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Proper care of a currant bush is not only about watering and preventive measures against diseases and pests. The plant requires seasonal feeding, which is especially important for bushes growing in poor soils. In order for fruit crops to annually delight you with a rich and tasty harvest, you need to know exactly what to feed the currants before and during fruiting. At each stage of growth, the shrub requires different fertilizers.
It is recommended to drop the granules
Features of feeding black currants
Black currant takes root well in almost any soil, starting to produce berries from the second year of growth. In order for black currants to enjoy a bountiful harvest for a long time, you need to regularly prune the branches and apply fertilizers.
The crop has a small root system, so soil depletion occurs very quickly, especially on “poor” soil. How to feed black currants, making reference to the features of this procedure.
Features of feeding
- All types of this crop begin to be fed from the second year of life. The appearance of the leaves and the condition of the plant will tell you what feeding is required.
- Fresh manure is dangerous for black currants; only rotted or infused manure should be applied. Fresh manure can burn the roots and destroy the plantings.
- It is also important to maintain the proportions of the components so as not to overfeed the plantings.
- For a large harvest, the crop must be fertilized at least 5 times, from April to October.
When blackcurrants are preparing to bloom, nitrogen is added to the soil to help the buds swell and new shoots to grow.
Before flowering
In general, experienced gardeners recommend applying most of the fertilizer before flowering, especially in the second year of growth. This also has its own peculiarity: if the bushes are fertilized in the second year of growth, then a little more product must be added than for other bushes.
In April, you can water with ready-made liquid fertilizers, dissolving them in hot water. Watering should be especially abundant.
Dry additives are added only when planting new seedlings. They are mixed with soil, poured into a hole for planting, then the roots of the plant are lowered.
After flowering
In May or June, nitrogen fertilizers are reapplied. They are no longer introduced until the next season, since it is no longer desirable for the bushes to grow shoots and leaves.
When to fertilize currants in spring: optimal timing and scheme
The timing of fertilization depends on the phase of plant development.
Important! You should not apply the first fertilizer too early, as the roots absorb and assimilate nutrients at a soil temperature of +5-10 degrees and above.
First feeding - after winter
When a stable above-zero temperature is established in early spring, the plant begins to awaken. At this time, the bushes are trimmed, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed. At this time, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to increase the green mass of the bush. You can use a complex fertilizer, for example, nitroammofoska, or better yet, diammofoska.
Second feeding - during budding
In order for the berries to be large and sweet at this time, the currants must be fed with potassium and phosphorus. The fertilizer should also contain some nitrogen. You can fertilize with nitroammophoska, but it’s better to fertilize with diammophoska.
The third feeding - during flowering and the beginning of fruiting
At this time, the bush needs potassium and phosphorus so that the berries are more elastic, sweet and aromatic. Superphosphate will do.
Fourth feeding - after harvest
The last time in the fall is fertilized with phosphorus and potassium to lay flower buds for the next season and to prepare the bushes for wintering. You can use superphosphate with potassium sulfate or potassium monophosphate.
Rules for applying fertilizers
The rules are simple. It is necessary to make the soil under the bushes light and breathable, so during the season you will need to carry out 5-7 loosening. Loosening will help fertilizers penetrate better to the roots.
The first loosening is carried out in early spring. To prevent the soil from drying out, mulching with a layer of peat, humus, and pine needles is required.
Mulching is carried out immediately after the first loosening and watering. They say that the yield of currants increases by 2 times.
in spring
After winter, you need to wake up the roots by lightly watering the plantings with moderately hot water, possibly with nitrogen fertilizers dissolved in it. In spring, it is better to use liquid fertilizers so that the roots quickly receive nitrogen and begin to grow green mass.
For good development of greenery, nitrogen supplements must be applied in stages. The first time is immediately after the snow melts, when the swollen buds are already slightly visible.
For the first watering, use urea, calcium or ammonium nitrate. Urea is applied at 40 g per 1 bush under the age of 4 years. Dilute the drug in water so that the granules dissolve well. For plants older than 4 years, 10-15 g of urea is taken.
You can add mineral preparations: phosphorus 20 g, potassium 10 g, nitrogen 10 g per bucket of water.
Spring fertilizing with organic fertilizers is also carried out for the first time in April. Rotted manure should be spread under the bushes after watering, without getting close to the roots.
Important! All work with fertilizing is carried out on moist soil so as not to burn the roots.
The second procedure is after flowering. Place 1 tbsp under the bush. l. potassium sulfate and humus. When you water the bushes, the nutrients will gradually reach the roots.
2 weeks after the second procedure, foliar irrigation is carried out with a urea solution at the rate of 10 g of the drug per 10 liters of water. This completes the spring procedures.
In summer
How to feed blackcurrants in summer? The crop begins to bear abundant fruit, so it needs help to grow large, sweet berries.
Liquid fertilizers
In early June, you should pay attention to organic liquid products. During the ripening period of the berries, the first procedure is carried out. Since the berries are collected gradually, the second one is after the entire harvest has been harvested, that is, in August.
For organic fertilizing, an infusion of chicken manure 1:10 and slurry are suitable.
Liquid mineral additives are diluted as follows: 10 g of nitrogen, 20 g of phosphorus and 10 g of potassium fertilizers per bucket of water. There is a complex fertilizer that contains potassium and phosphorus in high doses. It is applied under weak bushes.
Liquid fertilizers of all types are applied at the rate of 10 liters of solution for each bush. But you should not water immediately, but after watering or rain in the furrows that are made around the currant bushes. After the procedure, it is advisable to mulch the fertilized soil.
Foliar
Summer foliar feeding of black currant is carried out in June-July: 20 g of urea, 5 g of boric acid, 3 g of manganese, 30 g of copper sulfate per bucket of water. Boric acid, manganese and vitriol are stirred into each component in a separate bowl, and then combined with urea, poured into a bucket of water and sprayed on the currants.
Organic
If you don’t want to deal with chemistry, then ash is suitable for irrigation:
- Pour the same amount of water into half a bucket of ash and let it brew for 2 days.
- Dilute the resulting mixture with water 1:10, then pour 2 buckets of liquid under each bush.
Starch is also considered a useful tool for increasing the yield of black currants: dilute 200 g of starch in 3 liters of water, boil, then pour into a bucket of water. It takes 2-3 liters per bush. The disadvantage of watering is that potato starch is poorly absorbed. It is better to take potato peelings and soak them.
in autumn
What to feed blackcurrants in the fall? The plant is preparing for winter, so it needs to perk up after the harvest and stock up on nutrients that will be needed during dormancy.
In the fall, it is best to feed with liquid phosphorus-potassium mixtures. If the real cold weather is still a month away, then it is useful to feed black currants with organic matter by sprinkling the soil around the bushes with ready-made mixtures. After this, the soil must be watered and loosened. This ends the seasonal care of black currants.
Recommendations for the use of fertilizers for different varieties of currants
Excess nutrients can have an extremely negative impact on the condition of the bush. For example, untimely application of nitrogen in the summer provokes the growth of green mass, which in turn attracts pests, weakens and depletes the plant.
Recommendations:
- White and red currants require more nitrogen and potassium during the ripening period than black varieties. In general, such currants are more stable; they need less fertilizer than black currants, and all thanks to a strong root system. In order for nutrients to enter the deep layers of the soil, reach the roots of the red currant, dig a small trench up to 30 cm deep, pour in organic or mineral fertilizers, and sprinkle with soil.
Potassium chloride with soil - The phosphorus requirement of red varieties is lower. It is enough to add the element once every 3 years. Dosage – 12-18 g of double superphosphate per bush.
- The tree trunk circle must be watered from all sides so that it develops evenly. Each root is responsible for a separate part of the bush.
- The fertilizer application zone extends beyond the diameter of the crown, as the root system grows to 1.5-2 m. If the bush is young, application is carried out more widely to prepare nutritious soil for the future.
Currants respond gratefully to proper bait. Timely application of nitrogen makes the bush strong, potassium and phosphorus preparations promote active budding and fruiting, and complexes of microelements significantly affect the taste and quality of the fruit.
Types of fertilizers
Complex, organic and mineral fertilizers are available for sale. All of them are supplied with instructions from which it is not recommended to deviate. Today, gardeners are increasingly using folk remedies.
Mineral fertilizers
As we have already said, it is necessary to feed black currants 5 times per season.
- The first is before flowering. Apply nitrogen fertilizer: urea, ammonium nitrate or Nitroammofoska. It can be scattered dry next to the trunk or in a liquid solution and watered into the furrows.
- The second is during flowering. It is better to use complex mineral fertilizers: “Superphosphate” or “Potassium Sulfate”. Watering or spraying is used. To get rid of pests and increase productivity, it’s time to treat the bushes leaf by leaf with boric acid: 2 tbsp. on a bucket of water.
- The third feeding is when the ovaries appear. To improve the taste of the berries, ash is poured under the bushes.
- Fourth feeding. After fruiting, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers should be applied.
- Fifth feeding. Before frost, it is recommended to prepare the bushes for winter by scattering 250-300 grams of ash under the seedling, then watering it.
For a good harvest of black currants, mineral fertilizers are considered one of the most effective: Urea, Ammonium nitrate.
Immediately after winter and during flowering, complex mineral fertilizers work well: Nitroammofoska, Diammofoska, Azofoska. In a warm bucket of water, dilute 25-30 g and water. Can be scattered under a bush.
Superphosphate and Potassium Sulfate will be useful during flowering, fruit set, and also in early autumn. Phosphorus and potassium will help improve the taste of the fruit.
Organic
When growing currants for yourself, it is better to use organic matter. How to feed black currants? Of course, this is manure, compost, humus.
In early spring, prepare a solution of water and fresh manure 1:1, infusing for 7-10 days. For irrigation, slurry is diluted in a ratio of 1:10. Rotted manure can be used immediately after dilution 1:5.
Important! Organic fertilizers cannot be poured directly under the root, otherwise it will get burned.
You need to feed mullein infusion like this: half a bucket for a young bush, a bucket for an adult.
Ash will also be useful. It is especially high in potassium. They are most often used in dry form, scattered under a bush, then sprinkled with earth. For black currants, 100-150 grams is enough.
Another nitrogen organic nutrient is chicken manure:
- Pour fresh chicken droppings with water.
- Let it brew for 5-7 days.
- Next, pour 1 liter of solution into a bucket of water.
- Pour a bucket of solution under the large bush and half a bucket under the small one.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies are used by almost all gardeners. Banana peels and potato peelings are very useful, since the peels contain many vitamins.
Recipe with potato peelings
- Pour the cleaning fluid in a 1:1 ratio.
- Let it brew in a dark, warm place for 45 days.
- Dilute the infusion with water at the rate of 1:10.
- Water a bucket per seedling only during the period of berry formation.
Banana peel
Pour 5 pieces of peel into 10 liters of water, let it brew for 3 days. Water also at the rate of 1:10.
Bread infusion
Black currant also loves an infusion of bread crusts:
- Fill the remaining bread with liquid 1:1.
- Leave in a warm place for 10 days.
- Strain, dilute 1:10.
- Water 10 liters per plant.
Herbal infusion
Many gardeners prepare herbal infusion:
- Fill half the barrel with grass, add water, and close the lid.
- Add crackers and old jam for fermentation.
- Place in the sun for 2 weeks.
- Dilute the fermented infusion with water 1:10.
- Water the plantings at the roots.
Soda
Another useful tool. Gardeners in the spring simply scatter soda after loosening, 5 tbsp. l. powder per kV. meter, then water it.
conclusions
- Depending on the timing of application, spring, autumn and summer feeding are distinguished. In each period, different minerals are required depending on the stage of the bush’s growing season.
- There are foliar and root feeding methods. Fertilizers are usually applied along the radius of the tree trunk circle or during planting in the ground; spraying is carried out only as a measure to eliminate the deficiency of important elements.
- Blackcurrants are fed in the traditional way. And when growing red and white, it is recommended to make an additional trench to ensure the absorption of minerals by the powerful root system.
- Organic and mineral fertilizers are used in gardening. Among organics, the most popular are mullein solution and compost. The most effective mineral composition (fat) is nitroammophoska, as it contains all the important elements in a form that is easily accessible to the plant.
Read about how to feed currants in the spring for a good harvest.
Methods
You can fertilize black currants using three methods: at the root, spraying and alternating the first two methods.
The main thing is to carry out all procedures on time, without abusing dosages. Traditional recipes cannot fully replace mineral preparations. It is better to introduce them in combination or alternate.
Basal
It is better to feed black currants in the grooves. To do this, it is recommended to lay grooves to a depth of 8-10 cm, 40-45 cm from the bush. You can pour liquid preparations, infusions into them, and then mulch.
Immediately after the snow melts, dry mixtures can be sprinkled around the bushes. The spring abundance of moisture will help them dissolve, reaching the roots. In summer and autumn, it is better not to pour dry mixtures.
Spraying
Experienced gardeners spray the plants before flowering. A good method is spraying with boron solution. Dissolve 10 g of boric acid in a small container, then pour it into a bucket, stir, pour into a sprinkler and spray.
It is better to carry out foliar procedures early in the morning or in the evening. By sprinkling fertilizer on the leaf, you will help the plant absorb all the microelements well.
How to properly feed currants
In order not to harm currants, every gardener should know how to properly add nutrients. Nitrogen fertilizing is usually applied by the root method, since the foliage absorbs it somewhat less well.
Before fertilizing, the soil around the bush should be dug well and watered abundantly, otherwise the fertilizer may burn the young roots. For the same reason, bird droppings should not be placed directly in the tree trunk circle.
It is better to step back 20–30 cm from the stems and scatter the fertilizer over the ground, and then cover it with a small layer of earth or mulch on top. Cow dung is applied quite deeply. To do this, the rotted mass is laid out around the bush and the soil is dug up to a depth of 20–25 cm within a radius of about one meter.
How to understand that a plant needs to be fertilized
Nitrogen deficiency
Nitrogen deficiency is evident from poor plant development, slow swelling of buds, and insufficient formation of new shoots. And the color of the leaves closer to the top acquires a yellowish tint with an orange, lilac or reddish tint.
Nitrogen starvation in summer can be noticed during the fruiting period by the crumbling berries.
Watering with mullein infusion and chicken droppings will help correct the situation. As a last resort - urea: 30-50 g per 10 l, pour under the bush.
Phosphorus deficiency
A lack of phosphorus is indicated by small leaves with a purple tint or spots of necrosis. As a result, the berries will also be small and sour.
Shredding of leaves and reduction in berry size indicate phosphorus deficiency. Another noticeable symptom: poor development of the lower buds on the shoot. They may not even develop. Superphosphate will help level the situation: 30 g per bucket.
Potassium deficiency
First yellow and then brown spots will appear on the foliage. Weak thin shoots also “say” that it is time to add potassium preparations to the soil.
As soon as a red dark border appears on the leaves, add a solution of potassium sulfate or ash according to the instructions. Ash is much better because it has other elements in it.
What diseases indicate a lack of fertilizers?
There is a large group of physiological diseases that arise due to a deficiency of minerals in the soil. They are often combined under the name chlorosis, but the manifestations can be different. Main types of diseases:
- Yellowing of the lower leaves . A disease typical of currants that develops due to a lack of nitrogen;
- Wrinkling of leaves, marginal burns . The main symptom of chlorosis with a lack of potassium in the soil;
- Chlorosis of lower leaves . It appears as yellowing of the veins on the underside of the leaf blade. A typical sign of magnesium deficiency;
- Chlorosis of upper leaves . The disease can be identified by yellowing of the veins on the upper side of the leaf. Indicates iron deficiency;
- Rosetteness . Leaves and internodes on the plant are formed significantly shorter than normal. It is considered a sign of zinc deficiency, but can also develop due to an excess of phosphorus.
If, while observing the regime and dosage of all planned fertilizing, the above-described signs appear on the bush, it is recommended to treat the planting with a fungicide, since similar symptoms may be a manifestation of a fungal or viral infection.
How to get a big harvest, what does it depend on?
How to get a good currant harvest? What to do to make currant berries large? A few simple secrets for caring for currant bushes will allow you to achieve record harvests of berries, both in quantity and quality.
- Watering currants For some reason, many people read that black currants do not need to be watered often. It is necessary to water at least 3 times per season: at the end of May or beginning of June, then at the end of June - beginning of July. Next, at the end of summer - beginning of autumn, so that the plant stores moisture. It is necessary to water especially abundantly during fruit filling.
- Feeding currants for a good harvest Exactly how to feed currants was discussed a lot in this article.
- Mulch the soil under the currant bushes To prevent the soil under the currants from drying out quickly, it needs to be mulched with straw, peat or mowed grass. The mulch layer should be at least 15-20 cm.
- Attract bees to your garden
- Pruning currants to increase yield The yield of black currants depends on the age of planting. Old branches will no longer be able to produce a good harvest. Therefore, the bushes undergo rejuvenation. Heavily thickened plantings also cannot please you with the harvest.
- Pests also reduce yields. The fight against them must be waged in the spring. Aphids, mites, scale insects and powdery mildew can almost completely deprive us of our currant harvest. In order to prevent the enemy from entering your territory, you can do preventive inspections of the plant and immediately remove the affected buds, leaves, and shoots.
Potato peelings for currants
It has become fashionable among gardeners to use potato peelings as fertilizer. As a rule, gardeners save the peel all winter, dry it or freeze it. They bury peelings under different crops, but, judging by numerous observations, it is black currants that are most responsive to such fertilizing.
The potato peels that we usually throw away contain various macro- and microelements, and most importantly, starch, which breaks down into glucose over time. In addition, the purifications contain a high content of nitrogenous substances. This homemade fertilizer should be applied in the spring as the main feeding.
Potato peelings that we throw away can serve as good food for currants
One way to use potato peelings:
- Before adding, be sure to pour boiling water over the peel. In this way you neutralize the causative agents of late blight, scab and other diseases. In addition, as a result of steaming, all the eyes will die (which means that a spontaneous potato plantation will not grow under your currants).
- As in previous cases, you need to dig a groove 30 cm deep next to the bush.
- Place the potato mixture, moistened with water, on the bottom in a layer of about 5 cm.
Potato peelings moistened with water are placed at the bottom of the prepared groove.
- Cover the cleaning with earth (10 cm) and evenly sprinkle a glass of wood ash on top.
- Fill the groove without stirring anything.
Ash will supplement organic fertilizing with microelements, but it should not be added mixed with cleaning. The nitrogen contained in the purifications, when interacting with alkali (ash), turns into ammonia and evaporates. In this case, fertilizing will be ineffective. The best option is to apply ash 5–7 days after nitrogen-containing fertilizing.
Video: how to prepare and use potato peelings
If the gardener is well acquainted with the phases of growth and fruiting of currants, then choosing fertilizers will not be difficult. In the spring, the plant needs nitrogen fertilizers, in the fall - phosphorus. Potassium can be applied three times per season, but the dose per bush (1 tablespoon) must be divided into three parts. Although fertilizing with microelements is optional, their use has a positive effect on the condition of currant bushes, and therefore on productivity.
- Author: Marina Volkova
I live in Siberia. I have my own house and my own plot) In the articles I share my experience, I learn something myself together with you) Rate the article:
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Answers to frequently asked questions
Why do dried flowers and berries appear on branches?
Most likely, the plant is being spoiled by the glass caterpillar. Cut the branch; if it is black inside, then a caterpillar has settled on the plant. Such a branch must be cut down to the ground, without leaving even a stump. Then treat the bush with infusion of pine needles, wormwood or karbofos.
What to do if there are spider nests on the bushes with dried fruits inside?
During cherry blossoms, the firefly flies, which has laid its eggs and entwined them with a web. Nests must be collected and destroyed or treated with karbofos.
How to feed blackcurrants before retiring?
Towards the end of October, it is best to add humus and manure to the soil. Bury humus to a depth of 20 cm, and manure closer to the surface of the earth. Organic matter decomposes slowly, so in early spring, fertilizer will immediately begin to nourish the roots.
Is it possible to feed currants with ash, starch, saltpeter and what is the best way to do this?
Is it possible to feed currants with ash?
Yes, Zola can. It is useful to sprinkle it under all plantings.
...starch?
It is believed that little starch is taken up by roots, so it is better to use potato peelings. They also contain starch. However, experienced gardeners use this method during berry ripening. Watch the video to make it clear.
...saltpeter?
To feed currants, urea is used at the rate of 40-60 g per plant. The granules can be scattered around the trunk, deepening into the grooves by 10-12 cm.
...chicken manure?
You can, but dissolve it in water 1:10. Watering should be done in a bucket for one plant.
... ammonia?
In spring, ammonia should be diluted as follows: pour 40 ml and 125 ml of liquid soap into a bucket of water. Spray before flowering
...mustard powder?
By fertilizing a berry crop with mustard powder, you can get berries of unprecedented size, the size of ripe cherries. They say that this is the only fertilizer capable of producing such a harvest. Dissolve 1 tsp in a liter of liquid. powder and pour 20 cm from the root. You can start fertilizing the bush in mid-April and finish in mid-May.
...mustard?
If you sow black currant circles with mustard in May, you will get not only fertilizer, but also protection of the crop from pests. First sprinkle the ground with ash, then sow mustard, then water it. When the mustard grows, plant it in the ground using a hoe.
...corn starch?
If you mix corn starch with ash, you get a good fertilizer. It is enough to sprinkle 1 cup of the mixture under the bush.
...ammophoska?
The proven drug is especially popular. Granules are most often added for digging, 30 mg per 1 square meter. m.
...azophoska?
Azofoska contains nitrogen, so in the spring it will be the best fertilizer. The granules dissolve well, or you can simply scatter them under the bushes, for each square. m 35 g of granules, and then pour.
What other care is needed for currants in summer?
Watering plays an important role when caring for currants in the hot summer. Also keep cleanliness between the bushes and remove weeds on time. Fertilize with organic fertilizers along with watering. Inspect the bushes all the time, and if pests or diseases are identified, take action, but do not treat them with chemicals three weeks before the berries ripen; use folk remedies. When the berries begin to ripe, they need to be collected individually and selectively - only ripe ones as they ripen.
Knowing how to fertilize currants in the summer and carrying out preventive inspections, you can get a large harvest of this berry every year.
Useful tips
Currants have a specific life cycle with strictly established deadlines, to which it is important to correctly adapt. Many novice gardeners are confident in the uselessness of foliar fertilizers. At the same time, it is forgotten that winter weakens the roots and depletes the supply of nutrients, because in frosts the plant spends energy on maintaining viability.
It is important to spray the leaf plates correctly. There is no need to use fixatives for this, they have a side effect - deformation of the leaf structure, violation of its integrity, ultimately leading to irreversible damage to the crown. Failure to comply with the dose and dilution proportions of the product leads to burns and even death of the bush.
Root preparations are applied very carefully; they should not touch the trunk or foliage, otherwise a burn will occur, and colonies of pathogenic bacteria will settle on its wound surface. It is strictly forbidden to apply liquid fertilizers to dry soil; they burn the root system and lead to the death of the bush. Work must be carried out strictly on moist soil. If necessary, the planting area is moistened very well.
Pay attention to the climate and temperature conditions. No need to work in the heat and sun. Perform all procedures in the dark, for example early in the morning or late evening, at dusk, and on a cloudy day, when the sun is securely hidden behind the clouds. The first feeding is carried out at no less than +10 degrees Celsius.
Never forget about safety rules when working with chemicals! You should always read the instructions on the packaging carefully and keep medications as far as possible from children and pets.
From the moment all the procedures have been carried out and fertilizers have been applied, it is imperative to monitor the condition of the plantings. Carry out treatment in a timely manner, do not spread diseases and do not allow parasites to multiply. Correctly fertilizing a currant bush in the spring is the key to an excellent harvest.
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Should I fertilize during fruiting?
Deficiency of phosphorus and potassium is most pronounced during the fruiting period: there are almost no ovaries on the bush, and ripe berries are small, dry and sour in taste. This effect can be avoided by timely addition of yeast infusion. The process of preparing it is long, so it begins to be prepared in April-May.
The recipe is as follows:
- Place in a 200-liter plastic barrel: 2 kg of potato peels, 15 kg of bread (spoiled bread or crackers will do), 6 kg of chopped comfrey tops, nettles, dandelions, quinoa and other weeds (meadow grass will also do).
- Fill the barrel with warm water to ¾ of the volume (free space is necessary for foam).
- Cover the container with polyethylene and secure it with wire or rope. You need to pierce a couple of small holes in the oilcloth to allow carbon dioxide to escape.
- Wait until the concentrate is ready (3 weeks). To speed up the process, the barrel needs to be moved to a sunny place (2 weeks).
When the product is ready, it is diluted to a 10% concentration and the bushes are fed at the rate of 1 bucket per plant. The optimal feeding period is 10-14 days before harvesting the berries.
How to care when flowering?
During the flowering period, it is important to do 2 feedings: one at the very beginning, the other when the first green berries are formed.
Fertilizer application algorithm:
- Dilute dry horse manure with water 1:1 and leave for 2 days.
- Prepare the working mixture. Dilute the concentrate to 10%. Add complex fertilizer (Fertika Plus, Ryazanochka) to it with a dosage halved (for Ryazanochka it is 2 g/liter).
- Loosen the top layer of soil (no deeper than 5 cm).
- Water the plant generously. Nutrients are absorbed along with the liquid, so the moister the soil, the more effective the fertilizing is.
- Feed the bushes at the root (2-3 buckets for adult currants).
- Mulch the tree trunk circle with straw. Mulch will reduce the evaporation of moisture, which means it will increase the duration of the fertilizing.
For the second feeding, use herbal or yeast infusion.
Methods
There are root and foliar methods of feeding currants. The choice of a specific method depends on the form of fertilizer, the stage of vegetation and the condition of the plant. For the harmonious development of the bush, alternation is recommended. The packaging of mineral compositions indicates the desired type of application and the standards for preparing the working solution. When using organics, the proportions are observed by eye, but due to the low toxicity of such products it is difficult to harm the plant.
Foliar feeding
This is spraying a working fertilizer solution in a weak concentration. It can be reduced by 3-5 times to avoid burns to the leaf plates. Foliar feeding allows you to almost instantly deliver the desired element to the plant. Used in an emergency when you need to quickly restore the condition of the plant. An important condition is to carry out the work in dry and windless weather, otherwise the efficiency will decrease. The application of mineral fertilizers using this method is not used during the flowering and fruiting periods.
Root
This method refers to the traditional application of fertilizer to the bush. Depending on the type of fertilizer, the product can be in dry or liquid form. The granules are buried in the soil in the fall so that by spring they decompose into compounds suitable for the plant. Solutions are used throughout the season. Minerals enrich the soil, entering directly into the plant through the roots. The procedure can be conveniently combined with routine weeding, loosening and mulching.
For complete spring care of currants, it is recommended to alternate root and foliar feeding.