Currant Venus: description and characteristics of the variety, cultivation and reproduction with a photo

Currant Venus is a frost-resistant and drought-resistant variety of berries, unpretentious in care, perfectly takes root in any soil. Undemanding to watering and top dressing. It has a high yield, gives large, juicy sweet fruits of black color.

History of selection and region of growth

Venus variety was included in the State Register of the Ural Territory in 2004. He was brought out by the breeder V.S. Ilyin. Work on blackcurrants was carried out at the Research Institute of Fruit and Potato Growing of the South Ural Territory. Venus was bred after crossing Bradport and Seyanets Dove.

Advantages and disadvantages of Venus

Venus variety has its positive and negative sides. Positive features include:

fruit transportability;
pleasant tasting berries;
winter hardiness;
drought tolerance;
strong immunity;
unpretentious care;
high yield;
precocity;
large berries.

From the shortcomings can be noted:

lack of septoria resistance;
possibility of kidney mite damage.

Description and characteristics of Venus

Mid-season variety, plant of medium height, sprawling branches, medium density.The branches are medium in thickness, light green in color with a white coating, curved, grow upwards, do not bend. The leaves are five-pinnate, medium-sized, green, with a waxy shiny coating. The leaf teeth are pointed, wavy, attached with dense cuttings.

Flowering occurs in early spring. On the branches are formed small pale pink flowers, matte. One flower consists of 5-6 petals, the inflorescence includes 7-11 flowers, which are attached by a peduncle 4-7 cm long. After flowering, the fruit set occurs.

The berries are large, the size of one reaches 6 grams. The pulp is sweet, juicy, the skin is thin, sweet, black. Fruit shape is round.

Frost resistant variety

Venus currant is suitable for growing in regions with frequent frosts. It tolerates low temperatures well. Tolerates temperatures below -35 °C. However, young seedlings are recommended to be warmed for the winter.

Important! The plant tolerates drought and low humidity well.

Disease and frost resistance

The variety is resistant to powdery mildew and anthracnose. Subject to attack by bud mites and septoria. Winter-hardy currants take root well in the cold regions of the country. Tolerates low temperatures below -35 °C. To prevent the development of diseases, it is necessary to carry out spraying before the onset of the ovary of the kidneys, in early spring.

All about flowering and fruiting

Currant blossom begins in early spring. Buds are tied in 7-11 pieces on one ovary. It blooms with pale pink flowers, matte, with a slight pubescence. Flowering lasts about 2 weeks. Then ovaries are formed, and large black berries grow. Fruit sizes vary from 2.5 to 6 grams. They are round, black in color, sweet in taste, with a slight sourness. The skin is thin, thin.The fruits are tightly attached to the shoots, do not fall off.

Use and beneficial properties of berries

Berries are used for fresh consumption and for processing. They make jam, compotes, jams, homemade wine. Used for home baking. The variety is grown for sale in the markets, as the fruits have a long shelf life and are easy to transport.

Berries have excellent taste. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, 100 grams of berries contain 95 mg of the vitamin. Currant has an individual sweet, dessert taste.

How to plant currants on the plot

In order to plant Venus currants on your own plot, you must take into account the timing of the planting, choose the right place, and prepare the seedling.

Terms of landing operations

Seedlings are transferred to the soil in spring or autumn.The soil begins to be prepared from August. In the selected area, they dig up the earth, remove weeds and stones. Then manure, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are added. Leave for a few days to interact, then dig holes for planting.

Important! With autumn planting, the survival rate of the bush is higher.

Choosing a place and preparing a seedling

Venus is not very whimsical in choosing a place. However, waterlogged soils and soils with stagnant water will not suit her. Since the plant is drought tolerant, the bush prefers dry, airy soils. Currants can be planted in semi-shaded places. Suitable for growing next to other trees and shrubs. Light day for a shrub should last 5-6 hours a day for good growth and development.

Technological process of planting a plant

Shrubs are planted at a distance of 1.5 meters from each other. After preliminary preparation of a place for a shrub, planting is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Dig a hole 50 cm deep, 60 cm in diameter.
The excavated soil is mixed with peat (2 buckets), humus (1 bucket), superphosphate (15 grams), potassium sulfate (30 grams).
Part of the mixture is placed in a hole and poured with 2 buckets of warm water.
Leave for 2-3 days.
The roots of the seedling are carefully straightened, each shoot is cut off by 5-6 cm, the damaged ones are removed.
Place in a hole.
The soil is sprinkled in layers. Each layer is moistened and tamped with hands to prevent the formation of cavities with air near the roots.
Top mulch with a layer of peat, straw, compost around the shrub.

Nuances of variety care

For successful cultivation and getting a rich harvest, it is necessary to carry out regular watering, fertilizing, loosening and mulching, forming a crown during pruning. Carry out preventive treatments against diseases and pests. Young seedlings are covered for the winter.

Water Regularity

Currant is drought-resistant, but loves abundant watering. It is carried out 3-4 times per season. At one time, water 2 buckets of water at once. In dry weather, irrigation is increased up to 5-6 times per season. On average, 1 watering is carried out every 2-3 weeks.

What and how to feed bushes

The first feeding is carried out in the spring during the flowering period, organic fertilizers are applied. The second - after harvesting, along with organic matter, phosphate and sulfate mineral fertilizers are added. Chemical compounds are sold in stores. Use them according to package directions.

Loosening and mulching beds

Loosening the soil around the root area is carried out after each rain and watering. This provides additional aeration to the roots and nourishes them with oxygen.

Mulching helps keep moisture at the roots of the currant, prevents the development of rot and infection of the currant.Mulching is carried out using peat, straw, compost, pebbles. The selected material is evenly distributed around the shrub. The material is tightly packed with hands so that there is no blurring during rain and watering.

Shaping cut

After landing in the ground, the central shoot is removed. At the end of the season, thinning is carried out, damaged and dry branches are removed. If the branches have grown densely, then cut off every third. To prevent infection, cuts are covered with garden pitch.

Every 2-4 years, cut off all the shoots, leaving 2 main ones, for the formation of young branches. The younger the shoot, the larger the fruit it gives.

Preventive treatments

Processing is carried out in spring, in warm, dry weather, when the temperature outside is at least 18 ° C. From harmful insects that feed on currant leaves, the Fitoverm drug, tobacco-ash water, treatment with soapy water helps.To prevent the appearance of butterfly caterpillars on the leaves, elder branches are dug in next to the shrub. Elderberry repels butterflies with its scent.

Shelter for the winter

Winter hardiness of currant appears on the 3rd-4th year of the vegetative period. Young seedlings are recommended to be completely covered with a special cloth. Adult shrubs for the winter are insulated with moss or straw, mulched.

Important! Insulation fabric must be non-synthetic.

How to propagate currant bushes

Reproduction of currants is carried out by three methods: cuttings, layering, dividing the bush.

By cuttings

For propagation by cuttings, lignified annual shoots are used. The preparation of the material is carried out in early spring or autumn. It is important that the shoots are collected from he althy bushes. The cuttings must be at least 6 mm in diameter and about 15 cm long.

Before planting, beds are prepared, they are well moistened and fertilizers are added. When planted in the spring, by the beginning of summer, buds begin to set. On the 7-10th day, the cuttings are covered with a film to accelerate rooting. When planted in autumn, by spring, buds awaken and leaves form. When planting for the winter, fresh bushes are covered until spring.

Layers

From the mother bush, layering is done by shoots at the age of 1-3 years. A branch attached to a shrub is buried nearby. Together with him they dig in a wooden stake along with a layering. Reproduction by this method is carried out in spring and autumn. After rooting, the daughter bush is transplanted from the mother.

Dividing the bush

After harvesting, a hole is dug next to the currant bush until the roots appear. Part of the roots with 4-5 woody shoots is separated from the mother shrub and transplanted to another place, following all the rules.

Reviews of experienced gardeners about the variety

Igor, 35 years old, Chekhov: “I bought currants of the Venus variety at the horticultural market 3 years ago. I want to note the unpretentiousness of the shrub. It took root perfectly and in the first year pleased with its berries. Landing was carried out in the spring. At the end of the season, he propagated by cuttings, almost all cuttings took root. The berries are very large and sweet, the pulp is soft, sweet, the skin too. The fruits keep well. Every year we make jam and compotes from them.”

Tatyana, 43 years old, Ufa: “Neighbors in the plot shared with me the Venus currant shoot. Reproduction was carried out by dividing the bush. Planted currants in autumn. In the spring, the first shoots appeared. They harvested in the summer. Before the beginning of the formation of the kidneys, she carried out all the necessary treatments, no diseases and harmful insects were noticed. Very tasty black fruits. What struck me the most was their size. Children are very fond of currants with sugar, I heard that the variety of this currant is rich in vitamin C.

Angelina, 54 years old, Moscow: “I have long wanted to plant currants in my garden. It took me a long time to decide on a variety. Chose Venus. I bought 3 seedlings in the market. All of them got along well. The landing site was chosen next to the fence. The soil on the site is quite dry, but this did not affect the quality and quantity of fruits. All berries are large, well stored, since it was not possible to process them immediately. On the branches grow in clusters, do not crumble. The whole family rejoices at such a berry.”