Among the many berries, a special place belongs to red currants. Rich in nutrients, this garden culture is beloved and widespread. One of its inherent advantages is considered to be the early ripening of the fruits and the long-term fruiting of the bush. Red currant is available for cultivation even for beginner gardeners. It is important to choose a variety and give the plant a minimum of attention, following the advice of experienced gardeners.
Growing history
For the first time, Red Early Currant began to be grown in 1963.
The Early Red variety has long been popular in Russia
Since 1974, it has been included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements. The variety was recommended for production cultivation in 4 regions: East Siberian, Central, Central Black Earth and Volga-Vyatka. For almost fifty years of history, he received many fans and did not lose popularity.
Features and characteristics of the variety
The bush of Red early differs little from similar bushes of red currant. But still has some features. Here are the main ones:
- The plant is not tall, as it grows older it does not become too thick. Spreading of the bush remains within the normal range. Young shoots stand out among the other branches in greenish red tan. They are usually not lignified, not thick and without pubescence. Growing up, they acquire a brownish-gray hue, but remain of medium thickness. The buds on the branches are located singly. Small, ovoid with a pointed tip, gray-brown in color, they are pressed against the trunk.
- The bush is covered with wrinkled leaves of light green color. They have from three to five branches, the ends of which are covered with small teeth with a blunt tip. The blade in the middle of the leaf is larger than the lateral, flat and leathery. The surface is covered with veins located at a right angle to the base. Petiole is small, smooth. At the place of its connection with the sheet there is a rounded notch.
- Fruit-bearing brushes are long, can reach 11 cm. On the brown tassels are small flowers of saucer-shaped. The color of the petals is yellow-green. Petals are bent from the center, located freely.
- Although the berries grow small (from 0.6 to 0.11 g), they stand out with a sweetish flavor and bright red color. The variety is characterized by lumpiness in the brush, which means a decrease in the diameter of the berries from the base of the brush to its top. When harvesting leave dry separation. Inside the berries there is a small number of small ovules.
A small and compact plant that bears fruit beautifully with small berries of bright red color
Characteristic
The prevalence of early red currants is due to varietal characteristics. This is an early ripening variety. It is self-fertile, that is, it does not need an additional plant for pollination. It is characterized by high resistance to winter frosts, tolerates sharp and prolonged cold snap to -30 degrees.
Most currant pests and diseases of Redcurrant are not scary. As noted by gardeners who have been cultivating the variety for several years on the site, the bushes do not need additional processing for protection. Originators call only two "currant" sores, which are affected by the Early Red - anthracnose and powdery mildew.
Early red yields a consistently high yield, up to 8 kg from one bush
With proper care from one bush, you can collect up to 8 kilograms of berries. With industrial cultivation, productivity is from 12 tons per hectare and above. Berries well tolerate transportation and storage. Even overripe fruits are edible. Timely harvested crops are usually used to make jam, compotes, jams and marmalade. It is well stored during freezing. Gardeners call only one drawback - the availability of berries in the brush.
Landing Features
Red currant is undemanding to soil and leaving. But a plentiful harvest can be expected only when carrying out enhanced dressing.
Important: gardeners should consider that fruit-bearing brushes are formed at the ends of annual growths. That is why they need to be saved when cropping.
The age of the branches is considered from the year of their appearance. The first summer of their growth is zero year. Annual growth is twigs that grew in the previous summer. They are the main sources of crop formation, covered with tassels with berries. The fruiting period is from 4 to 6 years. Seven-year branches reduce productivity, so they should be removed by updating the bush.
Annual growth - branches that ensure the formation of crops that bear 4-6 years
Preparing the landing site
A place for the future landing of Red Early is prepared in one and a half to two months. In the accelerated version - at least for three weeks. Areas or places flooded by spring waters with shallow (up to 1.5 m) located groundwater for currants are not suitable. If necessary, you can create an artificial hill.
Seedling preparation
When choosing a seedling pay attention to the root system. It should consist of two main processes and many additional ones. The root length should not be less than 50 cm. The aboveground part should be almost the same length and not have damage.
Harvest sour from the right choice of seedlings
A seedling is prepared in this way:
- The tips of the roots are cut, up to 6 buds are left on the branches.
- The underground part is immersed for 3 hours in clean water, and then dipped in a special clay mash (a mixture of fertile soil and clay with water, brought to the consistency of thick sour cream).
- The aerial part is freed from the leaves and shortened by a third of the length.
Currant planting
Early red currants love light soil and well-lit places. To plant a bush, you need a pit of almost cubic shape: 40:40:40 cm.
- Humus (1-2 buckets), wood ash (about a glass) are poured into the pit.
- Then add superphosphate and potassium sulfate 20-40 g.
- The distance between plants is up to one and a half meters, but not closer than 1 m.
- The seedling is lowered into the prepared hole at an angle of 45 degrees and is covered with earth.
The seedling is placed in the hole at an angle of 45 degrees
- The soil must be carefully trampled so that air bags are not created.
The soil must be trampled during planting to avoid the creation of air bags
- When planting the plant, the root neck is deepened by 8-10 cm and watered abundantly (to the bucket for one hole).
- So that water does not spill out, a rim of earth is formed around the seedling.
- The surface of the hole after watering is mulched with sawdust or peat.
Currant planting time is early spring or autumn. Experienced gardeners consider the last week of August - the first week of September to be the most suitable period for this procedure.
Video: proper planting of redcurrant cuttings
Growing Features
Currant bush is important not only to grow, it should give berries. This requires watering, feeding and sheltering for the winter.
Watering
With a long absence of precipitation, the currant needs additional irrigation. Although the Early Red easily tolerates drought, three plentiful watering is simply vital for her.
- after flowering, in the process of berry formation - in mid-June;
- after harvesting, in mid-August;
- to prepare for wintering - the beginning of October.
Currant bush needs watering at least three times per season
To maintain moisture, each watering is completed by loosening and mulching.
Top dressing
The soil where redcurrant grows is depleted from year to year. To maintain the bushes, annual feeding is necessary. It is enough to add additional nutrients three times under each plant:
- in spring - immediately after the seedling is awakened and after flowering is complete, 50 g of urea are introduced;
- in the summer - after flowering is completed and two weeks before the berries fully mature, they are fed with mullein. On the bush, you need half a bucket of mullein solution in a ratio of 1: 4. You can replace the bird droppings, then the ratio will be 1:20;
- in the fall - up to 10 kg of compost, 100 g of potassium sulphide and superphosphate are distributed under the bush, loosen the soil, watered and mulch the entire area under the crown. Such processing can be carried out in a year.
Shelter for the winter
Sudden cooling, snowy winters or windy weather can lead to freezing of red currants. Although Red Early differs in frost resistance, it is worth to be safe and cover bushes.
- First, they clear the earth under the plant from fallen leaves and loosen it to a depth of 12 cm.
- The shoots are pressed to the ground with the help of boards and covered with shavings or spruce branches.
Timely shelter will help survive the harsh winter currants
- With a lack of snow cover, they form a snow cap on their own.
- You can do it differently: tie the shoots and wrap them with any garden cover. After the appearance of snow, create a snowdrift over the cocoons.
Bush formation
Each plant undergoes the formation of:
- remove diseased, broken and weak shoots;
- cut branches whose age exceeds 7 years;
- annuals try not to touch the branches, since they are the basis of the future harvest.
For replacing and updating the bush, the necessary amount (usually no more than 5) of root shoots is retained. Everyone else mercilessly cut out.
Important: pruning is done immediately after picking berries. At this time, all the flaws that need to be addressed are best seen.
Video: processing, cropping and bush formation
Harvest
Fruit harvesting is carried out in several stages, as the brushes ripen. Red early currants ripen gradually. This extends the time of eating ripe fruits directly from the bush.
Red currant berries are picked with a sprig
Overripe brushes do not lose berries, continuing to maintain a pleasant appearance and suitability for consumption and processing. Harvested not individual berries, but tear off the entire brush.
Video: picking and storing berries
Reviews
Gardeners are ready to share their experience in growing Redcurrant and give advice. That is what they say.
Varieties Red early and Sugar (late) - not sour. Early Red has a crazy yield, the berry is large, sweet.
Tinker//www.websad.ru/archdis.php?code=528285
Of the red currants, there are currently only 2 varieties, bred many years ago by our famous breeder Smolyaninova - Sugar and Red Early, which can be eaten without wincing, all other varieties have a strong skew taste in the direction of acid
Fatmax//forum.prihoz.ru/viewtopic.php?start=690&t=1277
About Red Early I also heard a lot. An early ripening variety obtained at WSTISP from crossing varieties Chulkovskaya and Laturnays. Authors: N.K. Smolyaninova, A.P. Nitochkina. Since 1974 it has been included in the State Register of selection achievements approved for use in the Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Chernozem, and East Siberian regions. The variety is self-fertile, yield 12.0 t / ha (3.3 kg / bush), winter-hardy, characterized by high field resistance to pests and diseases. Grade advantages: early ripening, taste qualities of berries. The disadvantages of the variety: the berryiness in the brush.
Chopper//sib-sad.info/forum/index.php/topic/2435-%D1%86%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D1% 81% D0% BC% D0% BE% D1% 80% D0% BE% D0% B4% D0% B8% D0% BD% D0% B0 /
For fresh food, the Early Sweet variety grows. Very tasty sweet large berries, but is affected by powdery mildew.
MarinaM//dacha.wcb.ru/lofiversion/index.php?t12148-50.html
To grow red currants means to provide your family with a delicious berry with medicinal properties. Early red currant is healthy, tasty, easy to grow and is distinguished by an annual return of a plentiful harvest. An undemanding and resilient culture has not in vain occupied a worthy place in the gardens of Russian gardeners for a long time.
