Content
Black currants are highly regarded for the beneficial properties of berries, although not everyone likes their excessive acidity. The berries of hybrid plants, like the Pygmy currant, possessing unique qualities, have acquired a dessert sweet taste and large-fruited as a result of selection work. Derived by V.S. Ilyin in the South Ural Research Institute on the basis of the currant Seedling Golubki and Bradthorpe, the Pygmy currant variety has been presented in the State Register since 1999. The plant was recommended for cultivation in Siberia and the Far East, but due to winter hardiness, endurance and yield, it spread over the European territory of Russia and neighboring countries.
Characteristic
Mid-season black currant Pygmy begins to ripen in late June, early July. The flowers unfold alternately, and the harvest takes up to three weeks or more. From one bush, subject to the requirements of agricultural technology, 5.5-5.7 kg of tasty and aromatic berries are harvested, or up to 22 t / ha. The average yield for industrial cultivation reaches 6.5 tons per hectare. An increased yield is characteristic of the variety, since the Pygmy currant bushes are self-fertile. Plants are quite unpretentious and take root easily. The variety bears fruit annually.
The black currant bush Pygmy tolerates frosts down to -35 degrees and summer 30-degree heat. Plants are undemanding to the soil, but they like timely watering and feeding. The variety is resistant to common diseases and needs preventive spraying. Sensitive to septoria and kidney mite attacks.
The sweetness and pleasant specific aroma of Pygmy berries makes it possible to feast on them fresh. Traditional preparations are made from berries, frozen and dried.
Description
Black Pygmy currant bushes are tall, reach 1.5-2 m, compact, branches are often directed not to the sides, but up. Young shoots are green, with a slight anthocyanin tinge, not pubescent. Single oval brown buds extend from the branches at an angle of 30 degrees. Experienced gardeners in their reviews and descriptions of the black pygmy currant indicate that it is easy to distinguish it from other varieties even in early spring by the characteristic bronze color of the buds. The leaves are large, five-lobed, wrinkled, shiny, slightly concave in the middle, with small teeth. The inflorescences of the Pygmy variety are of medium length with 6-10 pale pink flowers.
Berries on a long green stalk, round, large, up to 5-7.5 g, with a thin, black skin. The pulp is sweet, with the expected currant flavor and few seeds. Pygmy currant berries are famous for their balanced composition of sugar, acid, trace elements and vitamins. The sugar content is 9.4%, in 100 g of berries 150 mg of ascorbic acid. The variety was highly rated by the tasters: 5 points.
Advantages and disadvantages
The popular Pygmy currant variety has many advantages:
- Stable productivity;
- Large-fruited and high consumer quality;
- Long-term fruiting;
- Frost resistance;
- Resistant to powdery mildew and anthracnose.
The disadvantages of the Pygmy variety include susceptibility to septoria and kidney mites.
Growing
According to gardeners, Pygmy currants are planted from the beginning of September. Before the onset of cold weather, a plant needs two weeks to take root.In spring they are planted very early, in March or early April, when the buds are not yet blooming.
Requirements for seedlings
When buying Pygmy currant seedlings, you need to carefully choose them.
- Optimal age for planting: 1 or 2 years old;
- The volume of the root system is not less than 20 cm;
- Sapling height - 40 cm;
- The roots and stem are firm, fresh, without damage.
Site preparation
For black pygmy currants, they select a sunny place from the south or south-west direction from buildings, a fence or a large garden. In partial shade, the berries will be small. The groundwater on the site should not rise above 1.5 m. You should also avoid places where melt water stands for a long time in spring. The best soil for the Pygmy variety is loose, with a slightly acidic reaction, not swampy or dry sandy. The pits are prepared in advance.
- When digging the soil in summer for 1 sq. m 10 liters of compost or humus, 30 g of potassium sulfate, 200 g of superphosphate are introduced;
- Wood ash (1 l), a good potash fertilizer, is often used instead of mineral preparations;
- Digging up a plot for Pygmy currants, carefully select wheatgrass roots from the soil;
- Distance between bushes is 1.5 m;
- The depth of the hole is 0.4-0.5 m, the diameter is 0.6 m;
- The top layer of soil is mixed with humus in a 1: 1 ratio, 300 g of wood ash, 30 g of potassium sulfate, 120 g of superphosphate are added to the mixture;
- Drainage material is laid at the bottom and covered with an earthen mixture. The hole is covered with a film, slate fragments or other improvised means so that the fertile soil does not erode.
Landing
When the time comes for planting black pygmy currants, after purchase, the seedlings are placed in a chatter box made of mullein and clay solution for half an hour.
- Before planting, a bucket of water is poured into the hole, sprinkle the wet soil on top with dry and put the seedling, carefully leveling the roots;
- The seedling is placed vertically or with an inclination of 45 degrees;
- The root collar of the Pygmy currant is sprinkled on 5-7 cm earth so that the shoots grow well;
- A side is formed along the edges of the hole, 5-8 liters of water are poured. Water again after 3 days;
- The surface is mulched with sawdust, hay, straw up to 7-10 cm thick to maintain moisture.
Some gardeners advise cutting the stems of currant seedlings to 2-3 buds in order to stimulate the growth of shoots in the spring. Others are against this method, stating that a healthy shoot should be left completely for the winter. Before frosts, the seedling is spud with earth and mulched. In the spring, the currant seedling is freed from the poured soil, keeping the sides for irrigation.
Care
Currant bushes bear fruit in the third year, mandatory constant watering and feeding. Loosening of the earth is shallow, up to 8 cm.
Watering
The soil near the currant bushes is watered so that it is moistened to a depth of 40 cm.
- During the dry period, the Pygmy currants need to be watered regularly every 2-3 days, 30-40 liters for each bush;
- After watering, put fresh mulch;
- Important watering during the ovary formation phase, at the end of May, and during the ripening of berries, in July;
- Moisture-charging watering of bushes is carried out in October.
Top dressing
The next season after planting, the currants are not fed if the soil in the hole and on the site has been enriched with fertilizers.
- The first feeding of black currant with natural and nitrogen preparations (30 g of urea) is given in the spring, one year after planting;
- After harvesting, the bushes are fed with 12 g of potassium sulfate and 50 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. m of soil when digging;
- Adult currant bushes are sprinkled with 30 g of "Nitrofoski" in spring and then watered abundantly;
- Before the formation of berries, the bushes are treated with a solution of 30 g of copper sulfate, 5 g of potassium permanganate and boric acid per 10 liters of water;
- Regular application of microelements as part of complex fertilizers - boron, zinc, manganese, copper increases the resistance of currants to fungal diseases.
Pruning
In spring, pygmy currant bushes are carefully examined and damaged branches are removed. Sharp and clean tools are prepared for work.
- In the fall, thickening shoots are cut out that grow inside the bush;
- The largest harvest will be from 2-3-year-old shoots, they are left;
- 5 year old branches are removed;
- A full-fledged bush consists of 15-20 shoots of different ages;
- Shoots bent down are cut to a branch that grows vertically;
- An 8-year-old bush is thinned out, leaving only 2-year-old shoots.
Protection from pests and diseases
The black currant variety Pygmy is affected by white spot. First, brown spots up to 3 cm wide appear on the leaves. Then the center of the spot turns white. The disease can lead to complete leaf fall. Preventively, in the fall, all the leaves from under the currant bush are removed, the soil is dug up in the fall and spring. Before awakening the kidneys, the bushes are sprayed with copper sulfate. When a disease appears in the summer, after harvesting, the bushes are treated with Bordeaux liquid.
Modern acaricidal preparations are used against the tick.
Growing large and sweet berries with unique absorbent properties is fun for people who love gardening.
