How to properly propagate currants by cuttings and layering in summer and autumn
Currants are a useful berry that every person should have in the garden. Ripe fruits are red, black and even white. If there are plantations on the site, the question arises of how to propagate the currant bush.
Breeding methods for currants
The main method of growing berry bushes is vegetative. Involves the use of cuttings, bends and dividing the bush. Also, currants can be propagated by seeds.
Layers
This method is considered the most suitable for gardeners, especially those who have no experience in such events. Having chosen this method of reproduction, after a year a person gets a strengthened seedling with a good root system. In early spring, the bush is examined in search of a healthy two-year-old branch growing obliquely.
It is this option that can be easily bent to the ground and further grown as a full-fledged bush.
Dividing the bush
The breeding option is relevant if there is a need to transfer the shrub to a new place. After digging out the bushes, they are examined. Young branches with developed roots are subject to planting.
Planting is carried out in autumn or early spring. In the first case, the period is chosen when all the leaves will fall off the bush - October or November. Spring is the first weeks of March before bud break.
Cuttings
This breeding method is suitable not only for grapes, but also for currants. Cuttings are made from annual basal shoots. The first varieties to be grafted are those that have a short growing season. Later they start working with varieties with lingering growth.
Green cuttings
If a person is late with reproduction by lignified cuttings in the spring, green twigs are a suitable option. Young and flexible shoots that have not managed to become covered with rough bark are subject to rooting. Cuttings are usually called green, because part of the bush with leaves is used.
Seeds
This method is used by breeders when developing new varieties of currants. In practice, seed propagation is not recommended. If the bush is grown in this way, there is a chance that the new plant will not inherit the best qualities of the variety.
Reproduction green or lignified - what to choose?
To get an answer to this question, it is worth examining the advantages and disadvantages of one and the second method.
Green cuttings
Advantages:
- fast flowering and fruit formation for the next season;
- do not need long-term storage of planting material.
Of the shortcomings, only one factor is distinguished. The bark of green cuttings is flexible and thin. Through it, moisture quickly evaporates, so a person must constantly monitor the level of humidity.
Lignified
Advantages:
- harvesting of cuttings is carried out at any time of the year;
- before disembarking, a person has the opportunity to select healthy branches among all specimens;
- dense bark prevents moisture from evaporating.
The main disadvantage of the propagation method is maintaining a suitable level of humidity and temperature during storage of cuttings. Planting material must be protected from mold and decay. There are two ways to get seedlings for planting in the soil, if the work is organized correctly.
Features of the reproduction of currants
Each variety of shrubs needs separate care from the gardener. Reproduction of white, red and black currants is distinguished by small nuances. Some are easy to work with by cuttings, others appear as a result of dividing the bush.
Most currant varieties do not require a partner to be planted. This is because the plant is a self-fertile crop.
Red
Most often, a shrub with rich red berries is propagated by lignified branches. In summer, these are layering and cuttings with green leaves. Gardeners who do not want to complicate their work choose horizontal layering.
Propagating red currants, you will have to work hard, unlike black. But if you approach the problem correctly, everything is possible. The varieties are harvested in early August. Kidney development stops at this time.
Black
All varieties reproduce quite easily. If a person wants to get a bush with the same varietal qualities, it is recommended to choose propagation by cuttings, layering or dividing the bush. Each of the proposed methods does not require much effort from the gardener, but basic knowledge will come in handy. Harvesting of cuttings of black currant is carried out in early autumn.
White
Lignified cuttings are the recommended propagation method. The cut of annual shoots occurs in the fall. Preference is given to parts from the middle of the shoot.
Rules for cutting blanks
For harvesting currant branches, disinfected tools are used. This technique will save the bush from infection. A sharp pruner is used to cut the cuttings. Before work, it is sharpened so that the cut is even and smooth.
An incision is made above the bud at the top of the cutting. There should be at least 1 cm distance from the bud to the edge of the branch. In the lower part of the cutting, the cut is made at an angle of 45 ° below the bud.
When is the best time to cut
The timing of cutting branches for propagating currants depends on the chosen method of grafting. Pruning shoots with green leaves is carried out in summer. The pruning period begins in the second half of July and lasts until mid-August.
The nuances of work in the autumn
The favorable period for harvesting seedlings is September. It is permissible to carry out cuttings in early October. Before planting cuttings in the ground, they are kept in hot water for no more than 25 minutes.
Selection and procurement of autumn cuttings
In order to select high-quality blanks of currants, which will later turn into new bushes, attention is paid to preparatory work. For this, since the summer, bushes that are not attacked by pests and not damaged by diseases have been examined. Such specimens should have a lot of good looking berries.
For cuttings, the main or basal shoots, cut off at the very soil, are suitable.Cuttings are cut from the cut shoots, the diameter of which should be within 5-7 mm. It is the middle part of the shoot that has such dimensions, which is preferred.
So that the quality of the cuttings does not suffer when cutting blanks, they are harvested in the morning.
Warm, slightly cool weather is allowed. During the rainy season, cuttings are harvested throughout the day.
Storage rules before planting in spring
If the gardener does not plan to plant cuttings, he is engaged in rooting of autumn blanks. The best way to store it is to put it in boxes and cover it with snow. In order to achieve rapid germination of cuttings in the spring, they are placed in a container with water 3 days before planting in the ground.
Rooting methods
Amateur gardeners know only two things - water and soil. Faced with the reproduction of currants, they discover new ways of rooting. One of the most effective is a specialized substrate.
In water
It is considered one of the easiest grafting methods, especially if done in the spring. Despite the simplicity of carrying out, it speeds up fruiting by 1 year. It has 2 indisputable advantages - there is no need to dig in branches in the fall and work in a greenhouse.
How is cuttings in water:
- Two branches are placed in plastic containers.
- Water is poured inside so that it covers the cuttings for 2 buds.
- With the appearance of the roots, a separate container is assigned to each cutting.
The process of rooting cuttings in water lasts from 1.5 to 2 months. You should constantly add water to the glass so that the seedlings feel comfortable. If it stagnates, it is completely changed. The containers are located in a shaded area.The appearance of flowers on cuttings is unacceptable. With the first signs of their appearance, they are cut off.
In a specialized substrate
The nutrient base can consist of fine sawdust, coconut fiber, peat, perlite, sphagnum moss or sand. The substrate should remain moist and the temperature in the room where the cutting is located should be around 20 ° C.
The scheme of preparation of conditions for rooting:
- The containers are filled with substrate and moistened with water.
- Cuttings are planted in the ground at a distance of 12 cm from each other.
- The bed with the planted cuttings is covered with polyethylene film and placed in a sunny place.
- In the early days, watering is quite abundant. Decreases over time.
The rooting time of cuttings in this way takes from 3 weeks to a month. If the seedling has taken root, the color of the buds and their shape change - they swell. Dark and dry "eyes" indicate that the sprout has not taken root.
In the open field
A sunny place is chosen for rooting cuttings. The plot of land should not be located above groundwater. Currants love fertile soils with fertilizers, humus and ash. After abundant watering, they begin planting.
Root formation stimulants
Treatment of shoots with special preparations accelerates the formation of roots. List of the most popular:
- Kornevin. It is diluted with activated carbon, since a high concentration is detrimental to a young plant. The cut is processed with the prepared powder, and the sprout is immediately planted in the ground.
- Ribav-extra. It is in the form of a liquid. Diluted with water before use. Not only stimulates root growth, but also heals damaged areas.
- "Epin". Currants are soaked in solution before planting in open ground. Protects seedlings in cold weather, reducing the likelihood of aphid infestation.
Compounds for accelerating root formation, after being cut on the cut, irritate the appendix receptors. In turn, this provokes the formation of callus. Experienced gardeners recommend using the listed drugs whenever possible.
Planting cuttings in the ground
Harvesting, cutting, soaking and storing cuttings are not all the "tests" that a person will have to face. The next step is to plant the branches in the soil in a permanent place. In this case, the actions performed must be correct and done without errors.
Seat selection
It is selected depending on the type of currant. It is recommended to plant black in open places in partial shade. In well-moistened areas, water should not stagnate. White and red currants tolerate an arid climate more easily, so they are safely planted on a hill with good lighting.
Soil preparation
Black currants prefer soil with medium to high sand content. Red is also capable of producing crops on loamy soils, but it develops better on light and super sandy soils. White has the same requirements.
Stages of preparing the landing site:
- The area of the soil is cleaned of weeds. If this is not done, they will oppress the young seedlings.
- The place is leveled, which plays an important role in watering.
- Fertilizers are spread over the surface. For this, compost or humus is suitable.
- Next, the soil is dug to the depth of the shovel bayonet.
Pits for currants are prepared 2 weeks before planting the seedlings. This applies to autumn planting. If the currants are planted in a permanent place in the spring, the holes are prepared in the fall.
Preparing planting material
Seedling - rooted cuttings, carefully examined before planting. Shoots with damage, broken and dry roots are not suitable. The part that will be above the soil is cut off, and the seedling itself is soaked in a root-stimulating preparation.
Cutting off the aboveground part of the seedling is a mandatory procedure. Thus, the development of the root system is achieved. This is very important, as a weak root will not provide the shrub with the normal formation of the upper part of the plant.
Planting technology of currant seedlings
The culture needs space, so there should be at least 1.5 m of free space around the bush. The dimensions of the hole vary from 30 x 30 to 40 x 40 cm. The initial depth is 35 cm. The final formation of the hole occurs under the root system of the seedling. The bottom of the hole is sprinkled with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. There should also be humus in the earthen mixture. Light soils require fertilizers with a different composition.
The sprout, placed in the pit, is tilted 45 ° and covered with earth. The soil is dug in and compacted by hand to eliminate the formation of air gaps. If the root collar is placed 6-7 cm below ground level, this will provide additional shoots on the crop.
