Blackcurrant variety Dobrynya: review and growing instructions

Black currant Dobrynya is one of the largest-fruited varieties. Compact bushes do not take up much space on the site, so currant plantations look neat. Large berries with a dense, elastic, blue-black skin taste sweet, with a slight sourness. In this article we will tell you about the rules for planting and caring for Dobrynya currants.

Description of the blackcurrant variety Dobrynya

Currant Dobrynya is a medium-ripening variety. For breeding, the Izyumnaya variety and form 42-7 were used. The authorship belongs to A.I. Astakhov, an employee of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Lupin. In 2004, the variety was included in the State Register. The culture received permission for cultivation in the Central and West Siberian regions, but over time it spread throughout Russia.

The bushes are compact, medium-sized, up to 170 cm high. The shoots are erect, finely pubescent, of medium thickness, colored olive-violet.

The leaves are three-lobed, medium and large, green, leathery, wrinkled, straight. Blades with small cutouts. Open cut base. The teeth are small, blunt, straight.

The flowers are large, pale yellow. The racemes are thick, slightly sinuous, green and loose, each with 6–10 flowers. The flowering period occurs in the last days of April and lasts 10–12 days.

The berries are sparsely located at the base of the cluster, densely located in the middle and upper parts. The skin is dense, glossy, black, with a blue tint. The berries ripen in mid-July. Oval shape, weight - 2.8–6 g. Taste is sweet and sour.Tasting score: 4.8 points. The aroma is pronounced. The peduncle is thin, green, of medium length. Chemical composition: sugar - 6.9%, acidity - 2.5%, vitamin C - 200 mg/100 g.

Resistance to environmental conditions

The Dobrynya variety is characterized by winter hardiness, average resistance to sharp fluctuations in average daily temperature and drought.

It is immune to powdery mildew, but is predisposed to other fungal diseases and infection with bud mites.

Productivity and scope

The average yield is 1.6 kg, the maximum is 2.4 kg per bush.

Blackcurrant berries are eaten fresh, they are used to prepare compotes, preserves, jam, jelly, marmalade, marshmallows, wine, sauces, and tinctures.

When frozen and dried, the fruits do not lose their beneficial properties. Stores in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the variety:

• precociousness;
• self-fertility;
• large fruit;
• high productivity;
• excellent taste;
• resistance to powdery mildew;
• frost resistance.

Flaws:

• average resistance to sudden changes in weather conditions and drought;
• predisposition to fungal diseases and kidney mite attacks;
• low transportability;
• low survival rate of seedlings due to the slow formation of root shoots.

Growing technology

The agricultural technology of the variety does not require special knowledge, but when planting and subsequent care it is necessary to adhere to a number of rules.

Dobrynya is an intensive type variety, which means that it enters the fruiting period the next year after planting. The crop needs good fertilizer and regular pruning: sanitary and rejuvenating.

When grown on an industrial scale, pruning often leaves only annual branches in order to obtain good yields from plants that are 12 or more years old.

Optimal conditions, timing and planting rules

Currants love sunny areas, protected from drafts. The southwestern part of the garden is ideal for planting, on a small hill, with light, slightly acidic soil and low groundwater levels.

Planting is carried out at a soil temperature not lower than +5°C. The optimal time for the procedure is April - May or September - October.

Advice. Experienced gardeners advise planting currants in the fall: by spring they will have time to take root in a new place and will quickly grow as the weather warms up.

An important condition for successful planting of black currants is soil compaction. Dobrynya has a weak central root, so the root system must be carefully compacted without damaging the roots. As a result, the soil will settle on its own without unnecessary external pressure.

The deadline for autumn planting in central Russia is until the end of September. In the first days, the bushes need daily watering.

Suitable for planting are annual seedlings up to 40 cm high, without leaves or damage. The roots must be strong and healthy. If the root system is weathered and dried out, the seedling is placed in water with the addition of “Kornevin” for 2-3 days.

Landing algorithm:

1. The land is plowed, weeds and debris are removed.
2. A hole 40 cm deep and 60 cm wide is dug in the area.
3. 4-5 kg ​​of humus or compost and 150 g of wood ash are placed at the bottom of the pit.
4. The roots of the plant are immersed in a clay mash to retain moisture.
5. A small hill is formed at the bottom of the hole and the seedling is placed vertically or at an angle of 45°.
6. The hole is completely filled with fertile soil, deepening the root collar by 8–10 cm.
7. The branches are pruned so that 2-3 developed buds remain for better branching.
8. A depression with a diameter of 40 cm is formed around the bush and watered abundantly. The norm is 10–15 liters per bush.
9. The tree trunk circle is mulched with compost, peat or sawdust.

In the Dobrynya variety, two-year-old seedlings have the best survival rate. The plant does not form root hairs well, so before planting it is better to soak it in a solution of any growth stimulant. This condition is recommended to be observed when propagating by cuttings in a southern climate.

Further care

It is important to loosen the tree trunk so that the roots receive enough moisture and air. When planting, it is advisable to loosen heavy, clogged soil with river sand. Mulching will help reduce the frequency of weeding and loosening.

Attention! The yield and taste of currant berries largely depend on the level of moisture, but its excess leads to rotting of the roots and cracking of the fruit.

During the period of ovary formation, berry filling and before winter, the crop needs abundant watering. The best method of moistening the soil is sprinkling. 20 liters of water are required per 1 m². Watering frequency is once every 15 days. During drought, the plant is watered abundantly at the beginning of the month. Autumn water-recharging watering is carried out after applying fertilizing.

The crop requires nitrogen to gain green mass, active branching and growth of young shoots, and potassium and phosphorus to improve fruiting and taste of berries.

The table shows the frequency of fertilizer application.

For bushes that bear fruit, the fertilizer rate is doubled. In case of increased acidity, 400–600 g of lime per 1 m² is added to the soil.

Unconventional methods of feeding currants:

• 2-3 liters of bread kvass for each bush;
• potato peels around the trunk circle;
• sowing green manure followed by mowing and embedding into the ground.

Pruning is carried out annually, preferably in late autumn. In the spring, before the buds open, cut off frozen tops and damaged branches up to 15 cm long.

Reference. The root shoots are cut all summer, leaving strong replacement shoots. In spring, the bushes are pruned before sap begins to flow.

Pruning currants when planting promotes the formation of 6-7 shoots for the next year. Of these, 3-4 of the strongest shoots are left, in the third year - 2-3 one-year-olds and 5-6 two-year-olds. In the fourth year, the bush should consist of 3-4 branches from each previous year.

Possible problems, diseases, pests

It is important to treat Dobrynya currants every year with insecticides and fungicides for preventive purposes, despite its resistance to powdery mildew. Treatment with chemicals should not be carried out during the flowering period.

A month before harvesting, stop spraying or use natural-based products, for example, garlic infusion. To prepare it, take 400 g of fresh garlic and 3 liters of boiling water. The mixture is infused for 14 days, filtered and diluted in 10 liters of water. To spray one bush, 500 ml of solution is diluted with 10 liters of water.

The table shows ways to combat insects and currant diseases.

For preventive treatment of currants against powdery mildew, use a 1% solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.

For the winter, the bushes are tied with twine and covered with spruce branches, thick burlap, and agrofibre, despite the fact that the plant can withstand frosts down to -40°C.

Black currant Dobrynya is a self-pollinating variety and therefore does not require additional pollination.

Reproduction

Dobrynya, like other varieties of black currant, is propagated by layering and cuttings. To obtain layering, the lower shoots are bent to the ground and sprinkled with fertile soil. The tops are left on the surface, periodically watered and fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. In the fall, the cuttings are separated from the bush and transplanted to a new location. The tree trunk circle is covered with sawdust or peat.

Cuttings are cut in June. For propagation, young and lignified branches 10–15 cm long are used. The cuttings are cut at an angle, the top is left straight.Then they are immersed in a solution of “Kornevin” or “Epin”. Before planting, they are dipped in a clay mash and planted in the ground. In the spring they are moved to a permanent place.

Tips from experienced gardeners for growing

Advice from experienced gardeners will help you successfully grow blackcurrants on your site:

1. Plant currant bushes in groups of 2 or 3 seedlings to ensure aeration of the branches and access to sunlight. This will increase fruiting and reduce the risk of developing fungal infections.
2. Water the currants abundantly, especially during drought, loosen the soil in time, periodically apply fertilizers, cut off dry, diseased and old branches. Add organic and mineral fertilizers along with mulch and incorporate them into the soil under the bush.
3. Plant currant bushes on the sunny side of the site at a slight slope to ensure the drainage of excess water.
4. Harvest on time: overripe fruits lose some of their beneficial properties.
5. Currants grow well under the canopy of apple and pear trees, but plant them at a distance of 2 m from the trees.
6. Water the bushes with a hose if you are caring for a large plantation. Calculate the displacement this way: lower the hose into the bucket and time how many minutes it takes for it to fill. If 1 minute has passed, and the bush needs 5 buckets, then hold the hose under the plant for 5 minutes. Apply a slight pressure so that the water is evenly absorbed into the soil and does not spread around the perimeter.

Reviews from summer residents and gardeners

Reviews about currants are positive, but not all summer residents were ready for its low survival rate.

Valery, Blagoveshchensk: “I have been growing the Dobrynya variety for 4 years. A year after planting, the first harvest was already harvested. The berries are very large, juicy and sweet.I treat diseases and pests with copper sulfate for prevention or use a solution of potassium permanganate.”

Inna, Voronezh: “I wanted to plant large-fruited currants at the dacha and chose Dobrynya. I bought 7 seedlings, only 3 took root. It turned out that the variety is characterized by low formation of root shoots. But those that survived grew strongly in the summer, and the next year produced a good harvest of berries.”

Conclusion

Black currant Dobrynya is a large-fruited variety that is popular among gardeners. The crop is undemanding in care, but does not produce root shoots well, so before planting the plant is dipped in a growth stimulator for 2-3 days. The shrub is resistant to powdery mildew, but for prevention it is advisable to treat it with a solution of copper sulfate.

To stimulate fruiting, currants are fed with potassium and phosphorus, watered in a timely manner, but the level of moisture is monitored, because its excess leads to rotting of the roots and cracking of the berries.