Spring care for currants, pest and disease control

Although currants are an easy-to-grow plant, they still require minimal care. This is especially important in the spring, when the plant needs help to recover and recover from the winter. Caring for currant bushes in the spring is essential for their healthy growth, development, and fruiting. In this article, we'll discuss the appropriate spring care for currants and how to combat pests and diseases.

Spring currant care: where to start

Currants can grow in the shade and even produce a harvest in poor soil, but they still need proper care to prevent the berry bushes from degenerating, and the harvest will only increase, with the berries growing larger.

Caring for currants in spring Disease and pest control should begin with a thorough inspection of the entire plant. After winter, leaves accumulate around the plant, creating a rich environment for the proliferation of various diseases and pests. Therefore, after inspecting the plant, clean the area around it, collecting all fallen leaves and debris in a bag for disposal away from the plant.

Next, currant bushes must be pruned. This step cannot be ignored, as old branches only hinder the development of a new, full-fledged crop. All branches that are at least four years old should be pruned, as most berries begin to form on younger branches, no more than three years old. Pruning also promotes the growth of new shoots, which means a larger harvest during the harvest season.

But the pruning process doesn't end at this stage. You also need to trim off any shoots or branches that resemble suckers. No more than eight large, thick stems should be left on the plant. The tips of the branches, regardless of their age, should also be trimmed, as this will encourage the growth of lateral shoots, which bear the most fruit.

Interesting! Active growth of currant bushes occurs during the first 5-6 years after planting. Once these years have passed, growth stops. After 5-6 years, pruning is one of the most important steps in spring currant bush care.

How to feed a plant in spring

Fertilizing is the next step in caring for currants in the spring, as well as in the fight against diseases and pests (photo).

When planting currants in the spring, they should be immediately fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer, scattered around the seedlings. Next, sprinkle soil on top and water the plants. This process is repeated a few weeks after planting.

We recommend: Propagation of black currant by cuttings in summer.

When currants begin to form flowers and fruit, they require many nutrients that they simply cannot obtain on their own. To avoid harming the quality of the future harvest, chemical fertilizers should be eliminated immediately. Experienced gardeners recommend exclusively organic fertilizers at this stage. Chicken manure and mullein are the best options.

After harvesting, the plant receives a third feeding, as a sign of gratitude for the fruits it has reaped. This is where mineral fertilizers come into play. To consolidate the results, compost should be added to the soil in mid-autumn.

Thus, feeding currants begins in the spring and ends in the fall.

How to control currant diseases and pests

Curled currant leaves are a clear sign that the bushes are infested with something or someone. Therefore, it's important not only to care for currants in the spring but also to begin combating diseases and pests, as it's after winter that they begin their active life cycle, which can be prevented by knowing the enemy. What pests and diseases are most common for currants, and how can they be controlled?

Kidney mite

The insidiousness of this pest lies in its difficulty in detecting it until the currant bushes begin to bloom. As the buds begin to swell, the bud mite becomes active. If the pest attacks the currant bushes, there will be no harvest.

Considering that using chemicals to control this pest during flowering runs the risk of the fruit accumulating poison and becoming unfit for consumption, spraying with chemicals should begin in early spring; this will help prevent an immediate attack by the bud mite.

Shoot aphid

Aphids love to feast on young shoots. Just one aphid offspring is enough to completely sap the life out of currant bushes, causing them to wither and eventually die.

To combat aphids, the best option is to spray currant bushes with a solution of potassium permanganate and urea. Experienced gardeners also recommend using an infusion of spruce needles and a soap solution.

Geometrid moth

This butterfly itself poses no threat to currants. However, its caterpillars can destroy the crop. The attack begins with the leaves, which gradually dry out, and then the wilting process spreads to the branches.

When fighting geometer moths, a solution of potassium permanganate and urea comes to the rescue again.

Sawfly

This parasite attacks during ovary formation, after which it's impossible to produce a currant harvest. Using chemicals at this stage is unacceptable, as the pests can affect the yield.

Sawflies hate smoke, so you can light a small fire near your currant bushes. The smell of pine needles, pepper, and cinnamon can also repel these pests. Therefore, you can make infusions from these ingredients and spray them on the currant bushes.

Powdery mildew

The most common disease among many crops, it can be recognized visually. A white coating forms on the leaves, as if they've been dusted with flour. As a result, the leaves may dry out and fall off.

Spraying with colloidal sulfur helps combat powdery mildew. This treatment should be repeated 4-5 times per season.

Anthracnose

This is also a very dangerous disease that manifests itself on the back of the leaf blade as spots that cause the leaves to lose their shape, wither, and fall off. The berries also begin to wrinkle and fall off.

Currants should be treated with Bordeaux mixture; it's a good idea to also treat the plant with the same solution in the spring. Diseased leaves and berries should be removed from the bush if they haven't fallen yet, and fallen leaves and berries should be collected from the area and disposed of by burning.

Terry

The disease manifests itself in an unusual way: shoots begin to grow on the bushes that visually don't resemble the currants themselves. These leaves will grow double, and their shape will be more elongated. The colors of the leaves, which can vary when double, will also vary.

Unfortunately, if a disease has attacked a bush, it must be removed and the area where it grows must be disinfected.

Proper currant care in the spring and pest and disease control are key to ensuring the plant will delight its owner with juicy, healthy berries for years to come. Only careful attention and care will prevent problems like diseases and pests, as well as a poor harvest. And when the harvest season ends, it's helpful to know: How to transplant currants to a new location in the fall.

Good luck in the garden!