Content
Black currant Nara is a variety of Russian selection, adapted to the conditions of the middle zone. The ripening of the crop occurs early, the berries have universal use. Nara currants tolerate drought, winter frosts, and are not susceptible to diseases.
Characteristics of the variety
Nara currant was bred by breeders of the Bryansk region. Since 1999, the Nara variety has been included in the state register and is recommended for cultivation in the Central region.
Description of the blackcurrant variety Nara:
- earlier fruiting;
- flowering in early May;
- medium-sized bush;
- bush height up to 1.5 m;
- slightly spreading shoots;
- medium-sized branches, slightly curved;
- large wrinkled leaves;
- convex leaf plate.
Description of Nara currant berries:
- weight from 1.3 to 3.4 g;
- black color;
- round shape;
- greenish pulp;
- sweet and sour taste;
- taste rating – 4.3 points.
Nara currants ripen in early June. In cold regions, flowers are susceptible to spring frosts.
The Nara variety is characterized by high yield. 10-14 kg of fruits are collected from the bush. The berries ripen at the same time. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, the content of which is 179 mg.
Nara currants have a universal purpose.The berries are frozen or consumed immediately after picking, and are subjected to any type of processing.
Planting currants
The lifespan of black currant is 15-20 years. The planting site must meet a number of requirements, including lighting, lack of wind, and soil fertility. To grow a powerful and healthy bush, choose strong seedlings.
Site selection
Nara blackcurrant prefers sunny areas. When grown in the shade, the yield decreases and the berries acquire a sour taste. It is allowed to plant bushes on the south or southwest side of a fence or building.
The shrub is planted in loose, fertile soil. The ideal option for planting is loam. In clay soil, the bushes grow slowly and bear few berries. Currants do not like acidified soils, so they must be limed before planting.
Currants are a moisture-loving crop, but wetlands and constant exposure to moisture lead to rotting of the roots. To make the soil better permeable to moisture, you can add several buckets of coarse river sand when planting.
Reproduction of the variety
Nara variety seedlings are purchased from trusted suppliers. It is better to choose a nursery to be guaranteed to receive high-quality planting material.
Healthy seedlings have woody roots up to 20 cm long. The optimal shoot length is 30 cm, the number of buds is from 3 to 6 pieces. The seedlings should not show signs of damage, growths, cracks, or stains.
If Nara currants are already planted on the site, then you can obtain planting material yourself.
Nara blackcurrant propagation methods:
- By layering.In spring, the strongest shoots are selected. They are bent to the ground and lowered into prepared furrows. The shoots are secured with staples and covered with soil. In the summer, the cuttings are watered, and in the fall they are separated from the main plant and replanted.
- Cuttings. In summer, annual basal shoots are separated from the main bush. It is best to choose branches 10 mm thick and 20 mm long. The cuttings are placed in boxes filled with wet sand. By autumn, the seedlings will take root and are transferred to a permanent location.
- Dividing the bush. If it is necessary to replant currants, its rhizome can be divided into parts to obtain planting material. The cut areas are sprinkled with wood ash. Each bush is left with several healthy roots.
Boarding order
Nara black currants are planted in the fall after leaf fall or in the spring, when the snow melts and the soil warms up. It is best to do the work in the fall, then the bush will have time to take root before winter.
Sequence of actions for planting black currants:
- Work begins with preparing a hole 50 cm in size and 40 cm deep.
- A substrate consisting of 2 buckets of humus, 3 liters of wood ash and 70 g of superphosphate is placed at the bottom.
- After the nutrient layer, fertile soil is poured.
- The pit is left for 3 weeks to allow the land to settle.
- Dry or damaged roots of the seedling are cut off and all leaves are torn off.
- The plant is placed in a hole, the root collar is buried 7 cm.
- The roots of the seedling are covered with soil and watered abundantly.
- The shoots are cut off, leaving 10-15 cm above the surface.
After planting, Nara currants are watered weekly. The soil is mulched with humus or straw. For the winter, the shoots are hilled up and dry leaves are sprinkled on top.
Variety care
The fruiting of Nara currants largely depends on care.Bushes need watering and fertilizing. In autumn, currants are pruned to get a bountiful harvest for the next year. Preventive measures help protect shrubs from diseases and pests.
Watering
Black currants require regular watering. The Nara variety is able to tolerate short-term drought. With a lack of moisture, the ovaries fall off, the berries become smaller, and the development of the entire bush slows down.
Increased attention is paid to watering at certain stages of bush development:
- during the flowering period;
- during the formation of ovaries;
- while pouring berries.
3 buckets of water are poured under each bush. The moisture must first settle and heat up in the barrels. In dry summers, the bushes are watered 1-2 times a week.
After watering, loosen the soil to improve moisture penetration to the roots. Be sure to weed weeds.
Top dressing
If fertilizers were used when planting Nara currants, then regular fertilizing begins only in the 3rd year. For processing, solutions are prepared from natural or mineral substances.
In spring, the bushes are fed with slurry or a solution consisting of 30 g of urea per 5 liters of water. Nitrogen stimulates the formation of new shoots and leaves. Its use is limited during the period of flowering and the appearance of berries.
The complex fertilizer Nitroammofoska has a positive effect on the development of the Nara variety. For 10 liters of water, 3 tbsp is required. l. substances. The solution is applied at the root. 2 liters of the resulting product are poured under each bush.
During the flowering period, an infusion is prepared from potato peels. The dried peelings are added to boiling water, the container is covered with a blanket and left to cool. Then 1 liter of the prepared product is poured under the bush.
When forming berries, the Nara variety is fed with superphosphate and potassium salt.It is enough to take 40 g of each fertilizer per bush, which is dissolved in water or embedded in the soil. Phosphorus has a beneficial effect on the development of the root system, and potassium improves the quality and taste of the fruit.
In the fall, after harvesting the berries, the soil under the blackcurrant is dug up and humus and wood ash are added. Natural fertilizers help increase the concentration of nutrients in the soil.
Trimming
In autumn, currants are pruned to rejuvenate the bush and increase its yield. Shoots older than 5 years are removed, as are dry, diseased, broken branches. For an adult blackcurrant bush, 15-20 skeletal shoots are left.
In spring, it is enough to prune frozen branches. The bush should not be too thick. Shoots growing in the center of the bush receive little sunlight, which negatively affects the yield.
Protection from diseases and pests
The Nara variety is resistant to terry and powdery mildew. If you follow the rules of care, the risk of developing diseases is minimized.
For prevention, plants are treated with a solution of copper sulfate. Spraying is carried out in the spring before buds open and in late autumn. Any preparations containing copper are suitable for spraying.
Nara currant is susceptible to attack by gall midges, aphids, and spider mites. If pests are detected, the bushes are treated with solutions of Phosfamide or Karbofos. Chemicals are used with caution during the growing season. Treatments are stopped 3 weeks before harvesting the berries.
Reviews from gardeners
Conclusion
Nara currant is a productive and unpretentious variety that bears fruit early. The berries are used fresh or for home canning. Currant care includes watering, fertilizing and bush formation. Folk remedies and minerals are used for feeding. When carrying out preventive treatments, the Nara variety does not suffer from diseases and pests.
