Blackcurrant is perhaps the most popular shrub in home gardens. Gardeners love it not only for its pleasant, slightly sour taste and rich aroma, but also for the abundance of useful substances: vitamins, macro- and microelements. In addition, it is easy to harvest currants for the winter, and on cold snowy days, bake pies and cook compotes, enjoying the summer taste of berries. There are many varieties of this shrub, but today we will pay attention to one of them, which is called Vigorous currant.
Variety descriptions
In the Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after M. A. Lisavenko bred Vigorous currant. The description of this variety is as follows. Currant mid-late ripening. Currant Vigorous is very resistant to weather conditions, tolerates frosty winters well.
The shrub is compact, medium-sized, semi-spreading, which means it can be successfully grown in small areas. Berry brush up to 7-9 centimeters long, 4 to 8 berries are located on it.
Currant Vigorous - the most large-fruited variety at the moment. The berries are round oroval, bright black, glossy, with thick skin and firm firm flesh. The mass of berries varies from 4 to 8 g. The taste is rich, sweet and sour, bright refreshing aroma. The yield is up to 4 kilograms per bush.
Features of care
Due to the large size of the berries, Vigorous currant is very popular. Reviews for this variety are mostly positive. However, the desired unique crop can only be obtained if all agrotechnical care rules are observed.
Currant Vigorous is very demanding for care, it shows its highest yield only in the regions of Western Siberia, for which it was bred. The further north this variety is grown, the smaller the berries and the lower the yield.
Currant gives a higher yield if several different varieties are planted side by side for mutual pollination.
Planting is best done as early as possible, until the plant's buds have blossomed. After planting, the soil is treated with manure, sawdust or peat.
Seedlings require especially abundant watering during the period of ovary, ripening of berries and after harvest for growth and active budding for next year.
The landing site should be well lit and protected from the wind.
Pruning of shoots should be done in a timely manner, they should not be allowed to thicken. Mandatory is the application of organic fertilizers.
During the ripening of the fruit, when the bush is tightly covered with heavy berries, the branches mustbe sure to tie them up, otherwise they will break under their weight.
Pests
Currant Vigorous is very slightly affected by bud mites and powdery mildew, practically does not suffer from rust, is moderately resistant to anthracnose. In early summer, aphids may appear on young shoots. Since there are no berries yet, various pesticides can be used against the pest. As a rule, one treatment is enough until next year.
Adult currant bushes almost do not require chemical treatment from pests and diseases. The tops of the shrub can be affected by powdery mildew. In this case, in the spring they are cut off with a secateurs of 3-4 centimeters. If a web is found during the ripening period of the berries, it should be removed.
Planting currants
So, you have decided that Vigorous currant should settle on the plot. A description of the process of planting seedlings in this case will not be superfluous. Cuttings are planted in mid-September in dug up loose earth at a slight angle (45-50 degrees). At the same time, no more than two buds remain on the surface of the soil. It is better if they are located on the side.
In early spring, shoots 1.5 - 2.5 centimeters long are formed from the buds. At this time, it is desirable to make the first top dressing. What kind of fertilizer does Vigorous currant like? Reviews of gardeners on this matter agree that the best top dressing is a mixture of manure and urea (a tablespoon of urea is added to a bucket of manure). Such fertilizer in early April will be most effective. One bucket of top dressing goes to 10-12 cuttings. The second feeding is carried out througha couple of weeks, at the end of April with the same composition. And finally, the last top dressing can be done in another two weeks. More cuttings are not fed until autumn, but if the summer turned out to be unfavorable, and their growth is very slow, then the fourth top dressing is made until the end of June.
Also, in the middle of summer, you should pinch the shoots. The tip of the shoot is broken with a fingernail and then removed. After that, the growth of the shoot stops and lateral processes appear.
During the season, ash can be applied periodically, seedlings are very responsive to this fertilizer. Ashes are added at the rate of 1 bucket per 3 m of planting, sprinkled near the base of the plantings.
Annual seedlings can be planted in autumn and spring. Plants are placed at a distance of 1.2-1.4 meters from each other. They dig a hole about 4040 centimeters in size, add organic fertilizers, peat, rotted sawdust, grass into it, sprinkle it a little with earth and lower the seedling from above. Top dressing is carried out in the same way as in the case of cuttings, in early April. Three top dressings with an interval of two weeks between each.
Adult bushes of Vigorous currant from 4 years old require liquid top dressing, 3-4 buckets per bush. It is held in mid-May, after flowering.
Pruning is mandatory, removing unnecessary dry branches. The cut is treated with paint or garden pitch.
Variety Benefits
Currant Vigorous is a frost-resistant variety, it is able to tolerate fairly large temperature fluctuations. Pest resistant anddiseases. Breeds well.
The variety is good for harvesting berries with sugar, making compotes and jams.
The berries have a sour taste, as they contain organic acids, some sugar and a large amount of ascorbic acid.
If the harvest is delayed, the berries take on a sweeter, dessert flavor.
Summarize
Thus, the Vigorous currant variety has many advantages compared to other types. It is quite successfully grown by gardeners throughout Russia, but it gives the highest yield only in Siberian regions. Reviews are mostly positive. Gardeners note the pleasant taste of berries, unpretentiousness to conditions and agricultural technology, frost resistance, and a good harvest. Berries are easy to pick, they do not crumble even after ripening. Some summer residents notice that this variety resembles blueberries. Currant Vigorous (the photo in the article is proof of this) has the largest berries among other varieties, which are easily collected and perfectly stored. Try this variety and you!
