Content
For those who grow fruit and berry crops in their summer cottages or garden plots, there are no rest periods. Gardeners and summer residents are constantly working to prepare for the summer dacha season, for harvesting, and study information about planting future seedlings. Planting currant seedlings in the spring is carried out if it was not possible to do this in the fall for some reason.
How to choose currant seedlings
Currant is a berry bush that has high frost resistance and can consistently bear fruit with proper care for 10 - 15 years. Experienced gardeners recommend planting currant seedlings in open ground in the fall. Planting blackcurrant seedlings in the spring is also possible, but some conditions must be observed that take into account the characteristics of the crop.
In order for the shrub to take root in the spring, zoned varieties are chosen.They must be fully suitable for the selected climatic zone and meet the basic requirements.
External description of seedlings suitable for planting in spring:
- the age of the process is 1.5 – 2 years;
- the presence of at least 3 skeletal roots;
- absence of damaged dry areas on the roots or on the above-ground parts.
Experienced gardeners recommend choosing blackcurrant seedlings for planting in the spring in specialized nurseries that grow and sell fruit and berry crops.
When to plant currant seedlings in spring
Early autumn is suitable for planting. Due to climatic conditions in some regions associated with cold snaps that begin earlier than meteorologists predict, many gardeners are practicing spring planting. This applies to all regions of the country except the southern ones. The advantages of planting during this period include:
- successful rooting before the onset of cold weather: blackcurrant seedlings are given more than 4 - 5 months for this process;
- rooting in spring is more successful due to active sap flow and development of shoots;
- Due to the active moistening of the soil after the snow melts, the risk of moisture deficiency is minimized.
The main disadvantages of planting seedlings in the spring are possible insect invasions in the summer, as well as the possibility of the spread of infections to which young, immature shrubs may be susceptible.
When planting in the spring, choose a period of time when the soil becomes soft enough for digging. The air temperature during landing should not be below +5 °C.
The planting pit is prepared 1.5 - 2 weeks before planting. This means that the level of heating of the earth from the moment of initial digging will increase by the time of planting.
How to plant currant seedlings in spring
Preparation begins long before the seedlings are placed in the ground; black currants can be planted in the spring only after preparation. They take into account the location, as well as the fact that the currants will grow in the selected area for about 10 - 15 years.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
Currants are a crop that bears fruit well in sunny, open, flat areas. The berries begin to shrink when the bushes are partially shaded, so when placing, adhere to the basic rules:
- plantings in lowlands with possible stagnation of water and high groundwater levels are excluded;
- planting under the shade of tall buildings or trees with wide crowns is excluded;
- It is not recommended to plant blackcurrant seedlings in places where draft winds often occur.
Gardeners call black currant an unpretentious berry and note that it does not make high demands on the soil. However, when planting in the spring, it is taken into account that shrubs can produce a stable and high-quality harvest only if suitable soil is selected.
The possibility of planting currants on heavy peat soils with a high clay content is completely excluded. For normal development of seedlings, loamy or sandy loam soils with an acidity level close to neutral are suitable.
The planting area begins to be prepared in advance. Dig a hole up to 55 cm deep and up to 60 cm in diameter. The top layer of soil is mixed with prepared fertilizers. At the preparation stage, organic fertilizers such as manure or humus are used, as well as mineral mixtures with a high content of phosphorus and potassium. The prepared mixture is poured into the dug hole and covered with moisture-proof material.After 2 weeks, dig the hole again and begin direct planting.
Preparing seedlings for planting
One of the conditions for successful rooting is proper preparation of the selected seedling. 24 hours before planting, it is carefully inspected, dried roots are removed with pruning shears, and soaked in water. A manganese solution is used for disinfection, and root stimulants are used to stimulate growth. Soaking time can last from 10 to 15 hours. This depends on the condition of the planting material.
Then the seedlings are taken out and treated with a clay mash. This is a special mixture that gardeners prepare themselves. It consists of clay, water, and a small amount of manure. The structure of the mixture should be creamy. After immersion, it completely adheres to the roots, preventing them from further drying out.
Rules for planting currant seedlings in the ground in spring
When planting, one of the main conditions is maintaining the distance between the bushes. For the correct development of the surface root system that currants have, 60 - 70 cm is needed. 1.5 - 2 m are left between rows, this depends on the degree of growth of the variety.
The procedure for planting currants in the spring with seedlings or cuttings is quite simple; there are video master classes designed for beginner gardeners who are afraid to make a mistake. When disembarking, you must follow the sequence of actions:
- At the bottom of the prepared hole, you form a small hill with your hands.
- A blackcurrant shoot is placed on the central part of the top of the hill, its roots are spread to the sides.
- Holding the seedling, at the same time fill the side parts of the hole with prepared soil. Periodically shake the young plant a little to prevent the formation of voids.
- After the planting hole is completely filled, the top layer is compacted and watered with warm water at the rate of 2 liters of water per 1 bush.
- When the water is completely absorbed, the tree trunk circle is decorated with a small trench and mulched with the selected material.
Features of planting black and red currants
When planting red currant seedlings in the spring, it is necessary to take into account the special requirements of the bush for its location. Red currants need more light for stable and annual fruiting. Lack of light has a negative effect on the characteristics of the fruit, the berries become smaller, and the bush begins to hurt.
The second feature when planting red variety seedlings in the spring is control over soil acidity. If shrubs of black varieties can easily tolerate slightly increased acidity of the soil, for red currants this circumstance will become a reason for the development of diseases and the spread of infection. To reduce the acidity of the soil, ground chalk or slaked lime are used; the compositions are added to the soil several weeks before planting.
Care after landing
The adaptation of the future shrub depends on subsequent care:
- Watering. After planting in the spring, blackcurrant seedlings are watered abundantly and left until the ovaries appear. The following procedure is carried out after the top layer of soil has completely dried.During the hot summer, the only condition is to ensure that the soil does not dry out and remains constantly moist. With the last watering after the autumn cooling, 5 to 10 liters of water are added, taking into account that the bush has time to absorb moisture before the onset of frost.
- Feeding. 20 days after planting blackcurrant seedlings in open ground, the first fertilizing is done. Up to 20 g of nitrogen-containing fertilizer is applied to each bush. This is necessary to activate the mechanisms that are responsible for the growth of green mass.
- Preparing for winter. Young currant bushes need additional preparation for the upcoming first wintering. In autumn, 30 - 40 days before significant drops in temperature, the bushes are completely pruned. This is done only with young seedlings. Mature bushes will not need complete pruning. Despite the fact that seedlings can be selected for the climatic zone and have high frost resistance, in the first year of adaptation after spring planting they are recommended to be additionally covered with special materials. First, the tree trunk circle is mulched, then the soil trench is renewed and the bushes are covered with agrofibre or burlap. To prevent cold wind or snow from getting inside, the shelter is additionally weighted with available materials.
Advice from experienced gardeners
Beginner gardeners often make mistakes when planting blackcurrant shoots in the spring. A slight violation of the basic rules can affect subsequent rooting and adaptation. To avoid mistakes, it is advised to plant bushes in accordance with agrotechnical requirements:
- If you have weak blackcurrant cuttings, it is recommended to soak them for 24 hours using heteroauxin or indolylbutyric acid.
- To activate the development of the root system in the summer, it is recommended to regularly loosen the root circle after each rain or heavy watering. At the same time, gardeners use tools with minimal depth so as not to damage the root system, which is superficial in currants.
- When maintaining the distance between bushes, you should not forget about the indentations from the hedge or fence next to which the bushes are planted. The distance between the bush and the fence should be at least 1 m.
- When planting, you should not forget about the location of the root collar. After completely compacting the soil, it should be buried 5 - 6 cm.
- It is not recommended to plant currants next to raspberry bushes. Berry crops will compete for nutrients and inhibit each other's development.
You can see how to plant black currants in the spring in the video:
Conclusion
Planting currant seedlings in spring is associated with certain cultural characteristics. Planting too early can lead to freezing of the root system. Late planting of cuttings with developed green leaves threatens to inhibit development and leads to the spread of infection on the bushes. If you follow basic agrotechnical practices for planting crops in the spring, carefully monitor the level of soil acidity, and also choose strong, suitable seedlings, the bushes will have time to take root before frost, and next year they will delight you with a bountiful harvest.
