22.04.2019 103 952

How to care for currants after winter?

If you know how to care for currants in spring, then in summer you can harvest a good harvest. delicious berries... Red, black or white currants need attention after winter, but many people miss this point. Berry bushes can grow on their own, but without proper care, the quantity and quality of berries will decrease every year.

The main stages of work on the care of currants in spring

In early spring, before the buds bloom, care for the currants begins. The ground around the bushes is cleaned with a rake, foliage, debris, last year's mulch are removed and burned, since the upper loose layer may contain harmful larvae and insects. The soil in the near-trunk circle is loosened, the first weeds are removed.

To retain and retain moisture, trunk circles around the bushes are mulched with humus, compost, mowed grass, rotted manure. An agrotechnical technique allows you to get rid of frequent loosening of the soil, watering, a large amount weed.

in the photo - mulching currants with grass in the photo - mulching currants with hay in the photo - the harvest of currants

Currant pruning is carried out in autumn and spring. The main principle, do not harm the plant, in spring, cut the bushes before the start of sap flow, otherwise sanitary pruning will turn into injury to the currants. Carefully inspect the bush, with the help of a pruner, remove the frozen, rotten shoots, weak, underdeveloped, there will be no good harvest from them. Form the bush correctly, taking into account the characteristics of black and red currants, allowing new shoots to grow.

Processing currants in the spring from pests

In order to protect against all kinds of pests, currant bushes are prevented in spring. The main harmful insect that infects bushes of black and less often red currants is the currant bud mite. When pruning, pay attention to the swollen loose buds that resemble peas, it is there that the female pest hibernates, which, with the appearance of sunlight, begin to actively reproduce.

Processing currants in spring with boiling water is a good preventive folk method of pest control, which is carried out strictly before swelling and budding. For the procedure, it is advisable to use a watering can with a shower head so that the scalding is uniform. Boiling water is poured into a watering can, the plants are uniformly scalded, capturing all the shoots and buds. Boiling water treatment allows you to protect currants from kidney mites, aphids, currant goldfish, and others harmful insects, is a good prophylaxis against various, including powdery mildew.

in the photo - scalding currants with boiling water

In addition to boiling water with pests, infections help to fight various herbal infusions, decoctions with the addition of various home remedies: infusion of celandine, dandelion, tobacco with ash, decoction of onion peels, garlic tincture, solutions of soda and mustard powder. Summer residents and gardeners do not seek to use chemistry in the garden, but when a large number of currant bushes are affected, folk remedies turn out to be ineffective, it is recommended to use fungicidal preparations Kinmiks, Neoron, Sulfarid, Topaz, Actellik, helping to fight enemies.

Top dressing currants in spring

Many are wondering how to feed currants in the spring, not taking into account organic, mineral dressing brought in at landing. The importance of the moment is enormous, oversaturation with active elements has a bad effect on the development of young seedlings. In the first year after planting, the currants do not need additional fertilization. The exceptions are poor soils, weak plants and a lack of fertilizer in the planting pit during planting.

They begin to feed currant bushes from the second, third year of life, depending on the state of the plants, green strong currant bushes stand out noticeably against the background of their pale counterparts. In the spring, fertilizers containing nitrogen are mainly applied under the currants for good active growth.

currants after spring care

The first root feeding is carried out when the buds open, 30 grams of ammonium nitrate is diluted in a bucket of water, poured under a bush (the norm is one currant bush, a ten-liter bucket of finished fertilizer). The second stage of fertilization occurs at the time of setting the berries; mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium (not chloride) are applied. Instead of mineral components, they also use

Black, red and even white currants are quite popular crops in our latitudes, therefore, the peculiarities of caring for currants after winter are of interest to many summer residents. In this article, we will talk about the nuances of pruning, feeding, watering and processing against pests of these plants, and also dwell on the issue of protecting bushes from possible spring frosts.

Features of spring currant pruning

Pruning a currant bush is one of the main conditions for its good fruiting. The specified procedure can be carried out in the fall or in early spring, before bud break. In the latter case, they talk more about sanitary pruning, which involves pruning all tops frozen over the winter (to healthy buds), broken and diseased branches. True, as for the dry parts of the plant, they can be cut off at any time of the year, as soon as you notice them. All harvested branches, as well as old leaves, which are often under the bushes since last year, must be burned, since it is in them that pests winter, which become more active with the arrival of spring.

Important! Unlike black currants, it is better to cut off white and red currants in the spring (at least in summer), without postponing this procedure until autumn.

The formation of a bush, in each such case, occurs according to a similar pattern, except that the tops of last year's growths do not need to be pinched (which cannot be said about black currants), and two- and three-year-old shoots do not need to be shortened. Simply put, when growing red currants, spring care in terms of pruning consists only in removing old branches (individual parts of the bush, which in the case of this species should reach seven to eight years of age), excess zero shoots and broken, diseased or frozen branches.
Old, but still productive branches can be shortened to the nearest strong lateral branch, thereby stimulating the growth of lateral shoots, increasing the size of the berries and the life of the bush. A properly formed bush should consist of 20-25 branches, from 1 to 8 years old.

Watering and maintaining the soil in the spring

Answering the question "How to properly care for currants?" you cannot ignore the topic of watering, which, together with soil cultivation, plays important role in obtaining a good harvest of currants. First of all, it should be noted that both black, and red, and white currants are moisture-loving crops, which is due to their biological characteristics. Lack of moisture causes a growth retardation in plants, crushing of berries and their subsequent shedding. In addition, dry conditions in the post-harvest period often lead to freezing of the bushes in winter. It is especially important to irrigate in the most decisive phases of plant development: during the period of active growth, formation of ovaries, pouring berries and after harvesting, that is, mainly in spring.

The first time the currants are watered immediately after planting, at the rate of 5-6 liters of liquid per bush. In the future, the most effective are subsoil and drip irrigation that allow you to supply liquid directly to the root system of plants. For one growing season, currants require 3 to 5 waterings. Also, a similar procedure is carried out by pouring liquid into pre-made grooves or grooves, 10-15 cm deep. They are made around the bush, at a distance of 30-40 cm from it.

Do not forget about the methods of retaining moisture in the soil. So, spring care for black, red or white currants also provides for loosening, mulching the soil and cleaning it from weeds. The optimal frequency of loosening the soil around the bushes is considered 1 time in 2-3 weeks, while preventing the formation of a crust and overgrowth of weed grass, as it dries out the soil very much.

Active root system currants are placed in the upper loose and nutritious layers, so in order not to damage the roots, the soil next to the bushes is loosened very carefully, not going deeper than 6-8 cm.After stepping back from the bush for a considerable distance, between the bushes, you can loosen or dig to a depth of 12 cm.

Moisture will be well preserved if the soil around the bush is mulched with organic material(peat, grass, peat compost). In this case, it will be possible to loosen it much less often.

Recently, currant bushes are increasingly used for mulching. synthetic materials: black opaque film, parchment, roofing felt, spill-proof paper, etc. This allows you to do without loosening throughout the summer, however, with the arrival of autumn, it is better to remove the shelter, which will improve air exchange in the ground, make necessary fertilizers or do any other work.

Did you know?Currants are found on all continents, except Antarctica and Australia, and in the wild, there are about 150 species of this plant.

Processing currants in the spring from pests and diseases

Like any other plant, the described bushes suffer from various diseases and pest attacks, which make it very difficult to care for currants, in particular in spring. The most dangerous pest is a currant kidney mite, the presence of which is evidenced by large overgrown buds that look like small light heads of cabbage. With the arrival of spring, they are simply unable to open up, which is why they gradually die off, which also affects the amount of the harvest. So, in one kidney there can be up to a thousand individuals of the pest and, having got out of their shelter, they quickly spread over the territory, in which they are helped by birds or the wind.

If there are not very many affected buds on the bush, then they can simply be plucked out and burned, but if the affected areas are too extensive, then such a currant bush is removed completely. There is a simple, environmentally friendly and effective method fight against currant kidney mite, which involves scalding currant bushes with boiling water. Plant hot water will not do any harm, on the contrary, by performing the procedure in early spring (before the buds awaken), you will help the plant "wake up" after the winter rest. Boiling water will destroy not only ticks, but also aphid larvae, fungi and other pests that have survived the winter safely.

When caring for black currants in the spring, it is not uncommon to use chemicals in the fight against the invasion of pests. However, in this case, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the recommended spraying times, since the growing season of the plant begins early, and changes occur very quickly. To get rid of the aforementioned kidney mite, currant bushes and the soil under them can be sprayed with a solution of "Chlorophos" or a mixture of colloidal sulfur and "Karbofos", at the rate of 100 and 20 g per 10 liters of water. Treatment of plants with these preparations should also be carried out before the buds swell, since in otherwise getting rid of the tick will be very difficult.

When it comes to powdery mildew, then Fundazol (15 ml of the drug is diluted in 10 liters of water) or copper sulfate (100 g per 10 liters of water) will help to get rid of it, and it is necessary not only to thoroughly spray the bushes, but also to water the beds on which currant bushes grow.

At the tops of the shoots, the leaves are often damaged by aphids, due to which the leaf plates curl and wrinkle. If you do not take any measures, then it will completely destroy the bush. You can determine the presence of a pest by the appearance of many ants that feed on its secretions.

Before budding on the bushes, you need to process the currants with "Furanon" or simply scald the plant with boiling water. In the case when there are already leaves on the branches, but inflorescences have not yet appeared, Intavir, Rovi-kur, Tanrek, Bordeaux mixture or solution are well suited to combat this problem copper sulfate, at the rate of 100 g of substance per 10 liters of water. Karbofos also helps a lot.

Did you know? In Russia, currant has become a national berry culture, and its numerous species and varieties can be found in every corner of the country.

How to fertilize currants in spring, plant feeding

Caring for currant spring includes feeding plants, but most often this procedure is carried out in the second or third year after planting the bushes. However, if your plants are forced to exist on depleted soils, then the fertilizer applied to the planting hole when planting seedlings may not be enough. Moreover, not all blackcurrant seedlings turn out to be strong and completely healthy, which means that feeding them will be a very important component when leaving in spring.

Strong green bushes always stand out against the background of their pale and weak relatives, so it will not be difficult for you to determine the currants that need a large number useful microelements. With the arrival of spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied under the root of the plants, since it is they that contribute to their better growth and development after the winter period.

The first root dressing can be carried out immediately after budding on the branches. To do this, 30 g of ammonium nitrate should be diluted in a bucket of water and poured the resulting composition under a bush (a ten-liter bucket of ready-made feeding is needed for one bush). Re-application of fertilizers falls on the period of caring for currant bushes with berries tied to them. In this case, mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium (but not chloride) are introduced into the soil, although as an alternative to mineral elements, organic matter prepared by yourself can be used. Ash and humic fertilizers are perfect for this role.

Some experienced summer residents often resort to foliar dressing... For example, when flowering currants, you can dilute 0.5 tsp. boric acid in 10 liters warm water(up to 40 ° C) and spray the bushes with the resulting composition. Such treatment will increase the growth rate of shoots and increase the yield by 2-3 times. Also, for spring care behind currants, at the time of the appearance of the first ovaries, a mixture of 60 g of urea, 150 g of superphosphate and 10 liters of water is often prepared, which is also sprayed on the bushes. The shoots become very strong, and taste qualities future berries are significantly improved.

How to protect currants from frost

In the conditions of the middle lane, where we are with you, the shedding of ovaries in currants can be called a fairly common phenomenon, since despite profuse flowering plants, in the first 10-15 days after its end, almost all ovaries can be under the bush. The most common reason for what is happening is spring frosts(matinees), which even in April complicate the care of currants. In our climatic zone they end only closer to the end of May, but are not excluded until the tenth of June (that is, they can fall at the end of flowering of currants, and during the period of ovary formation).

To protect the bushes from frost, smoke and spray are used. In the first case, you will need trimmed raspberry branches and strawberry leaves for the procedure, although last year's potato tops, straw manure and straw are also good options. The prepared material is piled up in heaps, the length and width of which should reach 0.8 meters, and the height - 0.7 m.They are placed in one line at a distance of 3-4 m from each other, and on the side of the site from which early in the morning , in calm air will be drawn.

Important! Smoke begins as soon as the air temperature drops to -1 ° C and ends an hour after it reaches zero, or rises even higher.

Another good way to protect flowering plants currants from frost - spray them hot water, and if there is a danger of severe frosts, the procedure is carried out several times (preferably 5-6). In this case, it is necessary to abundantly irrigate not only the bushes themselves, but also the ground under them. It is noteworthy that the first spraying is carried out at one in the morning, the second - with the onset of freezing, and the third at the same hour after the second, etc. Even if you just moisten the soil with hot water, this will already reduce the negative effect of frost on the plant.

In addition to late spring frosts, weather conditions also have a huge influence on the setting of currant berries. For example, in cold and windy weather, during the flowering process, insect years are very difficult, which means that the plant will be poorly pollinated. At the same time, in hot and too dry weather, the stigmas of the pistils dry up, and the period of possible pollination of flowers is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is advisable to create with your own hands in the garden optimal conditions for normal pollination of bushes: plant plants only in protected areas, select varieties according to the climatic region, humidify the air and soil in hot weather, and breed bees.

Some summer residents consider currants enough unpretentious plant, however, caring for her in the spring can raise certain questions, in answering which advice will come in handy seasoned gardeners... Only if you have sufficient information and follow all the above recommendations, you will be able to get bountiful harvest excellent berries.

Was this helpful?

Thank you for your opinion!

Write in the comments which questions you have not received an answer to, we will definitely respond!

134 times already
helped

Features of caring for black currant bushes in the spring. Councils of experienced gardeners.

Black currant is a constant inhabitant of summer cottages and farmsteads. Her fragrant and healthy berries they try to freeze or preserve all the housewives in jam.

Blackcurrant bushes bear fruit abundantly and for a long time as a result of careful care for them, watering and feeding.

We will talk in more detail about the nuances of growing black currant on our site in the article.

When is the best time to plant and transplant black currants - in spring or autumn?

dug blackcurrant seedlings before planting

Black currants can be planted and transplanted in early spring and autumn. Please note that she wakes up early with the first rays of the sun and begins her growing season.

The most favorable time for transplanting is September-mid-October. So the plant will have time to take root before the arrival of frost and actively grow from the first days of heat in spring.

How to properly plant and transplant blackcurrant seedlings into the ground in spring: step by step instructions

the gardener plants the black currant in the moat

If it is impossible to plant black currants in the fall, do it in the spring:

• choose a healthy seedling with 3-5 formed strong roots at least 20 cm long and the same number of branches up to 30 cm long.Carefully examine the plant for the absence of painful plaque and deterioration,
• pick up a spot before planting black currants. She needs sunlight, moderate shade and air movement. There should be no acid and swampiness in the soil,
• reduce soil acidity with chalk, dolomite, old cement / plaster, rubbed eggshell... Just pour the material into the hole,
• Reduce the tendency of the site to accumulate water excessively by forming an elevation of 15-20 cm for growing black currants. Strengthen the embankment around the perimeter with sod,
• a week before planting, dig holes or a continuous trench on a shovel bayonet, remove weed roots, fill / fill in fertilizer to 75% of the depth.
  Compost, humus, seasoned cow dung... Just before planting the plants, add 2 tbsp of superphosphate solution. l. for each root,
• lower the seedling into the hole at an angle of 45-60 °, straighten the roots. Make sure that 3 stem buds remain underground and the same above,
• pour half a bucket of water into the hole for each future bush,
• cover with earth and stamp with a toe / palm around the trunk,
• pour out the remaining half a bucket of water again,
• mulch the area around the trunk,
• trim the branches another 50-30%, or leave only 3 well-formed buds. From this, both the root system and young shoots will be stronger,
• Place the cut branches in moist soil. They will take root and become material for transplanting / forming new black currant bushes,
• the next day, loosen the soil around the young seedling,
• Water and mulch the planted plants regularly.

How to feed black currants in spring?

applying dry fertilizers under the roots of black currant

After planting the black currant, the fertilizer that you used is enough for it to develop healthy for 2 years. Then you need to feed.

You have 2 feeding tactics, depending on whether you applied fertilizers in the fall or not:

• if yes, add 50 g of ammonium nitrate along the side of the hole. Sprinkle with peat, soil. Pour abundantly with clean water,
• otherwise, dilute the mullein in 10 liters of water and add a tablespoon of urea, it is also ammonium nitrate. Pour 3 liters of fertilizer into each blackcurrant bush into the root hole. Then mix potassium sulfate and superphosphate in a 1: 2 ratio and apply the mixture around the roots to a depth of 8-10 cm. Dig in the holes and mulch.

Take bird droppings instead of mullein. Dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:10. Give each bush half a bucket of this fertilizer.

Wood ash is also suitable as a top dressing in potassium-poor soil. To prevent it from washing out quickly, dig it around the trunk of the black currant.

There are complex fertilizers for black currant, which are applied every 3 years. They enrich the soil with nitrogen.

• Make a ditch for such fertilization up to 10 cm deep around the root hole and evenly fill in the fertilizer.
• Dig it in.
• When the soil warms up to + 8 ℃, the fertilizer crystals will begin to melt.

How to spray currants in the spring before budding?

a man sprays black currant bushes in early spring

The purpose of early spring spraying of currant bushes is to eliminate pathogens and larvae of plant pests. Since black currant is attractive to many of their species, processing of its shoots before the buds swell is required.

Both folk remedies and products of the chemical industry tested over the years will suit you:

• onion and garlic
• tar soap
• ash, mustard powder
• tobacco, dandelion
• copper and iron vitriol
• boiling water
• chlorophos
• colloidal sulfur
• furanone
• foundationol
• fitoverm

Processing black currant in the spring for diseases and pests with boiling water, copper sulfate, folk remedies

the gardener sprays black currant bushes with a solution of copper sulfate

• Boil water, add 10 aspirin tablets to a bucket of water. Stir until completely dissolved,
• pour the solution into garden watering can... While you perform all the manipulations, the water will cool down a little,
• water thoroughly all the branches of the plant,
• depending on the splendor of the black currant, one solution is enough for 2-3 of its bush.

An aqueous solution of copper sulfate copes well with aphid larvae and powdery mildew pathogens.

• Take copper sulfate and water 100 g and 10 liters, respectively. Spray generously all blackcurrant branches and water the roots.
  Repeat 2-3 daily procedures.

From the folk remedies for spring processing of black currant bushes, we will dwell on some:

• garlic / onion solution. Grind garlic and onion in the amount of 100 g each with a vegetable cutter and fill with a bucket of water. Leave to infuse for 24 hours.
  Strain and sprinkle the blackcurrant with the solution. One batch is enough for 2-3 bushes. The healing effect will be achieved from the use of only garlic.
  If you do not have time for grinding, fill whole heads with hot water and after 6 hours process the black currant bushes with a ready-made solution.
• ash / shredded tobacco. Pour 100 g of dry raw materials with a bucket of water, let the particles settle. Use the prepared solution for processing 3-4 bushes,
• a solution of laundry soap or birch tar. Grate 200 g of the solid ingredient and combine with a bucket of warm water.

Spray black currants with folk remedies for at least 5 days in a row with a mandatory repeat one week after it blooms.

Fighting kidney mites and aphids on black currants in spring

affected branches of black currant with a kidney mite

A kidney mite infects the branches and buds of black currants and is the causative agent of terry disease in it.

In order to eliminate aphids different types you should:

• manually pick off all affected leaves / bunches and burn them,
• spray with either ready-made preparations or tobacco infusion. In the second case of dry raw materials, take 0.5 kg per bucket of water and insist for 2 days,
• plant flowers and plants between rows and bushes that repel aphids, for example, marigolds, nasturtium, onions, garlic, fennel.

Pruning black currants in spring

the gardener in early spring cuts the black currant bush

Prune black currants regularly in spring and autumn until they are 5 years old. It is best to do this immediately after processing its branches with boiling water.

The technology is as follows:

• cut off all diseased and dry branches completely, shorten zero shoots as much as possible. They are located on the periphery of the bush, thin and low,
• shape the bush correctly. It should be lush, but with enough free space in the middle,
• keep in mind that old branches bear less fruit. You will get the main harvest from the branches of 1 and 2 years of life. Therefore, leave 3-4 even healthy shoots coming from the root, with minimal cutting off the tops,
• cut the branch 0.5 cm above the bud at an angle of 45 °,
• Shorten the horizontal outgrowths that go to the side at the turning point.

Try to form a healthy, well-groomed black currant bush from as many branches by age:

• 1 year - 4-5 pcs.
• 2 years - 3-4 pcs.
• 3 years - 2-3 pcs.
• 4-5 years - 2-3 pcs.

Red spots on currant leaves in spring: how to fight?

red spots on black currant leaf

Red spots on black currant leaves are symptoms of a fungal infection or invasion gall aphid.

The differences are as follows:

• with a fungus infection on the leaves, you see red islets. They spread up to the axil of the leaf stalk, accelerating its death and fall,
• aphids provoke the formation of pimpled red areas on the surface of the leaves.

Prevent the spread of the disease. As soon as you notice red spots on black currant leaves, then:

• cut off all affected specimens, including cut off diseased branches as much as possible, and burn them,
• spray the bushes affected by the fungus with an aqueous solution of Bordeaux liquid at the rate of 100 grams per bucket of water. Kneading is enough for you to heal 3 bushes. Repeat the procedure after flowering and picking the black currant berries. The second variant of the fight is to dissolve 300 g of nitrophene in a bucket of water and process the bushes before they bloom,
• for the treatment of currant bushes from gall aphids, use karbofos, actellik, home, chlorophos, foundationol.
  Cook water solution a specific preparation according to the instructions and spray on both sides of the leaf once every one and a half weeks before the black currant begins to bloom. Then process with phytoverm.

If you are against chemicals:

• prepare a thick solution of laundry soap for spraying and ash for sprinkling, a water infusion of makhorka / tobacco, onion husks,
• plant tomatoes between bushes and rows of black currants.

Why do currant leaves turn yellow in spring?

anthracnose is the cause of yellowed black currant leaves

There are several reasons for the phenomenon:

• too dry weather and soil
• flaw nutrients in soil, lack of fertilizers
• insufficient watering of plants
• too much shadow over the bushes
• heavy rains for a long time
• aphid infestation

large berries of black currant in the palms of an experienced gardener

• Cut branches affected by frost.
• Prune bushes over 5 years old to rejuvenate the plant. Use clean, disinfected gardening scissors or secateurs.
• Treat places of cuts thicker than 7-8 mm with garden pitch.
• Rak up the leaves winter shelters roots early in spring. Loosen the soil along the trunk to allow fresh air to flow to the roots.
• Apply fertilizers, process the currants with boiling water and remedies for diseases and pests.
• Water the plants water infusion potato skins, cut weeds.
• After watering, loosen the soil over the roots and mulch it.

So, we have considered all the stages of caring for black currant bushes in order to harvest a rich harvest of its large berries. We also took into account the advice of experienced gardeners on spring processing plants to keep roots and branches healthy.

Apply the knowledge gained in practice and stock up on your secrets of growing black currant on your site.

Video: how to properly cut black currants?

Particular attention should be paid to soil cultivation - it is important to ensure maximum moisture retention and good air penetration. For this, the soil (especially upper layer) must constantly be in a loose state. It is necessary to periodically loosen the soil when it dries up slightly after melting snow, rain or watering. Digging of dense silty or heavy soil is especially important. If the currant grows in light and loose soil, it is enough to shallow the soil around the bushes.

Fertilizer

Starting from the third year of growth, in the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the soil at the rate of 20 g of urea or ammonium nitrate per square meter land. After 4-5 years, it is necessary to regularly feed with organic fertilizers, applying 6-7 kg per square meter every 3 years.

The plant is especially responsive to phosphorus fertilizers, but it needs a balanced feeding with other elements. During the autumn digging of the soil, potash fertilizers and superphosphates (20 g per square meter) must be applied every year.

Pruning

Regular pruning and timely replacement of obsolete branches with more productive ones creates favorable conditions for the growth of white, black and red currants. Thanks to this, the bushes can bear fruit for 20 or more years. Within five years, starting from the moment of planting, with the help of pruning, it is necessary to form a bush with branches of different ages.

Pruning currant bushes is always done with a well-adjusted and sharp pruner.

In subsequent years, it is necessary to maintain the formed ratio of uneven-aged branches, removing old and leaving young strong shoots.

Stumps should not be left behind after cutting, as they can become a wintering and nesting place for some garden pests.

When cutting off the thickened bush, first of all, they remove the broken, diseased branches lying on the ground and then growing inside the bushes. The weakest and least branched are cut next. To induce the bushes to form strong shoots, hairs are cut in the lower parts of the old branches. From old abandoned branches, dying tops and dry branches are removed. If there are few branching branches left in the bushes, the tops are greatly shortened.

Pruning should be done annually before bud break in spring or autumn before loosening and digging up the soil.

Which of the gardeners did not succumb to the temptation and did not plant on his summer cottage a sprawling currant bush? This is a very popular berry. It is added to the composition of jam, compote, jam and is simply eaten from the bush. This berry has not only a pleasant sour taste, but also contains great amount useful vitamins, including vitamin C. Just imagine how delicious the smell of tea with currant leaves is. But so that the bush takes root on your site, and most importantly, pleases you and your loved ones with its juicy fruits from summer to autumn, it is necessary to approach the care correctly. Of particular importance is the care of currants in the spring.

It only looks like currants are, quite themselves, an independent shrub. In fact, without proper care and human help, the bush will quickly deteriorate, never having time to give a good harvest.

Care consists of several components at once. He is very painstaking, but, at the same time, necessary. If you know how to handle currants in the spring, then in the summer you will get an excellent harvest from tasty, voluminous berries. If care is not taken, then you risk giving up a significant proportion of the harvest, and eventually losing the bush altogether.

Many gardeners note that an advantageous location, constant feeding does not work if such important components as are missing:

• pruning;
• garter;
• timely watering;
• anti-aging and so on.

It turns out that currants are no different from vegetables in the garden, which require human care and cultivation.

But such painstaking and thorough care has its advantages. For example, it has been proven empirically that the bushes, with which spring preparation and processing is carried out, give sweeter, weighty berries, and the yield exceeds twice the yield from a bush that was left unattended. It is only for the sake of this that you should apply your efforts.

Prices for currant seedlings

currant seedlings

Care steps

When to start?

When to start caring for currants? Preparation should be carried out in early spring, when the snow had just melted, the first mud appeared, and the thermometer stopped at 0 degrees and went into plus. That is, your actions need to be carried out even before the first buds bloom.

Choose the right weather for your actions. If on the street subzero temperature, frost, cold winds, then it is worth waiting a couple of weeks. If it is clear that the sun is shining, the wind is not strong or not at all, and the temperature allows you to work in the garden, you can start preparing.

Important! Study the weather forecast carefully. In the near future, there should be no heavy precipitation, no cold snap is foreseen.

In many ways, the choice of weather conditions for the implementation of preparatory actions for summer season depends on the region of your residence. It is likely that in the southern regions the cultivation of currants begins much earlier, but in middle lane In Russia and to the north, gardeners begin their activities only by mid-April.

Land preparation

For the summer season, you need to prepare not only the bush itself, but also the land around.

You should arm yourself with a rake. Around the currant bush, you need to remove all rotten foliage, last year's debris, branches and other foreign objects. It is important to leave just bare ground. Rubbish should not be left under bushes, it is better to burn it.

If you will not conduct such preparatory activities, then you run the risk of causing the roots of the currant bush to decay. In a loose layer of debris, larvae can start, which will quickly begin to feed on shrubs. Next, you need to loosen the soil. If the temperature is already warm enough, the first weeds appear, they need to be removed urgently.

At first, after the winter cold, currants need a lot of moisture. In order to keep it in the ground and keep it, you need to make near-trunk circles around the currant branches. They will be mulched with fertilizers:

• grass;
• rotted with manure;
• compost;
• humus;
• chicken droppings.

This technique will allow you to get rid of the problem of dry bushes, as well as avoid frequent watering. Also, there will be significantly less weed formation under the bush.

Now you should leave the bush until a warm temperature is established. That is, if you carried out preparatory actions in central Russia from mid to late March, now you need to leave things until mid-April. At this moment, if there is no severe cold snap, you can proceed to the following actions.

Pest control

Also, like other representatives of the flora, currants are not protected from pests. Insects such as ticks and bugs are especially dangerous for currants. In order to protect the plant and future harvest from pests, you need to carry out useful prevention.

The very treatment of currants from pests is both preventive and curative in nature. By implementing these measures, you will contribute to the enhanced growth of the bush, the formation of more fruits.

1. First of all, pruning is carried out. All branches that have dried or rotted during the winter are removed.
2. Broken branches, small shoots that are unlikely to grow are also removed.
3. All last year's leaves are removed from the bush.
4. If there are loose buds that are somewhat swollen and have an indistinct outline, then they must be urgently removed, because these are female pests who are waiting for the weather to set and it will be possible to reproduce.

One of the most better ways processing currants from ticks and bedbugs is the use of boiling water. This method is good because it does not contain chemical poisons, and also has a positive effect on the plant itself. This folk method has been used since ancient times, and left only positive impressions about itself.

1. It is necessary to carry out this procedure until the moment of swelling and the very blooming of the buds.
2. Heat up boiling water.
3. Get an enamelled watering can that has a shower head. It is necessary so that the boiling water irrigation is as uniform as possible.
4. Pour boiling water into a watering can and quickly scald the plant branch by branch. The procedure must be carried out quickly so that the water does not cool down.
5. It is necessary to capture absolutely all shoots and buds formed.

This action will protect the currants from aphids, bedbugs, ticks and other harmful insects. Also, treatment with boiling water is an excellent prevention against fungal diseases of the bush, which is very important in the spring and summer. But this is far from the only way to control pests.

In addition to boiling water, you can use herbal infusions and garden pitch. You can add various homemade products to them, for example, infusion of dandelion, tobacco, onion husks, soda solution, infusion of celandine, garlic, mustard powder... It all depends on the variety of your currants, as well as the effect you want to achieve. We do not recommend using chemistry in the garden, as, most likely, many of your household members will want to eat berries directly from the bush. And here poisoning with poisons is not excluded.

If folk remedies turned out to be ineffective in pest control, and the experience of past years has shown that insects still attack such tempting berry bushes, you can resort to using special preparations. The most popular and effective are:

• Actellik;
• Kinmix;
• Nero;
• Sulpirides.

These drugs will help fight the pest, however, eating a berry from a bush will be dangerous.

Prices for Topaz

topaz drug

Top dressing

Not the last place in the preparation of currants for the summer season is given to feeding. Currant is a rather unpretentious berry. But if you take care of the extra vitamins and minerals for her, she will delight you with an incredible harvest.

Mineral, organic and other dressings are widely used. It is important not to overdo it here, because oversaturation with useful elements can also have a bad effect on the growth of seedlings.

The amount and method of feeding directly depends on the age of your bush.

Table 1. Features of feeding.

Year of life	Features of feeding
After landing	Immediately after planting, the currants will not require additional fertilizers and vitamins from you. If the currant was planted on a rather poor soil or spreading old trees coexist around it, then, of course, it is better to feed the bush. For this, the fertilizer is pre-laid in the planting pit, after which the seedlings are placed there. At this stage, feeding is stopped.
Second year	Active steps to feed the currant bush begin from the second year of life. In the second year of life, the plant needs fertilizers, in which nitrogen acts as an active substance. It promotes active growth and rapid formation of berries. Top dressing should be carried out at the moment when the buds begin to bloom. One of the most popular recipes is this: 30 g of ammonium nitrate is diluted in a bucket of water and poured onto the ground under the bush.
Third year	At this time, currants need mineral fertilizers, in which potassium and phosphorus act as an active substance. Also, this year you can apply organic feeding, humic fertilizers and formulations prepared by your own hands. Ash will not be superfluous. It is also necessary to carry out top dressing after the opening of the first bud.
Fourth, fifth year	The fourth and fifth year, feeding is carried out in the same way as in the third year of the bush's life. However, the activity of the implementation of actions can be reduced. At this time, preference should be given to purchased mixtures that contain all the substances and minerals necessary for the bush.

It is important to fertilize not only in spring, but also in autumn, after harvest, before preparing the plant for hibernation. But spring is the most important time, and here you can influence the quantity and quality of the future harvest. Here are some tips to use experienced gardeners when feeding your bushes.

1. At the moment when the currant bush begins to bloom actively, you need to prepare the following mixture: half a teaspoon of boric acid must be mixed with 8 liters of water room temperature... Stir this solution thoroughly and spray it with currants. Such a simple method will help you to increase the number of shoots several times, which means increase the yield.
2. Another method suggests making a solution of 50 g of urea and 80 g of superphosphate. This mixture must be dissolved in 10 liters of water. Spraying is in progress. This method affects the taste of the future berry, and also makes the shoots stronger and more hardy.

Superphosphate prices

superphosphate

Pruning

Pruning is carried out in two stages: in autumn and spring. But in the spring, the main manipulations are carried out, which make it possible to prepare the bush for the hot summer and the successful end of the harvest season.

Take a close look at the bush. If the branches grow inside the bush, then this is not good. They make the bush thicker, but at the same time, they are not useful, they do not allow the bush to bear fruit to its fullest. This means that it is better to cut the branches that grow inward.

If the branches intersect, then both are removed at once, in order to avoid relapse.

If you notice that no root shoots have grown in the past year, then you need to do abundant pruning of the branches, shortening them by three-quarters of the length. If such pruning did not help last season, you need to pull out every third weak branch from the ground along with the roots.

If your currant bush is an adult, its age is more than 6 years, then it should have up to 15 shoots of different age. This is not difficult to achieve. Every year you need to prune old stems, from which the bark begins to peel off, and in places they have become dry. As soon as you cut the old stem down to the very hemp, you will notice how in a matter of days a new shoot will appear from the soil. It will grow straight from the roots. The next spring, this shoot needs to be shortened, while leaving only three buds from the ground.

If you notice that too many shoots appear from the roots, then remove all but the two strongest ones.

Many gardeners cannot tell the difference between old stems and young ones. Indeed, in the case of currants, this is extremely difficult. Therefore, there is a risk of cutting off young shoots and leaving the old ones to live on the bush. How to distinguish a young shoot from an old one?

1. The old one has a gray bark.
2. There are never berries on it or they are dry.
3. Old shoots are best seen in spring, when the plant is not yet blooming and is not filled with juice.
4. Look at the branches. They have rings on them. They show the number of years for each branch. If they are older than 5 or 6 years, then the shoots must be urgently removed. They will not produce a good harvest.

When it comes to black currant that grows on your site, then it brings a good harvest on the growths that appeared a year earlier. These growths are light, flexible, filled with juice. If you pruned correctly in the last season, then, as a consequence, you will get a good increase.

However, new branches do not need to be left in full. They are thinned exactly in half. Currant is a very frost-resistant plant. It is able to withstand temperatures up to - 40 degrees Celsius. That is why the branches that have taken the hit of the temperature on themselves, and these are external shoots, must also be removed. Most likely, they were damaged by frost. You need to remove external branches 2/3 of the total, up to the second kidney.

If you notice that dark wood appeared on the cut after a cold winter, this means that the shoot still died from low temperature and precipitation. You need to prune the branch until a piece of healthy white wood appears.

Rejuvenation

Most often, bushes that are more than 10 years old grow on the plots. The owners take care of their plants, but it must be borne in mind that as soon as the currants cross the threshold of 10 years, the care must change dramatically. New necessary annual procedures appear, which are carried out in the spring.

If your bush is suitable for the age of 15 years, then you need to carry out anti-aging procedures. For this, about a third of all stems are cut. Do not spare the shoots, otherwise, you risk getting an old non-bearing bush. Only the three strongest shoots are left.

On next year, in the spring, cut out three old branches again. Only three new shoots are left, which appeared as replacements.

In the third year, absolutely all old shoots are removed, new ones remain. If rather flimsy shoots and branches grow in the very center of the bush, then you do not need to give them a chance. Remove them immediately, without even leaving stumps. New strong branches will appear in their place.

The bush begins to wither, if a new extension of the plant does not begin to appear from the ground. If feeding and careful grooming does not help with this issue, you will need an emergency anti-aging measure. This is a strong pruning that removes almost half of all the shoots on the bushes. Both young and old branches should be persecuted. You can read more about the timing of pruning currants in.

Important! Do not leave all cut shoots under the currant bush. They must be burned immediately, otherwise rotting cannot be avoided.

Reproduction

Spring is a great time to reproduce nice bush currants. If you are happy with your ward, she makes you happy year after year. good harvest why not double the pleasure? Reproduction of currants is carried out precisely in the spring, at which time you can get excellent growth... The weather itself is favorable to getting an excellent harvest.

Cuttings

Reproduction by cuttings is one of the most simple ways... To implement it, you need to take cuttings from last year, which appeared in May and are located at the ends of the branches. Their thickness and length should correspond to a regular pencil.

The lower end of the plucked branch should be cut at an angle with a sharp pruner. The top one is cut straight off. All leaves must be removed from the cut shoot.

This stalk must be planted obliquely, lowering the three lower buds into the ground. It is worth noting that in order for it to go better, the earth must be mixed with sand.

Avoid direct sunlight, which will ruin the cutting. Pay attention to abundant watering and protection from the wind.

Layers

This is also a fairly simple method known to every gardener.