Content
Black currant is the most popular among all types of this crop. It is aromatic and less sour compared to the red and white representatives. It also contains a large amount of vitamins. An excellent example is the Dar of Smolyaninova currant, which meets many of the requirements of gardeners and is universal in use.
Currant Gift of Smolyaninova is today one of the most common among black representatives of culture
History of selection
Currant Dar Smolyaninova is considered a successful hybrid, bred by domestic breeders A.I. Astakhov and L.I. Zuev. Work on the creation was carried out at the Federal Scientific Center V.R. Williams. Samples of cultivar-linear hybrids 4-15-90 and 42-7 were taken as parent material.
The variety was included in the State Register in 2007, and it was zoned for cultivation in the Central region.Today, the Dar of Smolyaninova currant is considered one of the most promising for breeding work.
Description of the currant variety Dar Smolyaninova
Chokeberry Dar Smolyaninova is a popular berry crop among gardeners. Its bushes take up little space on the site, but the yield is pleasing every year. The berries have a high tasting value and are universal in use.
Bush
The bush is medium-sized, reaches 1.5 m in height. It is voluminous in width, moderately spreading. The shoots are medium thick, erect, young ones have a green tint, matte. When lignified, the color of the branches changes to gray-brown.
Moderate amount of green mass. The leaves are wrinkled, with a convex plate. Their shape is classic, three-lobed with a cut of medium depth. Edges with fine teeth.
Flowering is abundant, collected in short racemes with a sinuous axis. The buds are pale purple with reddish sepals. There are up to ten of them in a cyst.
The root system is fibrous, without a main root, but with a large number of lateral branches. They grow up to 40 cm deep.
Berries
Up to eight berries are formed on the cluster and do not fit tightly together. They are relatively large in size, with an average weight of about 4 g. The shape is regular, round with a dry tear. The color of the fruit is blue-black, their skin is thin and matte. The pulp is juicy and dense.
The berries are held on a thin green stalk of medium length. When overripe, they may fall off as they become very soft.
Characteristics of the variety
Dar of Smolyaninova currants are valued not only due to their large, versatile berries, but also due to their good yield indicators. The plant is also unpretentious in care.
Taste qualities
Black currant berries of the Dar Smolyaninova variety have a tasting score of 4.9 points. The fruit tastes sweet, the sourness is barely noticeable. Despite the low acidity level, the content of vitamin C in the berry is high, several times higher than the amount in citrus fruits.
In addition to ascorbic acid, the composition also contains a large amount of vitamins E, A and group B
Ripening time
The currant variety Dar Smolyaninova belongs to the early ripening categories. The berries ripen almost evenly, and picking can begin in the first half of July.
Currant yield Gift of Smolyaninova
The yield of chokeberry in comparison with many varieties of this crop is noted as high. You can collect an average of about 2 kg from a bush. The maximum figure was recorded at 2.6 kg. Up to 130 centners are collected per hectare.
Frost resistance
The frost resistance of the Dar Smolyaninova variety is high. The berry bush easily tolerates temperatures down to -25 ºC. When grown in regions with mild winters, plantings do not require shelter, but proper autumn preparation is required.
Disease resistance
Dar Smolyaninova’s currant has stable immunity to fungal diseases. Bushes rarely suffer from anthracnose, septoria and powdery mildew. Good resistance to pest attacks is also noted.
Advantages and disadvantages
Gardeners leave most reviews about Dar Smolyaninova currants positive. The berry bush has earned this reputation thanks to a large number of advantages.
The currant variety Dar Smolyaninova is self-fertile, but the presence of pollinators nearby is welcome
Pros:
- ease of care;
- high yield;
- large berries;
- excellent taste;
- frost resistance;
- good immunity to diseases;
- early ripeness;
- The berries have a shelf life of up to two weeks without loss of quality.
Minuses:
- a bountiful harvest can lead to overload of the stems, they will be greatly drooped;
- when overripe, the fruits become soft and may crumble;
- the plant requires constant rejuvenation.
How to plant
Despite its unpretentiousness in care, Smolyaninova’s Dar currant is demanding on the soil. The soil must be nutritious, breathable, and have a neutral acidity level. Loam or sandstone is most suitable for berry bushes.
It is advisable to choose a sunny site, but the plant can easily tolerate partial shade. It is best to plant in the fall, no earlier than a month before frost. The pit is prepared in advance, drainage is first laid at the bottom, then organic fertilizers are added. The seedling is positioned so that the root collar is above the ground. Then fill the soil, tamp it lightly and water it abundantly. The tree trunk circle is mulched.
Features of care
When caring for Dar Smolyaninova currants, it is enough to follow the basic requirements, which are:
- watering;
- feeding;
- pruning;
- preparation for winter.
To ensure a bountiful harvest with large fruits, the variety requires timely watering. Currant Dar Smolyaninova is moisture-loving, so the soil should be moistened at least twice a week. Shrubs require up to 25 liters of water.It is advisable to let it stand before watering.
Fertilizing for currants is also necessary, but in the first year after planting you don’t have to fertilize the soil. The shrub will have enough of the nutrients that were added to the planting hole. In subsequent years, two spring feedings and one autumn feeding are required. After winter, mineral fertilizers are applied, complex compounds are added during the formation of berries, and potassium-phosphorus components are added in the fall.
Pruning is considered almost the most important action on which the amount of harvest depends. The first year, all young shoots up to three active buds are removed. From the second to the fifth year, young branches are cut, leaving about 5-6 strong stems. From the fifth year of life, the bush is rejuvenated by pruning all shoots. Then the cycle is repeated.
Shoots that lie on the ground do not bear fruit and therefore must be pruned
Among the main steps to prepare for winter, it is worth noting proper watering and fertilizing. They also perform mulching with organic materials, which will protect the root system of the shrub.
Proper harvesting, which begins in the first half of July, is considered important. It is advisable to remove the berries from the bush a few days after ripening, as overripe fruits become very soft and begin to crumble.
Currant berries are stored in natural conditions. At a temperature of +10-12 ºC, fruits can remain fresh for up to two weeks.
Conclusion
Currant Dar Smolyaninova has established itself as an unpretentious and abundantly fruiting crop.Gardeners highly praise the shrub for its large berries, which can be consumed fresh immediately after picking, and can also be used for preparing winter preparations.
Reviews from gardeners about Dar of Smolyaninova currants
Excellent variety. At first I did the pruning incorrectly, because... incorrectly identified the variety. The description is fully consistent.