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Currants are one of the few berry bushes that can be propagated by cuttings at any time of the year. In many ways, this quality contributed to its wide distribution throughout our country. Propagating currants by cuttings in summer or spring is quite simple if you follow certain rules.
Features of currant propagation by cuttings in spring and summer
Currant cuttings in spring and summer are one of the vegetative methods of propagating this plant. It is widely used not only for berry bushes, but also for fruit trees. Annual shoots are best suited for propagating currants.
When to cut currants
In winter and early spring, woody cuttings are used to propagate black currants. These are parts of annual shoots, cut in the fall. In spring and summer, namely from May to July, currants can be propagated using so-called “green” cuttings.They are non-lignified shoots of the current year, or rather their flexible tops, which have a bright green color. To propagate currants by cuttings in the summer, select the most leafy ends of shoots with a length of at least 10 cm.
At the end of summer, semi-lignified stem cuttings are used to propagate currants. These are parts of the current year's shoots on which the bark has already formed. Semi-lignified cuttings have a light brown color and do not have significant flexibility.
Rules for taking cuttings
Currant cuttings are prepared for propagation in cool weather, usually early in the morning. To work you will need scissors or pruners. Non-lignified green cuttings are relatively easy to cut and do not require significant effort. For cuttings of currants in spring and summer, choose well-fruiting young bushes that do not have signs of diseases and are not affected by pests. The cut parts of the plant are immediately wrapped in damp burlap, preventing them from drying out. After preparing a sufficient amount of material for propagation, they proceed to directly cutting the cuttings.
To cut cuttings for propagating black or red currants in the summer, it is most convenient to use the same scissors or a sharp stationery knife. The cut shoots are divided into parts 12-15 cm long with an oblique cut so that each cutting contains 3-4 internodes.2-3 leaves are left in the upper part; if the lower leaf is more than 6 cm, it is cut in half with scissors to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the leaf plate. The leaves are completely removed from the bottom of the cutting. If necessary, finished cuttings are sorted by variety and tied into bundles using twine or elastic.
How to propagate currants by cuttings in spring and summer
Having prepared currant cuttings for propagation, you can immediately begin rooting them. To form your own root system, you can first use water or immediately plant them in a nutrient substrate or prepared soil.
Propagation of currants by cuttings in spring in water
The formation of the root system of cuttings in water allows you to visually monitor the entire rooting process. The method is extremely simple and effective. In early spring, cuttings prepared in the fall are placed several at a time in containers with water in such a way that the 2 lower internodes are immersed. After 1-1.5 weeks, the growth of the root lobe will become noticeable, and tubercles will appear in the place of future roots. After this, the cuttings are moved to individual larger containers, making sure that the roots are always in water. As the root lobe grows, leaves will begin to bloom on the cuttings, but if flowers appear, they must be torn off.
The entire process of forming your own root system in water can take from 1.5 to 2 months. All this time, you need to regularly monitor the water level in containers with cuttings, updating it from time to time.Germinated cuttings are planted in open ground in a permanent place, usually in May, after the soil has warmed up sufficiently.
How to root currants using cuttings in a substrate
In addition to the water method, you can plant black currants by cuttings in a special substrate. In this case, the root system is formed in loose, moisture-absorbing material that retains water well and at the same time has good air permeability, which is important for root development. The substrate can be:
- sphagnum moss;
- perlite;
- peat;
- river sand;
- coconut fiber;
- small sawdust.
To root cuttings, the substrate is filled with a planting container - a wide, shallow container that can be covered with transparent material, glass or film. The lower part of the cutting with a cut is treated with Kornevin or any other root growth stimulator, and then planted in a container with a substrate at an angle of 45 °, deepening by 8-10 cm. The distance between adjacent cuttings should be about 10 cm; too frequent planting can negatively affect growth of the root system.
After planting, the container with the cuttings is covered with film or any transparent material, simulating greenhouse conditions, and placed in a well-lit place. In this case, direct sunlight on the seedlings should be avoided. The entire process of rooting currant cuttings in the substrate can take 3-4 weeks. All this time, the substrate needs to be moistened, gradually reducing the frequency of watering from 5-6 times a day in the first week to 2-3 times in the last. The condition of seedlings must be monitored regularly.If the buds turn black and dry, it means that the cutting has not taken root and must be removed.
How to plant currants in spring with cuttings in open ground
Currants are good because the rooting of its cuttings is very good. Therefore, when propagating it, some gardeners do not use intermediate formation of the root system of the future seedling in water or substrate, but immediately plant currant cuttings in open ground. In this case, rooting will occur more slowly, the likelihood of cuttings rooting will decrease, and if the result is successful, the beginning of fruiting will be delayed by a year. Therefore, it is more advisable to use already germinated cuttings for propagation. They are transplanted into open ground in May, when there is no threat of return frosts.
To plant, you need to prepare the soil in advance, dig it up and fertilize it by adding organic and mineral fertilizers. During the first year in open ground, seedlings are grown, so they are usually planted in rows, in special shallow grooves, at a distance of 0.25 m from each other. In autumn, the condition of the seedlings is visually assessed. If they are healthy, strong and well developed, then they are transplanted to a permanent place. Weak specimens are left for the winter. Such seedlings are transferred to a permanent place only next spring, since fragile plants may not withstand the stress of transplantation, will not take root sufficiently and will die in the winter.
How to care for cuttings after planting
After planting in open ground, young seedlings require increased attention. If night temperatures drop significantly, then it is necessary to provide shelter for protection, at least for the first time.It is best to use a greenhouse or greenhouse for growing cuttings, but not all gardeners have the opportunity to use these structures for a crop such as currants. Therefore, to protect against low night temperatures, a film or covering material is used. Often, planted cuttings are covered with cut plastic transparent containers for drinking water.
At first, the seedlings need to be shaded, avoiding direct sunlight. The soil needs to be moistened regularly, the tree trunks need to be cleared of weeds and mulched.
Transplantation to a permanent place
To plant currants in a personal plot, you need to choose places illuminated by diffused sunlight. Sites along fences, areas in close proximity to buildings and structures, and places next to large fruit trees are well suited for this purpose. The site should not be low-lying or swampy; if groundwater comes closer to the surface than 1 m, then it is necessary to artificially increase the height of the soil at the site of future planting.
The soil is dug up in advance, removing weeds, stones, and other debris. At the same time, fertilizers are incorporated into the soil. Compost and rotted manure are best suited for this purpose; at the same time, you can add a small amount of phosphorus and potassium additives. Currants prefer to grow in soils with neutral acidity. However, not all soils have such pH characteristics. If the acidity of the soil exceeds the permissible values, then slaked lime, chalk or dolomite flour are additionally included in the fertilizer.
Transplantation of a seedling to a permanent place is carried out in early spring, before the start of the plant’s growing season, or in early autumn. The second option is considered more preferable, but in regions with early winter it is unacceptable. At least 2 months must pass from the moment of planting until the onset of frost, otherwise there is a very high risk that the plant will not be able to adapt to the new place and will die in the winter. In other regions, it is better to plant currants in the fall, since this shrub enters the growing season very early, which means there is a high risk of being late, which will delay the rehabilitation process in the new location.
It is better to dig a planting hole for a currant seedling in advance, 2-3 weeks before the expected time of work. Its size must be guaranteed to accommodate the entire root system of the transplanted bush. The standard size of the planting hole is 0.5 m in diameter. The depth should not be more than 0.5 m, since the currant root system has a superficial structure. The soil removed from the pit is mixed with humus, and superphosphate and potassium sulfate are added to its composition for additional nutrition. If the soil is clayey, river sand is added to the soil composition.
For planting, it is better to choose a cloudy but warm day. A small mound of nutrient soil is poured into the bottom of the planting hole.The seedling is planted at an angle of 30-45° to the surface, and its direction does not matter. This method of planting stimulates the growth of a large number of lateral roots, the plant adapts faster and produces a large number of root shoots. However, if it is planned to grow currants in standard form, then the seedling is installed in the hole strictly vertically. Gradually, the root system is covered with nutritious soil, periodically watered with water and compacted to prevent the formation of voids. After all the work, the root collar should be 5-6 cm below the soil surface.
After the planting hole is completely filled with soil, a ring groove is formed around the seedling and watered abundantly (usually 2 buckets for each bush). Then the soil in the root zone is mulched with peat, compost, and tree bark. This measure retains moisture in the soil and prevents the growth of weeds.
Conclusion
To propagate currants by cuttings in summer or spring, you do not need to make significant efforts. Working with this shrub is very simple, it is unpretentious and often forgives the gardener many mistakes. Currant cuttings are an excellent way to propagate them, applicable in spring, summer and even winter. When using it, you can obtain any amount of planting material in a short time. This is especially true for thrifty gardeners, as well as for those who grow currants on an industrial scale.
