Content
Red currant Alpha is a successful result of the work of breeders. Unlike the “old” varieties, which have a number of disadvantages, this crop has become widespread among gardeners due to its characteristics.
History of selection
The variety was obtained at the South Ural Research Institute of Horticulture. Chulkovskaya and Cascade currants were used in its creation. V. S. Ilyin is recognized as the author of the culture. Since 2009, Alfa red currants have been submitted for state variety testing.
Description of the red currant variety Alpha
An adult shrub reaches a medium size in height, no more than 70-80 cm. The plant is not distinguished by its wide spreading branches and dense foliage. Young shoots are straight, of medium thickness. The buds are medium-sized, brown in color, deviated from the branch to the side.
The leaves of red currant Alpha are five-lobed and small. Their color is dark green. On one side, the leaves have a shiny and wrinkled surface, similar to skin. The blades are pointed, the middle one is larger than the lateral ones.The base of the leaf has a small notch, shaped like a triangle.
The petiole of the Alpha variety is long, of medium thickness, colored pinkish-green.
The flowers are small and saucer-shaped. The ridge is peripestial, weakly expressed. The sepal has a pale yellow color with a pink tint. It is closed in shape and slightly bent. The formed brushes are long and curved. Their axis is of medium thickness and can be painted green or crimson. The petiole of the brushes is thin.
A distinctive feature of the Alpha variety is its very large berries. The weight of each varies from 0.9 to 1.5 g. The fruits practically do not differ in size, have a round shape and a light red color. The pulp inside the berries is the same shade as the skin, with an average number of seeds.
Red currants taste sweet and sour, received 4.7 points according to the tasting assessment
Collected red currants can be sold in various ways: eaten fresh, made into jam or jams. You get delicious puddings and fruit soups with the addition of berries.
Characteristics
Red currant Alpha is one of the varieties that bear fruit well with proper care. Studying the characteristics of a plant allows you to choose a place for it on the site and draw up an agricultural plan.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Red currant Alpha tolerates low temperatures well. In mature shrubs, the root system grows deep into the ground, which allows the crop to safely survive frosts down to -30 °C.
But the shrub's drought resistance is average; lack of moisture negatively affects the yield of the variety.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Red currant Alpha is a self-fertile crop, so it does not need neighbors. This advantage allows the shade-tolerant and light-loving plant to be planted on a site away from other trees and shrubs.
Currant blossoms can be observed in early May
The ripening period is average, so the harvest begins in mid-July in the Central region. Unlike early varieties, Alpha red currant begins to ripen two weeks later.
Productivity and fruiting
The crop is not only large-fruited, but also abundantly fruiting. With proper care, the average yield is 7.2 t/ha. The maximum you can harvest is up to 16.4 t/ha.
Each bush can produce from 1.8 to 4.1 kg annually. Long periods of drought, as well as excessive watering, neglect of fertilizing and the rules of agricultural technology, negatively affect the level of fruiting of Alpha red currant.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The variety is known for its strong immune system: it is resistant to powdery mildew, which often affects various varieties of red currants.
Among the pests that are dangerous to the plant are aphids, borers, spider mites and glass beetles. To avoid an attack, it is enough to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner. To do this, it is recommended not to neglect the rules of agricultural technology and to plant crops nearby that repel pests.
You can quickly suspect the activity of gall aphids. As the insect multiplies, the currant leaves swell and change color to reddish-brown.If treatment is not carried out, new shoots do not grow and the leaves fall off.
Preparations such as Biotlin and Fitoverm successfully control gall aphids on Alpha red currants.
A mandatory stage of treatment is to tear off the deformed leaves and then destroy them.
A small beetle with a greenish-golden shell color is the currant borer. The pest larvae damage the shoots, destroying their core. As a result of their activity, the branches dry out and die. If the beetle is not destroyed, it will lay eggs, and the plant will again suffer from larvae next year.
Sanitary pruning and spraying of the Alfa red currant bush with a 3% karbofos solution are the main measures to destroy the pest
Spider mites feed on young leaves and berries. To detect it, it is enough to examine the plant. Yellow and red spots appear on the underside of the surface. The pest entangles the shoots with cobwebs.
Acaricides effective against ticks: BI-58 and Fufanon
When pruning shoots in spring, you may find a black dot in the core of the branch. This is the result of the activity of the glass beetle, whose larvae gnaw the passages in the shoots. Without treatment, the bush dies from lack of nutrients.
Treatment of red currant Alpha consists of removing the affected shoots
Among the insecticides against glass beetles, a 0.3% solution of karbofos is effective.
Advantages and disadvantages
Red currant Alpha is a high-yielding and large-fruited crop. The plant has a strong immune system.
The bushes of the variety are medium spreading, with straight shoots, which makes caring for currants easier
Advantages:
- self-fertility;
- frost resistance;
- dessert taste of berries.
Flaws:
- average drought resistance;
- demands on the soil.
Features of planting and care
It is recommended to transfer the seedling to open ground in the spring, in April-May. Autumn planting is also allowed, a month before frost. Alfa red currant bushes develop safely in chernozem, sandy loam or loamy soils. The soil must be fertile, with a neutral acidity level.
The optimal place for planting is a southern slope, well lit by the sun. On the north side it needs to be sheltered from the wind. The Alpha redcurrant bush, grown in the shade, will bear small and sour berries.
Landing algorithm:
- Two weeks before the procedure, prepare a hole 40 cm deep and 50-60 cm in diameter. It is recommended to maintain a distance of 1-1.25 m between bushes.
- Add fertilizing: compost, superphosphate, potassium sulfate and ash.
- On the day of planting, form a small mound at the bottom of the hole, place the seedling on it and straighten its roots.
- Cover the Alpha red currant with soil and compact the soil mixture around its trunk.
- Pour 10 liters of water under each seedling.
- Mulch the tree trunk circle.
In order for the shrub to take root, after planting it is recommended to trim the branches, leaving shoots 10-15 cm long.
Caring for the variety consists of watering, weeding and loosening. An obligatory stage of agricultural technology is prevention against pests.
In order for the bush to bear fruit abundantly and safely withstand winter frosts, it is necessary to prune in spring and autumn.
In addition to sanitary and formative pruning, Alpha red currants need additional feeding. Urea or ammonium nitrate should be used as fertilizers.Complex preparations are also suitable.
Conclusion
Red currant Alpha is a large-fruited and frost-resistant variety. The plant is light-loving and does not like lack of moisture. The shrub bears fruit abundantly every year with proper care.
Reviews with photos about the red currant variety Alpha
