A guide to planting currants in the fall for beginner gardeners
Currants are rich in vitamins A, C, E, P and group B, and are recognized as a valuable food and medicinal plant. Therefore, it is very popular and is found in almost every household plot.
When and how to plant currants to grow a rich harvest - read on.
When is it better to plant currants - in spring or autumn?
Currants can be planted in both spring and autumn. But it is better to do this in the fall, when ideal conditions for survival are created:
- seedlings and cuttings quickly take root and go through the adaptation period well;
- the activity of pathogens and pests is reduced;
- After autumn planting in the spring, there is a faster, more friendly awakening of the buds and the regrowth of young shoots.
Is it possible to plant in summer?
It is not advisable to replant currants in summer, since it is in a phase of active growth and development. Even in the spring they try to plant it before the buds open. They do this only if absolutely necessary, if it is necessary, for example, to free up space for other purposes. Then they dig a hole, water it, after soaking it, plant it and water it again.
For large bushes, about half of the branches are cut off from the ground. On the south side they provide shade from the bright sun. During the first week, the leaves are watered 2-4 times using the sprinkling method, since they need moisture, but the roots have not yet taken root and do not pump water. Even if such a bush yields a harvest, it will be very meager.
Ideal planting dates
In autumn, currants are planted about three weeks before the first frost arrives.. During this period of time, the seedling will take root well, but will not have time to produce young shoots.
When choosing the time to plant currants, it is of great importance region and its characteristic weather conditions.
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The best currant varieties for autumn planting
Not all currant varieties are suitable for planting in the fall. It is recommended to take one of the following:
- Dobrynya – large black currant, the weight of the berries reaches 7 g. Ripening period is the second half of July. It is characterized by winter hardiness, early ripening and resistance to powdery mildew.
- Selechenskaya-2 (pictured below) – black currant, berry weight – up to 6 g. Refers to early ripening varieties. High-yielding, frost-resistant and resistant to diseases and pests.
- Sevchanka – a self-fertile universal variety of black currant with a good yield of large berries (up to 5 g), which do not fall off and are stored well. Frost-resistant, zoned in Siberia. Resistant to rust and powdery mildew.
- Chereshnevaya – a variety of Ukrainian selection. The berries are large, up to 7 g, pleasant to the taste, easy to pick and easily transported. The bush can withstand frosts down to -30°C.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
The future harvest of berries largely depends on the quality of the seedling. There are several options for preparing planting material:
- preparing cuttings from an old currant bush;
- purchasing a seedling of the required variety;
- growing from a grafted bush.
It is better to plant a proven variety of berries. To do this, you need to separate the current year's shoot from the old bush and plant it in a previously prepared place.
When purchasing a seedling, pay attention to the following signs:
- the root system is well developed (3-5 lignified skeletal roots up to 18-20 cm long, developed fibrous system);
- the presence of 2-3 above-ground shoots up to 30-40 cm high;
- formed buds on the stems;
- absence of signs of diseases and pests;
- stems and roots without damage.
When purchasing a currant seedling you need to choose a variety that is zoned in the region.
Experienced gardeners graft a cutting of a different variety onto a currant bush. A year later, in September, a shoot is separated from this grafting for planting a new bush.
When moving or waiting for planting, the root system of the seedling must be wrapped damp cloth and polyethylene on top so that the roots do not dry out.
How to properly plant currants in autumn
When planting a crop, a number of conditions must be met in order for the seedlings to take root and continue to please with the harvest.
Selecting a location
Even before planting, you need to decide on the site. The following parameters must be taken into account: soil composition, light and humidity, predecessors and neighbors.
Currants love fertile, chernozem, loamy soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.
Currants produce rich harvests in a well-lit place. It can tolerate light shade, but in deep shade its branches become elongated, few buds are formed, and the berry harvest will be small.
Attention! Currants love areas protected from the wind.
The berry loves moisture in the soil and air. But in places where groundwater stagnates, it grows poorly; the main trunks become covered with lichens and begin to hurt.
Are considered good predecessors perennial grasses, row crops and vegetables.Currants cannot be planted in areas where raspberries, gooseberries and currants themselves previously grew.
It is necessary to avoid proximity to raspberries, sea buckthorn, gooseberries and trees (cherry, walnut or pine).
Required materials and tools
For landing you will need shovel, bucket or watering can, pruning shears, gloves, insulation, wood ash, mineral and organic fertilizers.
Step-by-step instruction
Prepare the soil 2-3 weeks before planting currants. If there are holes on the site, they are filled up and leveled. The earth is dug up to a depth of 40-50 cm. At the same time, it is applied evenly per 1 square meter. m 7-10 kg of organic fertilizers (humus), 1 liter of wood ash, 500 g of dolomite flour and 100 g of superphosphate. The planting hole is dug 50 cm in length and width.
Attention! When digging, remove all wheatgrass - currants do not like it.
When planting a seedling, carefully inspect the root system. Dried and damaged roots are removed with pruning shears.
Soil is poured onto the nutrient mixture into the hole prepared in advance. a layer of about 5-7 cm to prevent burns to the roots. Water at the rate of 8 liters of water per hole.
The seedling is placed in the hole so that the root collar after planting is 5-10 cm below the level of the edge of the soil. Depending on the planting method, the seedling is placed vertically or at an angle of 45 degrees.
All the roots are straightened and covered with soil. To eliminate air pockets, the seedling is slightly shaken during planting. At the end of the process, the soil around it is compacted.
Take note:
Next, the seedling is pruned: Use pruning shears to shorten the stems so that there remain segments 12-15 cm long with 3-5 buds.
Then water again, and the soil around the seedling is mulched peat, humus or sawdust.
What mistakes to avoid
Even experienced gardeners can make mistakes when planting currants, so certain rules must be followed.
- Currants must be placed in one place, and not distributed throughout the entire area of the dacha. This way, more moisture will be retained in the root zone, which will increase productivity.
- You cannot plant currants in a freshly prepared area, since the soil is not compacted, and you can make a mistake when deepening the root collar of the bush.
- You cannot apply more than the prescribed norm of mineral fertilizers. This contributes to the formation of an aggressive environment in which beneficial bacteria will die and the currant roots will get burned.
You should not plant a seedling with dried out roots. - most likely he will die. If the roots have dried out, before planting the bush should be placed in water for two days.
Planting methods
There are several landing methods:
Classical. The seedling in the hole is placed at an angle of 45 degrees. After light compaction of the soil, the roots are buried 10-12 cm. The lower part of the stems up to 3-4 buds is also covered with earth. In the spring, young shoots will grow from them. The stems are trimmed so that 3-5 buds remain above the soil.- Fan. With this method, it is necessary to take into account that the branches of the plant will hang on shortened trellises. When planting, the seedling is placed vertically.
- Trellis. Before planting, all root buds and small shoots are removed from the seedling. Plant it vertically, but do not trim the branches.
At what distance and at what depth should I plant?
With any planting method, leave up to 1.5 m between bushes, and up to 2-3 m between rows. This distance will allow the currants to grow freely and bear fruit well.The earth is dug up to a depth of 40-50 cm and a hole 50-60 cm long and wide is formed. To plant an adult plant, the hole should be 15-20 cm deeper and wider.
How to plant currants from a bush (propagate)
Use vegetative propagation: layering, green and woody cuttings and dividing the bush.
Dividing the bush is carried out in the fall. Using a tool, cut the bush into 2-3 parts with well-developed roots and shoots. Cuts from the bush are smeared with wood ash and planted in a permanent place. They will bear fruit in a year.
Reproduction by layering is carried out at the end of May. Take a healthy, two-year-old branch located close to the ground and dig it in to a depth of 10-15 cm in a previously prepared and fertilized area. The top of a branch up to 30 cm in size should be above the soil. You can attach it to the ground using a bracket. During the summer, the cuttings are watered and fed. By the end of September, 3-4 shoots will grow and a root system will develop. Then it is separated and transplanted.
To propagate by cuttings, the young shoot is cut into cuttings with a sterile instrument. up to 20 cm long - so that the lower cut is oblique and the upper cut is straight. The work is carried out in mid-autumn. The cuttings are placed in water overnight, and the next day they are planted in prepared holes.
Further care of the seedling in the fall
After planting, it is necessary to care for the bush so that it takes root quickly and overwinters safely. To do this you need:
- in dry autumn, water frequently with warm water;
- mulch the soil surface with compost or peat with a layer of up to 10 cm;
- Hill up the seedlings so that a crust does not form on the ground;
- In late autumn, before frost, cover the plantings with insulation (film).
Conclusion
Currants are a healthy, medicinal berry that requires little effort and minimal expenses from the gardener. Even a beginner can handle its planting and propagation.
If you carefully choose a place for currants, prepare the soil, plant them taking into account all the rules and take care of them after planting, they will delight you with a rich harvest.