The best varieties of currants for the Moscow region: description and growing rules with photos

A large crop of currants can be obtained by growing varieties suitable for a particular region. Among the wide variety of currants, there are a number of the best varieties for the Moscow region, demonstrating good yields and unusual taste.

Climatic features of the region

Temperate continental climate prevails in the main territory of the Moscow Region. Winters in the region are mild and not too frosty, while summers are warm and not dry. Soddy-podzolic and medium loamy soil is widespread on the territory of the southern regions, which favorably affects the growth and development of currant bushes.

The best varieties of blackcurrant for the Moscow region

When choosing suitable varieties of berries, several parameters must be taken into account, including ripening time, fruiting duration, taste characteristics, resistance to external factors. In each category, you can find the best varieties that bring a good harvest.

Classification of varieties by maturity

Different varieties produce crops over a certain period, which varies from 40 to 65 days. The choice should be made depending on the timing of disembarkation and climatic conditions.

Early cultures

Early ripe currant ripens in 40 days and bears fruit for several weeks, so harvesting is carried out several times per season. The most common early varieties include:

The Little Prince. The variety is distinguished by a small height of the bushes, a dense arrangement of fruits and a friendly fruiting. Ripe berries acquire a rich bright color, have a thin skin and a sweet and sour taste.
Selechenskaya. The variety brings 4-5 kg of yield from each plant. A pronounced feature is elongated brushes, on which 12-16 berries are formed. Bushes are sprawling and require fixing on supports.

Mid-ripening

Berries with an average ripening period are recommended to be planted in the southern regions of the Moscow region in order to have time to harvest the entire crop before the first frost. Among professional gardeners, the following varieties are in demand:

Loy alty. The fruits ripen by the middle of the summer period. The berries are large, weighing 3-5 g, with a sweet taste. Shrubs are slightly spreading, medium height, resistant to frost, infections and pest attack.
Dobrynya. The variety requires careful care - tying and crown formation. The yield indicator is 1.6-2.4 kg per plant. Currants are resistant to the negative effects of bud mites and powdery mildew.

Mid-late

Varieties of medium-late ripening during the warm period accumulate a large number of useful components. In this category, varieties such as:

Venus. Productive variety, yielding 3-4 kg per bush. The berries are one-dimensional, large, black, weighing 3-5 g. Ripe fruits are tasty and sweet.
Pearl. The variety brings round, slightly ribbed berries, weighing 4-6 g. Currant Pearl has a universal purpose, suitable for transportation and long-term storage.
Orlovsky w altz. Blackcurrant with soft skin and sweet taste grows on undersized bushes. Harvest ripening is uneven.

Late varieties

Varieties with late ripening ripen closer to autumn. It is recommended to grow these varieties in conditions of a long warm period. Common late-ripening varieties include:

Bagheera. The main advantages of the Bagheera currant are a large harvest, berries of the same size with dense pulp, resistance to frost and temperature extremes.
Vologda. The bushes are medium-sized, very spreading. Variety Vologda brings a high yield regardless of the presence of pollinators. The berries are large, weighing about 2 g. It is possible to harvest up to 4 kg of crop from one plant.
Pygmy. The variety bears fruit once per season, the berries ripen alternately. This variety brings a large harvest, subject to standard rules of agricultural technology. Pygmy late currant is suitable for fresh consumption, canning, freezing and long-term storage.

New varieties

Breeders are constantly discovering new varieties of currants that receive improved qualities. Among recent discoveries worth highlighting:

Darkie. A variety of medium ripening with tall bushes and elongated tassels. Berries have a weight of about 1 g, round-oval shape, thin skin and sweet and sour flavor.
Sudarushka. Dessert variety with an average ripening period. The fruits are large, rounded, weighing up to 4.5 g. The yield indicator reaches 9 kg from each plant.

Sweet varieties

For fresh consumption and use in the preparation of desserts, it is worth picking up sweet varieties of currants. The list of varieties with high sugar content includes the following:

Green haze. The sugar content of currant reaches 12%. Bushes are medium-sized, slightly sprawling. The fruits are rounded, deep black in color with a shiny skin. Plants are able to endure frost without losing their flavor characteristics.
Nina. Mid-early variety with abundant fruiting and a sugar content of 11%. Plants are low, sprawling, with a large number of basal stepchildren. The berries are large, flat-round, one-dimensional.

Varieties of large currants

Blackcurrant varieties with large berries for the Moscow region have rapidly won the recognition of experienced gardeners. Large-fruited varieties can be planted in suburban areas or on an industrial scale. The following species are especially in demand in this category:

Vigorous. This variety has an average ripening period and is suitable for universal use. The mass of each berry is from 3 to 8 g. The fruits are not one-dimensional, the yield is about 6 kg per bush.
Selechenskaya-2. A versatile variety that is resistant to most common diseases. Fruiting begins in early July. It is possible to collect up to 5 kg of berries from one plant.

The most productive

Yield is one of the key requirements when choosing a variety for planting on the site. Based on the results of many years of cultivation of various species in the Moscow region, it was possible to identify the most productive ones. These include:

Harmony. Large berries weighing from 3 g have a shiny surface and pulp of medium density. Under favorable environmental conditions and proper care, the yield is more than 5 kg per bush.
Favorite. Blackcurrant with medium-sized bushes, abundant foliage and a stable crop. The spherical fruits are valued for their juicy pulp, pronounced aroma and sweet aftertaste.

Resistant to diseases and pests

Planting currant bushes that are resistant to infection and insects greatly simplifies care. Plants do not need constant spraying with protective preparations and are able to produce crops for many years.The most popular varieties that are resistant to damage are:

Binar. Mid-early variety, suitable for planting throughout the Moscow region. The bushes are tall, not thickened, slightly sprawling. The berries are rounded, rich in color, with a sour taste. Variety Binar is protected from attack by pests such as glass and bud mites.
Dachnitsa. An unpretentious variety that does not require constant care to get a good harvest. The fruits are large and sweet, with a light aroma and thin skin. Currant summer resident is resistant to major diseases, including powdery mildew.

Planting currants in the suburbs

When planting berries in the Moscow region, one should take into account the specifics of climatic conditions, soil type and many other third-party factors. It is also important to observe the optimal timing of transplanting prepared seedlings into the ground so that they have time to take root and bring a crop during the warm period.

Timing: when is it better to plant currants - in spring or autumn?

Planting blackcurrants in autumn in early September is the best option. If the autumn is warm, then bushes can be planted before October, so that the seedlings have time to adapt to new conditions. In case of early frosts, it is better to wait until spring and plant after the snow has melted, when there is no chance of a return frost.

Preparing the site and planting material

A few days before transferring the seedlings to the ground, the roots are treated with a disinfectant, which is suitable as a manganese solution. Immediately before planting, the roots are lightly cut off so that the plants take root faster in the ground.

Planting pits for placing seedlings are pre-treated with rotted compost or manure to stimulate active growth and development. Black currants require slightly acidic soil, therefore, with strong acidification, it is necessary to add a deoxidizer to the soil.

Step by step instructions for planting seedlings

When transferring seedlings to the ground, it is enough to follow the step-by-step instructions. It includes the following steps:

Dig holes or a continuous trench 35-45 cm deep in the selected area. It is recommended to dig planting holes in advance so that the soil shrinks.
The bottom of the pits is treated with fertilizers. If wood ash is used as top dressing, it is important to consider that it is quickly washed out by groundwater.
Seedlings are placed in pits, the roots are well straightened and deepened 6-7 cm above the root neck. For active development of shoots, seedlings should be placed with a slight slope to the side.
Immediately after planting seedlings, pruning is carried out to restore root balance and rapid growth.

Hub Care

To grow he althy plants and consistently get a large harvest, it is necessary to perform comprehensive care and follow the basic rules of agricultural technology. Any variety of blackcurrant needs regular watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds, weeding, fertilizing and protection from negative influences.

Irrigation and fertilization

Foliar top dressing of black currant is carried out during the period of active flowering and at the time of formation of ovaries. As fertilizers, top dressings with a high nitrogen content and organic matter are used - compost, manure, bird droppings, sawdust and ash.

Blackcurrant is considered a moisture-loving crop, and for proper growth and fruiting, it is necessary to keep the soil moist. Insufficient watering provokes slow growth of bushes, crushing and shedding of berries. During the growing season, bushes should be irrigated at least 4-5 times.

Pruning and shaping the plant

In the process of crown formation and pruning, old and damaged branches, dried leaves and excess shoots are removed. Pruning improves aeration, allows the sun to reach the fruits and promotes the development of new branches.

Pests and diseases: preventive treatments

Prophylactic spraying helps to prevent currant damage by diseases and insects. For protection, you can use insecticidal and fungicidal preparations, as well as organic substances.

Propagation of currants

Cultivation of currant bushes is carried out by cuttings, layering or by division. Rooting cuttings is the easiest way. Harvest cuttings from basal stepchildren or annual shoots growing on the main stem.

When separating bushes, use a pruner. It is necessary that a sufficient number of formed shoots and roots remain on each part of the plant, which will increase the chances of survival.

Using cuttings for propagation of currants, branches and shoots are separated from the bushes only after rooting. It is recommended to root two-year-old shoots as they have a better chance of developing.