Caring for currants in the fall: watering and fertilizing, pruning and preparing for winter

Gardeners have a lot of fruit trees and shrubs growing on their land. Caring for each requires time and effort, and, as practice shows, currants are given the least time. With sufficient care for the currants in the autumn, the shrub will delight the harvest every season for 12-14 years.

What to do with currants in autumn to have a good harvest

Outwardly, the currant looks like a strong shrub that, as it seems, can survive the drought, the attack of parasitic insects and pests. But for this she needs some care from the gardener. And this applies to black, red and white currants.

Autumn care has its advantages. At this time, most work on the land is reduced, and a person has time to do currants. Typically, care consists of the following:

1. Feeding with organic and mineral substances.
2. Tilling a piece of land around the bush.
3. All types of pruning - shaping, anti-aging and sanitary.
4. Water.
5. Processing currants from pests and diseases.
6. Mulching.

Fulfillment of all stages of work in the autumn period is a guarantee of a successful wintering. Care is a kind of help for gaining strength, laying fruit buds and entering the sleep phase. In order for the currant to give a rich harvest from year to year, we must not forget about the autumn work.

How to properly care for red and black currants in autumn

Deadlines for maintenance work fall at the end of October and the beginning of November. Currant is a shrub that tends to wake up in early spring.

In order not to harm her, it is necessary to have time to complete all the work in the fall.

Before proceeding with pruning and other procedures, it is important to make sure that the culture has stopped sap flow.

Shaping and rejuvenating pruning

First on the list of grooming jobs is pruning. Neglect of this procedure turns around for the gardener by changing the size of the berries. Every year they get smaller.

Pruning begins with the removal of old branches with small fruits. The bush is thinned out from the branches, the growth of which is directed to the very center. It is important to get rid of them, as they thicken the bush.

Cut also broken and weak branches with a small number of shoots.As a rule, no more than 6 branches are left on one bush, the minimum number is 4 pcs. The following season, pruning is repeated, leaving only 3 branches on the bush. Since the currant is a dense shrub, proper pruning makes it easier to care for next fall.

Irrigation

Young bush needs a lot of moisture. One crop requires 2 to 6 buckets of water. In rainy cold autumns, watering is not required, provided that the tree circle is well covered with mulch.

On average, gardeners use up to 6 buckets to water one bush. You may also need only 3 buckets. It all depends on the composition of the soil and its ability to pass moisture. Water should penetrate 30-55 cm deep.

Black currants are not watered under the root, as this harms the underground part. At a distance of 10-20 cm around the bush, grooves are dug to a depth of up to 13 cm. When watering, water is poured into them.

Feeding

Use as fertilizer:

• substances based on potassium and phosphorus;
• compost;
• cow dung;
• chicken manure.

Fertilizers are applied to wet soil. Therefore, top dressing is carried out after watering.

Mulching

After pruning, watering and fertilizing, they proceed to work with the trunk circle. It needs to be mulched. To do this, use hay, leaves of trees or shrubs, as well as compost. In the latter case, it can serve as a fertilizer. The layer of mulch should not exceed 10 cm.

Sawdust is also a good mulch. The grass that remains after mowing the lawn is also used as a protective layer. If a person has chosen leaves and branches of bushes or trees, they should not be fruitful. They prefer decorative types.

Processing the bite zone

The area around the bush is freed from weeds, fallen leaves, various branches and all sorts of "garbage". All this is burned, getting wood ash, which in the future may be needed when carrying out garden work. If the surface is clean, the soil is dug up to a shallow depth.

Only 6-8 cm is enough. This will not damage the root system of the shrub, but will bring out pests that will freeze in winter and will not be able to spoil the crop next season. Digging enhances the water and air exchange of the soil. In autumn, the roots continue to absorb moisture and accumulate it in the tissues. In turn, this will help the currant survive the winter and avoid evaporation of moisture from the branches, which are located on the south side.

Plant transplant

Old bushes are transferred to a new place. Regardless of the type of shrub, the procedure takes place exclusively in the fall. Throughout the winter, the soil settles and compacts. Thanks to this, the seedlings will quickly grow in the spring. If the transplant conditions are met, the shrub will develop correctly.

Preventive treatment

After mulching, currants are observed. When all the leaves fall from the branches, preventive treatment is carried out. An excellent remedy for fungal diseases is Bordeaux liquid. The dosage of the drug should be within 2-3%.

Processing is carried out only after most of the leaves have fallen - about 85%. The rest is collected by hand. Under no circumstances should it be used as a mulch. Leaves are burned along with cut branches.

For maximum effect, spray every branch and even the trunk circle. This approach also helps to clean the soil from pests, since when spraying, part of the substance enters the territory of the near-stem circle.

How to prepare currants for winter

In addition to the classic work, currant needs a number of additional procedures. We are talking about adding soil and bending branches. If the branches are well covered, they will not suffer in the winter. Shrubs growing in the Urals especially need this.

Soil filling

After dressing currant bushes must be inspected. They could be washed away after watering or as a result of precipitation. The bare place is sprinkled with earth, compacting it with a shovel. To prevent the formation of voids, the place is additionally compacted with feet.

The soil for bedding is prepared in advance. Ash, earth and wood soot are mixed in equal quantities. Instead of the last component, furnace soot is taken. If it is not possible to prepare the mixture, use ordinary soil taken from the garden plot. The bedding layer should be around 10 cm.

Bending down branches and sheltering them for the winter

Preparing currants for winter necessarily includes this stage. Shrubs tolerate the winter period without problems if the air temperature is not lower than -25 ° C. With more severe frosts, the branches die off, and the amount of harvest in the next season is automatically reduced. But with properly organized care, currants can withstand temperatures of -50 ° C.

The shrub will survive the winter if the branches are pressed to the ground. This is done in several ways:

1. The bush is pressed down with a heavy stone or brick. It is not recommended to lay all branches under one brick. They are distributed among 5-6 stones.
2. The branches are wrapped with frost-proof material. Each is individually wrapped with agrofibre. As a result, currants can withstand temperatures down to -40 °C. Polyethylene is categorically not suitable as a heater, since the plant will not be able to breathe and will die.When growing shrubs in regions with severe winters, mineral wool is used along with agrofibre.
3. Burying the bush into the soil. The earth is a great insulator. Being under a layer of earth, the shrub will withstand temperatures down to -35 ° C.

Wrapping currants with agrofiber is especially important in snowless winters. In addition, each branch is covered with fabric separately.

It is not recommended to cover the entire bush together with agrofiber, as this will not provide the plant with proper protection.

When a large amount of snow falls, a snow cushion is made at the base of the bushes. Its height does not exceed 10 cm. After that, the bush is completely covered with snow, and it will definitely survive the winter without problems.

Red, black, white, gold - care differences

Autumn currant care for each species is the same.The only difference is the timing of when the culture is cared for. Depending on when a certain variety begins to bear fruit, watering, fertilizing and autumn pruning come a week earlier or later. As a rule, gardeners combine care work.

Summer residents try to have time to prune before the onset of winter frosts. If this is not done on time, then the currant may die during the winter. At first, it is difficult for beginners to determine the time for preparing a plant for winter. Over time, a person learns to recognize when to perform a particular procedure.

Autumn care for currant bushes does not give a person much trouble. If you spare no effort and time, the gardener gets a he althy bush with a large yield. Moreover, the quantity and quality of berries will not decrease with the onset of the new season.

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