Blackcurrant Exotic

One of the most controversial blackcurrant varieties is Exotica. This large-fruited and very productive variety was bred by Russian breeders back in 1994. Since then, debate among gardeners about the advantages and disadvantages of the variety has not subsided. Everyone likes the size of the berries, the high yield of the crop and its unpretentiousness, but the most picky farmers point to the mediocre taste of Exotica. This is not to say that this currant is tasteless, it is just ordinary, without a pronounced aroma or piquant notes. Do the advantages of the Exotic variety outweigh its disadvantages? This needs to be sorted out.

A detailed description of the Exotic blackcurrant variety, with photos and reviews from real farmers, is in this article. All the pros and cons will be listed here, and recommendations for growing and propagating the variety will be given.

Characteristics of culture

Black currant Exotic is the brainchild of domestic breeders from the Siberian All-Russian Scientific Research Institute. To obtain a productive and large-fruited crop, scientists crossed the Golubka variety with pollen from Orlovia and Ershista. The result was a large-fruited variety with good taste characteristics, universal purpose, suitable for industrial cultivation.

The Exotic variety received the following description:

• the crop is early-ripening, early-fruiting - the berries ripen by the first days of July;
• the largest-fruited currant of all the early varieties of Russian selection;
• bushes of medium size, shoots smooth, straight;
• Exotica's leaves are large, wrinkled, dense;
• leaf petioles are painted in a lilac shade;
• the brushes are large and loose;
• the shape of the Exotic clusters resembles grapes, each of them contains 8-10 berries;
• the fruits are large, regular round in shape, with a shiny surface;
• the average weight of berries is 3.5-5 grams, sometimes there are specimens larger than cherries;
• the peel of the fruit is thin and not durable - the berries are prone to cracking and rotting;
• the pulp is tender, fleshy, sweet and sour, with a delicate aroma;
• tasting score of the variety – 4.4 points;
• the balance of acids and sugars in Exotic fruits may vary depending on the composition of the soil and weather conditions of a particular year;
• the tear is not very dry, so the berries often drain and do not tolerate transportation well;
• when overripe, currant fruits may fall off;
• the crop is self-fertile - about 50%, can be grown without pollinators;
• the yield of black currant Exotic is high - about 3.5 kg per bush;
• on an industrial scale, the variety’s yield ranges from 1.5 to 5.1 tons per hectare (depending on growing conditions);
• The plant has good winter hardiness (up to -26 degrees) - the variety is suitable for cultivation in both the Central and Siberian regions;
• Exotics have strong immunity to columnar rust and powdery mildew;
• The variety has average resistance to terry blight, anthracnose, and septoria;
• this crop is rarely affected by the bud mite.

Advantages and disadvantages

Exotic black currant often becomes a subject of controversy for many gardeners and farmers. This is due to the ambiguity of the variety, approximately the same number of positive and negative qualities of this crop.

So, the advantages of Exotic are obvious:

• the gigantic size of the berries, which can rightfully be called exotic;
• high productivity, both on a private and industrial scale;
• good taste and vitamin value of fruits (high content of vitamin C);
• frost resistance normal for the Russian climate;
• immunity to dangerous diseases and pests.

Unfortunately, large-fruited Exotics also have some very significant disadvantages:

• due to not very dry separation, the berries quickly drain and are not suitable for transportation;
• in different climatic conditions, the taste characteristics of black currant fruits can vary greatly;
• overripe fruits fall off the bush, so Exotica requires regular and frequent picking;
• in conditions of high humidity, the skin of the currant cracks and rot may appear;
• The variety does not tolerate heat and drought well and needs regular watering.

For many summer residents and farmers, Exotica is becoming the most favorite variety of blackcurrant; they have been growing it on their plots for years and are not going to change it for something else. Other farmers (and there are quite a few of them too) quickly become disillusioned with exotic berries, claiming that they are not that large and, moreover, quite sour.

Recommendations for gardeners

Despite conflicting reviews, the Exotic variety remains one of the most popular in Russia, and is most often grown in the center of the country. In order not to be disappointed in this large-fruited currant, you need to follow some tricks in the process of growing it.

Experienced farmers who have been growing the Exotic variety for many years recommend the following:

1. To plant bushes, choose areas with light, fertile soils that contain a sufficient amount of humus. If the soil does not meet these requirements, improve its composition with the help of mineral and organic additives.
2. The quality of the harvest is directly related to the time of planting - the Exotic variety should be planted in the fall (late September - first half of October).
3. To create a large supply of root buds, the currant seedling needs to be deeply buried - the root collar should be at least 10 cm underground.
   
4. After planting, the cutting must be trimmed, leaving only 2-3 buds - this stimulates the growth of the root system. The soil must be mulched with organic matter.
5. When industrially growing Exotics in the southern regions, it is imperative to mulch the ground under the bushes with a thick layer (10-12 cm) of straw, sawdust, peat or humus. This will save the roots from overheating and retain moisture.
6. Cross-pollination with different varieties of blackcurrant has a very beneficial effect on both the quantity and quality of the Exotic crop.Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend planting other high-quality varieties with the same flowering periods in close proximity to this crop.
   
7. The Exotic variety should be pruned so that most of the berries are formed on two- and three-year-old shoots (shown in the photo below). With this pruning, the fruits will be large, and the flexible shoots will not break off under the weight of the harvest. By the fifth or sixth year of life, the Exotica bush should have 7-9 shoots of different ages - this is where the formation of currants ends. Now every year the bush is simply rejuvenated by cutting out old branches.
   
8. Watering should be regular, but not too abundant. For the Exotic variety, the drip irrigation method is most suitable. The crop in question will not withstand drought.
9. Large fruits take a lot of energy from the bush, so this currant needs good nutrition. Once every two years you need to add organic matter: this can be humus, compost, wood ash, slurry or a solution of bird droppings. In spring, it is recommended to feed the shrub with mineral complexes.
10. Preventive spraying will protect currants from diseases and pests. It is recommended to carry out treatment three times per season: in early spring, before flowering and after harvesting. If signs of damage or the presence of insects are noticed on the leaves, urgent spraying with special preparations is carried out.
    

It is more convenient to propagate black currant bushes with straight shoots by cuttings or division.If possible, you can bend the lower branch to the ground and dig it in - the shoot should soon take root.

Review

conclusions

Black currant of the Exotic variety cannot be called universal - this crop is not suitable for everyone. This variety should not be planted by those who plan to grow berries for sale - the Exotic crop does not last long when fresh. There is probably no need to plant this currant where there is high humidity, it often rains or, on the contrary, summer is often dry and hot.

But black currants with exotically large fruits will appeal to summer residents and farmers or industrial farmers who grow berries for subsequent processing. The Exotica harvest makes excellent jams and aromatic preserves; it is perfect for freezing.

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