Black Currant Openwork: variety description and characteristics, planting and care

Currant bushes are especially popular with homeowners because of the unpretentiousness of the plant to care and berries containing a high percentage of vitamin C in the composition. Before you decide on the acquisition of a crop variety, you should study the description and characteristics and find out if it is suitable for a particular area. Blackcurrant of the variety Openwork has an average ripening time and has increased frost resistance.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Blackcurrant variety Openwork was bred at the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crops Breeding.Breeders crossed two varieties of culture - Ershistaya and Lazy. The scientists S. D. Knyazev, L. V. Bayanova and T. P. Ogoltsova became the authors of the black Openwork. After passing all the necessary tests, the currant was entered into the State Register, this happened in 2004, so the variety is quite young.

The description indicates that the culture is recommended for cultivation in central Russia, it is there that the taste of berries and all the characteristics of the variety are most fully revealed.

Description of Black Currant Openwork is as follows:

1. The yield is high (on average, about 1.6 kg of berries are harvested from one bush), the fruits are large.
2. Characterized by high winter hardiness, but needs a lot of moisture, especially during the formation of berries.
3. Highly resistant to diseases such as columnar rust and powdery mildew, but in the absence of prevention, it is affected by causative agents of septoria and anthracnose.
4. The leaves are dark green in color and have a five-lobed shape. Leaf blades are slightly wrinkled, with a shiny surface. Petioles are pubescent, brightly colored, medium in length and thickness.
5. The bark of annual shoots is greenish, on old branches it acquires a gray-yellow tint, shiny.
6. The buds of the variety are single, slightly pointed, pink-purple in color.
7. The bush is slightly sprawling and medium tall.
8. The berries are large - one copy weighs about 1.6 grams. They are oval in shape, black in color, sweet and sour in taste. The purpose of the fruits is universal - they are consumed fresh, they are made into juices and fruit drinks, and they are also harvested for the winter, grinding with sugar.
9. The variety is self-fertile, so it does not need to be planted next to pollinators.
10. The first berries begin to be harvested after July 20.

100 grams of berries contain 159 mg of ascorbic acid.

Pros and cons

Despite the fact that the blackcurrant variety Openwork is quite young, it has already managed to gain popularity among gardeners who have noted the following benefits of culture:

• high and stable yield;
• strong immunity to powdery mildew, which often affects other currant varieties;
• good winter hardiness, which allows the variety to be grown even in regions with a cool climate;
• high transportability of fruits that do not crack during transportation and do not let juice out;
• simple agrotechnical plant care.

Of the shortcomings noted:

• medium resistance to bud mite damage;
• the need for frequent watering during the formation and ripening of berries;
• slight resistance to anthracnose without preventive spraying.

Specificity of growing currant Openwork

In order for all the characteristics of blackcurrant Openwork declared by breeders to be fully revealed, it is necessary to choose the right place for the plant and properly plant it.

Choosing a seat

You can plant bushes of a variety both in spring and autumn, however, experienced gardeners recommend the second option, especially for regions where a significant drop in temperature is observed no earlier than mid-October. If, nevertheless, spring work is planned, then you need to have time to do this before the start of sap flow and swelling of the kidneys.

The planting site should not be in a lowland where meltwater accumulates in spring, which can lead to rotting of the root system. It is desirable that the site be illuminated by the sun during the day and be protected from cold winds. Currant of this variety prefers fertile soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The variety shows the best yields on loam.

Steps of planting

2-3 weeks before planting seedlings, the earth in the selected area is dug up on a spade bayonet and fertilizers are applied - humus, superphosphate and wood ash.

The landing algorithm is as follows:

1. At a distance of 130 cm, holes are made with parameters 50 x 50 x 50.
2. Pour half a bucket of non-cold water into the hole and put the seedling, placing it at an angle of 45 degrees and spreading the roots in different directions.
3. They fall asleep with the selected soil and moisten, again using half a bucket of water.
4. To prevent moisture from evaporating, the trunk circle is mulched with organic materials.

Crop care

Since the plant wakes up early in spring, it is necessary to have time to prune broken and diseased shoots before the buds swell. It is also necessary to remove the buds affected by the tick, if there are too many of them, then the branches are cut to the very base.

To save time on weeding, a layer of mulch is laid on the ground around the bushes, it can be manure or humus, it is important that organic matter is at a distance of about 20 cm from the branches.

Watering currants is carried out regularly and plentifully, especially if the winter was not snowy, and in summer there is insufficient rainfall. After each irrigation, the soil around the bushes is loosened, if mulch is laid, then you can do it through it.

In the spring, currants are fed with nitrogen complexes, closing the granules to a depth of 8 cm.

Protection from diseases and pests

As a preventive measure for diseases and pests, boiled water is used, which is used to scald the bushes in early spring. To prevent infection with anthracnose, they take 1% Bordeaux mixture, processing currants at the moment when the first leaves appear from the buds. To protect against insect pests, Fitoverm or Agravertin is used.

Collection and storage

The harvest starts on the 20th of July. Berries are stored in the refrigerator without loss of quality for up to 10 days. To enjoy he althy and tasty berries even in winter, they are frozen, preserved in the form of compotes, and jam is also made.

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