Why gardeners love the Lazy Blackcurrant variety and why it is worth growing

The blackcurrant variety received its original name due to its late ripening. Harvesting begins in August, while most of the other varieties have already been harvested. The berries have a dessert taste and are suitable for universal use. The culture is unpretentious in care, but at the same time it requires compliance with the watering and fertilizing regime. Read more about the Lazy variety in our article.

What kind of blackcurrant variety is Lazy Lazy?

The mid-late blackcurrant variety Lentyay was bred by employees of the All-Russian Research Institute for Breeding Fruit Crops by crossing the varieties Minai Shmyrev and Bredtorp. The authors were: T. Ogoltsova, S. Knyazev and L. Bayanova. The variety was added to the State Register in 1995 and allowed for cultivation in the North-Western, Central, Volga-Vyatka and Middle Volga regions.

Characteristics and description

The bushes are vigorous, reaching 185 cm in height. The branches are medium spreading and dense. Young shoots are powerful, green and glossy. Lignified shoots are gray, the top is light brown. The bark is smooth and shiny.

The buds are medium in size, pink-violet in color, asymmetrical, cone-shaped, with a pointed apex, and do not fit tightly.

The leaves are five-lobed, large, green, slightly wrinkled, smooth, slightly shiny. The lateral lobes are short, pointed, smaller in size than the middle one, and have additional projections. The interlobular notches are deep and pointed.The veins of the basal lobes are directed towards the apex of the leaf blade. The teeth are finely serrated, the petioles are long, thick, colored, and smooth.

The flowers are medium-sized, bell-shaped with red sepals. The brushes are 8 cm long and hang freely; the petioles are pubescent.

The berries are round in shape and of different sizes. The weight of one berry is 2.1 g. The color is black with a brown tint. The taste is sweet and fresh. Tasting score: 4.8 points. Chemical composition: dry matter - 13.5%, sugar content - 8.8%, acidity - 2.8%, vitamin C - 117.4 mg/100 g.

Resistance to environmental conditions

The variety is characterized by increased winter hardiness, excellent self-fertility (up to 43%), resistance to drought, as well as to diseases such as anthracnose, septoria and terry blight. At the same time, culture is predisposed to powdery mildew, moderately resistant to bud mite and columnar rust.

Productivity

The average yield of the Lentyay variety is 6.6 t/ha or 0.9 kg per bush. Mechanized harvesting is allowed.

Application area

Black currants are consumed fresh, the berries are made into jam, marshmallows, compotes are boiled, frozen, and “live” jam is prepared without cooking. Freshly frozen fruits do not lose their taste and smell and retain vitamins.

Pros and cons of the variety

Advantages of the variety:

• winter hardiness - up to -34 °C;
• productivity;
• universal use of berries;
• resistance to most diseases characteristic of black currant;
• possibility of mechanized harvesting;
• excellent taste.

Flaws:

• long ripening of berries;
• does not tolerate transportation well;
• different sizes of berries;
• shedding of ripe berries;
• unstable yield;
• susceptibility to powdery mildew.

Growing technology

Compliance with the rules for planting black currants guarantees high yields and excellent plant health.

Optimal conditions

The Lazy Tree variety is planted in the last ten days of October. Over the winter, the root system will have time to adapt to new conditions, and in the spring, young shoots will quickly begin to grow.

For planting, choose an area with good lighting, since the taste of the berries directly depends on how much sunlight the plant receives during the period of green mass growth, flowering and fruit set. The ideal place is a piece of land located along a fence or outbuildings. This will protect the bushes from drafts, especially from the north side. If the site is located on a hill, it is better to plant seedlings in the middle or lower part of the slope.

The best predecessors of black currants are winter rye and legumes. Berry crops “pull” most of the nutrients from the soil, plant residues rot in the soil, which leads to a slowdown in the growth and development of currants.

The variety prefers slightly podzolic, loamy, sandy loam soils with a slightly acidic pH of 6–6.5. To drain excess water, it is recommended to build drainage on the site.

As the experience of gardeners shows, seedlings of the Lentyay variety take root best in the Volga region and central Russia. Planting material should be purchased from nurseries from trusted suppliers.

The seedling must have a healthy and strong branched root system (from 20 cm) without damage, rot or mold. The bark should be even and smooth. Brown color and lumpiness indicate that the seedling is sick, frozen or dried out. The height does not matter, since when planting they are pruned to 3-4 buds.

Two-year-old seedlings demonstrate the best survival rate. They are planted one at a time in a hole.Annual bushes are planted two in each hole, pointing in different directions.

Advice. To prevent the roots from drying out during transportation, wrap them in wet burlap or immerse them in damp sawdust.

Landing dates and rules

Proper soil preparation at the planting stage contributes to the rapid establishment of seedlings:

1. Clear the area of ​​weeds and rhizomes of perennial plants.
2. 2–3 weeks before autumn planting, add 40 g of potassium sulfate, 200 g of superphosphate, 10 kg of compost or manure per 1 m².
3. Dig holes up to half a meter deep and 2 times the width of the root system. The distance between the pits is 1–1.5 m, the row spacing is 2.5–3 m.
4. Add 2 kg of chalk, wood ash, used plaster or eggshells to each hole.
5. As fertilizer, use 200 g of superphosphate in granules and 30 g of potassium sulfate. Mix nutrients with soil and pour into the bottom of the hole.
6. After 2–3 weeks, plant the currant bush seedlings in the prepared holes.

Landing algorithm:

1. 2-3 hours before planting, dip the roots in settled water at room temperature.
2. Just before planting, pour 20 liters of water into the hole.
3. Distribute the rhizome of the seedling at the bottom of the hole.
4. Place the seedling at an angle of 45° and deepen the root collar by 5–7 cm.
5. Fill the bush with soil from the hole, but first mix it with manure.
6. Water the root zone with 20-30 liters of clean water.
7. Mulch the tree trunk circle with peat, straw, and rotted manure in a layer of 5–8 cm.
8. Trim the seedling so that 3-4 large buds remain.

Further care

Caring for the Lazy Tree variety involves timely pruning, watering, fertilizing and a number of preventive measures to prevent infection with infectious diseases.With proper care, the plant's lifespan is 20 years.

Black currant does not like excess moisture and does not grow well in wetlands. Unfavorable conditions lead to increased shoot growth and an increase in green mass, which weakens flowering and fruiting. With excess water, the soil temperature decreases, root growth slows down, bud formation is delayed, and the risk of fungal infections increases. Water deficiency slows down the growth of currants and causes leaves to wilt.

From early spring to mid-summer, bushes need to be watered 2-3 times a week. Water consumption for this plant is 10 liters. You can check the soil moisture in a simple way - squeeze a lump of soil in your hand, taken from a depth of 0.5 m. If the soil crumbles, you need to water it; if it looks like oil, it’s better to wait a few days. The best time for watering is evening. Overnight, the root system will be saturated with moisture.

Reference. During the fruiting period, currants need more intensive watering. At this time, buds are laid for the future harvest. Moisture deficiency reduces the number of ovaries for the next season.

Methods for watering black currants:

1. Sprinkling after sunset. This is the easiest way. Water compacts the soil too much, so gardeners are forced to resort to frequent loosening.
2. Watering into furrows is the most popular method used by experienced gardeners. In the area of ​​the roots, grooves are dug 20 cm deep, fencing off the bush with an earthen rampart up to 15 cm high. Water and liquid fertilizer are poured into the furrows. The method is suitable for areas with a flat surface.
3. Stone receivers make the gardener’s work easier and last for several years. A hole 50 cm deep and 25 cm wide is dug on the site, completely filled with crushed stone, rods covered with tar, pebbles, and stones.The upper edge of the recess is reinforced with a frame made of metal or wood, 5 cm wide, so that it is 2 cm higher than the soil. A cover made of dense material is used as a cover, which is removed when watering. Water seeps through the drainage and goes to the roots.

By the time the berries turn black, stop watering to prevent cracking of the skin.

Currants are pruned in April before buds open or at the end of October after harvest.

The first pruning is carried out after planting the seedlings and leaving one trunk with the 2-3 most developed buds. After a year, weak, damaged shoots are removed, except for 3–4 strong branches with 3 buds. After another year, 5 strong branches are left. In the fourth year, rejuvenating and sanitary pruning is carried out.

Digging and loosening of the soil is carried out at a depth of 6–8 cm, retreating from the plant by 12–15 cm. It is convenient to combine the procedure with fertilizing. In the fall, only potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied, and in the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied.

To protect the roots in winter, the tree trunk circle is mulched with straw or peat, applying a layer of 10-15 cm.

Let's return to feeding currants. If the gardener was generous when planting and added a sufficient amount of nutrients, then they will last for 2 years. In the third year, currants are fed with nitrogen: 50 g of urea per 10 liters of water per 1 bush. In autumn, more thorough feeding of the plant is carried out:

• 8 kg of horse humus or humus per 1 m²;
• 70–80 g double superphosphate per 1 m²;
• - 30–40 g of potassium sulfate or 100 g of wood ash per 1 m².

In the fourth year, the bushes are fertilized with urea:

• 30–35 g in April;
• 10–15 g after flowering.

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied every year, and organic and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied taking into account the composition of the soil.

Possible problems, diseases, pests

The Lazy currant variety is resistant to anthracnose, white spot, and terry. However, weeds, pollinating varieties and insects can cause infection. The table presents methods of control and prevention of the main diseases of black currant.

Methods for controlling insect pests are presented in the table.

Wintering

A shelter for the winter is built when the soil freezes and becomes crusty. The bush is tied with twine to protect the branches from damage. The area is cleared of plant debris. Throughout the winter period, the bushes are covered with snow as it accumulates. In cold regions, currants are covered with spunbond or spruce branches and snow is thrown on top.

Pollinator varieties

The Lazy Blackcurrant variety is self-fertile and therefore does not require pollinating varieties.

Reproduction

Black currant variety Lazy is propagated in the following ways:

• Seminal. Suitable for experienced breeders. Designed for breeding new varieties.
• Cuttings Young and lignified cuttings are cut at the beginning of summer, 10-15 cm each. The bottom is cut at an angle, the top is left straight.
• By layering. The lower shoots are tilted and sprinkled with soil so that the tops remain on the surface. In the fall, the cuttings are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Tips from experienced gardeners for growing

The Lazy Tree variety enters the fruiting period in the second year after planting. In the first few years, it is possible to collect up to 2 kg of berries from one bush. Currants produce the most abundant harvest in the 4th–5th year of life. Try to pick berries on time, because when overripe they lose their taste. It is better to do this in the morning, after the dew has dried, or in the evening after sunset. Fruits picked in hot weather spoil too quickly, or rather turn sour.

Berries cannot be poured from one container to another, so immediately determine where you will put them. The currants squash and release juice quickly. The best containers are trays, boxes lined with newspaper or cardboard boxes. Apply the berries in a thin layer.

The Lazy Tree variety is more suitable for personal use because it does not tolerate transportation over long distances. You can only take it to the nearest market for sale.

To store the harvest, use thick bags with a zip lock, which perfectly preserve the taste of the berries and do not absorb foreign odors. At a temperature of 0°C, currants are stored for up to 2 months, in freezers for 6-8 months.

Reviews from summer residents

Gardeners' opinions regarding the Lazy Tree variety are mostly positive, but the culture also has some disadvantages.

Maria, Mineralnye Vody: “The Lazy variety has its pros and cons. I don’t like that the berries fall off a lot and ripen unevenly. I would prefer to harvest at the same time. But the dessert taste makes up for this drawback. High sugar content is a clear plus, since making jam requires less sugar than when using sweet and sour currants. The bushes need to be watered and fed on time so that the ovaries do not fly around. In summers that are too rainy, the berries burst. Their skin is quite thin, but it is not damaged when harvested.”

Ivan, Liski: “This variety has been growing in my dacha for more than 10 years. The bushes are huge and spreading. The berries are of different sizes, but very tasty and sweet. The culture needs regular care. You have to tinker more with Lazy than with more modern varieties. In dry weather it is necessary to water frequently, in humid weather - moderately. It’s also important to keep an eye on fertilizing; currants love them.”

Conclusion

The Lentyay blackcurrant variety is especially valued by gardeners living in central Russia and the Volga region, since the late ripening period allows them to enjoy aromatic black-brown, sweet berries. At a time when the berries of early and mid-ripening varieties have already been collected. Lazy plant is easy to care for and resistant to anthracnose, white spot, and terry. High winter hardiness allows southern gardeners to do without winter shelter, while residents of the middle zone just need to tie branches and throw snow on top. Spunbond and spruce branches can also be used as covering materials.