How to care for currants

One of the most common crops in the summer cottage is currants. A variety of varieties increases the number of possibilities. Black, red, white berries of currants are actively used in the preparation of blanks for the winter. They make liqueurs, homemade wines, compotes, jams. Of course, for a good harvest on the site you need to create favorable conditions.

We owe the appearance of currants to monks. They began to breed it even in times of Kievan Rus. Currants can bear fruit for 15-20 years. The quality of the harvest depends entirely on the care of the bushes.

How to care for currants?

• First you need to properly plant the bushes. Currants propagated by cuttings. They are planted in bright or slightly darkened places. A pit for planting is dug 40 cm deep. Width is about 50 cm. Half a bucket of water is poured into it before landing. The bush is immersed in a pit, sprinkled with earth, shed the same amount of water. Spread manure on top. Between cuttings should be a distance of -1.5 m. Plant currants better in the fall. Optimally - in September and October.
• Currants love moisture. That is why it must be well watered. But the top layer should not be waterlogged. That is why the proper care of the currant involves loosening the soil.
• Fertilize bushes or when planting, or after 3 years. To do this, make 1 square. m of land 30 grams. ammonium nitrate. Urea can also be used at the rate of 20 g. on 1 square. m Fertilize currants in early spring when loosening the soil.

Read also: Currant leaves: useful properties and application.

How to care for currants in the fall?

1. One of the rules how to optimally care for currants is to trim the bushes in a timely manner. Often this procedure is done in the fall. In the first year, annual branches are cut off. Also remove broken and diseased shoots. Their condition is determined by appearance.
2. In the autumn thin out bushes. For this cut root shoots. Ideally, the distance between them should be 10-15 cm. When pruning, the shoots should be removed as close to the ground as possible so that the stumps are not formed. Before winter, it is better to tie up the branches so that they do not break under a layer of snow. You can cover the currants with a film or a special covering material.

How to care for black currants?

Caring for black currants is loosening, fertilizing the soil and pruning bushes.The soil under the bush should be slightly wet. For good growth and ease of watering it loosened. In the fall and spring begin pruning. The bush is formed in such a way that it has about 20 shoots of different ages. Usually they are formed from basal branches. After 4 years after planting, they lengthen and become weak. Therefore, these shoots are recommended to be removed. Cut the sick and broken branches. They, as well as fallen leaves, must be burned.

Black currant peaks at 3 years after planting.After 10 years, the bush is recommended to remove. This is due to the fact that the soil is deteriorating. The number of harmful microorganisms increases, the quality of the soil decreases. If for some reason the bush needs to be diluted, then in spring they simply cut off the entire above-ground part to the ground. Soil loosened, make fertilizer. By the fall of this bush grow root shoots. They are used for breeding.

After fruiting black currants need to be treated with 1 percent Bordeaux liquid. The procedure is repeated after 2 weeks. This will heal the plant.

How to care for red currants?

Planted red currants better in open sunny places. Shadow can affect the quality and taste of the berries. They appear on the bushes already for 2 years. 3 weeks before the start of ripening, red currant is fed with litter (250 g per 1 sq. M.) And other fertilizers (40 g. Of superphosphate). Bushes of red currant must be thinned. Usually leave the 2 strongest annual shoots. When forming a bush, you should not cut the tops of the branches. In the red currant, they form the crop. Broken and diseased shoots cut at the root. Red currant can please with its berries for 25 years.

Improve the quality of the harvest will help rejuvenation of the bushes. To do this, cut a third of the shoots. It is recommended to process large sections of branches with garden pitch. Thus, the bush will not get sick. Abundant watering is required on dry days in June and September. Usually under each bush enough to pour 3 buckets of water. This should be done in the evening. After each harvest, the soil under the red currant must be fertilized, making mineral dressing.

In winter, currants are tied up so that the branches do not break under the snow. Do it in the case of a large crop, substituting props for shoots.

Currant bushes of any variety require periodic soil loosening. This is usually done in early spring. Pruning is very important. In different types of currant, it is carried out in different ways. A common time is pruning - autumn or early spring. After fruiting, the bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid. Adhering to this care, you get a harvest of large and tasty berries.