When black and red currants ripen: how to determine ripeness, timing

The timing of ripening berries depends on the specific variety, region of growth, weather conditions and other nuances. Faced with the question of when blackcurrant berries ripen, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the variety and other characteristics.

When the black currant ripens depending on the variety

There are many varieties of currants, which can be conditionally divided into 3 categories by ripening time:

• early ripe;
• medium ripe berries;
• late varieties.

When choosing a suitable category, the main role is played by the climate in the growing area. In hot areas, it allows you to grow any variety, and in regions with a cool climate, it is advisable to plant early-ripening varieties.

Early

Currant varieties with an early ripening period are planted in May days, they begin to bear a crop a month later, in the second half of June - early July. Currants that ripen early are ideal for growing in cooler climates. Popular early varieties include:

1. Gold of the Incas. The fruits have a translucent structure, sweet and sour taste and are located on the brushes of 7-9 pieces. Up to 2.5 kg of crop ripens on one bush.
2. Tear of Isis. Small light yellow berries ripen on undersized bushes. The yield is about 2 kg.
3. The Snow Queen. Sweet greenish berries grow in abundance. One bush during the growth period brings more than 2.7 kg of currants.

Varieties of medium maturity

Mid-ripening currant begins to ripen by mid-summer. The fruiting period stretches for 20-30 days, so it is possible to harvest the entire crop only in August. The most common mid-season varieties are:

1. Mystery. High-yielding variety with increased resistance to frost.
2. Sweet. The variety is suitable for cultivation in almost all regions, excluding the northern ones.
3. Delicacy. Small berries weighing up to 1.5 g have a sweet aftertaste and contain an increased amount of ascorbic acid.

Late cultures

Berries with late ripening dates are harvested in August and September, until the onset of the first frost.As a rule, gardeners plant late crops in regions with a predominantly warm climate in order to have time to harvest the entire crop during the warm season. Late ripening varieties include:

1. Vologda. On sprawling bushes, enlarged fruits weighing more than 2 g grow. Regardless of the presence of pollinators, the variety shows a high yield.
2. Rondom. A variety bred by Dutch breeders that allows you to collect up to 4-5 kg from each bush.
3. Tamerlane. Disease and cold resistant variety. Under the condition of complex care, the yield indicator reaches 4 kg.

How to determine ripeness by external parameters

The easiest way to recognize ripeness is by visual parameter. The skin color changes as it matures. It is important to consider that it is necessary to determine the ripeness on red and black currants taking into account varietal characteristics.

If by external signs it is not possible to understand whether the crop is fully ripe, you can pick a few fruits from the branches and taste. A sour-sweet aftertaste indicates a sufficient degree of maturation.

Red varieties

You can determine when the fruits of red currant ripen by the rich, bright red tint of the skin. In addition, ripe fruits become dense and increase in size.

Chokeberry

After the flowering period, black currant ripens for about 45 days. Berries begin to ripen gradually, so the collection stretches for several days. A clear sign of ripening is the black color of the berries, but such specimens should be plucked after a couple of days, since the flesh may still remain green. At the same time, harvesting should not be postponed for a long time, since ripe berries begin to crumble over time.

How ripening times vary by region

In different regions, the duration of the ripening of the crop varies, taking into account climatic and weather conditions, soil type, level of natural light and other third-party factors. When growing currants, you should first find out when the fruits are harvested in a particular area.

Time for the collection of black currants in the Moscow region and the Moscow region

Large-scale ripening of red and black currant berries in the Moscow region and the Moscow region occurs in late July - early August. The crop ripens alternately, so it will take several times to pick the berries. Depending on the temperature regime, the ripening period of berries may deviate from the norm.

In a hot summer, currants ripen much earlier than in low ambient temperatures.

The ripening period in the Urals

In the Urals, it is preferable to grow varieties of currants in which fruiting begins after the middle of the summer period. Even if the harvest is delayed, varieties suitable for the Urals will be able to withstand the first frosts and a sharp drop in temperature.

When currants are harvested in central Russia

Early varieties are recommended for cultivation in central Russia. You can start picking berries in late June - early July. With the right conditions of care and a favorable environment, the entire crop can be harvested long before the onset of cold weather.

In what month fruits are harvested in the Leningrad region

The climate that is observed in the main territory of the Leningrad region is suitable for spring planting. When choosing varieties of currants, it is recommended to plant several varieties that differ in the ripening period.By growing different varieties, it will be possible to harvest during July and August, which will allow for a long period of time to have fresh berries.

When the currant ripens in Siberia

In Siberia, varieties are grown with early or medium ripening, resistant to low temperatures. The harvest period for the main part of the harvest is at the end of June.

How to pick berries correctly and quickly?

Currants are recommended to be harvested in dry weather. It is best to harvest early in the morning or late in the evening. Ripened berries are carefully plucked from the branches with hands and placed in plastic bags or other containers. If you plan to immediately process the crop, you can use a deep pan as a container. For fresh storage or subsequent freezing, the berries are stacked in a small layer in a shallow container.

When the berries will be transported over long distances, it is necessary to pluck them at the stage of technical maturity, when they are just beginning to gain color.

Ripening and full coloration of fruits will occur during transportation. At the same time, it is important that the transportation does not take more than a week. Growing fruits for exclusively fresh consumption, they should be harvested after reaching consumer maturity, when they acquire a rich color characteristic of a particular variety.

Recommended