Description of varieties of golden currants, planting, growing and care

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find golden currants in Russian gardens. She deserves attention. The berries are healthy and have an original blueberry flavor. The bushes are decorative, they can decorate any garden, courtyard of a country house, city square.

The advantages and disadvantages of culture

The plant can reasonably be called unpretentious. In its homeland in America, it grows naturally, so it can be grown in the country without problems. The advantages of a berry bush:

• rarely gets sick;
• not afraid of frost;
• grows in soil of any composition, except for clay and swamp;
• honey plant.

External description and characteristics of golden currant

A shrub with a root system extending to a depth of 1.5 m. Erect branches up to 2.5 m long, overloaded with bunches of berries, bend to the ground. The bark is red. Its shape resembles a gooseberry leaf.

Golden currant belongs to the Gooseberry family... It is a perennial deciduous shrub. Blooms profusely for almost 20 days with yellow flowers. For their rich color, the culture got its name golden. The harvest does not suffer from frost, as the flowers bloom in the last days of May.

The color of the berries is very diverse. In some varieties, it can be burgundy, in others black, in others orange. The yield is high. 5-15 kg of fruits are harvested from one golden currant bush. The advantage of this variety of currants is low crumbling. This allows you to harvest the entire crop in one go.

Characteristics of berries:

• the shape is different, depending on the variety, it can be drop-shaped, rounded-oval, round;
• berries weigh from 1.5 to 3 g;
• covered with a strong skin;
• the pulp has a sweet and sour taste;
• possibly a blueberry or nutmeg aftertaste.

The bushes begin to bear fruit at the age of 3. The most productive are 5-7 year old shoots. Most of all berries are formed on them.

Why is the sun berry useful?

It contains vitamin C.Its amount is less than in black currant fruits. Berries are good for health because of carotene and vitamin B. They are not acidic, so people with gastric diseases and duodenal pathologies can include them in their diet.

Application

The shrub has a dual purpose. It is grown as a fruit and berry crop and for the decoration of streets, parks and squares.

As a fruit and berry crop

The harvest of golden currants is used for winter harvesting. They make jam, jam, make compote, freeze. They make excellent homemade wine.

Use in landscape design

The high decorativeness of the shrub allows the use of golden currants in the design of streets, squares, parks. Their bushes are decorated from spring to autumn. Long arched branches reach 2 m in height. In the spring, they are covered with clusters of golden flowers for three weeks.

In summer, the branches are sprinkled with a scattering of shiny black berries. In autumn, the leaves turn purple. Gardeners form picturesque hedges from golden currants. A green fence decorates the landscape, protects from noise, dust, wind.

How to grow a golden bush

It is not difficult to breed a golden variety in the country. Although for good fruiting in the garden, it is worth planting 2-3 seedlings. The more of them, the better the pollination.

Suitable climate

All varieties of golden currant are acceptable for the Moscow region. This species can adapt to extreme climatic conditions. The climate of the middle zone and the South of Russia is suitable for growing and harvesting. The shrub freezes, dies in a frost of -40 ° C. Varietal currant can withstand southern heat and drought.

Optimal timing

In the fall, seedlings of golden currant are planted in the garden from September to October. At least 1-1.5 months should pass before frost. In the spring they are planted after the ground thaws.

Site selection and landing pattern

Golden currant is remarkable in that it grows and bears fruit on any soil. It can be planted near a fence, building. Sites with light shading are more suitable for planting, but the shrub also tolerates bright sun and shade.

Landing scheme, requirements for the landing pit:

• width - 0.5 m;
• depth - 0.5 m;
• soil mixture for backfill consists of humus (1 part), garden soil (1 part), ash (1 tbsp.), superphosphate (200 g);
• the distance between the planting pits is 2.5-3 m.

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Principles and nuances of care

Shrub care is not just about watering. Bushes need to be shaped, fed, and treated if necessary.

Watering

Golden currant tolerates short-term drought well. If precipitation falls, then it has enough rain. Watering the bushes only during prolonged drought. 4 buckets of water are enough for one bush.

Fertilizer application

During the season, golden currant bushes are fed three times. Urea is used for the first feeding. Granules (30 g / m²) are scattered over the area of ​​the trunk circle before watering and slightly loosened the soil.

The second feeding is carried out immediately after picking the berries. During it they use:

• superphosphate 35 g / m²;
• potassium nitrate 25 g / m².

The last time fertilization is applied in the fall. Manure is used. It is laid out around the bush. Organic fertilizing can be applied after a year.

Digging row spacings

The soil between the bushes is dug up annually. Digging is needed to prevent fungal diseases and pests. With its help, mineral fertilizers and rotted manure are introduced into the soil.

Weeding and loosening

Weeds are removed as they appear. The soil is loosened after rains and watering. In the fall, the soil is cleaned of fallen leaves, watering is carried out and loosened. The procedure is especially important for young bushes. In the absence of loosening, the soil is covered with cracks in summer, this causes damage to the roots, slowing growth.

Currant bush shaping

Two-year-old shrubs require formative pruning. In the future, it is held annually.In the second year after planting, the growth of shoots is stimulated:

• the weak are cut out;
• the remaining branches are shortened by ⅓ length.

After a year, all annual shoots are left at a three-year-old bush. Branches that have grown over the summer are cut out except for the 3-6 most powerful ones. The purpose of such pruning is to form a bush consisting of 20-40 uneven-aged branches. In the 5th year, 4-year-old shoots are removed.

Older bushes (10 years and older) require anti-aging pruning. It is carried out by cutting a bush into a stump or cutting out all shoots over 8 years old. The older the bush, the more cardinal it is. All types of work are carried out in early spring before the buds swell or after leaf fall in the fall. Decorative pruning is used if the bushes are an element of landscape design.

Treatment against pests and diseases

The treatment of golden currant bushes is rarely done. All varieties have high resistance to viral and fungal infections. To maintain the health of the shrub, it is enough to adhere to the rules of agricultural technology and fulfill a number of mandatory measures:

• annual sanitary pruning;
• formative pruning;
• removing fallen leaves;
• digging row spacings.

Features of culture reproduction

You can grow seedlings from seeds. This is the most common breeding method for golden currants. The procedure is simple, but lengthy in time:

• seeds are taken from ripe berries;
• for 2 months they are sent for stratification in a cellar, where the temperature is not higher than 4 ° C, they are stored in a container with wet sand;
• in the fall they are sown in the ground.

You can propagate golden currants vegetatively:

• layering;
• dividing the bush;
• green cuttings.

Diseases and pests, characteristic of the species, the fight against them

Diseases on currants are rare, but there are. In troubled years, the bushes are exposed to the invasion of pests.

Common spider mite

The pest weakens the plant, with a strong infection, the leaves dry on the bush, the berries ripen later. Signs of a spider mite on golden currants can be seen in May before flowering. The leaves on the bushes turn from green to brown or whitish. You can see the ticks from the back of the sheet plate.

Destroy the pest with "Karbofos" (50%). The bushes are sprayed after flowering. Leaves damaged by insects are cut off and burned. They dig up the earth in the near-trunk circle. Instead of "Karbofos" they use an infusion of garlic, sulfur preparations.

Kidney currant mite

A very dangerous pest. You can find out about the infection by the signs of its vital activity. They appear in early spring and during the growing season:

• swollen kidneys;
• deformed apical leaves.

There are several methods of dealing with a tick. In early spring, the infected shoots are determined by the buds, cut out and burned. During flowering, currant bushes are treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur.

Big currant aphid

The fact that aphids attacked a golden currant bush is recognized by twisted, wrinkled leaves. Turning them over, they see small green insects on the back of the leaf plate. They suck out the juice, carry the infection.

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To destroy the pest, the bushes are treated:

• solution of "Karbofos";
• "Nitrafen" (3%).

Anthracnose

The cause of the disease is a fungus. Small brown spots on the leaves are the first symptoms of the disease. They turn brown over time, dry up, fall off. The infection primarily affects tender young branches, peduncles, petioles. Anthracnose significantly reduces the winter hardiness of golden currants.

Ways to fight:

• the soil and branches are treated with "Nitrafen", a 3% solution is used, the processing time is spring-autumn;
• in the summer, the leaves are sprayed three times with colloidal sulfur (1%), the processing time before and immediately after flowering, the third time after picking the berries;
• control the cleanliness of the trunk circle, pull out weeds, remove leaves, loosen the soil.

Septoriasis

This disease has a second name - white spot. The leaves are affected by the infection.Septoria symptoms:

• at the initial stage, small (2-3 mm) rounded brown spots;
• the affected areas turn white, a brown border appears around them;
• pycnidia are formed on the leaves in the form of small black dots.

Leaves crumble from a diseased bush, its yield drops, growth slows down. Apply methods of treatment as in anthracnose.

Goblet rust

The cause of the disease is a fungal infection. It affects berries (70%), leaves (80%). Damp weather contributes to the epidemic. Control measures as for anthracnose.

Popular varieties

There are many varieties of golden currant, the count goes to dozens. The best ones are worth listing. All varieties described below are worthy of the attention of gardeners. They are resistant to diseases, early ripening, provide berries in the most unfavorable seasons.

Muscat

A productive variety. One compact Muscat bush yields up to 7 kg of dark berries. The variety got its name for the nutmeg taste of the pulp. She is very sweet.

Saffron

Medium late variety. It has a number of valuable qualities: drought-resistant, productive, heat-resistant. Does not suffer from pests and diseases. The berries are very juicy, large, weighing up to 4 g. Color is dark cherry, elongated shape.

Isabel

Ripening period 10-15 July. The mass of berries is 2-2.5 g. The peel is black when ripe, the taste is sweet and sour. The bush is high, not spreading, the average yield of one plant is 4-6 kg.

Ermak

One bush yields 3 to 5 kg of light black berries. They ripen on June 10-15. The pulp emits a light aroma, it tastes sweet and sour. One weighs no more than 1.5 g.

Laysan

Early fruiting. The berries are round, weighing from 1 to 3 g, collected in short clusters of 5-6 pieces. Shoots are long, strong growth. The bushes tolerate drought well, do not suffer from heat.

Kishmish

Winter-hardy variety. The yield is stable and high. The bushes are medium-sized, the berries are medium-sized (0.9-1 g). The skin is firm, black. The bushes are compact. The Kishmish variety is resistant to fungal infection.

Amber

Bright orange, amber berries in the golden currant variety Sultry mirage. Weight 1.3 g, taste refreshing, pleasant.

Yellow

Zarina variety with round yellow berries (3.5 g). Nice sweet pulp. Indicators of resistance to low temperatures, drought are high.

Michurinskaya

A vigorous shrub with strong, straight shoots. The size of the leaves is medium, the color is green. The shape is three-bladed. Fruit weight 1.3-2.5 g. Round shape, dark-burgundy color. The pulp is sweet and sour with a fresh aroma. The variety is mid-season.

Chinese

A kind of golden currant. A bush with a developed root system, high (2.4 m). Leaves up to 5 cm long, three-lobed. The berries are elongated, stored well.

Silvery

The bushes are deciduous, about 2.4 m high, slightly branched. The harvest ripens in July. The fruits weigh 1-1.5 g.

Siberian sun

The berries are medium in size, yellow. The taste is refreshing, with a slight sourness. Harvest time is at the end of July. Bushes are not afraid of frost, heat. They grow well in shade and sun.

Pearl

The bushes are of medium height, not exceeding 1 m. They winter well. Withstand frost down to -40 ° C. In terms of ripening, the variety is medium early. The harvest begins in June.

Caucasian

The breeders of the North Caucasus Research Institute have bred two forms of golden currant. Form A - bushes 2.5 m high, black berries with sweet and sour taste, 1.5 cm in diameter. Form B - bushes up to 2 m tall, brown berries, up to 1.2 cm in diameter, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste.

Venus

The variety is drought-resistant, heat-resistant, does not like return frosts, flowers suffer. They are collected in medium-sized inflorescences (4 cm). Berries ripen early, early ripening variety. The crop is undulating (2-3 waves). The skin is black, shiny, the pulp is sweet and sour, juicy. The bushes are slightly spreading, vigorous.

A large selection of varieties of golden currant, easy care, stable yield, abundant flowering, healthy berries - these are enough reasons to plant several bushes in your garden.