Black currantis a fruit shrub commonly grown in home and allotment gardens. Blackcurrant fruits have numerous he alth properties and are perfect for preserves. Success inblackcurrant cultivationdepends primarily on providing the plant with appropriate conditions at the cultivation site and selecting an appropriateblackcurrant varietyfor amateur cultivation.
Black currant
Black currant - properties
Black currant(Ribes nigrum), belongs to the gooseberry family - Grossulariaceae.It produces fruits with very valuable nutritional and he alth properties.The he alth benefits of blackcurrantare mainly based on the high content of vitamin C and antioxidants. In the folk medina, blackcurrant fruits are used in infections of the upper respiratory tract and rheumatic diseases.
In nature,blackcurrantis a shrub that tends to sprout mainly at the base of the shoot. It has small glands with essential oils on the leaves, which give the characteristic scent of blackcurrant. Flowers appear in April or May. Oldervarieties of blackcurrantare non-pollinating, i.e. they require pollinators. To prevent this, nurserymen have developed self-pollinating varieties and now the problem of pollination has been eliminated, assuming that a good variety will be purchased. Black currant begins to bear fruit after a year, and stops bearing fruit on shoots older than 5 years.
Black currant grows wild all over Europe and Central Asia, also in Poland.It is under partial species protection here. A threat to wild populations of blackcurrants is the drainage of wetlands where this plant occurs, as well as their excavation and harvesting for medicinal purposes.
Growing blackcurrant
Blackcurrant , like other currants, is not a demanding plant when it comes to the substrate. In fertile soils it produces the most fruit, while growing in less nutrient-rich lands, it produces more delicious fruit. When growing on light soils, we should remember about the necessity of irrigation. Avoid planting currants in very heavy and waterlogged soils. We do not plant currants in depressions of the ground, where it is often too humid.
Growing currants in the north produces more acidic fruit than growing currants in the south. Since it blooms in early spring, it is susceptible to frost, so it is best to locate it from the south or south-west.The blackcurrant cultivation site should be warm and sunny. To avoid freezing, you can also choose varieties that bloom later or cover shrubs.
The best fertilizer in the cultivation of blackcurrant is organic fertilizer: manure, compost, bone meal or fish meal. It is not necessary to use nitrogen fertilizers on medium-class soils. We sprinkle organic fertilizers or compost under the bush every year.
Planting currants
Before we plant a currant in a permanent place, the area must first be prepared. In late summer, the substrate should be dug, and a large shovel of manure should be tossed under each bush.Blackcurrant plantingtakes place in the fall - from October to November. The spring time is less favorable as this plant starts growing very early.
The plants are generally available for sale in two years. It is best to choose blackcurrant seedlings with 3 strong shoots. If we buy a bare-root seedling, the longest root should be shortened by a third.
We dig a wide and deep hole under the currant so that the roots can fit freely (the roots cannot bend). We bury the plant 5 cm deeper than it grew in the nursery. Finally, water generously and mulch the soil around the bushes. The distance between the bushes in a row should be 1.5 m, and between the rows - 1.8 m.After planting the currant, cut all the shoots 5 cm above the ground, leaving approx. 3-4 stitches (trim over the eyelet turned outside).
Currant care
When caring forblackcurrant , remember to water it regularly and cover it for the winter, if the place is extremely exposed to frost. It is also worth regularly weeding the area around the currant so that the bush has no competition. An important currant care treatment is mulching the soil around the bushes, which reduces evaporation and hinders the growth of weeds.
Cutting blackcurrant
Black currant is cut from November to March. Cutting blackcurrant depends on the form in which we want to grow the currant.
Shrub form - this is the traditional form of blackcurrant. The currants are not pruned the following year after planting. Cutting blackcurrant in the form of a bush begins with the care pruning of two-year-old shoots on which flowers appear (elimination of older shoots in favor of younger - fruiting ones). When cutting a shrub form, the shoots crossing, growing horizontally or the weakest are removed. It is best to cut the shoots from the center of the bush to expose it. On older bushes, 8-10 main shoots are left, which are replaced every 4 years. So every year a quarter of the bush is cut down.
Stem form - currant seedlings in the form of trees, in which the variety is grafted onto a stump pad.Cutting blackcurrantin a tree-like form causes less stretching during fruiting, and reduces the susceptibility to currant diseases such as powdery mildew and results in higher fruit production.Cutting blackcurrant in a woody form allows the bush to take up less space, the tree ages more slowly, and pruning becomes necessary only after a few years. With a tree-like form, the plant should be often staked so that it does not overbend under the weight of the fruit. "
Blackcurrant harvest
Blackcurrant bears fruit in the 3rd year after planting, but it produces a large amount of fruit only in the 4th year of cultivation. Harvesting begins in the first half of July, when the fruit is fully ripe. After picking, the fruit stays fresh for 2-3 weeks.
Blackcurrant varieties
There are many varieties of black currantbecause of the popularity of these fruits. Here are some of the more famous:
Andega - self-pollinating, gives a lot of fruit, resistant to mildew, medium, sour and aromatic fruit.
Black down - A self-pollinating variety of currants, it gives a lot of medium-sized, sweet and juicy fruit. A good variety for preserves.
Cadou - another self-pollinating currant variety, large sweet fruit. It tastes best fresh.
Cassis blanc - also self-pollinating, fertile, medium and white fruit, not very aromatic.
Delbard Robusta - A non-pollinated variety, the fruit is large and sour, aromatic.
Ores - Late variety, ripens at the end of July. Resistant to frost, resistant to mildew and white currant rust, and moderately susceptible to leaf fall. Crops abundantly.
