White currant Versailles: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care, reviews

Among agricultural crops, the Versailles white currant is very popular. It is chosen for its relative unpretentiousness to growing conditions, resistance to adverse environmental factors and high performance. In addition, she has proven herself exclusively on the positive side. To grow Versailles white currant, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of planting and care in more detail.

History of selection

French breeders worked on the creation of Versailles white currant in 1850.The culture came to the territory of Russia in the last century, it was entered into the State Register in 1959. White currant is suitable for cultivation in the North-Western and Central regions, the Volga-Vyatka and Central Black Earth, as well as in the Middle Volga and Ural.

Features of red and white Versailles currants

Because the white currant is one of the varieties of the red currant, it has a lot of similar qualities. In particular, a high concentration of nutrients in fruits, a pleasant taste and aroma, slight sourness, ripening time. As for consumer qualities, white currants have low acidity and high sugar content.

External parameters and characteristics

To make the cultivation of Versailles white currant as productive as possible, it is recommended to know its strengths and weaknesses, a detailed description of the variety.

Bushes

White currant of Versailles refers to plants of early ripening. The bush forms a fairly developed underground part, its lateral roots are at a depth of 40 centimeters. The main root is located at a depth of 1 meter.

In height, an upright bush reaches 1.2-1.5 meters. The number of shoots is not so large, but they all have an intensive growth rate. Leaf plates have a rich dark green color and a bluish tint. There are 5 blades on them.

On the inside there is a small pubescence. On the edges of the leaves are short blunt teeth. Fruit buds in the white currant of Versailles are formed only in the second year of life.

Flowers and berries

White currant of Versailles attracts the attention of gardeners with its ability to produce rich harvests. At the flowering stage, yellowish-white bells bloom on the bushes. There are flowers, as well as berries on elongated straight petioles.

The size of the fruit in diameter is almost 10 millimeters, and their weight is up to 1.3 grams. Under favorable conditions, the bush is able to produce up to 4 kilograms of delicious berries. The pulp of the fruit is dense, the skin is transparent, light cream in color. According to the variety description, Versailles white currant is not prone to shedding, the berries are firmly attached to the petioles.

The white currant of Versailles has a sugar content of 7.5% and an acidity of 2.3%. There are 38 milligrams of ascorbic acid per 100 grams of products.

Resistant to low temperatures, drought and diseases

White Currant of Versailles has increased immunity to powdery mildew, but not to anthracnose, which must be taken into account when growing it. The frost resistance of the plant is also at a high level; it can be planted even in the northern regions. Dry weather resistance is good, but keeping the bushes without abundant watering is not worth it for a long time.Irrigation measures are especially needed at the stage of laying fruit buds.

Of the harmful insects, the white currant can suffer from shoot aphids, which suck out all the nutrients, gooseberry moth, currant sawfly. It is necessary to take measures to eliminate it immediately after identifying the first signs of their presence on the bushes.

Yield and application of fruits

Productivity of Versailles white currant per hectare is 8 tons. The fruits are versatile, they can be used fresh, for making desserts, and as a raw material for winter preparations.

Pros and cons: should I plant on the site?

Among the positive characteristics of Versailles white currant are:

high yield;
large-fruited;
undemanding to growing conditions, care;
high winter hardiness;
drought resistant;
does not need additional pollinators;
fruits do not crumble after ripening.

Despite a number of advantages, white currant also has its disadvantages:

spreading bush;
low anthracnose resistance.

Fit features

In order for the white currant of Versailles to quickly take root and grow, you need to know the main points of its planting in a permanent place.

Selecting a place and landing dates

To get a rich and tasty harvest, you need to choose a well-lit place for planting seedlings, otherwise the berries will be sour and inconspicuous in the shade.In addition, the clearing should be protected from through winds, it is better to give preference to areas near the walls of buildings, a fence.

For the white currant of Versailles, it is not advisable to choose places with a close occurrence of groundwater (up to 1.5-2 meters). In conditions of high humidity in the soil, the root system of the bushes will undergo putrefactive processes, which will provoke their death. The soil should be fairly light and fertile. The best option is loams and sandy loams with a neutral or slightly acidic environment.

Planting dates - early spring (before bud break) or autumn (late September-early October).

Preparing the plot and beds

Preparatory activities should be done in advance (2 weeks in advance), using deep autumn plowing. The site must be cleared of weeds, last year's leaves. To enrich the soil with useful substances, humus (10 kilograms), superphosphate (100 grams) are used, this amount is calculated per 1 square meter.

To neutralize high acidity, you need to add 400-450 grams of wood ash per 1 square meter.

Selection and preparation of seedlings

Quality planting material should have 3-5 skeletal roots, their length is 15-20 centimeters. In addition, sufficiently formed overgrowing fibrous roots should be present. Before buying, it is necessary to especially inspect the root system of seedlings, they should not show signs of disease, rot, various kinds of damage.

In he althy specimens, the color of the shoots is saturated green, when cut, the structure is wet.

Planting technology

Properly planted white currant Versailles is the key to successful rooting and a rich harvest in the future. The algorithm of actions regarding landing operations provides for:

Formation of pits measuring 50x50x40 centimeters.
Laying a drainage cushion made of expanded clay, small gravel.
Falling into a mound of fertile soil.
Placing the seedling and spreading its roots on different sides.
Filling the roots with soil and compacting it to avoid voids in the pit.
Water the bush with 1-2 buckets of water.
Mulching the soil with peat, the layer thickness should be 5-6 centimeters.
Shortening a seedling by 5 he althy buds.

If several seedlings are planted, it is recommended to maintain a distance between plantings of 1 meter, and the interval between rows should be 1.5 meters. Do not deepen the root neck more than 10 centimeters.

Proper crop care

Caring for the white currant of Versailles is not so difficult, the main thing is to carry out irrigation measures, feeding procedures, weed removal and pruning in a timely manner.

Water and fertilize

White Versailles currant bushes should be irrigated in moderation, avoiding waterlogging. It is enough to water 3 times in 7 days (morning or evening). For one planting, you need to spend 10 liters of water twice a day. Especially plants need irrigation at the stage of berry ripening.

It is necessary to apply fertilizer compositions in the third year after planting, the amount of useful components laid down during planting is sufficient for the first two years. In the spring, it is recommended to add urea (50 grams) under the root, and after harvesting - chicken manure, where 10 liters of water are used per 1 liter of raw materials in combination with potassium sulfate (15-20 grams) and superphosphate (40-50 grams).

Aging & Shaping Pruning

Pruning white currant bushes of Versailles is necessary:

In the spring, performing a sanitary, rejuvenating and shaping procedure.
In the summer, where infected twigs and unwanted one-year-olds are to be removed.
In autumn, where incapacitated branches are cut and the number of shoots of different ages is regulated.

Each year, 4-5 annual shoots should be left to form a strong and abundantly fruiting bush.

Caring for beds: mulching and loosening

Loosening the soil under the white currant bushes of Versailles does not cost more than a depth of 6-8 centimeters. This technique is necessary to exclude oxygen starvation of the roots. To preserve moisture, the soil is mulched with humus, peat, and rotted sawdust.

Prophylactic treatment for insects and diseases

To protect the white currant bushes of Versailles from diseases and parasites, it is recommended to use a working solution based on Bordeaux mixture, copper sulphate, nitrafen. Preparations should be diluted in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Preparing the bush for frost

Before wintering, the plant must be cut off after the leaves are dropped, all incapacitated branches are removed, the rest are shortened by a third. Mulch the soil under the bushes with humus or compost, the layer thickness should be 10-12 centimeters. But first you need to loosen the soil, fertilize and water. For reliability, currants can be tied into a bundle and covered with agrofibre.

Reviews of experienced gardeners about the variety

Marina, 45

I bought seedlings of Versailles white currant in the nursery. For the third year I have received stable and plentiful harvests. Care of the variety is minimal, which is very pleasing.

Sergey, 56 years old

I planted white currant bushes of Versailles in my garden, I can't help but rejoice. They endure winter quite normally, I cover them with agrofiber. Taste qualities completely suit me.

Yulia, 39 years old

Added to the collection of white currant variety Versailles. In general, everything suits me, the care is standard, the harvest is rich.