Autumn feeding of currants for a good harvest next season

Why do you need autumn feeding of currants?

There are a number of important reasons for feeding red, black and white currants after harvesting in the fall:

• The most important reason for fertilizing in the fall is that in the summer of the next season you will be able to see more lush and abundant fruiting.
• The quality of the harvest will not be left aside - the berries will be larger and sweeter.
• Bushes weakened by summer fruiting will be able to regain strength and gradually and smoothly be saturated with nutrients.
• With proper feeding, currant bushes will become more frost-resistant and will be able to survive the winter more easily.

If you feed currants only in the spring, ignoring the autumn care procedure, then the event will not be so effective. It is better to perform the procedure both in spring and autumn.

Why do currants need fertilizing?

Currants form a superficial root system, which is located at a depth of up to 50 cm. Like any cultivated plant, it needs fertilizer, since sooner or later the set of nutrients in the root zone is exhausted. Thanks to the timely application of mineral and organic fertilizers, currants well increase the mass of the bush, the berries grow large, juicy, with high taste. Autumn fertilizing is very important - it not only helps currant bushes prepare for winter, but also contributes to the formation of new fruit buds.

Black currants grow in one place for 15–20 years, but in the absence of fertilizing they may experience nutritional deficiencies even at a young age.

When is the best time to feed currants in the fall: optimal timing

The time at which you apply fertilizer plays a big role in ensuring good nutrient absorption. The optimal time for autumn feeding of currants is the end of September and the beginning of October.

Advice! It is necessary to carry out the activity before the onset of persistent cold weather. Otherwise, if you fertilize the berry crop when the ground freezes in late autumn, the nutrients will be less absorbed.

Time to apply fertilizer in autumn

You need to fertilize currants in the fall at the following times:

• The first time is immediately after harvest, in early September.
• The second time is 30-35 days before the onset of cold weather, in the last ten days of October - the first ten days of November.
• The last time the currants are fed in the fall is in December, at which time rotted mullein or compost should be added to the tree trunk circles. From these fertilizers, by the time they are applied, the nitrogen will have evaporated, and the remaining minerals will gradually decompose by soil bacteria. By spring, when the bush begins to grow, there will be enough nutrients in the soil.

Before applying fertilizer in the fall, the root zone should be loosened. But this must be done carefully so as not to damage the root system of the bushes.

If there was no rain in the fall, then the application of fertilizers is combined with watering, otherwise the roots of the plant can be burned.

Types of fertilizing: root and foliar

In gardening, there are 2 methods of applying fertilizers:

• Root feeding - fertilizers are applied at the root (in dry or liquid form). This method is the main way to feed garden crops.

• Foliar feeding - spraying of the aboveground part of the plant (leaves, trunk). The plant absorbs nutrients, but the beneficial effect of feeding has a shorter period. Technology is auxiliary to the first method.

Note! In autumn, it is better to feed currants using the root method, because it has a prolonged effect and slowly nourishes the bush.

Foliar fertilizers

At the beginning of summer, currants are fertilized with foliar compounds to saturate them with microelements.

5 g of potassium permanganate, 30-40 g of copper sulfate and 3 g of boric acid are diluted in different containers. Next, the components are diluted in 10 liters of water. The finished composition is used for spraying bushes.

Before the cold weather begins, a special “cushion” based on humus, compost and peat is installed under the bush. And for better absorption of the components, they need to be added for digging. The main thing is to do this carefully so as not to damage young plants.

What fertilizers to feed currants in the fall

The most important elements required for currants in the fall after fruiting are phosphorus and potassium . Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers increase resistance to adverse conditions and cold, strengthen the root system, increase immunity to disease, and also help to obtain more tasty berries in the next season.

What is the best way to feed currant bushes in the autumn? You can use mineral, organic fertilizers, or use folk remedies. They can also be used in dry (granulated) or liquid form.

Important! Currants do not need nitrogen . It will only disturb the bushes and force them to grow green mass. Because of this, the plants will not be able to properly prepare for winter and can easily freeze out during frosts.

Preparations and fertilizer recipes for root feeding of currants in the fall:

• An excellent phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is potassium monophosphate : In dry form, 15 grams per bush.
• In liquid form, 15 grams should be dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Advice! To achieve maximum efficiency, it is recommended, in addition to dry chicken manure, to put dry minerals under digging: superphosphate (30 grams) + potassium sulfate or potassium salt (15 grams). Or, after digging up the droppings, pour it with a liquid solution; to do this, you need to dissolve the fertilizer in the indicated proportions in 10 liters of water.

• A good organic fertilizer is humus or compost. It is recommended to add it at the end of October. For example, you can mulch the tree trunk circle with humus or compost (1 bucket for one adult bush, 0.5 bucket for one young bush).

Advice! Fertilizing with organic matter will be even more effective if, before mulching with compost or humus, you water with a superphosphate (2 tablespoons should be dissolved in 10 liters of water) at the end of September or at the beginning of October.

• Complex feeding from mineral and organic fertilizers: humus or compost (10 kg, i.e. one standard bucket) + potassium salt (40 g) + superphosphate (60 g). The dosage is indicated for one adult bush.
• A popular way to feed currants is an infusion of potato peels . Berry bushes are very fond of this folk remedy because it contains potassium, starch, glucose and microelements useful for berry crops. To make a decoction of potato peelings, you need to pour 10 liters of boiling water over the peels (1 liter jar). Leave to infuse for 3-4 days, and then water with infusion.

By the way! Currants love potatoes because of their starch, which has a beneficial effect on the harvest. But using pure store-bought starch is ineffective; organic fertilizers in the form of potato peelings are much more useful.

• You can fertilize currants in the autumn with another folk remedy: using wood ash and ground potatoes . The recipe for use is very simple: you need to scatter wood ash (half of a 1-liter jar) under the tree trunk of one bush, and then mulch the top with potatoes 5-7 centimeters thick (you must first grate or grind the potatoes together with the peel in a meat grinder).
• An alternative to organic feeding is sowing green manure , for example, vetch, lupine, peas.
• For autumn feeding of the berry garden, you can use special ready-made complex fertilizers for autumn. This option is ideal for beginner gardeners and summer residents, because they do not need to prepare any mixtures or solutions with their own hands.

Advice! The most effective way to feed currant bushes in the fall is a combination of mineral and organic substances.

Feeding black, white, red currants in spring: methods, recommendations

The very first fertilizing of currants is carried out in the spring. It promotes increased bush growth and the development of new shoots. The yield of the bush depends on how timely the procedure is carried out. You can use different types of fertilizers.

• The procedure is usually carried out in early spring, when the bushes are just beginning to awaken and acquire buds. During this period, the crop requires as much nitrogen as possible. Mineral or organic fertilizers in their pure form are perfect for feeding.
• The bushes are fed for the second time in two weeks. Now organic or complex fertilizers containing phosphorus or potassium are applied. They crumble right under the bush.
• After another two weeks, the bushes are fed for the third time. A liquid nutrient solution is already used here for spraying. Any fertilizer can be used.

In specialized stores, gardeners are offered a huge selection of products to increase their yield. It is important to navigate them. Let's look at the main types of spring fertilizing.

• Nitrogen . Currants provide many beneficial substances. Their action is aimed at stimulating crown growth and the appearance of new leaves. Just be careful, since an excess, although it will lead to good growth of greenery, will stop the growth of fruits. Nitrogen is found in peat compost, bird droppings, ammonium nitrate, anhydrous ammonia, ammonium sulfate, urea, calcium cyanamide and urea. All this can be used for feeding.
• Complex . In this case, look for mixtures labeled “spring” or “spring.” Please note that any fertilizing should be done on moist soil. So combine it with watering or do it after rain. In addition, stimulants are used to treat seedlings. Complex drugs are created by mixing elements or a chemical reaction. They include a high concentration of active substances. That is why you don’t need a lot of them to feed them. Popular drugs are Nitrophoska, Ammofoska, potassium nitrate, Ammophosphate. There are also multi-component compositions. They include all the basic elements that currants require. They are especially effective in areas where the soil is poor. The drug is selected depending on the type of soil - zinc (reduces alkalinity), copper (suitable for swampy areas), manganese (for alkaline black soil), boron (for sandy soil), molybdenum (to reduce acidity).
• Phosphorous . Experienced gardeners advise using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. 10 g of potassium sulfate and 40 g of superphosphate are diluted per bush. The size of the fruit depends on phosphorus. We also shouldn't forget potassium, because it adds sweetness to the berries. That is why summer residents often mix substances. The most popular preparations are Superphosphate, Precipitate, Phosphorite and bone meal, Thomas slag and other substances. Phosphate fertilizers are very important for currants. They improve the energy metabolism of shrubs.
• Organic . They are usually used to replace minerals, separately or even together. This could be compost, bird droppings, manure. Thanks to an integrated approach, you can achieve excellent results. This is why gardeners often mix several components together. This could be bird droppings, manure, compost, and so on.

Rules for autumn feeding of currants

To achieve maximum efficiency from the care procedure, it is necessary to properly feed the bushes. If you fertilize the bushes incorrectly and violate the application schedule, then at best you may not achieve any benefit, at worst you can harm the plants.

Let's look at the basic rules for feeding currants in the fall:

• The most important rule is that before applying any organic or mineral fertilizers, you need to water the bush so that the root system does not get burned.
• It is necessary to comply with the norms and dosages.
• The best way to fertilize with liquid fertilizers is to make a groove about 15 cm deep around the trunk, 30 centimeters away from it. And then stick nutrient solutions into the groove.
• When applying granular dry fertilizers, it is recommended to incorporate them into the soil. They need to be sealed along the entire perimeter of the crown projection, avoiding contact with the trunk. However, you should not bury them too deep, otherwise you can burn the roots.
• For the same reason, organic fertilizers (dung, humus, compost) should not be dug too deeply. No deeper than 15 centimeters!
• It is best to feed the bushes in the morning, evening or during the day in cloudy weather.
• The consumption rate of liquid fertilizers is 10 liters (one standard bucket) per bush.

By the way! If you planted a bush this season (spring or autumn) and filled the planting hole with fertilizers, then you no longer need to feed it this year.

For quality bush care, it is not enough to just feed the bushes in the fall. It is also necessary to perform pruning, water-replenishing watering, treatment against pests and diseases, prepare the berry bush for winter - mulch, cover if necessary.

Mineral fertilizers: how to apply

The difference between nitrogen-containing organic matter and mineral nitrogen is the rate at which it is absorbed by plants. Mineral nitrogen quickly dissolves and enters the tissues, stimulating their growth, which is extremely dangerous for feeding black and red currants in the fall.

Of the mineral mixtures used to fertilize currants in the fall for a better harvest, potassium sulfate, potassium salt and superphosphates are used.

Superosphate for feeding currants in August is used in the form of an aqueous solution. This way it gets through the roots and into the shoots faster. Per square meter you need 40 g of the substance. Phosphorus fertilizers are effective only together with potassium fertilizers, so at the same time it is necessary to dissolve 30 g of potash and water the bushes.

Long-term decomposition phosphorus substances, such as phosphate rock or horn shavings, are applied once every 3 to 4 years. Their advantage is that they reduce the acidity of the soil, leading it to neutral or slightly acidic.

These substances take a long time to process and serve as food for soil bacteria, which release beneficial nutrients into the soil throughout the entire period. Thanks to phosphate rock, it is possible to reduce the cost of production, since less fertilizer is required.

Fertilizing currants in the fall and timing of the operation

After harvesting, you should seriously think about how to prepare the bush for fruiting next year. Autumn feeding of currants is mandatory, since the plant draws almost all the juices from the ground during the season and does not have enough strength to produce berries.

That is why it is worth providing it with all the missing chemical elements and organic substances so that the bush takes a “low start” already in early March, when all the plants are just waking up after frost.

Fertilizers for currants are extremely important in order to survive the winter, because the accumulated nutrients help them withstand severe frosts. The thicker the stem and the more sugars it contains, the greater the chance of surviving the cold winter. Some gardeners insist that estimating and bending branches is a pointless procedure, since if there is enough organic matter and salts in the stem of the plant, it can easily tolerate temperatures of -30 degrees.

It is very important to carry out this procedure in a timely manner. You can’t hesitate and you need to gradually add superphosphates and standard nitrogen fertilizers after harvesting the berries from the bush. By the end of November, the stems should grow significantly, so you can speed up this process by any possible methods.

It is necessary to stop adding nitrogen fertilizers until the end of September. This is explained by the fact that excessive metabolism before cold weather is very dangerous. It is necessary to “put to sleep” the plant as much as possible, but nitrogen fertilizers can act for a month or more. If you do not stop this, the currants may freeze at the first frost.

Compost and humus must be buried in the soil as late as possible. The fact is that it decomposes only after a few months and begins to give a “impetus” to the root system. In 3-4 months in winter, it will decompose and begin to release the first necessary chemical elements, just at the moment when the plant needs it to start in the spring.

Humus is an integral component and must be added to every perennial plant, especially when growing currants or caring for raspberries in the fall. This can be done even in December, weather permitting. Some gardeners successfully practice “staged application,” where the first application of manure is made in October, the second at the end of November, and the third in winter at the first thaw in December.

Types of fertilizers

Many gardeners prefer to fertilize red currant bushes with mineral complexes. In principle, this is justified: they are inexpensive, effective and easy to use. The main thing here is to maintain proportions; excess microelements can be harmful. Nitrates will accumulate in the berries, which will subsequently affect human health. It is safest to use organic. This can be compost leaves, wood ash, rotted manure or humus, or vermicompost. These fertilizers should be applied to red currants in a certain dosage and on schedule.

Currant bushes can be topped with ready-made mixtures purchased at a specialty store. They can be in either liquid or granular form.

Organic

Organic fertilizers include compost heaps, rotted horse humus or mullein, and bird droppings. When rotting, they form large quantities of nitrogenous compounds. For this reason, it is customary to apply organic matter to plants in early spring in order to activate growth processes in berry plants and other vegetation.

At the onset of the first night autumn frosts, when the red currants have almost lost all their foliage, 1-2 buckets of compost are added under each bush. You can lay a layer of mulch made from bedding straw and horse manure. This will protect the root system from freezing, and in the spring it will retain moisture and prevent the soil from overheating by the sun's rays.

Phosphorus

Used for berry gardens in case of poor development of branches, the berries become smaller or ripen later than expected. To correct the situation, you can use the following means:

1. Superphosphate. The fertilizer is recommended to be used during the formation of flower buds, when berries ripen and in late autumn. Granular phosphorus compounds are beneficial for the root system. 1 tbsp is consumed per bush.
2. Potassium monophosphate. This environmentally friendly product must be dissolved in water before fertilizing the berry garden. Plants absorb this component well. The composition of the drug includes 33% potassium compound and 50% phosphate mixture.
3. Phosphorite flour. This drug takes a long time to decompose. Its physical properties are similar to horn shavings. Under shrubs, the product is applied once every 4-5 years.

Potash

Due to a lack of potassium, currant foliage in the middle of the growing season may acquire a bluish tint and turn pale. Buds form poorly and yields decrease.

Potassium preparations:

1. Wood ash. For the berry grower, this component is one of the most important, since it contains not only potassium, but also calcium, phosphorus and other trace elements.
2. Potassium nitrate. For one red currant bush, 15g of saltpeter is enough. It is diluted in 10 liters of water and watered the berry garden in the spring. But potassium chloride should not be used as a fertilizer, since currants do not tolerate chlorine well.
3. Nitroammophoska. This fertilizer contains potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen compounds. For a currant bush, these useful components are important at different stages of development.

Liquid

Let's look at a small list of liquid fertilizer mixtures that are used to fertilize red currant bushes.

1. Uralsky Posad. The product is used as a top dressing for berry crops to increase productivity. The mixture makes the shrub more resistant to adverse conditions. For irrigation, use one cap for 1 liter of water. Fertilizer is applied before flowering begins.
2. Biofertilizer Soft power. The liquid preparation penetrates the red currant rhizome much faster than granules. It perfectly compensates for the lack of microelements in berry crops. Biofertilizer quickly dissolves in water and is absorbed, giving a positive result.
3. Liquid preparation Gumi-20 M “Rich”. The product is ready for use. The composition contains all the necessary microelements. Perfectly nourishes vegetation. You can carry out foliar feeding.

Mineral

In spring, the following mineral fertilizers are applied to currant bushes:

1. Nitrogen is necessary for the development of the aboveground part of the berry plant. Typically this type of fertilizer is used in the spring. The component is contained in fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate and urea. After July, it is not recommended to apply nitrogen to red currant bushes, as this can weaken them.
2. Phosphorus and potassium are applied to the berry fields once every 1-2 years. It is undesirable to feed currants with potassium chloride; they do not tolerate chlorine.
3. Microfertilizers containing microelements, for example, magnesium, copper, boron, sulfur, molybdenum and others.

Find out about the best varieties of currants in this article.

Basically, fertilizing is applied during the growing season of shrubs.

Folk remedies

1. Braga. During the filling period, currant berries require a starchy substance. To do this, you can prepare the following mixture: dissolve bread yeast – 500g – in 5 liters of water. For fermentation, add granulated sugar - 50g. As soon as foam appears, add 1 liter of mixture to 10 liters of water and pour under the bushes.
2. Grain feeding. Collect the peels from several loaves and prepare the fertilizer that she likes for the red currants. Place the peels in a container and pour the same volume of water on top. Leave for 10 days, strain. Dilute with water 1:10.
3. Banana. To prepare the infusion, collect 5 banana peels and add 10 liters of water. Let it sit for a couple of days, then you can water the bushes.

How to apply fertilizer correctly

Every gardener needs to know what to feed currants in the fall and what not to add to the soil so as not to harm the bush. After all, this process may not always be beneficial for the plant; on the contrary, incorrect actions or poorly selected components can destroy the bush!

Nitrogen components are introduced first. They act almost immediately and the result can be seen after 5-8 days - the bush will begin to grow rapidly, dormant buds will awaken, and one-year shoots will become denser.

You can add ammonium nitrate - it will help activate the root system and improve the absorption (absorption) of moisture from the soil. After fruiting, the bush is weak, it is necessary to stimulate it to further growth. Potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are not needed - this is a waste of money (and they cost a lot), and you will not see any results. They are aimed at improving the quality of fruits and last only 30-50 days.

Therefore, it is not worth buying preparations containing these expensive components for autumn work. It is better to give nitrogen fertilizers as root feeding, since the leaves absorb them less well.

Now let's take a closer look at how to fertilize currants using foliar fertilizers.

Every 3 weeks, be sure to spray the bushes with urea. It is better to apply often, but little, than once and a lot.

Spray 50% of the indicated dose, no later than 20 days after the previous treatment. You will see significant growth of stems in the first week of growth. It is advisable to carry out abundant watering - together with complex nitrogen fertilizers, this will give an extraordinary effect.

Next we move to the soil under the bush. In mid-October, you can start burying the treasures for the bush - cow manure and chicken droppings. Without them, it is impossible to talk about the full development of the plant, since it is the manure that contains the complex of necessary minerals and substances required for the correct and rapid development of the plant in the spring.

Features of feeding red currants

On almost every personal plot you can see growing red currant bushes, pleasing the eyes of the owners with red berries. They are extremely rich in various vitamins. Although the culture is unpretentious in care, it still requires fertilizing. Lack of fertilizers and agrotechnical procedures can lead to a decrease in yield.

Spring plant nutrition table.

At first, the plant will be content with fertilizing applied in the spring during planting. But over time, the berries will become smaller and less sweet. They will lose their presentation. Young shoots are not visible in the bush. To correct the situation, the berry garden is replanted and seasonal fertilizing is applied. This will help red currants become more resistant to diseases and pests. Find out why currants turn yellow here.

Why feed currants in the fall?

The summer period has ended, and hence the fruiting season. Now the plant is very vulnerable and needs help. There are several reasons why you should start fertilizing in the fall:

• Lack of microelements to feed the bush, due to the fact that its roots are shallow.
• Currants need to regain their strength in order to “overwinter.”
• Laying new buds, which will be the key to successful fruiting for the next season.
• So that the shrub has lasting immunity to various pests in the spring.
• It is especially necessary to feed the currant bush in the fall if there were a lot of fruits in the summer. The plant has already spent a lot of energy.
• If you planted this plant a long time ago, more than four years have passed.