Correct dressing and trimming of currant in autumn

To every year to be with the harvest, the bushes should be properly tended not only during periods of active vegetation. In autumn, the foundation of the future harvest is laid, which is why it is so important to take care of the berry plantations before they leave in the winter. One of the most important elements of care for the currant are top dressing and pruning.

Care of the currant in autumn

The work is carried out in several stages. First, pruning is carried out, but only after the majority of the leaves fall off.

Pruning under the winter

Currant is a densely growing shrub and if it is not "combed" in time, it will simply not cope with such a number of shoots and degenerate.

Autumn,from the second half of September to November, is considered the best time for pruning. In the spring, the currant begins to grow early and it is difficult to fall into that interval when there is no frost, and the sap flow has not yet begun.

The most difficult is pruning black currant. Fruiting occurs on shoots no older than 5-6 years and to get a good harvest you need to form a bush in such a way that the number of such shoots was approximately equally distributed over the years. Experienced agronomists advise to haveno more than 15-18 strong branches of different ages.

Firstlycut out the branches:

• lying on the ground;
• old;
• broken and weak, on which were small berries;
• Those that grow inside the bush.

Then, the tops of the annual growths of last year's shoots are cut so as to pinch the growth points and stimulate the formation of the crown.

Pinch is made not only for beauty and yield, but also for the health of the garden. Most insects and fungal infections remain in the top of the shoot, from where they get into the soil for the winter.

Bushes older than 5 years requirerejuvenating trimming: 3 old branches are removed, replacing with three young ones.

Shoots of red and white currants bear fruit longer than black, so theydo not need frequent rejuvenation. In addition, the fruit buds are laid on annual growths, so they can not be nipped. Otherwise, the trimming technique is the same as for the black currant.

After pruning, the currants begin to work on the soil and fertilize.

Fertilizing shrubs after harvesting

Currant, especially high-yielding varieties, for the spring-summer period draws from the soil a huge amount of nutrients and trace elements. To make up for the losses and create a reserve for the next season, the land needs to be fertilized.

Before applying fertilizers, the soil around the bush needsclear of weedsand if it's dry weather,drench. You can apply fertilizers only in moist soil.

Top dressing recommendcombine with digging(to a depth of 7-8 cm) and loosening the zone around the bush. Of inorganic fertilizers are those that provide the land primarily with potassium and phosphorus.

How to feed potassium

The importance of this element can not be overemphasized, it helps to increase:

• frost resistance;
• resistance to disease;
• productivity.

Potassium is produced in two forms:chloride and sulphate. It is preferable to use sulphate, since chlorine in the soil harms plants. It is even better to use a complex potassium fertilizer - calimagnesium, which also contains magnesium.

The rate of application of potash fertilizers is of the order of40 grams per bushFor poor sandy and sandy loamy soils, the dose can be increased to50 grams.

Phosphorus

As phosphoric fertilizers use:

• superphosphate - in an amount of 20-30 g per bush;
• double superphosphate - two times less than simple;
• phosphorite flour - 40-80 g per plant.

When using phosphate flour, it must be borne in mind that italkalinizes the soil.

Ash

Natural inorganic fertilizer. In addition to potassium and phosphorus contains other valuable components - magnesium, silicon, calcium and sodium. Ashes are brought under a digging or deep loosening in quantityfrom 200 to 300 g / m², for clay soils, the consumption increasesup to 800 g / m².

If you feed berries in the fall, then you can not forget about the organic. Humicum and compost are laid in the soil as late as possible - already in the fall. Their decomposition takes place within a few months, and the substances necessary for plants will begin to act just in time for the spring awakening.

Top dressing with humus

This organics is loved by absolutely all plants, currants are not an exception. Provides the supply of useful trace elements - molybdenum, cobalt, copper, boron and manganese.

It is recommended to feed up for digging, if possible in three steps, in total12-14 kg per bush:

• in October;
• In November;
• in the December thaw.

In December, they do not dig any more, butmulched with peat.

Bird droppings

It contains a lot of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, nitrogen. Contains bacteriophages, disinfecting various types of pathogenic pathogens.

Because of its high nitrogen concentration,can not be brought in pure form. It is best to mix before composting with compost or peat according to the norm, kg / m².

Compost

It can be prepared independently from vegetable, food and other organic waste or bought ready in bags. Rich in potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus.

Increases the activity of soil bacteria, their enzymatic activity. Effectively improves the fertility of all lands. Application rate -4 kg / m².

Peat

Usually used for mulching. For top dressing -only together with other organics. Especially prized peat, which actively promotes the formation of humus.

Ciderates

Enrich the soil and improve its structure. Usually they are planted in the spring, grown in the summer, the green "hair" in autumn is cut and embedded in the ground.

If for some reason the spring planting did not take place, then in the beginning of autumn you can catch up. For winter planting fitwheat, oats, rye or white mustard. They quickly form a green veil, which will protect the roots from freezing, and with the onset of spring they are embedded in the ground.

Periodicity of fertilizer applicationis determined by soil fertility:

• rich lands such as loam need fertilizing every 3 years;
• poor sandy and sandy loamy - annually;
• peat, bog - once in 4 years.

If the landing pit for the currant was well seasoned, then the first fertilizer will need a bushnot earlier than, 3 years after planting.

In order to reliably prepare the currant for winter, only pruning and feeding may not be enough. In regions with severe winters, the bushes are bent down so that they do not freeze.

Bending branches for the winter

Currant is considered a frost-resistant shrub. It withstands lower temperaturesup to -30 degreeswithout additional shelter. With proper preparation, it does not frighten the frost evenup to -50 degrees, so the insulation of plants is carried out taking into account the local climatic conditions and properties of a particular variety.

Snow itself is a good warmth so that it reliably covers the branches of currant, they are bent down. It's best to do thisat the end of October, when the material is still not so fragile.

The branches are tied into bundles and evenly distributed on the ground around the bush, pressed with something heavy. The fallen snow will cover the bush completely, and this will allow it to safely winter in temperaturesup to -35 degrees.

Do not bend the bushes until they have leaves, as this will contribute to the development of fungal diseases.

In areas with frosty winters only snow is indispensable. The pressed bush is coveredlutrasilom or agrofiber, if desired, you can add mineral wool. Such a shelter will help to survive the cold to -50 degrees.

The air should flow unhindered to the branches in winter, just like in summer. The use of polyethylene and other airtight materials as a winter shelter leads to the death of the plant.

If the branches have lost their flexibility and do not lie horizontally, then you can do it differently. In the middle of the bush is hammeredstake, shoots are connected around it and wrapped in agrofiber. Efficiency is less than the first method, but better than nothing.

Helpful Tips

Pruning, dressing and warming are mandatory. Additionally, depending on whether the year was arid or, on the contrary, it was rainy, it may be required:

• deep watering;
• podsypka soil.

If the berry has suffered from pests or diseases, it is recommended to spray the bushes and the ground under them in the autumncopper sulfate or Bordeaux liquidor to perform a transplant.

Correctly selected complex of autumn works raises productivity and prolongs plant life.