Sometimes you can find the statement that black currant is a long-lived , and you can harvest from it for twenty or more years.
On the one hand, it is like this: in the old berries, there are bushes and older ones. On the other hand, the biological lifespan and the period of maximum productivity are different things.
The best yields of black currant bring in the 4th to the 8th year of life. After that, it requires rejuvenation, and in the 12th year will have to uproot the bush.
Therefore, how to propagate this wonderful culture, you need to think in advance.
Table of contents
- Is it possible to propagate black and red currants by cuttings and layering?
- Reproduction green or lignified - which is better?
- Proper harvesting of cuttings in the summer
Currant( both black and red) is a crop that is very easy to grow vegetatively. There are two main ways:
- layering( survival rate of 100%);
- cuttings( survival rate of 90%).
Looking at these numbers, one can decide that it is not the best option to dissolve a culture by cutting. In addition, it is more troublesome and time consuming.
Reproduction of currants by cutting is a troublesome process, but it has many advantages Yet, there are several advantages in breeding currants by cuttings and subsequent cultivation:
- The ability to update the varietal composition of .Cuttings can be taken not only from your own plants, but you can buy or exchange with your neighbors.
- Ability to do without transplant. Cuttings root easily on a permanent place, and the root system of cuttings when transferring to a new place is injured.
- More planting material .Cuttings can be cut as you like.
In general, the survival rate of cuttings of 90% is a very good indicator of .For comparison: at raspberry it is 60-80%, and the yield of seedlings is even lower.
Red currant cuttings require more time for rooting. Unlike black, this variety of currant harvests the upper parts of the shoot - they take root better.Reproduction green or lignified - which is better?
Black currant is propagated by both green and lignified cuttings.
, cut from a one-year vegetative shoot, is called "green". "Lignified" take either from well-grown shoots of this year( autumn), or from last year's shoots( in spring).
Each type of cuttings that you want to plant has its own advantages and disadvantages:
Material Benefits Disadvantages Green cuttings Do not require any concerns about the long-term preservation of planting material.
Can bloom and show the first fruits of the next year.Moisture evaporates easily through non-mature bark, therefore more effort is required to maintain the humidity level. Lignified cuttings Can be harvested during the rest period - at any convenient time.
Dense ripened bark and wood retain moisture and nutrition well.
Allow to reject weak plants before planting in open ground.Require preparation of storage space with the correct level of humidity and temperature, with protection from mold and rotting of planting material. Thus, can successfully graft black currants in any way and at any time of the year .
It all depends on the capabilities and desires of the gardener himself. With proper organization of the process, the output of seedlings is the same.
Proper harvesting of cuttings in the summer of
To plant green currant cuttings, is harvested in the active growth phase of the plant in the summer of - from late June to early July.
In clear weather, harvesting should be carried out early in the morning, according to the dew. In the cloudy - at any time of the day, according to the following scheme:
- A one-year gain is selected, the lower part of which has begun to grow wood, while the upper part remains flexible and elastic.
- The secateurs are scalded with boiling water, wiped with a clean napkin. The selected shoot is cut from the bush.
- A plot with three good buds is selected from the central part of the shoot. Under the bottom is a straight cut at a distance of half a centimeter. Above the top - at an angle to the kidney.
- From the two lower buds, the leaves are removed completely, together with the petioles. On top of the petiole is left, and the sheet plate is cut by two thirds to reduce the evaporation of moisture.
In order to plant green black currant cuttings, they are harvested in the phase of active plant growth in the summer - from late June to early July prepared cuttings can be planted immediately by .If for some reason this is not possible, you need to put the planting material in the water and cover the top with a bag.
It is impossible to keep summer cuttings for long , you should try to plant them as soon as possible.
How to plant and care
Currant cuttings will take root better if the soil is loose and nutritious. Therefore, place for planting should be well fertilize with humus and add peat.
If you plan to grow a small number of bushes, you can immediately plant the cuttings in a permanent place. In the case when many saplings are required, it is worthwhile to organize a school. So it will be easier to care for cuttings after planting.
General rule: the rooting area should be positioned so that it can be easily applied.
Procedure for planting cuttings:
- In the prepared moist soil, dig the cuttings into 2 lower buds at an angle of 45⁰.
- Ensure that the upper bud with a leaf is directed upwards, otherwise the growth of a new shoot will go to the side.
- Compress the soil around the cuttings and water. Zululirovat planting a layer of peat thickness of 3-5 cm.
- Cover the cuttings cut plastic bottle without a cap to ensure optimum temperature and humidity. For normal rooting during the day, the temperature should be about + 25⁰, and should not fall below + 16⁰ at night.
- Ensure that the landing site is in a scattered shadow. Direct sunlight "brew" cuttings.
Bury cuttings on 2 lower buds at an angle of 45⁰ into prepared moist soil, cover with a cut off plastic bottle without a lid. It doesn’t hurt, but the black currant is so easily rooted that it doesn’t really need additional treatment with stimulants. Before rooting, while the cuttings are “self-contained”, constant care will be needed for watering, spraying and airing the landings.
Usually, black currant takes root in the third week. Check whether the cuttings are rooted, you can: a little pull the "top".If there are no roots yet, the stalk will easily pop out of the ground.If there is some resistance, there are roots. After this, the mini-cleanse is removed, leaving a shading.
The next year, one long shoot can be pulled from the cutting. To get a full-fledged bush, you need to shorten it , leaving 3-4 buds below.
For the speedy formation of an bush, experts advise planting black currant cuttings in holes of 3 pieces of .They should be buried also at an angle, but guided in different directions.
Such a close fit does not affect the overall yield of currants per unit area.
Cutting a bush in the fall: the nuances of the work of
Despite the ease of summer currant cutting, many gardeners traditionally harvest cuttings in the fall, after the falling leaves of .
In this situation, you can go two ways: stored until spring or rooted in the substrate .
Storage until planting in the spring
Usually such a need arises, when the planting material is a lot of , and it is not possible to keep a lot of cups in the house all winter.
First of all, after dividing a bush, cuts cuttings are dipped in melted wax or paraffin to dry less. Then they are sorted, bound and wrapped in polyethylene.
After this bundle should be placed in a cold place. Ideal - snowdrift. A bit worse - basement or fridge.
From time to time you need to inspect the cuttings, checking whether they are not suffocated, if any fungus develops.
Store cuttings before planting in the spring can be in the refrigerator or cellar, ideal - in the snow drift.drainage. - Lay the soil mixture, water it well.
- Depth cuttings on the two lower buds.
- Compress the substrate around the cuttings so that there are no voids.
As the temperature is quite comfortable at home, all that remains is to monitor only the high humidity. If you provide regular spraying( 2-3 times a day), currant will give roots.
can be transplanted rooted in this way after the onset of stable warm weather without the risk of re-freezing.
Reproduction of currant cuttings:
Black Currant is a garden crop that is the easiest to grow for .At the same time, she forgives the gardener many flaws, and even children can graft currants.
Reproduction in this way allows you to quickly rejuvenate the berry, increase its area and expand the varietal composition.
