Content
Red currant Victoria is a Russian fruitful variety with a medium ripening period. The plant is unpretentious, the berries are quite tasty, they received a tasting rating of 4.3 out of 5 points. Medium and small in size. They can quickly crack or crumble, so the crop should be harvested without delay.
History of selection
Victoria (Vika) is a red currant variety bred on the basis of the All-Russian Research Institute for Breeding Fruit Crops (Oryol Region). The author of the variety is L.V. Bayanova. Currants passed successful tests, and in 2001 they were included in the register of breeding achievements in Russia. Approved for cultivation in a number of areas:
- middle lane;
- Volga region;
- Chernozem region;
- Volga-Vyatka region;
- Western Siberia.
Description of the red currant variety Vika
The plant is medium-sized (120–140 cm), with large straight shoots of a reddish hue. The crown is dense, the branches have pubescence.The buds are small, deviate from the shoots, round in shape, and have small stems. The petiole traces are narrow and rounded.
Victoria red currant leaves are large, with a classic five-lobed shape. The surface is leathery, wrinkled, dark green in color, with wavy edges. The blades are pointed, with the middle one being somewhat larger than the side ones, sometimes with a protrusion. The teeth on the leaf plate are large in size and diverge at sharp angles. The petioles are small, thick, and also have a reddish color.
Victoria red currant flowers are small and saucer-shaped. The sepals are slightly bent, yellowish in color, the receptacle is reddish. The stamens become bright red as the flower matures. The brushes are small, up to 12 cm long, running parallel to the ground or slightly curved. Petioles are pubescent, long, with a thin axis. The clusters with fruits hang down and are dense.
Victoria red currant berries are medium in size, weighing about 0.5 g, less often up to 0.8 g. The shape is round, the color is classic red. The taste is balanced sweet and sour, tasting score 4.3 out of 5 points.
The following substances were found in Victoria berries:
- dry matter share (total) – 10.8%;
- sugar – 7.9%;
- acids – 2.1%;
- vitamin C – 0.5–1%;
- pectin – 7.1%
- P-active substances – up to 340 mg per 100 g.
Victoria red currant berries are richly colored
Characteristics
This is a fairly resilient variety that adapts well to different climatic conditions. Currants do not require special care, so even novice gardeners can cope with growing them.
Drought resistance, winter hardiness
Red currant Victoria has good winter hardiness. This allows it to be grown even in Siberia.It is better to cover young seedlings in the first years. Drought resistance is also high, so the plant only needs additional watering during periods of extreme heat.
Pollination, flowering period and ripening time
Red currant Victoria is a self-pollinating variety. Therefore, planting other bushes or attracting bees and other pollinators is not required. But if other varieties are planted nearby, this has a beneficial effect on the yield. Victoria belongs to the mid-season varieties. Flowering begins in June and lasts 2–3 weeks.
Productivity and fruiting
The yield of Victoria red currant is 3–4 kg per bush (with industrial cultivation up to 19.5 kg per hectare). The first berries appear in early July, the main wave of fruiting lasts until the end of this month.
Resistance to diseases and pests
Red currant Victoria has fairly good immunity to major diseases and pests. But it is possible to suffer from such infections:
- anthracnose;
- terry;
- glass rust;
- columnar rust;
- septoria and others.
In summer, bushes can suffer from various pests:
- gall aphid;
- spider flare;
- weevil and others.
To combat them, it is better to use folk remedies, for example, an infusion of tobacco dust, wood ash with laundry soap, mustard powder, a decoction of potato tops and others. During the fruiting period, if necessary, treatment with biological preparations (Fitoverm, Vertimek, Bitoxibacillin and others) is allowed.As a preventative measure, Victoria red currant bushes can be sprayed with chemicals (before fruiting):
- "Decis";
- "Confidor";
- "Biotlin";
- "Inta-Vir";
- "Match".
Advantages and disadvantages
Red currant Victoria is valued for its high yield, winter hardiness and tasty berries.
Victoria red currant produces a stable harvest for twenty years
Pros:
- pleasant taste;
- fairly high immunity;
- winter hardiness;
- possibility of growing in different regions;
- does not require special care.
Minuses:
- small berries;
- quickly crumble and become overripe;
- low keeping quality;
- poor transportability;
- Immunity to certain diseases is average.
Features of planting and care
Victoria red currants can be planted both in autumn (late October) and spring (early April). The place should be well lit, not swampy and protected from strong winds. The soil is light and fertile. A month before planting, the area is dug up and covered with compost or perennial soil, 2 m deep in a bucket.2 or complex mineral fertilizer 30–40 g per 1 m2.
Victoria red currants are planted using traditional technology:
- Dig holes 50–60 cm deep at a distance of 1.5–2 m.
- Lay a drainage layer of small stones (5 cm).
- Root the seedlings at an angle of 45 degrees, deepening them well. Leave 3 buds per shoot on the surface).
- They bury it and compact it a little.
- Water with settled water and mulch for the winter if the procedure is carried out in the fall.
To get a good harvest of Vika red currant, as in the description of the variety and in the photo, gardeners in their reviews advise following several rules:
- Water young seedlings weekly, adult bushes - if necessary (in hot weather, also every week).
- Feeding: in the spring use urea 20 g per bush, during flowering - slurry or chicken droppings (diluted 10-15 times), after harvesting - potassium salt (20 g per bush) and superphosphate (30 g per hole).
- Loosening, weeding - as needed.
- Annual pruning - both at the beginning of the season (early spring) and at the end (late autumn). Remove old, diseased branches and thin out the crown.
Preparing for winter
In autumn, Victoria red currants begin to be prepared for winter. The tree trunk circle is mulched with peat, sawdust, pine needles, and leaves. The bushes are bent and fixed to the surface, covered with burlap or agrofibre on top, you can also dig in a little.
Reproduction methods
Victoria red currants can be diluted in any traditional way:
- cuttings;
- using layering;
- dividing roots.
Cuttings are harvested in early September
For propagation, young shoots (apical part) up to 15–20 cm long are cut and placed in a pot with wet sand. Store at +3 degrees for 2 months. Then they are transferred to the refrigerator or kept under the snow. In May, they are transplanted into the ground, maintaining a distance of 20 cm between the cuttings. Cover with a bottle or film. By the end of the season, the strengthened Victoria red currant cuttings are transferred to a permanent place.
Propagating a crop using layering is much easier.To do this, in the spring of a young bush (2–3 years old), several lower branches (annual shoots) are bent, pinned, sprinkled with fertile soil, and watered regularly. At the beginning of autumn, the resulting shoots are cut (they will grow up to 20–30 cm) and transplanted to a permanent place, carefully mulched.
Another way to propagate Victoria red currants is by dividing the roots. An adult bush is dug up in the fall or spring, the rhizome is cut into several sections, the sections are sprinkled with charcoal powder and transplanted to another place. New plantings should be 7–8 cm deeper than the mother bush.
Conclusion
Red currant Victoria is a winter-hardy variety that easily adapts to different conditions. The berries are tasty, but small and may fall off. Therefore, the crop must be harvested as it ripens, and then immediately used for harvesting.
Reviews with photos about the red currant variety Vika
