Choosing fertilizer for currants in spring: what and how to fertilize the bushes for a good harvest
Currants are an unpretentious crop, but to obtain a rich harvest they require fertilizers. Some gardeners prepare fertilizers themselves, using available materials. Others buy ready-made compounds at garden stores. Which ones are better and how to feed currant bushes for a good harvest - read on.
Goals of spring feeding
Mineral and organic fertilizers stimulate the development of shoots. They strengthen the immune system and heal the root system.
Feeding ensure normalization of plant metabolism, which is important for currants at any stage of development. Also protects against diseases, pests, dangerous microorganisms. Gardeners fertilize shrubs in all regions. Proper application of fertilizers guarantees a stable and high yield.
When to fertilize in spring
Dry and cloudy days are chosen for applying fertilizers. It is advisable that there is no sun in the sky, as the plant may burn. Apply fertilizing in the morning or evening. The optimal time for the procedure is mid-April, when the snow melts from the ground and it warms up to a temperature of +8°C...+12°C. However, the deadline may vary depending on the region.
For example, in the northern regions of Russia it is the end of April or the beginning of May, in the southern regions it is the end of March or the beginning of April. When choosing days, it is advised to pay attention to weather conditions. You should not feed the plant if there is still a layer of snow on the ground.
Attention! Some gardeners, when choosing a day to apply fertilizer, are guided by the lunar sowing calendar. The right time is on the waxing Moon. It is not recommended to apply fertilizers during the new moon.
How to feed currants in spring
Each fertilizer performs specific functions. Organics are responsible for the formation of foliage and shoots, minerals are responsible for the growth of fruits, their appearance and taste. Complex fertilizing is needed for both at the same time.
Organic fertilizers
The most popular and effective organic fertilizers for currants are manure, mullein and bird droppings:
- Manure contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are necessary for currants during the entire growing season. It also contains copper, zinc, iron, and molybdenum. For currants, cow or horse manure is used. The earth is dug up on the bayonet of a shovel, per 1 sq. m contribute from 4 to 6 kg. Apply this fertilizer once every 2-3 years. This is how long it takes manure to completely decompose. During these years, it nourishes the soil with vitamins and microelements.
- Compost. To prepare compost, bark, branches, stems, fruit and vegetable waste, straw, and sawdust are used. Compost serves not only as fertilizer, but also as organic mulch. It is applied in early spring, after loosening the soil. One bush requires about 3 liters of fertilizer.
- Bird droppings contains nitrogen, zinc, cobalt, iron, magnesium, sulfur and manganese. It accelerates fruit ripening, increases yield, and protects against insect pests. For 1.5 liters of water use 100 g of bird droppings. Approximately 1 liter is used per bush and the solution is poured under the root.
Mineral fertilizers
Among mineral fertilizers, summer residents use nitrophoska, potassium sulfate, bone meal, and urea.When applying fertilizer, it is important to remember that some substances are incompatible with each other.
For spring feeding it is recommended to use:
- Nitroammophoska. The fertilizer is easily diluted in water and is affordable. Nitroammophoska contains a high concentration of nitrogen, potassium and fluorine; it is suitable for feeding young and adult plants. For one bush, use about 50 g of the substance dissolved in 100 ml of water. After application, the soil is watered generously with warm water - the moisture helps the microelements dissolve faster in the soil.
- Superphosphate applied in an amount of 20-40 g per bush. It protects currants from fungal and viral diseases, accelerates flowering and fruiting of the crop. Fertilizer also has a good effect on the taste of the fruit - currants become sweeter. And to make the feeding even more nutritious, summer residents mix 30 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium salt.
- Urea (urea) contains nitrogen, which helps the plant wake up after hibernation and gain strength for flowering. One shrub requires 40 g of urea - it is applied under the top layer of soil at the base of the plant. From the fourth year of the bush’s life, the amount is reduced to 20 g.
Ready-made fertilizers
Complex fertilizers are equipped with mineral and organic substances. They are sold in liquid, granule or powder form. Easy to use; The main thing is to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
Gardeners use the Berry Bushes fertilizer to feed currants.. It increases productivity by up to 50%, reduces ripening time and improves the quality of the crop. Fertilizers are applied under the bush (50 g each) to a depth of 30-40 cm. The “Berry Bushes” product contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal quantities.
Ready-made mineral fertilizer “Rocket” strengthens the plant’s immunity. Sold in briquettes, in addition to the main elements it contains zinc, copper, manganese, boron. Enriches the soil and strengthens the currant root system. For one bush, use 2-3 pegs-briquettes, which are driven near the bush. The product is used from the second year of the bush’s life.
Attention! When applying ready-made fertilizers, it is recommended to follow the manufacturer's instructions. The interval between feedings should be at least 2-3 weeks. Experienced gardeners alternate mineral, organic, complex and folk fertilizers during the spring and summer.
Folk recipes
How to fertilize currants with potato peelings? Natural raw materials contain starch and glucose, which most fruit bushes love. The peelings are pre-dried and then buried under the bush. They decompose in the soil, releasing some of the nutrients to the soil, and some directly to the currants.
Will help enhance the effect boiling water, which is used to water the plants after applying fertilizer. Folk fertilizer is safe, non-toxic and is actively used by gardeners during spring feeding.
Also, for healthy development and fruiting, an infusion of bread crusts is used. To prepare, take 1 kg of stale bread and a bucket of warm water. The bread is soaked, 50 g of sugar and 50 g of baker's yeast are added.
The mixture is left for 2-3 days in a warm place, then poured under the bush and mulched. Top dressing will enrich the soil with potassium and protect the bush from rodents and insect pests. This infusion is used to fertilize red and black currants.
Choosing fertilizer for a good harvest
For abundant flowering and ovary formation, gardeners use 10 g of potassium sulfate, previously dissolved in 10 liters of water. In addition to potassium, the granules contain sodium, calcium and iron oxide. Fertilizer accumulates in plant cells in the form of ions and normalizes the nutrition process.
Increases the frost resistance of the plant, which is especially important in regions with unstable climatic conditions. Potassium sulfate provokes rapid metabolism, participates in photosynthesis and increases productivity. Fertilize early in the morning before sunrise.
Attention! Lack of potassium provokes the development of diseases. Signs of element deficiency: yellow deformed leaves, the appearance of brown spots on the shoots. Plant growth stops, ovary development slows down.
How to apply fertilizer correctly
Liquid fertilizers are applied into grooves or holes about 10 cm deep at a distance of 3-4 cm from the bush. Before the procedure, the bush is watered; no substances are added to the dry soil. When using chemical fertilizers, it is recommended to wear gloves to avoid burning your hands. Also, you should not exceed the specified dose or fertilize currants too often, otherwise it will react negatively to an excess of vitamins and minerals.
Experienced gardeners advise avoiding contact of liquid root fertilizers with exposed parts of the plant - possible burns.
Spring feeding of currants during planting
In order for the seedling to take root in the soil faster, gardeners fertilize the pit with a mineral-organic mixture. For 1 sq. m requires 400 g of superphosphate, 100 g of viburnum salt and 100 g of manure. The soil is dug up onto the handle of a shovel and fertilizer is applied to each bush.
Before this, it is recommended to sprinkle the planting site with dolomite flour, lime or wood ash - they reduce the acidity of the soil.
What to feed before flowering
Before flowering, red and black currants are sprayed with a nutrient solution. To prepare it, mix 2 g of boric acid, 2 g of copper sulfate, 2 g of zinc sulfate and 5 g of potassium permanganate. The components are diluted in 10 liters of water, processing the bushes in the morning or evening in dry weather. Foliar feeding increases resistance to fungal and viral diseases and stimulates plant development. The second treatment is carried out after 4-5 weeks, at the beginning of summer.
Conclusion
How to fertilize currants in spring to increase yield? Gardeners alternate mineral and organic fertilizers and use complex and folk remedies. From organic matter, choose manure, litter or compost, from minerals - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
Ready-made fertilizers are convenient to use, for example, “Rocket”, “Berry Bushes”, and folk remedies include potato peelings or an infusion of bread crusts. Advice from experienced summer residents: apply fertilizer to moist soil in cloudy and dry weather.