Red currant is a shrub perfectly suited for amateur cultivation in home gardens and allotments. Its fruits, harvested in high summer, are an excellent raw material for homemade preserves - jellies, jams, wines and juices. Red currant is also predisposed to amateur cultivation due to its greater frost resistance and lower susceptibility to diseases compared to black currant.
Red currant
Red currant - species characteristics
The first mentions of red currant (Ribes rubrum) date back to the 15th century, initially it was treated as a medicinal plant.Only in a later century did it spread to Eastern Europe and England. In Western Europe, red currant fruits are a luxury commodity. In our country, they remain a bit underrated.
Red currantis a relatively undemanding shrub, characterized by high frost resistance. It begins vegetation later than the black currant, thanks to which its flowers are not damaged as often by frosts. Suitable for cultivation throughout the country. The shrub grows up to about 1.0-1.5 m in height, depending on how it will be cut. Red currant, properly managed, bears fruit abundantly, one bush can yield 4-5 kg. fruit.
Red currant fruitscontain 2 times less sugar than other fruits, but they contain a lot of organic acids, especially citric acid. They have a lot of fiber and vitamins B and E. Additionally, the fruit has antioxidant properties. They are perfect for preserves, and redcurrant jam can successfully replace the expensive cranberry jam added to meats.
Cultivation of red currant
The red currant cultivation site should be sunny. A quite common mistake is planting shrubs in the shade of trees, where they bear less fruit and give small fruit. The requirements of the currant soil are not very high. Red currant requires slightly acidic soils, with a pH of 5.5 - 6.5. The best soil is fertile and rich in humus, but currants also succeed in weaker and lighter soils. Then you only need to remember to keep the soil moist.
Note!Currants should not be planted on very heavy, clay or waterlogged soils.
Planting red currant
Currant planting date
Currant seedlingsbare-rooted seedlings are planted in autumn, in late October / early November or spring in March / April. It is worth noting that red currant is better suited for spring planting than black currant, because it starts growing a little later.On the other hand, currant seedlings from containers can be planted throughout the growing season. However, they are more expensive than those with the exposed root.
Preparation of the planting site
If you want toplant red currantyou should first prepare the place properly. The hole should be dug a few days before planting the currant, which will allow the ground to ventilate well. The hole should be 30 cm deep and wide enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Remove large stones from the bottom of the hole and loosen the soil, then mix it with organic fertilizer and a handful of wood ash, which provides the necessary dose of potassium for these shrubs.
Planting depth and spacing
In such a prepared place, we can finally start planting currants. For planting, choose he althy seedlings with a well-developed root system and at least 3 side shoots. Damaged and too long roots should be shortened, usually to lengthabout 20 cm. After placing the plant in the hole, cover it with soil mixed with compost. At the end, water abundantly.
Important! Red currant bushes are planted approx. 5-7 cm deeper than they grew in the nursery.
Plant the currants in rows, 1.0-1.2 m apart. The row spacing should be 1.5 m.
Pruning after planting
After planting the currant, it should also be trimmed, leaving no more than 4-5 shoots, and the remaining ones should be cut at the very bottom. The remaining shoots are shortened to 2-4 stitches. As a result, the plant will branch out better and create stronger new shoots.
Red currant care
Currant care treatments include, first of all, taking care of the appropriate substrate moisture, i.e. watering. When caring for currants, you also need to weed around the bush. Mulching is a good option as it retains moisture and also inhibits weed growth. The following can be used as mulch: sawdust, pine bark, well-composted manure.Nursing currant care also means taking care of its he alth, protection against all pests and diseases of the currant, as well as correct cutting of the red currant.
Cutting red currant
If you want to cut the red currant well, remember that the red currant bears fruit on two or three-year-old shoots, and the bush itself has a natural tendency to tillering. By cutting the red currant, the form most conducive to fruiting is obtained.
Pruning to promote fruiting
We startcutting red currantof the third winter. We shorten each twig to 5 buds. Then, every year you should shorten all the shoots that grew from the shoots pruned in the previous year to the length of 3-5 each year.
Nursing pruning
This red currant cut is used from the age of 5. 2-3 oldest main shoots are removed at the base of the bush, which helps to provide additional light to the bush. They will be replaced by young shoots. We repeat the treatment every year, thanks to which we will have a constant rotation of new shoots.
Red currant harvest
Fruitred currantwe collect from the end of June to the beginning of August. We pick whole bunches, not individual fruits. Harvested fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, preferably on the bottom shelf, in a lettuce bin. They can be eaten raw and used to make preserves - jellies, jams, preserves, juices, wines or to cook compote from them. As an ingredient of preserves, red currant fruits work well in combination with gooseberries and strawberries.
Red currant varieties
It is worth planting 2-3 different varieties of red currant with different fruit ripening times on the plot. Thanks to this, you will be able to enjoy their taste for most of the summer - from July to August. Here are the most popular varieties of red currant:
Detvan - a currant variety that forms a large and compact shrub, it yields very abundantly. The fruit is large, gathered in long clusters. They ripen in mid-July. The variety is resistant to anthracnose of currant leaves.
Jonkheer van Tets - this variety of currants forms a large, loose shrub, tasty fruits, gathered in long clusters, ripen in mid-July. Resistant to currant leaves. Recommended for growing in an espalier.
Junifer - a shrub with strong growth and a slightly spreading habit. It creates quite long clusters with numerous sweet and sour fruits. The fruit ripens about 3-5 days later than that of the Jonkheer van Tets variety. She is considered not very susceptible to diseases.
Rosetta - it is a late, fast growing and fertile variety. Fruits gathered in long clusters, large to medium-sized, do not flake off when ripe. When deciding to cultivate this variety, you have to be careful about the pest - the large-flaky currant.
Rovada - a late dessert variety with exceptionally tasty fruit. It grows vigorously and yields profusely. Unfortunately, it is often infested with currant anthracnose, therefore, to reduce infection with this disease, it is worth forming foil roofs over the bushes.
