful plaque and spoilage,
choose a place before planting blackcurrants. She needs sunlight, moderate shade and air movement. There should not be any acid and swampiness in the soil,
reduce the acidity of the soil with chalk, dolomite, old cement / plaster, rubbed eggshells. Just pour the material into the hole,
reduce the tendency of the site to accumulate excessive water by forming an elevation of 15-20 cm for growing blackcurrants. Strengthen the mound around the perimeter with turf,
a week before planting, dig holes or a continuous trench on a shovel bayonet, remove weed roots, pour / pour fertilizer to 75% of the depth.
Compost, humus, aged cow dung will do. Immediately before planting, add a solution of superphosphate in the amount of 2 tbsp. l. under each root
lower the seedling into the hole at an angle of 45-60 °, straighten the roots. Make sure that 3 buds of the stem remain underground and the same number above it,
pour half a bucket of water into the hole for each future bush,
cover with earth and trample with a toe / palm around the trunk,
again pour out the remaining half bucket of water,
mulch the area around the trunk,
trim the branches another 50-30% or leave only 3 well-formed buds. From this, both the root system and young shoots will be stronger,
place cut branches in moist soil. They will take root and become material for transplanting / forming new blackcurrant bushes,
the next day, loosen the soil around the young seedling,
Water and mulch planted plants regularly.

How to feed blackcurrants in spring?

application of dry fertilizers under the roots of blackcurrant

After planting blackcurrants, the fertilizers that you used will be enough for her to develop healthy for 2 years. Then you need to feed.

You have 2 feeding tactics depending on whether you fertilized in the fall or not:

if so, add ammonium nitrate along the side of the hole in the amount of 50 g. Sprinkle with peat, soil. Pour abundantly with clean water,
otherwise, dilute the mullein in 10 liters of water and add a tablespoon of urea, also known as ammonium nitrate. Pour 3 liters of fertilizer into the root hole for each blackcurrant bush. Then mix potassium sulfate and superphosphate in a ratio of 1: 2 and apply the mixture around the roots to a depth of 8-10 cm. Dig in the holes and mulch.

Instead of mullein, take bird droppings. Dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:10. Give each bush half a bucket of such fertilizer.

Wood ash is also suitable as a top dressing in soil poor in potassium. So that it does not wash out quickly, dig it around the trunk of a blackcurrant.

There are complex fertilizers for blackcurrant, which are applied every 3 years. They enrich the soil with nitrogen.

Make a ditch for such a fertilizer up to 10 cm deep around the root hole and evenly pour the fertilizer.
Dig it up.
When the soil warms up to +8℃, the fertilizer crystals will begin to melt.

How to spray currants in the spring before bud break?

man spraying blackcurrant bushes in early spring

The purpose of early spring spraying of currant bushes is to eliminate pathogens and larvae of plant pests. Since blackcurrant is attractive to many of their species, the processing of its shoots before the buds swell is mandatory.

Both folk remedies and products of the chemical industry that have been proven over the years are suitable for you:

onion and garlic
tar soap
ash, mustard powder
tobacco, dandelion
copper and iron sulphate
boiling water
chlorophos
colloidal sulfur
furanon
fundazol
fitoverm

Treatment of blackcurrant in the spring from diseases and pests with boiling water, blue vitriol, folk remedies

a gardener sprays blackcurrant bushes with a solution of copper sulfate

Boil water, add 10 aspirin tablets to a bucket of water. Stir until completely dissolved
Pour the solution into a garden watering can. By the time you complete all the manipulations, the water will cool down a bit,
water thoroughly all the branches of the plant,
depending on the splendor of blackcurrant, one solution is enough for 2-3 of its bush.

An aqueous solution of copper sulphate does an excellent job with aphid larvae and powdery mildew pathogens.

Take copper sulfate and water 100 g and 10 liters, respectively. Spray generously on all blackcurrant branches and water the roots.
Repeat 2-3 daily treatments.

From folk remedies spring processing of blackcurrant bushes, let's focus on some:

garlic / onion solution. Chop the garlic and onions with a vegetable cutter in the amount of 100 g each and pour a bucket of water. Leave to infuse for a day.
Strain and spray the blackcurrants with the solution. One batch is enough for 2-3 bushes. The healing effect will be achieved from the use of only garlic.
If you do not have time to grind, pour hot water whole heads and after 6 hours, treat the blackcurrant bushes with a ready-made solution.
ash/ground tobacco. Pour 100 g of dry raw materials with a bucket of water, let the particles settle. Use the prepared solution to process 3-4 bushes,
a solution of laundry soap or birch tar. Grate 200 g solid ingredient and combine with a bucket warm water.

Folk remedies spray blackcurrant for at least 5 days in a row with a mandatory repetition a week after it blooms.

Fight against bud mites and aphids on blackcurrant in spring

blackcurrant branches affected by bud mites

The kidney mite infects the branches and buds of black currant and is the causative agent of the disease of terry in it.

In order to eliminate aphids different types you should:

manually remove all affected leaves/clusters and burn them,
spray with either finished preparations or tobacco infusion. In the second case of dry raw materials, take 0.5 kg per bucket of water and insist for 2 days,
plant flowers and plants between rows and bushes that repel aphids, such as marigolds, nasturtium, onions, garlic, fennel.

Blackcurrant pruning in spring

a gardener cuts a blackcurrant bush in early spring

Cut blackcurrants regularly in spring and autumn until they reach 5 years of age. It is best to do this immediately after processing its branches with boiling water.

The technology is as follows:

cut off completely all diseased and dry branches, shorten zero shoots as much as possible. They are located on the periphery of the bush, thin and low,
shape the bush correctly. It should be lush, but with enough free space in the middle,
keep in mind that older branches bear less fruit. You will receive the main harvest from branches 1 and 2 years old. Therefore, leave 3-4 even healthy processes coming from the root, with minimal cutting of the tops,
cut the branch 0.5 cm above the bud at a 45° angle,
shorten the horizontal processes going to the side at the point of rotation.

Try to form a healthy, well-groomed blackcurrant bush from such a number of branches by age:

1 year - 4-5 pcs.
2 years - 3-4 pcs.
3 years - 2-3 pcs.
4-5 years - 2-3 pcs.

Red spots on currant leaves in spring: how to fight?

red spots on a blackcurrant leaf

Red spots on blackcurrant leaves are symptoms of a fungal infection or gall aphid invasion.

The differences are:

when affected by a fungus on the leaves, you see red islands. They spread up to the bosom of the leaf cutting, accelerating its death and fall,
aphids provoke the formation of pimply red patches on the surface of the leaves.

Don't let the disease spread. As soon as you notice red spots on the leaves of blackcurrant, then:

cut off all affected specimens, including cutting diseased branches as much as possible, and burn them,
spray the bushes affected by the fungus with an aqueous solution of Bordeaux liquid at the rate of 100 grams per bucket of water. The batch is enough for you to treat 3 bushes. Repeat the procedure after flowering and picking blackcurrant berries. The second option is to dilute 300 g of nitrofen in a bucket of water and treat the bushes before they bloom,
to treat currant bushes from gall aphids, use karbofos, actellik, hom, chlorophos, fundazol.
Prepare an aqueous solution of a specific preparation according to the instructions and spray on both sides of the leaf once every one and a half weeks before the blackcurrant begins to bloom. Then treat with fitoverm.

If you are against chemicals:

prepare a thick solution of laundry soap for spraying and ashes for sprinkling, an aqueous infusion of shag / tobacco, onion peel,
plant tomatoes between bushes and rows of blackcurrants.

Why do currant leaves turn yellow in spring?

anthracnose - the cause of yellowing blackcurrant leaves

There are several reasons for the phenomenon:

too dry weather and soil
flaw useful substances in the soil, lack of fertilizer
insufficient watering of plants
too much shade over the bushes
heavy rains for a long time
aphid infestation

large blackcurrant berries in the hands of an experienced gardener

Cut branches affected by frost.
Trim bushes older than 5 years to rejuvenate the plant. Use clean, disinfected garden shears or pruners.
Place cuts thicker than 7-8 mm, treat with garden pitch.
Rake leaves, winter shelters of roots early in spring. Loosen the soil along the trunk so that the roots get fresh air.
Fertilize, treat currants with boiling water and remedies for diseases and pests.
Water the plants with an aqueous infusion of potato skins, cut weeds.
After watering, loosen the soil above the roots and mulch it.

So, we have considered all the stages of caring for blackcurrant bushes in order to harvest a rich harvest of its large berries. We also took into account the advice of experienced gardeners on spring processing of plants to maintain the health of roots and branches.

Put the acquired knowledge into practice and stock up on your secrets of growing blackcurrants in your area.

Video: how to cut blackcurrant?

Currant has long been a wild berry, common on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. Assessing her wealth useful properties, gardeners began to plant bushes on their plots. But if in natural conditions the plant itself chooses favorable places for growth, then in household knowledge of how to care for currants will be required so that it takes root and gives a high yield.

Most often, gardeners grow black berries, less often red or white. These species belong to the same genus of plants, but differ slightly in composition and properties. In matters of how to care for the already planted, accepted shoots of black and red berries, there are also some differences, for example, in watering, pruning.

The mandatory procedures for looking after shrubs of all types include:

soil loosening;
watering;
weeding from weeds;
soil fertilizer;
protection from pests, diseases;
pruning dried shoots;
bush rejuvenation.

Some of these processes come during the period of growth and fruiting. In late autumn (sometimes early spring), shrubs are pruned and rejuvenated, after which they prepare for wintering.

Before the plant sprouts, brings the harvest, the task of every gardener is to choose a resistant variety, proper fit seedlings. If these procedures are carried out according to the rules, then further care for shrubs can be effortless.

What is pruning for?

The condition for growth, productivity of berry bushes from 7 kg and above is the presence free space, without blocking the free access of light and air. Fruiting decreases when the plant is overloaded with its own shoots.

The optimal number of branches is up to 12-15 pieces. The age of an adult shrub is also important, it should not exceed 20-22 years, and the age of an individual stem should be 5-6 years. To regulate the listed indicators, branches are periodically cut off, rejuvenated.

Regular pruning is carried out for:

increase productivity (up to 7-10 kg per bush);
getting rid of unfruitful stems infected with diseases;
reduce the risk of infection of young shoots.

The choice of time for pruning, removal of stems depends on the gardener, his workload and desire. It is more convenient to start the procedure in late autumn, when the crop is harvested, the plant is being prepared for winter. If this is not possible, the cleaning of the branches is transferred to early autumn, but always before the formation of new shoots.

How to care for currants in spring

Care for black and red representatives of the genus in the spring begins with cutting off extra stems (if it was not carried out in the fall), preparing the soil. To improve the flow of moisture and fertilizers to the roots, periodically the earth around the bush is loosened with a rake to a depth of 3 cm.

Mulching the soil around the trunk additionally fills it with useful trace elements, protects the roots from:

overheating or frostbite;
evaporation of moisture;
damage caused by weeds and pests.

Materials for mulching (organic humus, sawdust, grass, peat, bark, straw, and others) are laid out around the trunks in the spring, periodically updated.

Before flowering, shrubs are treated with preventive measures against pests and diseases. It is safer to use organic biopreparations for this. Nitrogen fertilizers, diluted mullein with water (1:10) or chicken manure are used to fertilize the soil.

In later spring, vegetation needs evening watering, especially during dry spells. It will take about 3-4 buckets of water per week. At the same time, black varieties are watered more often, and red varieties are watered less often, but more abundantly.

How to care for berries in summer

AT summer time caring for red and black currants is easier, especially if you do it right spring training. It is important to water in time during the hot period, monitor the condition of the plant and soil.

If the weather brings dry periods, remember to water the shrub 1-2 times a week (5-7 buckets of water at a time). It is better to reduce the amount of liquid during the period of growth and painting of berries, since an excess of moisture leads to cracks and tears in the fruit.

If the branches or leaves are faced with diseases, pests, they are sprayed:

a solution of ash (300 gr.), Laundry soap (50 gr.), One bucket of water;
a solution of calcined salt (50 gr.), Laundry soap (50 gr.), One bucket of water;
a solution of potassium salt (10 gr.), One bucket of water.

The processes of loosening, removing weeds, mulching are carried out as needed. The soil is cultivated carefully so as not to damage the roots. Additional soil fertilization is applied, for example, using wood ash (2-3 cups per bush), bird droppings or mullein diluted in water (1:10).

Berries of black and red varieties reach closer to the beginning of August. After harvesting, berry bushes are not abandoned, but are subjected to the following procedures:

pruning stems;
preventive or therapeutic spraying against diseases, insects;
soil fertilization;
periodic watering, loosening the soil.

Without proper care in the fall, the plant will not be able to lay enough new buds, the next year's crop may suffer damage. It is important to remove from the bush heavily diseased stems, leaves captured by pests. Ticks, aphids, glass cases, gall midges are considered the most harmful, among diseases - white powdery coating, brown spots.

For prevention, after harvesting the berries, the branches are sprayed with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Against the resulting infections, in addition to removing foci, stronger fungicides, insecticides are used, if necessary, spraying is repeated. If you do not deal with the problem, the infection will move to the rhizome and the bush may die.

Top dressing is carried out with potash, phosphate, nitrogen fertilizers, organic means are used (litter, humus, mullein, peat).

In the cold season, the bushes of the plant are protected from frostbite. For this, the following methods are used:

laying the stems on the soil;
digging into the ground;
wrapping with a heater.

Gardeners prefer the first method, which is simple and economical. Bush branches gently fall to the ground, pressed down with slate or other weighting agent. The heat from the soil, the fallen snow will warm them in frosts.

A popular method of covering the stems with a ball of soil (up to 10 cm). At severe frosts In the absence of snow, the plant will receive heating from the ground.

The use of insulation will more reliably hide the shoots from frost, but it is advisable to apply it to young bushes. Wrapping each branch with a special agrofibre is an expensive and lengthy process.

Experienced gardeners and gardeners share the following experience:

In early spring, treat the branches, the center of the bush with boiling water from a watering can. This is a way to prevent diseases and pests.
Pour honey water over flowering bushes to attract bees. Pollinated plants will bring more yield.
Protect flowering from spring frosts using improvised heaters.
Watering is carried out exclusively under the root.
For mulching, use newspapers, removing them from the ground during the flowering of the bushes.

Caring for currants, like any plant, is required in accordance with certain features and rules. But these useful berry bushes will not bring you difficulties with a responsible approach.

Black, red and even white currants are quite popular crops in our latitudes, so many summer residents are interested in caring for currants after winter. In this article we will talk about the nuances of pruning, feeding, watering and processing from pests of these plants, and also dwell on the issue of protecting bushes from possible spring frosts.

Features of spring pruning currants

Pruning a currant bush is one of the main conditions for its good fruiting. This procedure can be carried out in autumn or early spring, before bud break. In the latter case, they talk more about sanitary pruning, which involves pruning all the tops that have frozen over the winter (to healthy buds), broken and diseased branches. True, as for the dry parts of the plant, they can be cut off at any time of the year, as soon as you notice them. All collected branches, as well as old leaves, which are often under the bushes since last year, must be burned, as it is in them that pests overwinter, which become more active with the advent of spring.

Important! Unlike blackcurrant, it is better to cut white and red currants in spring (in extreme cases, in summer), without postponing this procedure until autumn.

The formation of a bush, in each such case, occurs in a similar way, except that the tops of last year's growths do not need to be pinched (which cannot be said about black currants), and two- and three-year-old shoots do not need to be shortened. Simply put, when growing red currants, care in the spring in terms of pruning consists only in removing old branches (separate parts of the bush, which in the case of this species should reach the age of seven to eight years), excess null shoots and broken, diseased or frozen branches.

Old but still productive branches can be shortened to the nearest strong lateral branch, thereby stimulating the growth of lateral shoots, increasing the size of the berries and the lifespan of the bush. A properly formed bush should consist of 20-25 branches, aged from 1 to 8 years.

Watering and soil care in the spring

Answering the question "How to properly care for currants?" one cannot ignore the topic of irrigation, which, together with tillage, plays an important role in obtaining good harvest currants. First of all, it is worth noting that both black, and red, and white currants are moisture-loving crops, which is due to their biological characteristics. Lack of moisture causes growth retardation in plants, crushing of berries and their subsequent shedding. In addition, dry conditions in the post-harvest period often lead to freezing of bushes in winter. It is especially important to irrigate during the most decisive phases of plant development: during the period of active growth, formation of ovaries, filling of berries and after harvest, that is, mainly in the spring.

The first time currants are watered immediately after planting, at the rate of 5-6 liters of liquid per bush. In the future, the most effective are subsoil and drip irrigation, which allow you to supply liquid directly to the root system of plants. For one growing season, currants require 3 to 5 waterings. Also, a similar procedure is carried out by pouring liquid into pre-made grooves or grooves, 10-15 cm deep. They are made around the bush, at a distance of 30-40 cm from it.

Do not forget about the methods of maintaining moisture in the soil. So, spring care for black, red or white currants also includes loosening, mulching the soil and cleaning it from weeds. The optimal frequency of loosening the soil around the bushes is considered to be 1 time in 2-3 weeks, while preventing the formation of a crust and overgrowth of weeds, as it greatly dries the ground.

The active root system of the currant is located in the upper loose and nutrient layers, therefore, in order not to damage the roots, the soil next to the bushes is loosened very carefully, without going deeper than 6-8 cm. depth up to 12 cm.

Moisture will be well preserved if the soil around the bush is mulched with organic material.(peat, grass, peat compost). In this case, it will be possible to loosen it much less frequently.

Recently, for mulching currant bushes are increasingly used synthetic materials: black opaque film, parchment, ruberoid, weatherproof paper, etc. This allows you to do without loosening throughout the summer, however, with the advent of autumn, it is better to remove the shelter, which will improve air exchange in the ground, apply the necessary fertilizers, or perform any other work.

Did you know?Currant is found on all continents except Antarctica and Australia, and there are about 150 species of this plant in the wild..

Processing currants in the spring from pests and diseases

Like any other plant, the bushes described suffer from various diseases and pest attacks, which make it very difficult to care for currants, in particular in spring. The most dangerous pest is the currant bud mite, the presence of which is evidenced by large overgrown buds that look like small light heads of cabbage. With the advent of spring, they are simply unable to open up, which is why they gradually die off, which also affects the amount of the crop. So, in one kidney there can be up to a thousand individuals of the pest, and having got out of their shelter, they quickly spread over the territory, in which birds or the wind help them.

If there are not very many affected buds on the bush, then they can simply be plucked and burned, but if the affected areas are too extensive, then such a currant bush is completely removed. There is a simple, environmentally friendly and effective method the fight against currant bud mites, which involves scalding currant bushes with boiling water. plant hot water will not bring any harm, on the contrary, by performing the procedure in early spring (before the buds awaken), you will help the plant "wake up" after a winter rest. Boiling water will destroy not only ticks, but also aphid larvae, fungi and other pests that have successfully survived the winter.

When caring for blackcurrants in the spring, it is not uncommon to use chemicals in the fight against pest invasion. However, in this case, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommended spraying times, since the vegetation of the plant begins early, and changes occur very quickly. To get rid of the mentioned kidney mite, currant bushes and the soil under them can be sprayed with a solution of Chlorophos or a mixture of colloidal sulfur and Karbofos, at the rate of 100 and 20 g per 10 liters of water. The treatment of plants with these preparations should also be carried out before the buds swell, because otherwise it will be very difficult to get rid of the tick.

If a we are talking about powdery mildew, then "Fundazol" (15 ml of the drug is diluted in 10 liters of water) or copper sulfate (100 g per 10 liters of water) will help get rid of it, and it is necessary not only to carefully spray the bushes, but also to water the beds on which currant bushes grow.

At the tips of the shoots, the leaves are often damaged by aphids, which cause the leaf blades to curl and wrinkle. If no action is taken, then it will completely destroy the bush. You can determine the presence of a pest by the appearance of many ants that feed on its secretions.

Before the buds open on the bushes, you need to treat the currants with Furanon or simply scald the plant with boiling water. In the case when there are already leaves on the branches, but inflorescences have not yet appeared, Intavir, Rovi-kur, Tanrek are well suited to combat this problem, Bordeaux mixture or a solution of copper sulfate, at the rate of 100 g of the substance per 10 liters of water. Karbofos also helps a lot.

Did you know? In Russia, currant has become a national berry crop, and its numerous species and varieties can be found in every corner of the country.

How to fertilize currants in spring, plant nutrition

Currant spring care also includes plant nutrition, but most often this procedure is carried out in the second or third year after planting the bushes. However, if your plants are forced to exist on depleted soils, then the fertilizer applied to the planting hole when planting seedlings may not be enough. Moreover, not all blackcurrant seedlings turn out to be strong and completely healthy, which means that their feeding will be a very important component when leaving in the spring.

Strong green bushes always stand out against the background of their pale and weak relatives, so it will not be difficult for you to identify currants that need a lot of useful trace elements. With the advent of spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied under the root of the plants, since they contribute to their better growth and development after the winter period.

The first root dressing can be carried out immediately after the buds open on the branches. To do this, 30 g of ammonium nitrate should be diluted in a bucket of water and pour the resulting composition under a bush (a ten-liter bucket of ready-made dressing is needed for one bush). Re-fertilization falls on the period of caring for currant bushes with berries tied to them. In this case, mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium (but not chloride) are applied to the soil, although hand-made organic matter can also be used as an alternative to mineral elements. Ash and humic fertilizers are perfect for this role.

Some experienced gardeners often resort to foliar top dressing. For example, when currants bloom, you can dilute 0.5 teaspoons boric acid in 10 liters of warm water (up to 40 ° C) and spray the bushes with the resulting composition. Such treatment will increase the growth rate of shoots and increase the yield by 2-3 times. Also, during spring currant care, at the time the first ovaries appear, a mixture of 60 g of urea, 150 g of superphosphate and 10 liters of water is often prepared, which is also sprayed on the bushes. Shoots become very strong, and taste qualities future berries are significantly improved.

How to protect currants from frost

In the conditions of the middle zone, where we are, shedding of ovaries in currants can be called a fairly common phenomenon, since despite abundant flowering plants, in the first 10-15 days after its completion, almost all ovaries can be under a bush. The most characteristic reason for what is happening is spring frosts (matinees), which even in April complicate the care of currants. In our climatic zone, they end only towards the end of May, but are not excluded until the tenth of June (that is, they can fall at the end of the flowering of currants and at the period of ovary formation).

To protect the bushes from frost, smoke and spraying are used. In the first case, for the procedure, you will need cut raspberry branches and strawberry leaves, although last year's potato tops, straw manure and straw are also good. The prepared material is piled in piles, the length and width of which should reach 0.8 meters, and the height - 0.7 m. They are placed in one line at a distance of 3-4 m from each other, and on the side of the site from which early in the morning , air will be pulled in calm.

Important! Smoke begins as soon as the air temperature drops to -1°C and ends an hour after it reaches zero or rises even higher.

Another good way protect flowering plants currants from frost - spray them with hot water, and if there is a danger of severe frosts, the procedure is carried out several times (preferably 5-6). At the same time, it is necessary to irrigate abundantly not only the bushes themselves, but also the ground under them. It is noteworthy that the first spraying is carried out at one in the morning, the second - with the onset of frost, and the third at the same hour after the second, etc. Even if you just moisten the soil with hot water, this will already reduce negative impact frost on the plant.

In addition to late spring frosts, the setting of currant berries is also greatly influenced by weather conditions. For example, in cold and windy weather, in the process of flowering, the years of insects are very difficult, which means that the plant will be poorly pollinated. At the same time, in hot and too dry weather, the stigmas of the pistils dry out, and the period of possible pollination of flowers is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is advisable to create with your own hands in the garden optimal conditions for normal pollination of bushes: to plant plants only in protected places, to select varieties in accordance with the climatic region, to humidify the air and soil in hot weather, and to breed bees.

Some summer residents consider currants to be a fairly unpretentious plant, but caring for them in the spring can raise certain questions, which will come in handy when answering the advice of experienced gardeners. Only if you have sufficient information and follow all the above recommendations, you will be able to get bountiful harvest great berries.

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