Whitecurrant: care and cultivation, description of the best varieties with photos, reproduction

Growing and caring for white currants is not too difficult. The shrub is simple in agricultural technology. But to get a good harvest, it is recommended to follow the advice of agronomists. The plant is very decorative: some gardeners cultivate shrubs not only to obtain tasty fruits, but also to decorate the site. Planted along the paths, they act as a living barrier.

Biological features

Whitecurrant is a plant of the genus Currant of the Gooseberry family. The first representatives of the shrub are a product of “taming” wild red currants. Today, breeders have created many interesting plant varieties.

Plant description:

• shrub up to 1.5 m (with good care, some varieties grow up to 3 m);
• shoots covered with greenish-brown bark (its color darkens with age);
• berries are round or slightly elongated;
• taste: sour to sweet;
• colors: all shades of yellow, pink, cream;
• flowers are green-yellow, collected in a brush;
• leaf has 3-5 lobes, jagged edges.

Gardeners like that the plant is resistant to shedding: after ripening, the berries stay on the branches for a long time.

Popular species

Breeders create varieties with different characteristics. They are suitable for the successful fruiting of currants in various regions, so it is recommended to study the characteristics of the most common varieties before buying a shrub for planting in the garden.

English White

Plant characteristics:

• compact bushes;
• excellent frost resistance;
• ripens early;
• refreshing taste of berries.

Gardeners like that the fruits grow large: up to 1.5 g. An adult plant pleases with stable yields: up to 5 kg. But the shrub is not self-fertile: it needs pollinators.

White Squirrel

Holds the first place in the precocity of species: the first berries can be tasted the next year after planting. The shrub is not affected by insects, does not get sick. Gardeners like frost resistance. The species is self-fertile, but when planted next to a pollinator variety, the yield increases by 20-30%.

White grapes

Variety Benefits:

• frost resistance;
• drought tolerance;
• shrub compactness;
• sweet berry taste.

The ripening period of berries is average. But when planting, it should be borne in mind that the variety is not self-fertile. Pollinators are required to harvest.

Dutch White

Shrub characteristics:

• compact;
• not susceptible to major diseases;
• medium early ripening;
• gives up to 4 kg per plant;
• juicy flesh;
• taste sweet and sour;

The advantages of currants are: preservation of ovaries during return frosts and self-fertility.

Dessert

High-yielding (yielding up to 6 kg) shrub with large berries. Ripens early. The habit is compact, the fruits are honey. The shrub does not get sick, tolerates weather changes well.

Cream

Shrub features:

• not sick, not damaged by pests;
• ripens early;
• low frost resistance;
• compact;
• high yield (up to 6 kg per bush);
• due to thin skin, low transportability;
• cream colored berries;
• taste of berries sweet and sour;
• fruit pulp is juicy.

When planting in areas where winters are cold, bushes freeze.

Juterborg

Shrub bred by European breeders. Excellent passed the test in the Urals and Siberia. Features:

• high frost resistance;
• medium early maturity;
• excellent drought tolerance;
• high yield (up to 8 kg from one bush);
• resistance to fruit shedding;
• compact;
• tendency to thickening;
• berries not aligned.

When planting, consider the low resistance to anthracnose.

Primus

Product of Czech breeders. Special Features:

• medium maturity;
• resistance to all known currant diseases;
• high yield (up to 10 kg per plant);
• compact;
• resistance to shedding of berries after ripening;
• high frost resistance;
• large aligned berries (weight up to 1 g);
• fruit flavor is sweet and sour.

The variety has almost no flaws.

Boulogne

Mid-early ripening variety. Special Features:

• compact bushes;
• variety resistant to tight planting;
• low frost resistance;
• medium early maturity;
• refreshing (sweet and sour) taste of berries.

The variety has little resistance to anthracnose.

Belyana

Variety with slightly sprawling bushes. Features:

• high frost resistance;
• excellent drought tolerance;
• self-fertile;
• friendly return of the harvest;
• berry taste has an excellent rating;
• thin skin;
• juicy flesh.

Berries are poorly transported over long distances due to the thin skin of the fruit.

Minusinsk White

Variety obtained in Eastern Siberia. Its characteristics:

• excellent frost resistance;
• drought tolerance;
• resistance to diseases and pests;
• large seeds in berries;
• low yield (up to 3 kg per bush);
• medium maturity;
• large berries (up to 1 g);
• fruit flavor is sweet and sour.

The variety feels good in the middle lane.

The most productive varieties

Beloprodka has different yields. Before buying, it is recommended to carefully evaluate this characteristic.

Diamond (White Fairy)

Distinctive features of the species:

• plant produces abundant annual growth (prone to thickening);
• medium maturity;
• fruit color yellow-white;
• brush long;
• berries aligned;
• taste sweet and sour;
• no fragrance;
• fruit weight up to 0.8 g.

The plant has a consistently high yield (up to 6 kg per bush).

Bayana

Full name - Dessert Bayana. Plant Feature:

• late maturity;
• yield up to 6 kg per bush;
• berries are round, white;
• taste sweet, refreshing;
• resistant to major diseases and pests;
• medium shoot height;
• plant tends to thicken.

Gardeners love the versatility of fruits. They make excellent compotes, jelly, jam. It is nice to eat fresh berries.

Versailles white

With proper care, yields up to 5 kg per bush. Features:

• heat resistance;
• drought tolerance;
• weak frost resistance;
• medium maturity;
• the plant is not fast-growing (begins to bear fruit in the 4th-5th year of planting);
• high bush (up to 15 m);
• taste of fruit sweet and sour;
• berries aligned (up to 1.3 g).

The plant has poor disease resistance.

White Potapenko

A distinctive feature of the variety is sweet berries. Plant characteristics:

• compact bush;
• precocious variety;
• resistance to fruit shedding;
• taste of fruit sweet and sour;
• yield up to 6 kg per bush;
• berries are medium (up to 0.8 g).

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests.

Ural White

Plant characteristics:

• bush is of moderate size;
• curved branches;
• bark color light green;
• gives abundant growth (the bush is prone to thickening);
• leaf large, light green;
• fruit color yellow;
• the number of seeds is small;
• taste sweet, slightly sour;
• ripening time - medium early.

The bush has a high frost resistance, so it can be grown in regions with cold winters. Productivity - up to 6 kg per plant.

How to choose a variety depending on the region

In order for the white currant to please with stable fruiting, you should choose the right variety for planting. At the same time, it is recommended to give preference to released species that have been tested and included in the State Register of Agricultural Plants.

The best varieties of white currant for the Moscow region

Breeders recommend planting in the region: Smolyaninovskaya, Primus, Versailles, White Fairy, Cream, Bayan. Plants have sufficient frost resistance to grow in the region. They have enough warm period for ripening berries.

For mid lane

The region gives stable harvests: Smolyaninovskaya, Versailles, Kremovaya.

For the Urals and Siberia

The difficult climatic conditions of the Urals and Siberia are great for: Belyany, Versailles, Ural White and Smolyaninovskaya.

For Southern Regions

In the State Register for cultivation in the Southern regions and the Black Earth region included: Cream, Smolyaninovskaya, White Fairy, Primus, Bayana, Versailles.

Features of planting and care

Whitecurrant is an unpretentious plant. But in order to obtain consistently high yields, it is recommended to follow some features.

Optimal timing and disembarkation scheme

Autumn is ideal for placing shrubs with an open root system in the garden: late September - early October. If it is impossible to plant a bush in the fall, you can plant it in early spring (before the buds awaken).

Seedlings with a closed root system can be planted at any time (if the soil is warm enough).

When planting several shrubs, it is recommended to take into account their habit. The branches of adjacent plants should not overlap. The average distance between landings is 1 m.

Soil preparation and fertilization

Before planting, it is recommended to prepare a planting hole in advance. It is made six months before the intended landing.

The size of the pit is 60 x 60 x 60 cm. The excavated soil is mixed with mature organic matter (a bucket of compost, humus). Then the soil is returned to its place, the pit is closed.

Before planting, it is recommended to deoxidize the soil (if necessary): add ash, fluff lime, dolomite flour.

When planting, fill the hole with a full mineral complex (potassium, phosphorus).

Technology for planting white-fruited cuttings

When growing white currants in the open field, it is recommended to perform a competent planting. How to proceed:

1. First you need to inspect the seedlings. Remove damaged and dead roots. With a dried up root system, it is recommended to soak the plant for 2 days in Kornevin's solution.
2. Leave 2-3 strong shoots, cut the rest at the base. Shorten strong shoots to 2-3 buds.
3. Lower the bush into the prepared planting hole, tilting to the north at an angle of 45 degrees. Deepen the root collar by 2-3 cm. This is how it should be planted for better root formation and active growth of shoots.
4. Consolidate and water the soil around the plant. Then mulch the trunk circle with peat or dried grass.

Properly planted bush begins to grow and bear fruit.

How to care for whitecurrant bushes

For regular fruiting, white-fruited currants require proper care.

Hub processing

White currant is affected by pests and diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out preventive spraying.

The first spraying is carried out in early spring, as soon as the average daily temperatures become positive. Copper sulphate, Bordeaux liquid or concentrated urea solution are used as a working solution.

Before wintering, it is recommended to spray the whitewort again. Processing is carried out in October. The weather is chosen calm, calm.

If it rained for 3 days after spraying, the treatment must be repeated.

Irrigation mode

It is necessary to follow the moisturizing regime to obtain high-quality berries. Without sufficient moisture, the berries shrink and dry.

In summer, water the bushes as the soil dries. The soil should get wet to a depth of 30-40 cm. It is convenient to water in the recesses made along the perimeter of the near-stem circle.

After wetting and absorbing water, it is recommended to loosen the soil (to destroy the formed capillaries). Mulching the trunk circle reduces the amount of watering.

Sanitary and shaping trim

Usually shaping pruning is carried out in the spring. But the whitewort is distinguished by weak scarring of the sections. The long flow of juice in the spring weakens the plant. Therefore, it is optimal to prune in the fall.

The bush is formed within 5 years. During this time, he must receive 20 skeletal branches of different ages. Every year 3-4 strong shoots are left, the rest are removed. Cutting branches is not recommended: this will reduce fruiting.

Sanitary pruning is carried out throughout the year (if necessary).

Fertilization frequency

Beloplodka pleases with a harvest only with regular fertilization of the bushes. In spring, the plant requires nitrogen. To do this, a bucket of infusion of chicken manure or mullein is brought under every 2 bushes.

At the end of May, the bush is fed with potash-phosphorus fertilizer. Application rate: 15 g per plant.

In a wet summer, a complex foliar top dressing gives an excellent result. The bushes are sprayed with a fertilizer solution according to the instructions.

Cleaning between rows

White currant aisles should be kept free from weeds. To preserve moisture in the soil, the soil must be mulched with cut and dried grass, peat, and rotted sawdust.

Transfer

Adult bushes do not tolerate transplantation well. It is better to propagate the plant, and plant a young bush in a new place.

Shelter of plants for the winter

Biloprodka hibernates without shelter. But in regions with severe winters, it is necessary to ensure that the plant is completely covered with snow.

Crop yield characteristics

Crop productivity is one of the main indicators of a variety. Breeders create new high-yielding species. This indicator is related to when the currant ripens.

Early varieties do not produce a significant yield. Their value is to give berries when the rest of the fruits are just pouring.

Currants of medium early, late and medium late ripening are 20-25% more productive.

When growing white fruit on the plot, the gardener must be able to assess the real yield of the variety. Productivity is considered high when the variety gives from 6 kg per plant. If a gardener collects from 4 to 6 kg from currants, then the yield is average.It happens that a summer resident receives 2.5-3 kg of berries from a bush. This is low yield.

It is recommended to compare the actual yield with that characteristic of the variety. With a significant difference, the rules for caring for the plant should be reviewed.

Ways to propagate the bush

Whitecurrant breeds quite easily. This is within the power of a novice gardener.

By cuttings

With this method of reproduction, the preparation of planting material begins at the end of winter. 1-2-year-old semi-lignified cuttings are suitable for rooting. How to proceed:

• cutting cuttings required in February (only use a he althy plant);
• treat the upper straight cut with wax or paraffin;
• process the lower (oblique) cut with a growth stimulator ("Kornevin");
• place the cutting in a jar of water so that the liquid only slightly covers the oblique cut;
• after rooting, the plants are planted in the nursery for growing.

In autumn, young bushes can be planted in a permanent place.

Layers

Propagation by layering is the easiest way. An annual shoot of currant is pinned to the ground and sprinkled with soil. The top of the shoot is cut off. Flowers or ovaries are removed. The place of potential rooting is regularly moistened.

At the end of the season, the twig will take root. A bush is planted in a permanent place in the spring.

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