Correct planting of red currant in autumn

Long since red currant is considered a health berry. Its bushes can reach a height of 1.5 meters and bear fruit for tens of years. The flowering of this variety begins near the end of May. Full ripening of berries occurs in July.

Varieties of red currant

The most common types of berries of relatively high winter hardiness are the Gazelle, Houghton Castle and Natalie. The first variety is medium-early. His berries are small in size with a characteristic sweet and sour taste. The second variety is a strong shrub with thick brown shoots. Its fruits are similar in taste and size to the grapes of Gazelle. As for Natalie, he is one of the latest. Its main advantage is high yield.

You can not ignore such a variety as the Versailles red, which is very common in the Baltics. His bushes begin to bloom already at the end of April. It is distinguished by its wrinkled leaves and short length of branches. Fruits are sweet.

Also very unpretentious to weather conditions is the Dutch Red. It is a very long-lived and fruitful variety that can yield a crop for 30 years.

In Russia, another type of currant, brought back to the USSR from Britain, became very popular. This is a sort with a loud name Red Cross. The ideal place to grow it is the north of Kazakhstan. Berries of this variety weigh up to 1 g and taste like black currant. Bushes - spreading and sredneroslye.

Soil for planting

The best for the red currant is well-lit, open areas. If this condition is not met, then later the berries will grow pale and lose sweetness. Also this variety prefers sandy loam, loose or loamy soils. In the event that the soil in the spring was strongly waterlogged or the place itself is low, it is recommended to plant the currant on low beds. The acidity of the soil should be neutral or weak.

Planting of red currant in autumn is made to a depth of 35 cm. It is important that the hole was not less than 50 cm in diameter. To fertilize the soil use compost or recycled manure. However, gardeners recommend adding 50 grams of superphosphate and potassium chloride (per 10 liters of liquid) to the mixture. It is superfluous to fertilize the soil in the hole with diluted wood ash.

Preparation of seedlings

The optimal time for planting red currant is the first half of September. However, to begin with, you should prepare the seedlings at home. Cut lignified cuttings are recommended in late August. On the seedling should be 3-4 strong kidneys. Cut off the tip and the base of the branch, and the middle will be used as a future shoot. Its length should not exceed 30 cm. The distance from the lowest kidney to the edge is about 15 cm.

Install the seedlings in pots (boxes) should be vertical. The earth should be loose and slightly moist. Pots with future shoots are put in a well-lit place. After two weeks, the root system will appear in the cuttings, and they can be transferred to the ground. The time of planting red currants directly depends on the growth of shoots in the room. To mature the root system, it takes from 10 days, so it is recommended to prepare them in advance - at the end of the summer.

Planting of red currants

At the first stage, you should choose a place open for light and fertilize it. Once the root system of young shoots is strengthened, they can be planted in the ground. Experienced gardeners are advised to do this procedure in the first three weeks of September, although the term depends on the climate. If the air temperature is above +20 ^о С and the sun constantly shines, and frosts come only closer to February, then the autumn planting of red currant is allowed until the middle of October. The main nuance in this simple matter is that the roots of the cuttings should be well established in the ground, otherwise they will not survive in the winter. It is also important here that the fossa for the seedlings be appropriate. Practice shows that its depth and width should be at least 50 cm. Two-thirds of the hole is filled with mineral fertilizers and organic additives. The top layer must necessarily be fertile soil. It will be planted red currant in the fall.

At the stage of preparing shoots, they already have thin roots, but additional outgrowths are necessary for final strengthening in the soil. The scheme for planting the red currant is as follows: the cuttings are inserted into the previously fertilized soil at an inclination of 45 degrees, then they are filled with earth and manure. It is worth paying attention to the color of the bark. If it is green or blackish, then the plant is infected or withered, so it must be removed immediately from the fossa.

Leaves in 2-week seedlings should not be. If they have appeared, then they should be cut so that all the juice and nutrients come only to the roots. Before the first frost, the plant must sit firmly in the ground.

Reproduction by cuttings

It should be noted right away that the red currant to such manipulations is much more capricious than black. Only young one- or two-year-old shrubs are suitable for breeding. Planting red currant cuttings produced in the first half of September. The length of the sprout should be about 25 cm. It is important that by the time the cut is cut the bush does not begin to dry out and was not infected. Sprouts are stored for some time in the refrigerator, wrapped in film or covered with moist sand. The planting of red currant in autumn allows it to be well-rooted in the ground before the onset of frosts and strong winds. However, some gardeners prefer to multiply the plant in April. The disadvantage of such planting is that the sprouts can quickly wither, as in summer the climate is hot and not suitable for ripening young shoots in the ground.

Before reproduction, the cuttings should collect moisture. It is also important to refresh the lower section (diagonally) just before planting. In addition, it is recommended to make several shallow incisions at the base of the cuttings, from which later young roots will appear. Plant to a depth of 20-30 cm. For the winter, you can fill the beds with a layer of straw or sawdust.

Care of young sprouts

The first 3 years the red currant is abundantly fertilized, as the kidneys constantly need mineral substances. At this time, the root system is formed, which will subsequently hold the bush for decades. Caring for young shoots requires not only mineral fertilizers, but also organic. Also it is necessary to remove the weeds from the soil in a timely manner, which takes all the moisture from the currant and closes the roots of the light. Important are the supports, which hold the branches at the level under the weight of berries. In winter it is necessary to tie the branches to the ground so that they do not break down under snowdrifts.

Pruning young bushes

The planting of red currant in autumn implies the removal of unnecessary branches in the same period of time. According to the gardeners, pruning should be carried out in the subsequent after planting 3-5 years. Ideal for cleaning the bush from thickening time - end of October.

The dry and infected branches are removed to the base. Young shoots are trimmed so that 2-3 strong buds remain on them. On one basis, there should not be more than 2 young shoots.

A cut with a diameter of 8 mm or more must be greased with a special solution, so that the fungus does not form on the stump.

Why red currant?

The berries of this plant are primarily useful for their vitamins A, B, C, E, H and PP. Also in the red currant is beta-carotene, ash, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and many other mineral components. Her berries do not contain a lot of fat, so they are considered dietary. Calorie content in 100 grams - only 39 cal. Most of all in the red currant carbohydrates and provitamin A. The berries of this plant are useful for atherosclerosis, anemia, diabetes, bowel problems and other common diseases.