It's time to feed your currants - the best fertilizers

Currants are a unique plant rich in vitamins. They require little maintenance, and in addition to watering and pruning, proper fertilization is also important. Proper feeding will increase the quantity and improve the quality of the harvest. August is the period when currants form buds for the following year.

Why is fertilizing necessary in August?

Over the course of a year, the plant expended a great deal of energy and effort on developing the berries. It sucked all the nutrients and beneficial substances from the soil. As a result, the soil around the plant became depleted and required additional fertilization.

After harvesting, the soil must be fertilized to prepare it for winter. Throughout the year, the bush draws nutrients from the soil to form foliage, bloom, and produce fruit. Some of these nutrients are absorbed by the plant through root rot. But this is not enough to maintain a high currant yield.

Fertilizing a currant bush in August occurs when:

1. The plant has been growing for over three years, and until now, nothing had been added to the soil. During this time, the bush has absorbed all the nutrients from the soil, and the soil has become depleted.
2. Heavy fruiting, which means that a lot of effort was spent on forming the berries.

How to fertilize currants in August

To ensure that currants receive adequate nutrition, they must be fed in two ways:

• mineral supplements;
• organic substances.

Only a combination of two types of fertilizer will allow the bush to thrive and thrive. For lazy gardeners, there are complex fertilizers for feeding shrubs in August. They already contain phosphorus, potassium, and a little nitrogen.

Application of mineral fertilizers

Superphosphates, potassium salt or potassium sulfate are used as mineral mixtures for feeding currant bushes in August.

Superphosphate is applied in liquid form. To do this, dissolve 10 grams of urea or saltpeter in a bucket of water. Then add 20 grams of potassium salt or potassium sulfate and 40 grams of superphosphate. For bushes over 3 years old, 5 liters of liquid are required. For young bushes, 2 liters is sufficient.

Phosphorus fertilizers such as rock phosphate or horn shavings can be used. However, since these substances take a long time to decompose, they must be applied once every four years. Phosphorus reduces soil acidity, making it neutral.

Application of organic matter

Organic fertilizers are designed to improve the soil's biological properties. During this period, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are preferred. Two weeks after the berry harvest, organic fertilizers can be applied. These can include:

• ash infusion;
• humus;
• compost;
• green manure.

Fertilizer containing ash provides the plant with calcium, boron, zinc, copper and magnesium.

In late summer and early fall, using fresh humus is not recommended. Apply up to 6 kg of good-quality humus or compost under each tree. Chicken manure can also be used. If dry, 1 kg per bush is sufficient, and if making a solution, use a 1:15 ratio.

Green manure crops have become popular in the home garden, ready to use just two months after sowing. Peas, white mustard, phacelia, or lupine are suitable as green manure crops. They are planted around bushes.

Fertilizer application rules

Mineral fertilizers are first dissolved in water, then a hole is made in the soil, into which the solution is poured and covered with soil.

Organic fertilizers are applied both dry and as a solution. Green manure is used in a variety of ways:

1. Plants are sown in a circle. After two months, the soil is mown and dug over.
2. The mown grass is buried in another place, leaving only the root part for the currants.
3. Don't mow the grass. In winter, it rots and provides fertilizer.
4. Green manure is used as mulch, covering it on top with leaves, straw or sawdust.

Gardeners' Tips

There are also folk recipes for feeding currants. Popular ones include:

1. Potato peelings. Soak them in water and then lay them in a pre-prepared furrow near the bushes.
2. Bread mash. One bucket will require one-third of the bread scraps. Fill the bucket with water and add 50 grams of old jam or plain sugar. Once the mixture has fermented, it can be used as fertilizer and added to a pre-prepared furrow.
3. Yeast. For every 10 liters of water, you'll need 0.5 kg of baker's or brewer's yeast. To make mash, add 50 grams of sugar to the yeast dissolved in a bucket. You'll need 10 liters per yeast plant.

Conclusion

Young currant bushes don't require much fertilizing. However, to ensure large berries from bushes over three years old, it's important to fertilize them regularly. This will eliminate the need to repot the plant. With proper fertilization, a currant bush will produce a bountiful harvest for 15 years.

There are two types of feeding: organic and mineral fertilizers. Gardeners also recommend traditional feeding recipes.

Post-harvest feeding provides currants with immunity and frost resistance, laying the foundation for next year's harvest. Furthermore, autumn feeding strengthens the root system and stimulates plant growth.