Features of planting currants in autumn

It's common to plant berry bushes equally well in both spring and fall. Blackcurrant, a very popular gardener, is an easy-to-grow plant. Therefore, it's not widely known that this bush prefers autumn. Planting currants in the fall significantly increases the survival rate of the seedlings. A stronger, more robust bush will yield a rich and nutritious harvest.

Optimal time for planting

Currants, whether black, red, golden, or white, are very hardy and resilient plants. However, to grow a healthy bush from a seedling, you need to adhere to the planting timing and understand the nuances of planting.

You may be interested in:

Large and sweet blackcurrant varieties for the Moscow region
For many gardeners, growing blackcurrants means harvesting the sour berries. In fact, if…Read more…

The right time of year

Deciding when it's best to plant currants—spring or fall—is very simple. Just consider the differences in currant planting for each season:

Spring planting:

1. It's important to consider the peculiarities of currant growth—its buds open early, and in most regions, the soil hasn't yet warmed up. Therefore, this type of planting is more successful in warm, low-snow regions.
2. The best time to plant is late March, when nighttime temperatures don't drop below 0°C. If repeated frosts are likely, it's best to wait until early April at the latest. The plant shouldn't enter the active growth phase to allow time for rooting.
3. You can't delay planting, as a bush with blossoming buds will have difficulty taking root.
4. The planting day needs to be carefully chosen. The temperature should be warm enough (10…12°C) but not hot, and the humidity should be high.

Planting black currants in autumn has a number of advantages:

1. Autumn lacks the springtime rush. You have all summer to choose a spot for your currants.
2. The seedlings have already developed a root system, making it easy to select the strongest and healthiest bush.
3. Virtually no care after planting - no need for frequent watering or fertilization.
4. The activity of harmful insects drops sharply in autumn.
5. All the plant's energy is directed not toward leaf formation, but toward the root system. This allows the currant to establish itself quickly and well. When temperatures drop to approximately 10°C or below, the roots will move deeper, and the plant will become immune to adverse temperatures.
6. By spring, the soil around the roots will have compacted to the required degree, and the seedling will begin to grow vigorously and produce good shoots.
7. Currants awaken from their winter dormancy very early. A two-year-old bush can produce its first berries as early as spring.

The best month

Experienced gardeners consider this month to be ideal for planting currants — black, red, white — is called September. The optimal planting temperature should be no lower than 15°C.

But it’s not that simple: when you think about it, When deciding which month to plant currants in the fall, you also need to consider the region's climate:

• central Russia (Nizhny Novgorod, Lipetsk, Kostroma regions) - the period from September 25 to October 15;
• Moscow and the Moscow region - mid-September to early October;
• Leningrad region - the last ten days of September;
• Siberia and the Urals - August 24 - September 10;
• southern regions, Astrakhan, Rostov regions, Krasnodar Krai - from October 10 to the beginning of November;
• Volga region - from the end of September to October 20;
• Ukraine - from mid-September to the end of October;
• Belarus - in October.

The correct planting time is determined based on the prevailing weather conditions in the region, the frost forecast, and the time it takes for the seedling or cutting to take root, gain strength, and survive the winter.

You may be interested in:

Blackcurrant pests and how to control them
When someone new to gardening sees the fruits of a beautiful black currant, they can only admire them. But everyone…Read more…

Black currants take 16-20 days to root (red and white currants take 25 days). Therefore, depending on the climate, currants should be planted in the fall (2, 3, or 3.5 weeks before the onset of frost). After planting, the temperature should remain at 5°C for a long time.

Preparing for landing

Unpretentious currants can grow even without careful care. However, it's unlikely the bush will produce a bountiful harvest of large berries. Therefore, it's important to know how to plant the plant correctly in the fall, starting with choosing the right location in the garden.

Selecting a location on the site

A currant bush can actively bear fruit in one place for 15 to 20 years, and transplant It doesn't tolerate rain well. Therefore, it's important to choose the most suitable location in the garden. Black currant prefers well-lit areas, but also thrives in shaded areas. It enjoys moisture but doesn't tolerate waterlogged soil.

If the garden plot is located in a lowland and the groundwater level is close to the surface (less than 1 meter), it's important to protect the currant bushes from standing water. This can be accomplished by draining the soil; it's best to construct a drainage structure that will channel excess moisture away from the roots.

Currants thrive on gentle slopes protected from the wind. If planted on a raised platform, their roots will often suffer from the cold, and in winter, the wind will blow away the snow that insulates the roots.

Currants prefer fertile or light, loose loamy soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH (approximately 6-6.5). It's best to avoid planting them in areas previously occupied by other currant bushes, gooseberries, or raspberries. Avoid areas where moss, couch grass, and horsetail grow abundantly. This indicates high soil acidity. Areas previously occupied by perennial legumes, cereals, vegetables, or flowers are best.

Working with soil

Preparing the site for planting, digging and fertilizing the planting holes, begins 2-3 weeks before the expected planting date. The soil is dug to a depth of 2 spade-lengths. each square meter of soil is fertilized with a mixture of the following composition:

• humus or compost (8 kg);
• superphosphate (50 g);
• potassium nitrate (30 g).

The soil must settle, otherwise the root collar of the plant will not be deepened properly.

During this period the soil is brought to an optimal state as follows:

1. Acidic soil. The soil should be limed with quicklime (400 g per m²) or dolomite flour (500 g per m²). The top layer of soil (40-45 cm) is removed and mixed with lime or flour, after which the soil is returned to its original location.
2. Heavy clay soil is diluted with black soil, sand, and compost.
3. Sandy soil must be mixed with clay soil.

Holes for seedlings

Planting holes are prepared approximately three weeks before planting. The prepared area is leveled, and holes of a suitable size are dug into the soil. Typically, the holes are 40-50 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter. When digging holes or trenches, keep in mind that the currant root system will eventually expand to the size of its crown.

Once the hole is ready, fertilizers are placed at its bottom:

• humus (1 bucket);
• superphosphate (150 g);
• vermicompost (3 l);
• potassium sulfate (40 g);
• sifted wood ash (1 cup).

If the soil is poor, increase the amount of compost or old manure to 2 buckets. Cover the fertilizer layer with soil to prevent the seedling's roots from burning. Leave the hole until planting.

Methods of reproduction

There are several currant propagation optionsThe easiest way is to simply purchase ready-made seedlings. However, cuttings or division are also common.

Cutting method

It is held at the time when autumn has entered the season of leaf fall, approximately after October 15:

1. From the adult bush you like, cut off a one-year-old basal shoot at least 7 mm thick.
2. Select a bud from the bottom of the shoot and make a 45° angled cut behind it. Mark 20-25 cm along the cutting and cut approximately 2 cm above the bud. The entire shoot is cut into cuttings in the same manner, always making an angled cut at the bottom.
3. The cuttings should be about the thickness of a pencil; thinner ones will take root less well.
4. Insert the cutting into the soil at a 45° angle to capture as many buds as possible. Only one upward-facing bud should be left above the soil surface. Space the cuttings approximately 10 cm apart.

Dividing the bush and purchasing seedlings

Dividing a bush is the simplest method. Simply separate a shoot with well-developed roots from the mother plant and plant it in the usual way. This method is most often used if, for some reason, it is necessary to currant transplantationIt is dug up entirely, so it is convenient to select the healthiest shoots.

It's better to buy a seedling with an open root system rather than in a container: this makes inspection easier. A plant with a closed root system can also be inspected. Remove it from the container, soil included. A good seedling will have roots that envelop the entire root ball. Specialized nurseries offer excellent quality seedlings. You just need to pay attention to the following parameters:

1. The seedling should be one or two years old. Some experts believe a two-year-old seedling is optimal. Others argue that a one-year-old takes root faster because it has more fibrous roots, which allow for better absorption of nutrients.
2. The root system should be well-developed. The roots should be fairly woody and not too hairy. The optimal root length is 15-20 cm.
3. The seedling should have 1, 2 or more semi-lignified shoots, no shorter than 20-30 cm in length.
4. The overall appearance of a quality seedling is healthy and attractive, without cuts or broken roots.

The roots of the purchased plant should be wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a plastic bag. The bag containing the seedling should be transported upright. It's best to buy plants 1-3 days before planting. If this time hasn't yet arrived, the roots can be dipped in a clay solution and stored in soaked, water-soaked sawdust. Be careful not to let the roots dry out.

Correct planting

Before planting, it's advisable to disinfect the roots. To do this, soak them in a solution of Fitosporin for 2-3 hours. Procedure for landing:

1. Currants are planted in the hole at an angle of approximately 45°. As with cuttings, this will allow the plant to produce more vertical shoots.
2. The root collar is deepened by 5-6 cm.
3. The roots need to be spread out, ensuring they don't come into contact with the fertilizer. Care should also be taken to prevent any gaps between the roots by gently shaking the plant occasionally.
4. Fill with soil and compact.
5. Trim the plant up to 30-40 cm, leaving at least three buds on the surface.
6. Make a shallow trench around the planted bush and pour 1-1.5 buckets of water into it. After the water has been absorbed, fill the trench with soil.
7. Mulch the soil with peat, straw, and leaves to a 10 cm layer. Mulch will protect the young plant from excess moisture and temperature fluctuations.

If group planting is used, the distance between blackcurrant bushes should be 1.5-2 m. Planting different varieties will increase yield, but in this case, the distance between blackcurrants and red or white currants should be at least 5 m.

Depending on the region, young plants are covered with spruce branches or spunbond covering material for the winter. Covering is especially important in regions with little snowfall. Knowing how to properly plant currants in the fall will ensure a long fruiting season. Currants will root well because the foliage growth won't weaken the roots. The following spring, they will begin to grow vigorously, yielding their first harvest of beautiful, large, tasty, and very healthy berries.