Content
Currant Delicacy is a modern variety bred by domestic breeders and capable of withstanding difficult climatic conditions. It is frost-resistant, high-yielding, undemanding in cultivation and care, and resistant to pests. The berries of this variety of black currant are fragrant, tasty, and large.
Description of the blackcurrant variety Delicacy
Delicacy is a mid-early ripening blackcurrant variety of Russian selection. It was bred at the Pavlovsk experimental station in the Leningrad region by E. V. Volodina, S. P. Khotimskaya, O. A. Tikhonova at the beginning of 2000, who used the black currant varieties Odzhebin and Minai Shmyrev during breeding work. In 2007, the Delicacy variety was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation of varieties that are allowed for cultivation in the Central region, the Far East, and the Northern and Northwestern regions.
A description of the main characteristics of black currant of the Delicates variety helps to evaluate varietal characteristics.
Bush
The currant bush of this variety is medium spreading, tall (1.5 m) with a dense crown.Young shoots are smooth, green in color with a smooth shiny surface, thick, slightly drooping. The color of the lower part is uneven, with a weak anthocyanin tint.
Mature, lignified, brownish-brown branches taper slightly in thickness toward the apex. They are shiny, slightly lowered, geniculate. In general, the bush is massive, can withstand gusty winds and does not need staking.
The buds on the Delicacy currant bush are single, medium-sized, oval in shape with a pointed apex. They are deflected, drooping, pinkish or lilac in color. The apical bud is large, ovoid.
Leaves
The leaves of black currant Delicacy are five-lobed, medium and large in size. They are shiny, dark green in color. The leaf surface is leathery and wrinkled. On the upper and lower sides of the leaf blade the main veins are sparsely drooping. The leaf is concave along the central vein. The main veins are in most cases not colored. Some leaves have a slight anthocyanin coloration from the base to the midrib.
The central blade of the leaf is large, concave, ovoid, pointed. Additional protrusions are barely noticeable. The lateral lobes are shorter than the middle one. They are oval in shape with the tops oriented to the sides. The basal lobes are weakly expressed, with spread veins.
The base of the leaf is heart-shaped, with a deep or medium-sized depression. A typical characteristic of the Delicates currant variety is the funnel-shaped concavity of the middle lobe of the apical leaves. This impression is created due to the raised edges of the lateral and basal lobes.
The leaf teeth have distinct, short, shallow “claws.”The leaf petioles are located at an angle of almost 60 degrees to the branch. They are thick, medium in length, and green in color. Their shape is straight or slightly curved
Flowers
The flowers of the black currant bush of the Delicates variety are medium-sized, pinkish in color, and goblet-shaped. The petals are oval with a slight anthocyanin color, slightly inclined towards the pistil and touching each other. The stigma of the pistil is located above the anther.
The ovary is uncolored, smooth, uncovered. The brushes can be 4.5 - 6.8 cm long and contain 5 - 8 berries. The axis of the brush is not thick, green in color with a short or medium petiole. The berry stalks are long, drooping, green and medium in thickness.
Berries
Delicacy currant berries are classified as medium-large. Their weight is 0.9 - 1 g, size - up to 1 cm in diameter. They are black, round or slightly oval, with a shiny surface. Inside the berries there are about 50 small seeds that are practically undetectable. The calyx of the fruit is small, some berries may be wide. It can be falling or semi-falling.
The taste of currants is delicate, sweet and sour, aromatic, the tasting score is 4.9. The skin of the berries is thin and soft, but at the same time dense. Their flesh is juicy.
The chemical composition of the fruits is given in the table:
Substance | Average content, % |
Water | 83 |
Cellulose | 4,8 |
Carbohydrates | 7,3 |
Squirrels | 1 |
Fats | 0,4 |
Characteristics
The black currant variety Delicatessen is classified as early-bearing, with average self-fertility. Crops of this variety are characterized by tolerance to low temperatures. It is resistant to diseases and pests characteristic of black currant:
- leaf spot;
- powdery mildew;
- kidney mite (moderate resistance).
The description of the characteristics of the Delicates currant variety is confirmed by reviews from experienced and novice currant growers.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Currant Delicacy is a variety with excellent frost resistance. Plants tolerate temperatures down to -20 °C without shelter. When the bush is insulated for the winter, it does not freeze out in temperatures down to -35 °C, making the variety suitable for cultivation not only in the central regions, but also in the harsh conditions of Siberia and the Urals. The crop is not susceptible to returning spring frosts.
The drought resistance of the variety is low. The shrub needs good watering, but excess moisture is undesirable.
Productivity of the variety
The Delicacy variety is classified as early ripening, with high yield. The indicators that characterize it are described in the table:
Index | Meaning |
Yield per bush | up to 12 kg |
Average berry yield | up to 196 c/ha |
Age of onset of fruiting | 2 years |
Fruiting period: · formation of berries · ripening |
· early July; · mid-July – early August. |
The berries of the Delicatessen variety are harvested when they acquire a bright black color. Properties of ripe currants:
- the fruits are easily separated from the bush;
- Thanks to the dense skin, the berries are not crushed during transportation and retain their juiciness;
- as the fruit ripens, the size of the fruit does not decrease;
- currants are not prone to shedding;
- the berries do not bake in the sun.
Application area
Black currant variety Delicatessen is popular in home gardens and farms. It is used to make jams, preserves, juices, compotes, jelly, smoothies, and added to the filling of pies. Wines, liqueurs and tinctures are prepared from the berries.Currants can be consumed raw or canned.
The berries of this variety can be dried and frozen. After defrosting, their shape and taste are not lost. The harvest is well stored and suitable for transportation.
Pros and cons of the variety
Blackcurrant A delicacy has advantages and disadvantages. Advantages of the variety:
- High taste qualities of berries.
- Ripening in the mid-early period.
- Abundant fruiting.
- Frost resistance.
- Resistance to diseases characteristic of black currant.
- Transportability of fruits.
- Easy to grow and care for.
The variety has a drawback - low self-fertility, that is, the ability to be pollinated by its own pollen. Blackcurrant Delicacy produces high and stable yields in the presence of pollinating varieties. Nearby you can plant shrubs of self-fertile varieties, for example, Golubka, Pobeda or September Daniel.
Reproduction methods
Black currant variety Delicatessen is propagated in the following ways:
- Cuttings. In autumn in October, a healthy shoot 15-20 cm long is separated from a blackcurrant bush and cut into pieces with pruning shears. On each segment there should be 2 - 3 places with dormant buds. If there are leaves, they are broken off. Then the cuttings are transplanted into prepared soil at an angle of 60 degrees. Usually they take root well and immediately begin to grow.Important! Currant cuttings can be carried out in the spring, but if there is insufficient watering, the cuttings may not have time to grow developed roots and will dry out.
- By layering. This is an effective way to propagate Delicacy currants, because the cuttings take root and take root well. The procedure is carried out in autumn or early spring. Healthy, strong annual shoots growing from the outside of the bush are placed in small trenches 5 cm deep and secured with pins. Layers are watered abundantly. The resulting shoots are spudded, and in the fall they are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
- Dividing the bush. This is a simple method that is used when replanting or rejuvenating currant bushes. A healthy mother specimen of the Delicatessen currant is spudded in early spring. In summer the soil is added twice. Constantly keep the soil moist, avoiding it drying out. In September, the bush is dug up and divided into parts. The delenki are immediately planted in a permanent place.
Planting and care
The right time to plant Delicatessen blackcurrant is late autumn or early spring, after the snow has melted. For this purpose, planting material is selected that meets the requirements:
- the seedling should have 3 – 5 healthy shoots;
- The root system is developed, healthy, the roots are light.
The place for blackcurrant Delicacy is chosen to be well-lit, but slight shading is allowed.They begin to prepare it for planting several years in advance, removing germinating weeds, periodically digging and applying fertilizers (humus or rotted manure). The soil is preferably light, loose, fertile, with low acidity. Slightly podzolized, loamy and sandy loam soils meet these requirements. If groundwater lies close, then in order to avoid stagnation of moisture at the roots, the bush is planted on a hill or drainage is organized.
Algorithm for planting currants of the Delicates variety:
- At the selected location, holes are dug for the seedlings, 40 - 60 cm wide, 30-40 cm deep, with an interval of 1.5 - 2 m from each other. Rows are also organized at a distance of 1.5 - 2 m.Important! To feed the currant bush of the Delicates variety, an area with a radius of about 2 m is required.
- Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are added to the bottom of the hole mixed with humus in the following proportions: superphosphate - 50 g, potassium sulfate - 20 g, humus - 5 - 6 kg. Then pour out half a bucket of water.
- The seedling is placed in the hole at an angle of 45 degrees, its roots are sprinkled with earth and compacted.
- The planted plant is watered with ½ bucket of water.
- The trunk circle of the bush is mulched with humus, peat or rotted manure.
Aftercare
To ensure high yields and preserve varietal characteristics, Delicacy currants require proper care:
- Black currants are watered at the root often, every other day in dry and hot weather.Lack of moisture negatively affects the development of the plant. Watering is stopped during the ripening period of the berries. The optimal amount of water for watering is a bucket per bush, twice a day, in the evening and in the morning.
- Once a month, fertilize (urea, superphosphate, potassium fertilizers). The nutrient mixture is diluted in water according to the instructions and watered over the currants.
- Currant bushes of the Delicates variety require regular pruning. In early spring, before buds open, or in late autumn, after leaf fall, a formative and rejuvenating haircut is carried out. For sanitary purposes, the bush is pruned throughout the growing season. At the same time, shoots older than 5 years, diseased and twisted branches, and shoots growing close to the ground are removed.Attention! A properly formed Delicatessen currant bush has approximately 15 branches of different ages: 3 - annual shoots, 3 - biennial shoots, and so on.
- To prevent damage to the bark of seedlings by rodents, household waste and plant debris should not be allowed to accumulate on the site. In winter, after snowfall, the snow is trampled down around the bushes. In a dense layer, it is difficult for mice to move and make moves. Hares usually do not touch currants.
- The currant bush of the Delicates variety is powerful, stable and does not need a garter.
- When growing the Delicates variety in the southern and central regions, special preparation of shrubs for winter is not required. In late autumn, fallen leaves are removed, the soil around the tree trunk is spilled and dug up. The soil surface at the root collar is mulched.
- Currant branches grown in regions with cold climates are tied in bunches, bent to the ground and strengthened in this position. The fallen snow will cover the bush and protect it from frost.The bush can not be lowered, but covered with agrofibre.
Pests and diseases
Despite the resistance of black currant Delicacy to powdery mildew, spotting and bud mite, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the branches and leaves of the plant. If signs of disease or pests appear on the shoots, they should be removed immediately. This is done to prevent the spread of infection to other organs of the bush. The soil around the currants is treated with antibacterial drugs or folk remedies, for example, infusion of garlic or onion. For currant aphids, glass beetles, bud mites, sawflies, and gall aphids, plants are sprayed with Fitoferm, Fufanon or Akarin.
If signs of spotting, anthracosis, and other unhealthy changes are found on the leaves, the crown of the bush is treated with fungicides or Bordeaux mixture (50 g per 5 liters of water).
Conclusion
Currants, a delicacy, are popular among gardeners due to their productivity, high quality berries, frost resistance and disease resistance. The only drawback of the culture is low self-fertility. It is compensated by planting pollinator varieties on the site. The shrubs do not require special care: it is enough to follow the general rules of agricultural technology for blackcurrants.
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