Drainage

How to care for currants after winter? Growing and caring for currants in spring and autumn Spring work with currants in April.

Blackcurrant grows in every garden. But we do not always harvest the crop that the planted variety is capable of. Often in the gardens you can see thickened bushes affected by diseases and pests. Everyone in our family loves berries. black currant. In order for the bushes to be healthy, the berries are large and tasty, and caring for the bushes does not take much time, I made a simplified “action plan” for myself.

Early spring (end of March - April). The snow has already completely or partially melted, and the currant buds have not yet swollen

top dressing. Nitrogen is needed for good leaf development. Pour on the ground ready mixes spring fertilizer for berry bushes (with nitrogen) on moistened ground and lightly sprinkle with soil on top. If it is not possible, then you can not fertilize the bushes.

pruning. We carry out pruning if this work was not carried out at the end of autumn. We remove the frozen ends of the shoots. Cut out dry, weak and broken branches. From the cut branches we collect the first crop of currants: elongated buds and fragrant shoots cut into small pieces. They can be folded into a glass jar, closed with a lid and put in the refrigerator, so that they can then be added to the teapot when brewing black tea.

Pests. All round buds on the branches are collected and burned. We rake and burn or put the leaves that have fallen in late autumn into a humus container. Some gardeners pour boiling water over the bushes, which is poured into metal watering cans.

Mid-spring (late April - early May). Black currant buds swell, spring frosts are possible

top dressing. We introduce nitrogen (along the edges of the crown of the bush), if this has not been done before. Can be diluted urea(1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water) or ammonium nitrate (2 tbsp. per 10 liters of water) and immediately sprinkle the soil around the irrigation site with a solution. After weeding, pour humus or loose compost under the bushes.

Landing. it best time for planting seedlings.

Pests. In old gardens, it is desirable to spray the bushes with a 3-5% solution of iron sulfate (against kidney moths, mealybugs, etc.). From the kidney tick we use the drug " Kleshchevit», « Fitoverm" or " Kiovit Jet"(from a tick and powdery mildew).

End of Spring (May)

top dressing. From this time until the fall, we will feed blackcurrants with slightly dried potato peels which are high in starch. We bury them in shallow grooves dug in the ground in those places above which the ends of the branches are located. It is better to plant food potato or corn in the soil. starch. Foliar top dressing with microelements is useful (ready-made formulations, potassium permanganate, boric acid). Water regularly, especially in dry weather.

Weeding. This is the time of active growth of weeds. . Along the way, loosen the soil so as not to damage the surface roots.

Pests. We carefully examine the bushes of blackcurrant. If there is a threat of damage by a moth, spraying the bushes with a weak solution helps. nicotine sulfate with green or laundry soap. Be sure to carry out a manual collection of green and brown berries affected by the moth.

Summer (before harvest)

top dressing. Once every two weeks, we water the ground under the bushes (closer to the edge of the crown) with a diluted infusion of grass, manure or compost. We alternate with backfilling and incorporation of wood ash into the soil.

Watering. Be sure to carry out one plentiful watering. In dry weather, regularly water the blackcurrant bushes.

Pests. With the mass appearance of caterpillars, urgent measures must be taken. Manual collection of the pest or plant infusions is unlikely to help save blackcurrant foliage. You have to use " spark". It is better to take a drug of directed action. For example, " Spark from caterpillars» (1 ml per 10 liters of water). We regularly inspect the bushes, destroy the rest of the pests. Cut out all dead branches.

We carefully inspect all the bushes in order to collect diseased and pest-affected berries and leaves, and then destroy them

When powdery mildew appears, spray the foliage with soda ash. Some gardeners use a weak solution of any cheap washing powder. There is folk way: spray a bush with a dilute infusion of manure (mullein) with a broom. It is said that in this way it is possible to avoid the development of powdery mildew.

Harvesting

top dressing. Sprinkle under each bush wood ash and plant it in the soil.

Pests. We destroy nests of moths and diseased berries . Be sure to cut off the tips of those shoots that are affected by powdery mildew.

Old bushes are often affected by moth

We collect ripe berries.

After picking berries

top dressing. Flower buds are being laid for the next year, so blackcurrants need to be fed with phosphorus and potassium. You can take potassium sulfate and superphosphate. In the first days of August we feed potassium sulfate(1 tablespoon per 10 liters of warm water), and after two weeks double superphosphate(1 tablespoon per 10 liters hot water, insist during the day). We moisten the soil first. For irrigation with fertilizer solutions, you can make a shallow groove along the crown projection line, which we then fill up, and then we mulch the soil with compost or humus.

pruning. It is necessary to regularly cut off the tops of the shoots that are crumpled and powdered with powdery mildew, remove frail young shoots growing in the center of the bush. They only thicken the bush.

Crumpled gooseberry aphids blackcurrant leaves

At the end of August, we pinch the ends of the blackcurrant branches, which contributes to the maturation of the wood and reduces the risk of powdery mildew for the next year. It is better to remove the old branches lying on the ground. Be sure to cut and burn all drying branches, because. the probability of a currant glass case is high. Remember that too strong summer preventive pruning weakens the bush.

Mandatory watering and weeding the soil under the blackcurrant bushes.

Pests. In places where the kidney mite is distributed, we spray it with the preparation " Kleshchevit"(1 ampoule per 2 liters of water). It can be replaced with Fitoverm».

Autumn

top dressing. It is useful to apply potash and phosphorus fertilizers. You can take ready-made mixtures for autumn feeding of berry bushes or superphosphate(100 g per adult bush) and potassium chloride(30 g per adult bush). After dumping the bulk of the foliage, be sure to powder the soil under the woody bushes. ash, we pour fresh fertile soil or compost under each bush with a layer of 10 - 15 cm.

pruning. We cut off the old, twisted, damaged and thickening bush branches. It is advisable to shorten the tops of the shoots . After that, you need to immediately burn all the cut branches.

Pests. Be sure to remove all round swollen buds with currant mites. Sometimes it is necessary to cut branches that are heavily infected with it. Fallen leaves are definitely collected.

Landing. In the second decade of September, we plant layers detached from the mother plant in a permanent place. We plant seedlings (grown from cuttings and purchased), trying not to damage the roots. For warming, add loose compost to them. In the first decade of October, we continue to propagate blackcurrants, planting in fertile soil new cuttings for rooting.

Be sure to carry out autumn moisture-charging watering. After leaf fall, we tighten loose bushes with a strong rope and put bars or boards under some branches or build wooden frame. Without this, a sprawling bush can be crushed by a snowdrift or lose some of the branches by spring.

Winter

At the very beginning of winter, we add as much snow as possible to the bushes. In winter, it happens that frosty days are replaced by thaws. In snowy winters, this leads to blackcurrant breakage. We have to remove part of the snow from heavy snowdrifts, under which there are bushes. After the weakening of frost at the end of winter, you can start harvesting cuttings for spring planting. They are stored in the snow or dug in damp sand and left in a cool place.

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Currant berries are adored by both children and adults due to their sweet and sour taste. In addition, they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. In order to get a rich harvest in the summer, it is necessary to take comprehensive measures to care for this plant in the spring.

Removal of shelter;
Transfer;
pruning;
loosening;
Mulching;
Watering;
Top dressing.

Advice! It is important to start caring for currants immediately after the snow melts with an air temperature of at least +4 0 C.

In early spring, frosty air quickly changes to fresh spring air, so do not delay the start of work in the garden.

Removal of shelter in early spring

In order for the plant to be able to endure severe frosts, it is covered before the start of frost. In the spring, when the air temperature becomes consistently above zero, it is necessary to free the shrub from an organized shelter.

If the branches of the bush were bent to the ground with the help of pins or other devices, now they should be removed and the currant should be given a natural shape.
If the shrub was hiding in special grooves with tiled walls, and covered with a cloth from above, then in early spring it also needs to be freed and all unnecessary items removed.
In the case of harsh winters, experienced gardeners bury bush branches in the ground, and cover them with boards and needles from above. In early spring, removing the shelter involves carefully digging the bush so as not to damage the young buds.

Transfer

The most favorable time for transplantation is autumn. In this case, the shrub has time to fully take root before winter and in the spring to please the gardener with a new crop. However, if for some reason such a procedure was not performed on time, transplantation should be carried out before the kidneys begin to swell.

Advice! After the transplant has been made, it is necessary to carefully monitor the soil moisture. Due to lack of water or top dressing, the transplanted plant can quickly die.

Pruning bushes

Pruning is an important part of currant care. In the middle of spring, it is necessary to remove weak, damaged and dead shoots from the plant. Branches older than 4 years are also shown for removal, since they do not produce a large crop, but only take on a large amount of shrub nutrients.

The final stage of pruning is the formation of the correct crown. On last year's shoots, it is recommended to leave 7-8 buds each, and cut off the rest. This procedure will allow the currant to grow in width, giving more yield.

Soil loosening

After the winter shelter was removed from the bush, it is necessary to put the ground around it in order. First of all, fallen leaves and branches are removed with a rake, as they can contain garden pests and pathogens. And then the soil is loosened.

Important! Currant bushes do not like close proximity to other plants that are taken from the soil useful material. That is why throughout the season it is necessary to remove weeds.

The loosening procedure allows the soil to better pass moisture and air. This procedure should be performed to a depth of 15 cm using a chopper or a small shovel.

Mulching

Since the currant prefers moisture, it is recommended to mulch the soil around the bush already in the spring. Wood chips, straw or humus are suitable as mulch. In addition, the procedure will reduce watering, weed removal and loosening.

Watering currants

Watering in the spring contributes to a rich harvest, so this stage of care should not be neglected. This procedure in the spring has its own rules:

It is recommended to moisten the soil once a week;
1 bush requires about 3 liters of water;
For irrigation, only settled water is used.

Not only the amount of the crop, but also the volume of berries will depend on the correctness of this event.

Spring top dressing

In addition to moistening the soil, currant bushes require the application of organic, nitrogen and mineral fertilizers. Top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers promotes the growth of greenery, but they should be applied in moderation, otherwise all the forces of the currant will be spent on the growth of greenery, and not on the formation of berries.

The first time feeding is done before the appearance of the first leaves, and the second - after the flowering period.

Disease and pest control

Currants can be prone to the following diseases:

Spotting. It is characterized by the appearance brown spots gradually becoming white. Treatment involves treatment with Hom, Nitrofem and copper sulphate. In the absence of measures, the shrub may lose all its greenery.
Powdery mildew. The most common disease diagnosed by white bloom on the leaves. An effective remedy is a solution of ferrous sulfate, which is prepared at the rate of 300 g of the drug per 10 liters of water.
Goblet rust. You can recognize rust by brown convex spots on the leaves. To treat this fungal disease, many gardeners use Bordeaux mixture.
Mosaic. dangerous disease, which is characterized by the appearance of a yellow pattern on the leaves. The danger lies in the fact that it is not treatable and the infected bush should be removed.

In addition to diseases, the danger to currants lies in the kidney mite. Its activity negatively affects the health of the entire shrub, often leading to crop loss. Pruning the affected parts of the currant, as well as its treatment with hot water, can help in the fight against such a pest.

For the health of currant bushes and for a rich harvest, plants need regular care. Compliance with simple recommendations will allow even an inexperienced gardener to delight himself with tasty and healthy berries every season.

Currant is a sweet and sour berry that many adults and children adore. And this is not surprising, because its composition contains a large amount of vitamins, especially vitamin C, groups B and PP, as well as other useful macro- and microelements. However, in order for the berry bush to please you with its abundant fruiting every year, it needs proper care during the entire growing season, and most of all after winter, when the plant is just waking up and more than ever needs care.

How do you need to care for currants in the spring so that there is a good harvest?

When to start spring activities to care for currants after winter: timing

As a rule, work on the spring care of currants in the garden should begin immediately after the last snow melts, and the air temperature becomes positive and settles at about +4..+5 degrees.

Too long delaying the work of clearing and preparing currants for the new season, unfortunately, threatens to develop into a moment when it will be too late to carry out care. The buds in the warm sun will quickly begin to swell and crack, releasing young leaves and inflorescences out. Therefore, it is important not to miss the time and, at the very first favorable days, come to the dacha and get down to business.

In order to properly care for currants in spring, it is necessary to take into account the climatic features of growing crops in different regions and, accordingly, start spring work on time:

Yes, in southern regions they start caring for currant bushes in early spring - in mid-March, immediately after the earth dries out a little.
In the Middle lane (Moscow region), they start caring for currant bushes after winter much later - somewhere in the second half of April.
In the North-West (in the Leningrad region), as well as in the Urals and Siberia, spring care for currants is carried out towards the end of April-beginning of May.

How to care for currants in spring: the main activities

Despite the different dates for the start of work in each individual region, the scheme of spring activities for the care of berry bushes is approximately the same.

So what should be done in the spring with currant bushes to get a good and tasty harvest?

As a rule, the composition of measures for the care of currants in the spring includes the following:

opening after winter (removal of winter shelter);
transfer;
pruning;
loosening and weeding;
watering;
mulching;
top dressing;
treatment for pests and diseases.

Removing shelter (mulch) after winter

To currants at low temperature conditions(from -25 ..-30) did not freeze, for the winter the plant is often covered, or rather mulched.

Therefore, when all the snow has completely melted and melted, you will need to remove all the mulch, as well as rake the shrubs from the near-stem circle all the remaining garbage, the same leaves and stuff(it is very convenient to do this with a fan rake), and then burn it.

Together with organic residues, you will get rid of many insect pests and fungal spores left after wintering. In addition, open soil warms up faster with sunlight, which stimulates the plant to start growing.

pruning

If shelter (mulching) is not at all a mandatory autumn operation, which means that not everyone will have to clean the bushes from last year's mulch, then pruning is one of major events care for currants, from the correct implementation of which in many respects future fruition depends shrub.

So, in the spring, if you did it last year, then, as a rule, you only need to check that the shrub survived the winter well, in other words, carry out sanitary pruning.

By the way! At this point, you should also get rid of any mite buds that you can collect by hand. Moreover, it is desirable to do this as early as possible, in other words, you should not wait for them to swell.

Distinguishing tick-borne from healthy kidneys is quite simple: they are always round, while healthy ones are elongated.

Be sure to burn all collected kidneys!

If you did not do autumn pruning, then it should be here now, i.e. spring.

Loosening and weeding

Next, you can proceed to loosening the soil. The purpose of this event is to improve the access of air to the roots of the plant, as well as moisture and nutrition. Moreover, this should be done with a special chopper (by 5-6 cm), in no case with a shovel, because. currants have a rather superficial root system.

As a rule, along with loosening, weeding is also carried out.

Watering

After the soil dries out from the snow, if there is no additional precipitation, it is very important not to let the currants “die of thirst”.

In the future, the currants in the spring are watered with slightly warm water, in the morning or in the evening, about 1 time per week, while it is required to pour a sufficient amount of moisture under the bush (3-4 buckets).

If you do not water the currant bushes in sufficient quantities, then there can be no talk of any large and tasty berries.

Mulching

To reduce moisture evaporation and prevent weed growth, you can mulch trunk circle currants in the spring with a layer of sawdust, cones, straw or fertile soil - humus, compost, peat, biohumus.

Thanks to mulching, you will have to water the shrub much less often (moisture will hold on much better), and there will also be fewer weeds.

And some even put black non-woven material under the currant bushes.

This is another key activity that is included in the list of basic elements of spring care, and thanks to which you can get increased yield, of course, if you know when and what exactly you need to fertilize the currants in the spring.

So, at the very beginning (during the swelling period), currants need nitrogen, and before flowering - more phosphorus and potassium.

By the way! All information about spring dressing of currants you will find in .

Treatment for diseases and pests

Spraying bushes against diseases and pests is another essential element of spring currant care.

Therefore, in early spring You can .

Transfer

If your bush has noticeably decreased fruiting and it has generally stopped developing: there is no growth of young shoots even after stimulating pruning, it is 10-15 years old - it's time to transplant it, and first propagate it in one of the ways.

Also, the reason for transplantation may be a banal redevelopment of the site or the need to move a completely young berry bush to another place.

It is believed that it is best to transplant currants in the autumn, but this does not mean that it cannot be done in spring or even summer, especially if it is really necessary.

The most important thing at spring transplant(seating) currant bushes - this is in time before the plant buds wake up.

Popular mistakes in caring for currants in spring

Most novice gardeners unknowingly make a number of mistakes. In order not to constantly learn from your own mistakes, it is better to learn in advance about the main potential shortcomings in caring for currants in the spring.

So, the most popular mistakes that occur during the spring care of currant bushes are the following:

untimely start and implementation of specific work (for example, you need to cut it before the start of sap flow and swelling of the kidneys, and you can feed it after or during);
wrong order (it makes no sense to first treat currants from diseases and pests, and then trim them, it is better to do the opposite);
improper feeding (applying too much nitrogen fertilizer) or its absence at all;
incorrect pruning or its absence;
ignoring preventive measures for the protection of currants from pests and diseases.

Thus, the spring care of the bushes of black, red and white currants in the spring does not require any extra effort at all. It is enough to follow simple recommendations and not to ignore the most important garden activities, which in the end will definitely have a positive effect on the harvested crop.

Video: spring currant care

In contact with

At first glance, it may seem that spring care for currants is a complex and time-consuming process. In fact, each bush will require very little time for each operation in late winter and spring. These are works on the principle of “done and wait for the harvest”, but everything must be done on time.

disease prevention,
pest protection,
pruning.

First pest control of the season

Currants often suffer from insect pests: bud currant mites, glass cases, aphids and others. Problems are also created by fungal and viral diseases, for example, anthracnose leaves. Therefore, without treatments, the gardener has little chance of a good harvest.

Without spring processing, currants will be susceptible to various diseases, for example, anthracnose

The first treatment is carried out at the end of winter or early spring in several ways:

bushes are poured with boiling water from a watering can. Short-term exposure to hot water does not harm the bark and dormant buds, but it is guaranteed to kill the tick that hibernates in them, as well as spores of harmful fungi. The timing of this processing is long and varies by region. For example, in Belarus this can be done in the middle of winter, if there are no snowdrifts covering the bushes, but in the Urals better in spring- until the plant begins to wake up and until the first signs of the beginning of sap flow and swelling of the kidneys appear. This time is well determined by the appearance of a light green haze on the bush. It is believed that shock shaking with boiling water also enhances the plant's immunity;
sometimes gardeners, to enhance the effect, add potassium permanganate to boiling water until a faint pink color is obtained, a tablespoon of salt or 50 g of iron or copper sulfate per 10 liters of water;
if for some reason it was not possible to do the treatment in early spring, it is carried out in late March or early April, always until the kidneys are completely swollen, with the following solution: for 10 liters of warm water, 500–700 g of carbamide (urea) and 50 g of copper or iron vitriol. This is a very powerful concentration of urea, but very little gets under the bush and in the future it will work as a nitrogen supplement;
also use such a recipe for getting rid of a tick - a solution of colloidal sulfur, 10 g per 10 liters of water.

Video: watering currants with boiling water

spring pruning

Pruning is carried out in early spring, until the buds are completely swollen. In the southern regions, for example, in Belarus, bushes can be cut during the entire dormant period, because there is no risk of freezing the cut point.

From the treatment with boiling water, the snow melts on the currant bush - you can start pruning

Pruning bushes different ages different, but there is one common condition. Currant gives the best berries on last year's growth. They cannot be cut off, otherwise the harvest of this year is literally cut off. Currants bear fruit on both three-year-old branches and older ones, but most of the large berries are on two-year-olds that began growing last year. Distinguish them by appearance very simple - the bark is much lighter than the older branches.

Spring pruning of currants is carried out every year:

Such an annual pruning rejuvenates old bushes and prolongs the active fruiting of currants.

Video: spring pruning of currants

Frost protection

Currant flowers are very sensitive to frost. Therefore, in northern latitudes middle lane Russia (in particular, in the Urals) is not recommended to plant varieties that bloom too early. But even late-flowering varieties can suffer from recurrent cold weather, and sudden frosts occur in warmer regions, including Belarus. In this case, you need to have a light non-woven covering material that can be closed flowering bush during frosts, without damaging the flowers and young leaves. Such material is guaranteed to save from frost down to -2 ° C.

Delicate flowers of red currant are afraid of frost, so in case of frost they need to be covered with non-woven material

Mulching and loosening

The currant root system is located very close to the surface, so loosening and weeding is carried out very carefully, to a depth of no more than 1-3 cm. In the spring, this is quite enough to destroy all weeds, because at this time they are still poorly developed and have not had time to take root deeply .

After loosening and weeding, the soil must be covered with mulch - it will not allow the earth to dry out and drown out the growth of weeds. But you can't do it too early. It is necessary to wait for heat so that most of the weed seeds germinate and the soil warms up for the normal growth of currants. Under mulch, the soil will remain icy for a very long time after winter. Therefore, weeding, loosening and mulching are carried out late spring when the earth warms up well to a depth and most of the weeds germinate.

Mulching currants in spring can only be done when the earth warms up well in depth

In cold regions (in particular, in the Urals), the superficial roots of currants can freeze. They winter well under a thick layer of snow that has fallen to severe frosts. Since such weather conditions do not always happen, many gardeners cover the ground under a bush with mulch in the fall. If the bush wintered under the mulch, it is removed as early as possible in the spring in order to let the earth warm up faster, and then a new one is poured in, already to protect it from weeds.

Fertilization

Currants are demanding on organic matter, so it is better to use rotted manure, humus or compost as fertilizers.

Currant responds well to organic fertilizers

In addition to top dressing during planting, every spring, currants are fed with nitrogen fertilizers:

carbamide (urea),
ammonium nitrate,
ammonium sulfate (ammonium sulphate).

Fertilizers are scattered over the surface before weeding and loosening at the rate of 15 g per 1 sq. m.

You need to know that ammonium sulfate in its properties is an acidic fertilizer, it can significantly acidify the soil, if not at once, then over the years, and currants need slightly acidic soil with a pH of about 6.5. Therefore, ammonium sulfate is desirable to make with fluffy lime, dolomite flour or wood ash, which quench the acid.

After cold winter summer residents resume tending their garden. Do you grow berry crops and are you wondering how to cut currants in spring? Indeed, caring for these shrubs in this period is no less important than, for example, in the fall.

Spring care prepares currants for fruiting. If you want your berry grower to bring a bountiful harvest and do it regularly, the question is: “How to prune currants in the spring?” - will be very relevant. Caring for a shrub is not difficult, but it is imperative to take the necessary measures and adhere to certain rules.

Why do it?

If care is growing on your site in the spring, it will bring a bountiful harvest. Pruning causes strong growth of shoots in the underground part of the bush. Such processes are called basal, zero or replacement shoots. After pruning, the branching and growth of annual shoots growing on perennial branches is enhanced, the thickening of the bush is prevented, as a result, the size of the berries increases.

Annual spring pruning currant branches will help form a bush and more. This procedure guarantees the harvest. The fact is that this shrub has a peculiarity: basically, the crop is formed on branches of three to four years of age. When this time passes, crops are sharply reduced. Timely pruning of branches provides an increase in fruit-bearing wood for currants - that is, new basal shoots appear.

sanitary measure

Caring for currants in early spring also includes sanitary measures. Pruning is one of them. If there is no appropriate care, the growths of the currant bush will be sick and weak. Accumulation of harmful insects is possible, which can subsequently lead to the death of the plant itself.

To begin with, you should remember the basic rule: this berry should be carried out in early spring, when the buds have not yet blossomed on the branches and sap flow has not begun.

If a currant seedling has been planted recently, its shoots should be shortened in order to contribute to its bushiness. Pruning is done so that each seedling has a couple of buds left. Then in the fall, the currants will have three or four new shoots. If the growth of the seedling is very weak, the shoots should be shortened more strongly, in some cases it should be cut almost to the base, leaving only a stump. Now you know how to cut currants in spring. However, her care does not end there. The shrub continues to grow.

A year later, pruning is again included in the care of currants. first of all, the so-called zero, young shoots are removed. As a result of such actions, four or five of the strongest branches remain on the plant, forming the basis of the bush. It is also necessary to cut off the tops of young shoots on branches, while leaving two or three buds on them. Thanks to this pinching, the so-called fruitlets will form - special fruit branches that grow on old shoots.

young shrub care

Continuing the topic “How to cut currants in spring”, it is worth noting that when the berry grower is three to four years old, the gardener should act in a similar way. Again, you should remove the extra zero shoots, leaving only five or six of the most powerful and strong branches. In addition, in the densest places of the shrub, thin and diseased branches should be cut. If this is not done, weak new branches will grow, which will certainly affect the quantity and quality of the future crop. Be sure to pinch the tops of annual shoots.

Shoots of two or three years of age need to be cut, while leaving a couple of kidneys. This will stimulate the appearance of lateral fruit-bearing shoots. The correctness of the annual spring pruning of currants is checked as follows: on any bush aged from one year to six years, about 15-20 strong and healthy branches should be left.

Blackcurrant needs pruning more than other shrubs and reacts very quickly to it. However, caring for currants in early spring should take into account the characteristics of fruiting and growth of the berry. During the first year of life, as a rule, the basal shoot does not branch out. But next spring, the shoot begins to grow actively, but at the same time bears fruit very weakly. In the third or fourth year, this shoot turns into a strong perennial branch with lateral branches. As long as the annual growth is strong enough, flower buds hatch and are laid along the entire shoot. They form brushes with full-bodied large berries. The most fruitful blackcurrants have three- and four-year-old branches.

How to care for currant bushes that are more than five years old

In the fifth or sixth year, the basal branch still bears fruit a little, but the growth is greatly reduced, amounting to about 3-5 cm. At weakened ends skeletal branches perennial fruit twigs appear (ringlets and fruitlets) with shortened shoots. Quite numerous short brushes with small berries are formed on them.

Similar fruits in blackcurrant are short-lived, after one or two years of fruiting they die off. Their growth is also very weak, and the yield of branches after reaching the age of six drops significantly. Consequently, largest harvest collected from the periphery of the bush.

The above method answers the question: “How to prune blackcurrants?”

When buying new currant bushes, the gardener does not always know what kind of variety it is, what taste the berries will have, what size. If you have a blackcurrant on your site, to find out, you can leave a couple of shoots without pruning. Next summer there will be a few single brushes with berries.

After two or three years, only 3-4 conveniently located and well-developed annual shoots should be left. All the rest must be cut at the base of the bush. First, remove the weak, diseased and thickened. At the same time, old branches are cut out if they are damaged by pests or poorly developed. If the basal shoots form a bush poorly, their growth can be stimulated by cutting off one or two two- to three-year-old branches, even if they bear fruit. The basic rule of pruning is to cut off the branches at the very base.

Growth of the current year

For a gardener, the growth of the current year is the main indicator that it is time to prune. If the shoots are weak and small (about 10 cm), you should go down the branch to the place where a strong top or many fruits grow. Now to this place you need to cut off the top of the branch. The growth of the previous year affects the future harvest, it is on it that blackcurrant bears fruit. Leaving in the spring begins with an inspection of the branches: the fruiting part will be much lighter than the rest of the branches.

Difference between old and young stem

Old stems have gray bark, and there are practically no berries on the old shoot. This is especially noticeable in the spring: there are no flower brushes on the "older" shoots. You can try to consider the rings on the branches - these are indicators of the number of years. If the branches are older than five or six years, it is advisable to remove them, otherwise the yield of the bush will fall.

Rejuvenate an old bush. How to do it right

It should be noted right away that if the shrub is already more than 21-25 years old, it should be uprooted and burned. Here, no operations can help. However, if the bush is 15-18 years old, it can be cut to the base by about a third. When replacement shoots appear, all but the three strongest should be cut out. The next year, cut another third of the oldest branches and again leave three new replacement shoots. And already in the third year, the remaining old stems are cut out. It is undesirable to cut off the entire bush at once, although in exceptional cases it is possible.

If you have not only a black berry growing on your plot, but also its red and white “sisters”, you should know that the options for pruning such shrubs are somewhat different.

We have already considered how to prune in spring. However, red currants also need care in spring. This shrub has some differences in pruning. Let's consider them in more detail.

In general, the cutting technology is similar. However, the red "relative" does not pinch the tops of the branches. In this shrub, fruiting buds are located precisely on the apical parts of the branches of two and three years of age.