Content
The Golubka currant was bred by Siberian breeders. Its value lies in its early ripening, productivity, and resistance to drought. The variety was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation in 1984 under the name Golubki Seedling.
Description of the currant variety Golubka
The Golubka currant variety is intended for cultivation in the middle zone, the Urals and Siberia. It looks like a medium-sized, slightly spreading bush. Its shoots are thin, erect, and fawn in color. Young branches are green. The buds are medium in size, egg-shaped, with a pointed tip, yellow-brown in color.
The leaves of the Golubka currant are five-lobed, wrinkled, and medium in size. The leaf blade is shiny, dark green, with wavy edges. The blades are pronounced and pointed. The petioles are short, green, located at an acute angle to the shoots.
The flowers are glass-shaped and medium sized. Sepals are light green, curved. The brushes are medium-sized, thick, 6 cm long. They contain from 6 to 9 fruits.Black currant berries contain dry substances, pectin, and ascorbic acid. The total sugar content is from 6.6 to 13%.
Description of Golubka currant berries:
- black thin skin with a pale coating;
- spherical shape with edges;
- weight from 1.3 to 3.5 g;
- average number of achenes;
- sweet taste with sour notes.
Characteristics
Before planting Golubka currants, their characteristics are analyzed: resistance to drought and cold, ripening time. Particular attention is paid to the yield and quality of berries.
Drought resistance, frost resistance
Black currant Dove tolerates heat and lack of moisture well. Its frost resistance is average, about -26 °C. In harsh winters, the shoots freeze at the base. In cold climates, preparation for wintering is mandatory.
Productivity of the variety
Golubka currants ripen early. The first berries are harvested in mid-late June. They mature at the same time. Ripe currants begin to crumble and crack, so it is not recommended to delay harvesting. At the same time, the fruits of the bush do not bake in the sun.
According to the description of the variety, the black currant Golubka bears from 5 to 8 kg of berries. The plant is self-fertile and does not need a pollinator to form ovaries. Over time, the fruits become smaller. In this case, the bush should be replaced.
Application area
The berries of the Golubka variety have a technical purpose. They are used for processing: making preserves, jams, compotes, and baking fillings. Fresh berries are added to smoothies, yoghurts, and muesli.
Pros and cons of the variety
According to the description of the variety and reviews, Golubka currant has the following advantages:
- brings harvest one of the first, compared to other varieties;
- self-fertility;
- begins to bear fruit early;
- demonstrates simultaneous ripening of fruits;
- stable yield;
- resistance to diseases.
The main disadvantages of the Golubka variety:
- inferior to modern varieties in taste and transportability of fruits;
- average winter hardiness;
- over time, the quality of the crop decreases;
- suffers greatly from a kidney mite attack.
Reproduction methods
Black currants are propagated vegetatively:
- Cuttings. Select annual shoots with a thickness of 7 mm and cut them to a length of 20 cm. They are harvested in the fall in October, when the bush goes into a dormant state. The cuttings are rooted in a mixture of sand and soil. In spring, currants are planted in the garden, watered and fed.
- By layering. In early spring, choose a strong branch. It is placed in a pre-dug furrow, secured with staples and covered with earth. By autumn, the cuttings will have a root system, and they will be planted in a permanent place.
- Dividing the bush. The method is used when transplanting black currants. The rhizome is divided into parts, the cut is treated with wood ash. The resulting seedling should have several shoots and roots.
Planting and care
Black currant Golubka can be planted throughout the summer season. However, it is best to choose the autumn period, when the leaves have fallen. Then the plant will have time to take root before winter and begin to develop in the spring. This option is suitable for the southern regions.
It is possible to postpone work until spring. Then the planting of black currants is carried out before the buds open. Spring work is preferable for the middle zone and northern regions. For the winter, seedlings can be buried in the ground and sprinkled with sawdust.
Black currant Dove prefers fertile, light soil. The optimal soil reaction is neutral or slightly acidic. For the bush, choose an illuminated area located on the south or west side.
A place for black currants is prepared in the fall. The soil is dug up, 1 sq. m add up to 7 kg of humus, 1 liter of ash, 100 g of superphosphate. It is best to plant several types of blackcurrants. Although the Golubka variety is self-fertile, the presence of pollinators will help increase yield. Leave 1 - 1.5 m between bushes.
Two-year-old plants are chosen for planting. They are first inspected to detect cracks, rotten areas and other defects. The seedling should have 1 - 2 shoots up to 40 cm long, strong roots. If the root system is overdried, it is immersed in clean water for 2 - 3 hours.
Procedure for planting black currant Dove:
- A hole is dug at the site with a depth of 0.6 m and a diameter of 0.5 m.
- The pit is filled 2/3 with a substrate consisting of fertile soil, 4 kg of humus, 50 g of superphosphate, and a handful of ash.
- 5 liters of water are poured into the hole and left for 3 weeks to shrink.
- Before planting, fertile soil is poured into the pit to create a small hill.
- A currant seedling is placed on top, its roots are straightened and covered with earth.
- The soil is compacted and well watered.
- The shoots are cut off, leaving 2-3 buds on each.
- A mulching layer 5 cm thick is made in the tree trunk circle. Humus or straw is used.
Aftercare
The Golubka variety grows quickly. Therefore, pruning the shoots becomes an obligatory step. It is carried out until the kidneys swell. The growing season of the bush begins very early, so it is important not to miss the pruning time. Be sure to remove broken, dry, old, diseased branches.
For mature currants, formative pruning is performed. 3 - 5 strong branches are left per bush. The root shoots are cut out. In July, skeletal shoots are pinched. These stimulate the growth of fruit buds.
Regular watering of the Golubka variety will ensure a good harvest. Moisture is important during flowering and ovary formation. 20 liters of warm, settled water are poured under the bush. First make furrows 10 cm deep at a distance of 30 cm from the plant.
Fertilizing of the Golubka variety begins the next season after planting. In the spring, 40 g of urea is added under the bush until sap flow begins. For adult plants, the dosage is reduced to 20 g. After flowering, the currants are fed with superphosphate and potassium salt. Add 30 g of each fertilizer to 10 liters of water.
According to the description, the Golubka currant freezes slightly in harsh winters. In late autumn, the bush is hilled up, and a layer of humus is poured on top. To prevent the plant from being damaged by rodents, install a metal mesh. Young bushes are covered with non-woven fabric.
Pests and diseases
The Golubka variety is characterized by resistance to anthracnose, blight, and powdery mildew. Signs of disease appear more often in cold and rainy summers. To combat lesions, Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride, and the drugs Topaz, Oxychom, and Fitosporin are used.
Currants of the Golubka variety are defeated by the attack of the bud mite. This is a microscopic pest that is difficult to detect visually. It feeds on currant buds, which become deformed and increase in size. It is better to fight the kidney mite with the help of the drugs Contos, Phosfamide, Actellik.
For prevention, black currants are treated with Nitrafen. Spraying is carried out until the buds swell. Digging up the soil in the fall, removing fallen leaves, and regularly pruning shoots helps get rid of pests.
Conclusion
Currant Golubka is a high-quality proven variety for most regions of Russia. It is valued for its high yield and good taste. When growing the Golubka variety, special attention is paid to watering, fertilizing, and protection from pests.
Reviews of black currant Dove
