Blackcurrant: pruning in autumn, rejuvenating an old bush, preparing for winter

Blackcurrants grow in almost every garden plot. After harvesting, many gardeners forget about the bushes, then complain about the decline in berries. Blackcurrants require care in the fall: pruning branches, additional nutrition, spraying.

The measures are simple, and by following them promptly, gardeners achieve stable annual harvests of this healthy berry. With proper agricultural practices, this undemanding crop can bear fruit for up to 15-18 years, yielding abundant harvests.

When to start pruning currants in autumn

For blackcurrant bushes, pruning and care in the fall are the most important activities. Each year, the bushes produce new shoots, new suckers appear, and established branches continue to grow. Since the largest berry harvest occurs on shoots between one and four years old, older branches are removed.

The procedure depends on the age and condition of the plants. Timing is determined based on the local climate, but it must be done before the first frost. Pruning too early leads to the growth of new, fresh shoots, which will inevitably freeze in the cold. Late pruning will only harm the bushes and seriously weaken the currants.

The ideal period is from mid-September to early November (depending on the region). At this time, currants shed their leaves completely, making it easier to determine the age of the shoots. Sap flow stops. Pruning helps:

• rejuvenation of bushes;
• increase the number of berries;
• growth of larger fruits;
• formation of a healthy, beautiful crown of the bush;
• improving the taste of currants;
• aesthetic appeal of the bushes.

Cultivated plantings survive the winter better. In cold weather, weak and young shoots freeze, weakening the entire bush. Removing excess shoots in advance can help prevent stress on currants. Pruning destroys most dangerous pests and their larvae. Neglected plantings produce much smaller yields, and the berries are unpalatable and of poor commercial quality.

Currants are pruned every year, observing the rules of agricultural technology for the crop.

How to trim correctly

Which shoots are pruned:

• old;
• deformed;
• sick;
• dry;
• young, too dense plantings;
• not producing berries.

Branches lying on the ground and protruding beyond the crown are removed. The plantings are inspected beforehand, noting weak, damaged branches, shoots growing low above the soil surface, and shoots in the center of the bush. These are removed first, leaving 6 to 10 strong, healthy shoots on the bush.

Garden pruning shears and a saw are used for this procedure. The removed branches are usually removed from the area and burned. Pruning instructions:

• cut branches 1-1.5 cm above the buds;
• no stumps are left on the bushes;
• Do not break off currants with your hands, only with tools.

First, remove dry and deformed branches, then move on to green, unripe specimens. The cuts are sealed with pitch.

If the bushes have a large number of dry, black-pithed branches, they are uprooted and burned. After disinfecting the soil, new seedlings can be planted in the spring.

Rejuvenation of an old bush diagram

Currant plantings are rejuvenated after five to six years. Five-year-old shoots have passed their peak yield and are pruned. Up to 50% of the bush is removed, removing deformed, diseased, old, and thickening branches. The first rejuvenation is carried out in the fifth year, followed by feeding with a potassium-phosphorus fertilizer to speed up recovery.

A year later, the following fall, the bushes are inspected. Mature, strong shoots (18-20) are selected, and the rest are removed. After another year, approximately half of the old shoots and 10-12 new ones are left on the bush. Ultimately, within 3-4 years, the old currant plantings can be rejuvenated without the need to replant new seedlings.

Formation of a young bush

To obtain early and maximum yields of berries, it is necessary to properly form young currant plantings.

1. To begin, prune the newly planted berry bush, leaving three buds on each branch. The number of shoots should be no more than four.
2. When planting two-year-old seedlings, prune the bushes in July. Each branch is cut back by approximately 8-10 cm.
3. In the first year after planting, the strongest shoots are selected in the fall, and all the others are removed. This forms the skeletal base of the future bush.
4. Side branches sticking out from the crown are cut off, as they will shade the flowers and berries.
5. Typically, up to 14-20 branches growing from the soil are left on the bush. Any more puts a lot of strain on the bush, and the plant lacks nutrition. The berries on such bushes are small, and the yield is low.

Autumn care

In addition to pruning, blackcurrant bushes require additional nutrition and autumn watering. Preventative treatments against diseases and protection from cold are essential.

A long wintering period is stressful for plants, without care and preparing for winter Plants freeze and become diseased. All of this affects future crop yields.

Processing of the bush area

The area around bushes requires special attention in the fall. Gardeners have different opinions on the use of agricultural techniques:

• mandatory digging of the soil around the bushes in order to destroy possible pests;
• only mulching the area, without digging the soil.

All options have their proponents, but the results are tested in practice. Some gardeners loosen the soil around the tree trunks and, after fertilizing and watering, mulch the soil. Others limit themselves to just digging, while others leave the soil alone, adding mulch closer to frost.

When digging, dig the fork no deeper than 8-10 cm to avoid damaging the currant's root system. Any suitable material can be used for mulching:

• covering fabrics;
• leaves (dry, without rot);
• small branches;
• shavings;
• dry sawdust.

Mulch the soil after watering. Mulch will retain moisture and protect the currant root system from frost in the absence of snow cover.

Watering

In the fall, when there's no rain, water the plants to recharge them. What are the benefits of this procedure?

1. Saturation of the soil with moisture.
2. Root system growth.
3. Protecting the ground from rapid freezing.
4. Reducing the risk of rapid soil thawing during winter thaws.
5. Maintaining the stability of the soil structure.
6. Creating a moisture reserve for spring.

It's no coincidence that watering is called "charging" watering, as it involves applying large amounts of water. The timing begins in mid-September, when the bushes begin to shed their leaves.

Standards:

• plantings up to five years old are watered with 3 buckets per bush;
• older plantings – 5-6 buckets per bush.

Water should be absorbed into the soil around the bushes, not spread beyond their boundaries. It is recommended to water with a hose or sprinkler. On sandy soils, watering rates should be higher; on clay soils, the amount of water should be reduced by two to three times. Rates should also be reduced if there are prolonged rains in the fall.

Top dressing

After harvesting, currant bushes require adequate nutrition. The plant has devoted all its energy to ripening the berries, is weakened, and without additional nutrition, it may not survive the winter cold.

Suitable fertilizer mixtures:

• superphosphate and potassium (1 heaped tablespoon of fertilizer is enough, sprinkled under the bushes and worked into the soil);
• wood ash (for both nutrition and mulching).

For bushes that are more than five years old, fertilizer rates are doubled. Just before frost, humus or well-rotted cow manure can be added to the bushes. When applied in the fall, the organic matter will decompose over the winter into easily digestible components, which the currants will benefit from in the spring. Furthermore, organic matter, acting as mulch, will protect the soil from freezing and retain moisture.

Adding soil

Another technique is adding soil under currant plantings. After heavy watering and fertilizing, the roots of the bushes often become exposed. These plants are at risk of freezing in cold weather, so add fresh, clean soil. It is recommended to lightly compact the soil after adding soil.

Some gardeners mix soil with ash and then sprinkle the mixture under the bushes.

How to spray currants in the fall to protect against pests and diseases

In October, currant plantings treated against pests and various diseases. If lesions are present, remove damaged shoots, dig up, and disinfect the soil around the bushes. Spraying with pesticides is prohibited during berry picking; treatment begins after the harvest.

The bud mite is dangerous. Before the cold weather sets in, the insect burrows into the berry buds, overwinters there, and continues its dangerous activity in the spring. Bushes damaged by the mite slow growth and dry out. Buds fail to open on the shoots, disrupting the normal development of the plant. The bud mite carries various infections dangerous to currants, such as mycoplasma disease.

Various drugs are used for control:

• Fitoverm;
• Akarin.

Treat the bushes immediately after berry picking, while the weather remains warm. Bactericidal treatments will not be as effective as temperatures drop.

Closer to October, more effective medications are used against ticks:

• Nitrafen;
• Rotor-S.

When processing, follow the instructions for use of the product and personal protective measures.

If powdery mildew is noticed on currant bushes in the summer, treatment with special products is required in the fall. Without spraying, infected blackcurrant bushes often freeze over the winter and become diseased. By spring, the bushes appear weak, lifeless, and often die. Ready-made products include:

• Fast;
• Fundazol.

Spraying the branches with a solution of tar soap and sulfur gives good results:

• grate the soap shavings (about 2 tablespoons);
• 40 grams of sulfur are added to the water and mixed;
• add soap shavings to the solution.

The bushes are treated with the solution immediately after harvesting the berries, while the leaves are still on. It's recommended to spray the plants 2-3 times. All damaged and diseased shoots are cut out and burned. All foliage collected under the currant bushes is also carefully raked up and destroyed.

Prevention of blackcurrant infections in autumn

In addition to treating damaged bushes, gardeners don't forget about disease prevention and protecting healthy plantings from possible pest attacks. Activities:

• spraying with malathion, Bordeaux mixture;
• spraying plantings with copper oxychloride;
• disinfection of bushes with infusions of onion peel, ash, and tobacco.

To disinfect the soil under plantings, use a 1% solution of copper sulfate and a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Possible propagation of black currant in autumn

In the fall, gardeners prepare currant cuttings for spring planting. This allows them to propagate their favorite variety and also save diseased bushes from complete destruction.

It happens that they found it on currants signs of illnessPruning hasn't helped, and the plant has to be uprooted. However, before doing so, it's recommended to carefully inspect the shoots, as there's a chance you'll find healthy branches suitable for cuttings among the year-old shoots.

They are cut, cut into cuttings (10-15 cm), and planted in a pre-prepared bed. A couple of buds are left above the surface, and the cuttings are planted at a slight angle.

For the winter, the bed containing the cuttings is covered with cloth, burlap, and then snow. In the spring, after the cuttings emerge, the strongest and most developed ones are selected, and the rest are removed. The cuttings, which have grown by autumn, are transplanted to their permanent location. Planting and care are standard, adhering to agricultural practices. Planting from cuttings in the fall is suitable for southern regions; in risky farming zones, it is advisable to plant the bushes in the spring.

Bending branches

Blackcurrants are easy-to-grow and frost-resistant, but there's a risk of branches freezing in cold winters. The plant is believed to withstand temperatures down to -27ºC…-30ºC, but at lower temperatures, the bushes freeze.

To avoid this problem, in regions with harsh winters, the branches of the bush are bent to the ground.

Methods:

1. The branches are bent to the ground, pressed down with stones or broken bricks, and covered with soil on top.
2. The branches are wrapped in agrofibre and slightly bent towards the ground.
3. The currants are wrapped in non-woven materials, adding mineral wool as an insulating layer.

Some gardeners use plastic film. However, this is not recommended, as the shoots cannot "breathe," condensation forms, and there is a risk of plant death.

In spring, currant bushes are uncovered early, carefully removing the protective covering and straightening the branches. Don't delay, otherwise the branches will rot, the bush will become diseased, and die.

Tips from experienced gardeners

Experienced gardeners have accumulated many "secrets" for caring for black currants, allowing them to harvest large crops every year.

1. When pruning in the fall, remove excess root shoots near the bushes. Leave 3-4 shoots, no more.
2. Stock up in advance on the necessary materials for mulching bushes and covering.
3. Use high-quality pruning tools, always disinfecting them with special solutions.
4. Remove old and diseased shoots promptly. They won't produce a harvest, but they are dangerous as sources and carriers of fungal infections.
5. When loosening the soil around bushes, it is advisable to use cultivators and pitchforks, but not shovels.
6. Straw is not used as mulch for berry bushes. It attracts large numbers of rodents, which damage the roots and young stems of the bushes.
7. Unlike the red varieties, black currant All branches older than five years are considered old.

Every gardener should know how to care for black currants in the fall, taking into account the specific climate of the region, growing conditionsThis guarantees a bountiful harvest. Care includes a number of essential steps. Timely pruning, watering, and fertilizing promote good plant development and overwintering, increasing the number of berries next year.