Content
Currant Lama is a variety of Russian selection, bred specifically for the climatic conditions of Western and Eastern Siberia. It has good winter hardiness and produces a stable harvest of tasty berries. The culture is unpretentious in care, but requires regular watering.
History of selection
Black currant Lama is a domestic variety obtained in 1974 at the Siberian Research Institute of Horticulture named after Lisavenko. The authors are N.S. Antropova, I.P. Kalinina, Z.S. Zotov and N.I. Nazaruk. When crossing, two varieties were taken as a basis - Chernaya Lisavenko and Liya fertile.
Currants passed successful tests, but they were included in the register of breeding achievements only in 1999. They are recommended for cultivation in the regions of Western and Eastern Siberia.
Description of the blackcurrant variety Lama
The currant bush of the Lama variety is vigorous (150–200 cm), compact in shape. The crown is dense, the shoots are strong, thick, and straight.The surface of young branches is purple in color, with noticeable slight pubescence. More mature shoots become dark brown and woody. The buds are small in size, oblong in shape, with a sharp edge, crimson in color, with shades of brown. They have no pubescence, are located singly, and are deviated in relation to the shoot. The apical bud is free.
The currant leaves of the Lama variety are five-lobed, large in size, dark green in color, with a slight gloss. The surface is smooth, leathery, the plate is almost flat, but bends slightly along the main veins. The middle blade is elongated, the tops are pointed, and the notches between them are small. An open, shallow recess is noticeable at the base of the leaf. The leaf blades are serrated, the tip is pronounced. The petioles are short, not too thick, lilac in color, and have pubescence. In relation to the shoot, they are located at an angle of 45 degrees.
The currant flowers of the Lama variety are large, goblet-shaped, with pink or slightly purple sepals. The axes of the brushes are small, straight, without pubescence. The brushes are small, 5–6 cm in length, drooping towards the ground. The axes are green, quite thick, and have a light purple tint.
Main characteristics of currant berries of the Lama variety:
- weight from 1.1 to 2.4 g;
- round shape;
- color rich black;
- the number of seeds is small;
- dry separation;
- the pulp is sweet;
- the taste is good, balanced (4 points out of 5);
- The thickness of the skin is average.
Lama currant berries have a pleasant taste and attractive appearance.
During the research, the following chemical composition was established:
- proportion of dry matter – from 13 to 18% of the total mass;
- sugar in total from 7 to 11%;
- acids – from 1.5 to 4%;
- vitamin C content: more than 160 mg per 100 g;
- amount of pectin components: from 1 to 2.7%.
Characteristics
Lama is a blackcurrant variety bred for the difficult climatic conditions of Siberia. The culture is unpretentious, so both experienced and novice gardeners can cope with its cultivation.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
The Lama currant variety has high winter hardiness and can withstand frosts down to -30 °C without shelter. It does not tolerate drought well: in the heat, additional abundant watering is required, otherwise the yield will noticeably decrease and the berries will become sour.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Black currant Lama is a self-fertile variety - it does not require pollinators, mono plantings are possible (only one variety). In terms of ripening time, the crop is medium-early. Flowering occurs in mid-June, and peak fruiting occurs in the second decade of July.
Productivity and fruiting, keeping quality of berries
The average yield of Lama currants is 2.7 kg per bush. During industrial cultivation, about 9 tons per hectare are harvested, the maximum recorded figure is 19.5 tons. Ripening is smooth, which makes harvesting easier. The keeping quality and transportability of the fruit are average, since the skin is not very strong.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Currant variety Lama is characterized by good resistance to typical diseases and pests: powdery mildew, bud and spider mites, gall aphids.
Therefore, as a preventive measure, it is enough to carry out one spring treatment of currant bushes of the Lama variety with a fungicide. You can use Bordeaux mixture, Skor, Tattu, Fundazol or other products. Homemade infusions are used to kill insects:
- wood ash and laundry soap;
- tobacco dust;
- onion peels;
- garlic cloves;
- baking soda.
In case of severe infection, insecticides are effective - “Fufanon”, “Decis”, “Green Soap”, “Biotlin” and others. The processing of currant bushes of the Lama variety is carried out in the evening, in dry and windless weather.
Advantages and disadvantages
Black currant variety Lama has a number of advantages. This is an unpretentious crop, which was bred just for the climatic conditions of Siberia.
Black currant variety Lama produces a stable harvest of tasty berries that can be eaten fresh and used in preparations
Pros:
- pleasant taste of berries;
- good immunity to diseases and pests;
- friendly fruiting;
- the crop can be harvested manually and mechanized.
Minuses:
- berries that are not too large;
- keeping quality and transportability are average.
Features of planting and care
When purchasing seedlings, you need to carefully examine them so that the roots and shoots are completely healthy. It is better to plan planting in the first ten days of October, but this can be done in early April. The place for currant bushes should be sunny, protected from winds and waterlogging (low areas should be avoided). The optimal soil type is fertile, light loam.
Currant seedlings of the Lama variety must be one or two years old
If the soil is clayey, add 1 kg of sand or sawdust to the same area.
The algorithm for planting Lama currant seedlings is standard:
- Dig several holes 50–60 cm deep at a distance of 1.2–1.5 m.
- Lay a layer of small stones.
- Pre-soak the roots of the seedlings in Kornevin, Epin, Zircon or another growth stimulant.
- Plant at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Sprinkle with soil, deepening the root collar by 5–7 cm.
- Tamp down a little, water generously.
- Mulch for the winter with peat, sawdust, dry leaves, and cover with spruce branches.
In normal weather conditions, you should give 2 buckets per bush twice a month, and in hot weather - weekly. In the late evening, you can periodically irrigate the crown. Moreover, in the first year after planting, the seedlings are watered 2 times a week.
Starting from the second season, fertilizing is applied:
- in April they give urea (20 g per bush);
- in early June - mullein, humus or infusion of cut grass;
- during the formation of berries - complex mineral fertilizer (30–40 g per bush). At the same time, you can pour a solution of boric acid (3 g per bucket of water).
Mature bushes also need to be tied up. Loosening and weeding are carried out as necessary. In the spring, they must do sanitary pruning, and in the fall, formative pruning (12–15 strong shoots are left). For the winter, they are well watered, the bushes are dug up, and after the first frost they are covered with burlap.
Reproduction methods
Lama currants can be propagated by cuttings and layering. In the first case, in June, green cuttings up to 20 cm long are cut, an oblique lower cut is made and soaked in a growth stimulator. Then they are planted under a film in a mixture of peat and sand (1:1), thoroughly mulched in the fall, and transplanted to a new place in the spring.
Layers are obtained at the end of spring - the lower shoots are buried to a depth of 10–15 cm, fed, watered regularly, and mulched for the winter.In the spring, all cuttings with roots are cut, transplanted to a permanent place and given nitrogen fertilizer.
Propagation of currants by layering is the most effective method
Conclusion
Currant Lama is an unpretentious variety that can be grown both in Siberia and in other regions. The bushes are strong, tall, and the yield is stable. During care, remember to regularly water and fertilize. For the winter it is necessary to cover only in regions with an unfavorable climate.
Reviews with photos about black currant variety Lama
