Black currant Dove: reviews, planting and care, cultivation

New varieties of blackcurrant appear every year, but many amateur gardeners do not forget the time-tested currant. One of them is black currant dove, reviews of which, description and cultivation features will be given in the article.

An early variety of pre-war selection, obtained as a result of the work of a group of breeders with the participation of M. A. Lisovenko, I. A. Kukharsky. Bred on the basis of several varieties, the Western European subspecies of blackcurrant and “Primorsky Champion” were used. This combination gave winter hardiness and self-fertility. In 1957, the variety was zoned to the Non-Black Earth Region. Grown in other regions and union republics. In the conditions of the Moscow region it ripens in the first ten days of July. The variety is universal, but closer to technical. The taste of the berries is sweet and sour or sour; experts do not give a rating higher than 3 points.

Description of the currant variety Golubka

The Golubka currant variety is intended for cultivation in the middle zone, the Urals and Siberia. It looks like a medium-sized, slightly spreading bush. Its shoots are thin, erect, and fawn in color. Young branches are green. The buds are medium in size, egg-shaped, with a pointed tip, yellow-brown in color.

The leaves of the Golubka currant are five-lobed, wrinkled, and medium in size. The leaf blade is shiny, dark green, with wavy edges. The blades are pronounced and pointed. The petioles are short, green, located at an acute angle to the shoots.

The flowers are glass-shaped and medium sized. Sepals are light green, curved. The brushes are medium-sized, thick, 6 cm long. They contain from 6 to 9 fruits. Black currant berries contain dry substances, pectin, and ascorbic acid. The total sugar content is from 6.6 to 13%.

Description of Golubka currant berries:

• black thin skin with a pale coating;
• spherical shape with edges;
• weight from 1.3 to 3.5 g;
• average number of achenes;
• sweet taste with sour notes.

History of selection

The Golubka seedling is the result of breeding work by geneticists at a scientific research institute in Siberia, who in 1942, by crossing the varieties Sanders and Champion of Primorye, managed to create a new variety of currant, adapted to the climatic conditions of the country.

Today, the described culture can be found in almost all regions of Russia. It is recommended for cultivation in the North-Western, Volga-Vyatka, Central, Ural and West Siberian regions.

Did you know? Unripe blackcurrant berries contain 4 times more ascorbic acid than fully ripened fruits.

Characteristics

Before planting Golubka currants, their characteristics are analyzed: resistance to drought and cold, ripening time. Particular attention is paid to the yield and quality of berries.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

Black currant Dove tolerates heat and lack of moisture well. Its frost resistance is average, about -26 °C. In harsh winters, the shoots freeze at the base. In cold climates, preparation for wintering is mandatory.

Productivity of the variety

Golubka currants ripen early. The first berries are harvested in mid-late June. They mature at the same time. Ripe currants begin to crumble and crack, so it is not recommended to delay harvesting. At the same time, the fruits of the bush do not bake in the sun.

According to the description of the variety, the black currant Golubka bears from 5 to 8 kg of berries. The plant is self-fertile and does not need a pollinator to form ovaries. Over time, the fruits become smaller. In this case, the bush should be replaced.

Application area

The berries of the Golubka variety have a technical purpose. They are used for processing: making preserves, jams, compotes, and baking fillings. Fresh berries are added to smoothies, yoghurts, and muesli.

Important! Fruit separation is wet, so the crop does not tolerate long-term storage and transportation. Berries should be used immediately after picking.

Pros and cons of the variety

According to the description of the variety and reviews, Golubka currant has the following advantages:

• brings harvest one of the first, compared to other varieties;
• self-fertility;
• begins to bear fruit early;
• demonstrates simultaneous ripening of fruits;
• stable yield;
• resistance to diseases.

The main disadvantages of the Golubka variety:

• inferior to modern varieties in taste and transportability of fruits;
• average winter hardiness;
• over time, the quality of the crop decreases;
• suffers greatly from a kidney mite attack.

Appearance, characteristics of berries, ripening time, yield

As noted above, Golubka black currant is an early ripening variety, the fruits of which are ready for harvesting at the end of June - in the first half of July. At this time, small black berries with a waxy coating on the surface ripen on the bushes. Their weight is 0.7–1.8 g. The fruits ripen almost simultaneously, stay on the clusters for a long time, and are easily removed.

Due to the great juiciness and thinness of the peel, Golubki berries do not have a shelf life and are not suitable for transportation over long distances. Most often, the fruits are processed: they are used for canning and winter preparations, and are also frozen.

Dove berries do not have a sweet dessert taste and have a sour taste, but are highly valued for their high content of ascorbic acid. The pulp contains 7.5% sugar, 3.9% acids and over 160 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of raw material. According to tasters, the fruits deserve 3.9 points out of 5 possible.

Important! The currant bush has many shoots of different ages, which are located at different levels. This makes it possible to collect stable harvests for 10

-
13 years old.
As for the crop yield, it is quite high and stable. Under good weather conditions and proper care, one bush can produce 6–7 kg of berries per season.

Reproduction methods

Black currants are propagated vegetatively:

1. By cuttings. Select annual shoots with a thickness of 7 mm and cut them to a length of 20 cm. They are harvested in the fall in October, when the bush goes into a dormant state. The cuttings are rooted in a mixture of sand and soil. In spring, currants are planted in the garden, watered and fed.
2. By layering. In early spring, choose a strong branch. It is placed in a pre-dug furrow, secured with staples and covered with earth. By autumn, the cuttings will have a root system, and they will be planted in a permanent place.
3. Dividing the bush. The method is used when transplanting black currants. The rhizome is divided into parts, the cut is treated with wood ash. The resulting seedling should have several shoots and roots.

Seedling care

Caring for currants includes regular watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, pruning and mulching.

Trimming

The yield of the bush and the taste characteristics of the berries depend on the correct pruning and garter. If you apply fertilizers and water the plants, but they do not produce abundant harvests, the problem is in the formation. The procedure is carried out in spring. If the branches begin to grow inward, they are removed, as this negatively affects fertility indicators. When the basal shoots stop growing, several branches are shortened by about a third. If the procedure does not give the required results, cut a few of the weakest branches to the ground. Read about pruning red and white currants here.

To restore balance between the above-ground part of the plant and the roots, new basal shoots are removed from the soil during pruning.

An adult Golubka bush should have no more than 15 shoots; cut off all old stems, as they still do not bear fruit. The shoots can be removed at the root. Spring pruning is done taking into account the results of last year's growth. If the shoot is very weak, cut off only the top of the branch in the place where the strong top is located.

Watering

Currant bushes should be watered regularly, especially if the weather is windy and dry.

Water in the evening - this way the moisture will penetrate better to the roots. A couple of buckets of water is enough for an adult bush. Water should not get into the center of the bush, since it penetrates into the gaps of the stems, freezes during cold weather and causes the death of the plant. Apply moisture around the crown; it is convenient to make a small hole around the perimeter of the bush.

When the ovaries form, hydration is suspended - excess water negatively affects the taste characteristics of the fruit and causes cracks to appear on them. After watering the soil, it is recommended to loosen the soil with moss, peat, newspapers, and agrofibre.

Hemlines

A good harvest is impossible without regular high-quality fertilizing. In the active growth phase, the currant variety needs mineral and organic nutrients, which are added so that the radius of the fertilized soil is greater than the radius of the crown. It is recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers in the spring, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in the fall. The bushes are fed annually. Regular, but not excessive feeding is important - excess nutrients cause various crop diseases. Focuses on the gardening work calendar.

Shelter for the winter

As frost sets in and snow falls, you need to proceed to the next stage of caring for currant bushes - covering them for the winter. The branches and trunks are first wrapped with twine, try to place them as close to each other as possible. You should also not excessively connect parts of the plant, since the fragile branches of the shoots may break. Tilt the bush towards the ground, wrap it in a spiral. Cover it with a wooden box, an old blanket, a box, or spruce branches. Snow can also be used as insulation, the problem is that it does not always fall in sufficient quantities. Read about preparing currants for winter here.

Planting and care

Black currant Golubka can be planted throughout the summer season. However, it is best to choose the autumn period, when the leaves have fallen. Then the plant will have time to take root before winter and begin to develop in the spring. This option is suitable for the southern regions.

It is possible to postpone work until spring. Then the planting of black currants is carried out before the buds open. Spring work is preferable for the middle zone and northern regions. For the winter, seedlings can be buried in the ground and sprinkled with sawdust.

Black currant Dove prefers fertile, light soil. The optimal soil reaction is neutral or slightly acidic. For the bush, choose an illuminated area located on the south or west side.

A place for black currants is prepared in the fall. The soil is dug up, 1 sq. m add up to 7 kg of humus, 1 liter of ash, 100 g of superphosphate. It is best to plant several types of blackcurrants. Although the Golubka variety is self-fertile, the presence of pollinators will help increase yield. Leave 1 - 1.5 m between bushes.

Two-year-old plants are chosen for planting. They are first inspected to detect cracks, rotten areas and other defects. The seedling should have 1 - 2 shoots up to 40 cm long, strong roots. If the root system is overdried, it is immersed in clean water for 2 - 3 hours.

Procedure for planting black currant Dove:

1. A hole is dug at the site with a depth of 0.6 m and a diameter of 0.5 m.
2. The pit is filled 2/3 with a substrate consisting of fertile soil, 4 kg of humus, 50 g of superphosphate, and a handful of ash.
3. 5 liters of water are poured into the hole and left for 3 weeks to shrink.
4. Before planting, fertile soil is poured into the pit to create a small hill.
5. A currant seedling is placed on top, its roots are straightened and covered with earth.
6. The soil is compacted and well watered.
7. The shoots are cut off, leaving 2-3 buds on each.
8. A mulching layer 5 cm thick is made in the tree trunk circle. Humus or straw is used.

Aftercare

The Golubka variety grows quickly. Therefore, pruning the shoots becomes an obligatory step. It is carried out until the kidneys swell. The growing season of the bush begins very early, so it is important not to miss the pruning time. Be sure to remove broken, dry, old, diseased branches.

Advice! Autumn pruning of currants is allowed after leaf fall has passed.

For mature currants, formative pruning is performed. 3 - 5 strong branches are left per bush. The root shoots are cut out. In July, skeletal shoots are pinched. These stimulate the growth of fruit buds.

Regular watering of the Golubka variety will ensure a good harvest. Moisture is important during flowering and ovary formation. 20 liters of warm, settled water are poured under the bush. First make furrows 10 cm deep at a distance of 30 cm from the plant.

Fertilizing of the Golubka variety begins the next season after planting. In the spring, 40 g of urea is added under the bush until sap flow begins. For adult plants, the dosage is reduced to 20 g. After flowering, the currants are fed with superphosphate and potassium salt. Add 30 g of each fertilizer to 10 liters of water.

According to the description, the Golubka currant freezes slightly in harsh winters. In late autumn, the bush is hilled up, and a layer of humus is poured on top. To prevent the plant from being damaged by rodents, install a metal mesh. Young bushes are covered with non-woven fabric.

Growing currants

Currant Raisin

This currant variety has no special features in cultivation. When breeding, the usual measures to care for the crop are taken.

Easy to grow

Currants are unpretentious; there are practically no problems when growing them. But this does not mean that it is enough to “stick” a young plant into the ground and forget about it until the fruit is harvested. Regular watering, fertilizing, treatment against diseases and pests, etc. are needed. The process of growing currants can be divided into three stages:

• — preparation for the growing season;
• — plant care;
• — preparation for wintering.

Seedling material can be seedlings or seedlings. In addition, there are propagation methods such as cuttings, layering, grafting and dividing bushes. The last method is one of the most common. In early spring, the ground near the bush is watered. Then they dig it up and cut off the old, rotting branches. All young branches are shortened to 20-30 cm. Then what is left of the bush is cut into several parts. New plants are ready to plant.

You can plant currant seedlings, depending on the region: either in spring or autumn. Light, permeable soil, preferably alkaline, is best suited for currants. The place for future shrubs should be well lit. Before planting, the soil must be prepared by adding compost, superphosphate and potassium sulfate. Seedlings are purchased several days before planting, observing the rules for their transportation: keep the roots moist and do not dry out.

There are three ways to plant currants. The single method involves placing the plant away from other trees and shrubs - this way it will give the highest possible yield. Bushes are planted in rows when currants are grown on an industrial scale. But the close proximity of root systems reduces the lifespan of bushes. You can also install supporting trellis branches next to the plants - this is how a fruit wall is formed.

Trellis garter system

Immediately after planting, you need to water the soil around the plant, then sprinkle it with peat or humus to better adapt the roots to new conditions.

For the correct development of the bush, you need to follow the rules for caring for currants. That is, periodically loosen the soil, giving fresh air to the roots; Maintain humidity at 80% by regular watering. One adult bush requires two to three buckets of water per day. In no case should you overdry the top layer of soil, since currants have a shallow root system. Watering is carried out until the first ovaries appear.

Important! The plant does not need feeding for the first two years. Also, when selecting fertilizers, you need to remember that currants are intolerant to chlorine.

To prevent diseases and pests, thinning is regularly carried out, removing unnecessary, improperly growing branches, and the shrubs are also treated with special means. Products can only be used before flowering begins. Also in early spring, when the parasites are just waking up, you can water the bushes with hot water - this will kill the pests.

To stimulate the development of fruits, shoots of black currants that are already three to five years old are cut out every year. Thus, the plant is thinned out, old branches with possible parasite larvae and pathogens hidden on them are removed. This can be done in spring and summer, after picking the fruits, and in autumn, after the leaves have fallen.

One of the most common currant diseases is powdery mildew. Because of it, a white coating forms on the berries, and the bush itself noticeably lags behind in development. At the first signs of powdery mildew, the bush is sprayed with copper sulfate or a solution of soda ash. Kidney mites, the most common pest, are eliminated using preparations based on colloidal sulfur. Buds and branches affected by parasites are cut off.

Black currant is a self-pollinating plant. This property can be used by planting several varieties in one area. This way the fruits will be larger. Not only berries can be used to prepare various dishes. Currant leaves are often used for pickling various vegetables.

Currant leaves

Despite their high frost resistance, the bushes must be provided with additional protection for the winter period. There are two methods for this. You can bend the currant branches to the ground and lay them on top with bricks. It is important to act carefully so as not to damage the plants. But this method of preserving the plant is suitable only during the snowy winter. You can also wrap the branches of bushes with insulation in case of a winter without snow.

Blackcurrant normally survives frosts - varieties common in Siberia survive at -40 degrees. Next season she will again delight her owners with berries. A currant bush can grow and bear fruit in one place for up to 15 years.

When choosing seed for your garden, you need to take into account many characteristics of a particular variety. It is important that they suit the conditions on the site (climate, soil type, etc.) and meet the owner’s goals (selling the resulting berries or eating them). The perfect plant, ideal in all respects, has not yet been bred. You can only look for the “golden mean” among the variety of varieties. The right plant will cause fewer problems and produce a larger harvest.

Pests and diseases

The Golubka variety is characterized by resistance to anthracnose, blight, and powdery mildew. Signs of disease appear more often in cold and rainy summers. To combat lesions, Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride, and the drugs Topaz, Oxychom, and Fitosporin are used.

Advice! The use of chemicals is stopped 3 weeks before the harvest ripens.

Currants of the Golubka variety are defeated by the attack of the bud mite. This is a microscopic pest that is difficult to detect visually. It feeds on currant buds, which become deformed and increase in size. It is better to fight the kidney mite with the help of the drugs Contos, Phosfamide, Actellik.

For prevention, black currants are treated with Nitrafen. Spraying is carried out until the buds swell. Digging up the soil in the fall, removing fallen leaves, and regularly pruning shoots helps get rid of pests.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Currant Selechenskaya

Currant Blueberry variety description shows the following disadvantages of breeding:

• — low transportability of the crop;
• - sour taste of fruits;
• — unsuitability of berries for eating raw;
• - low yield;
• - wet separation of fruit from the hand.

The advantages of the variety are:

• — high winter hardiness;
• - early pregnancy;
• - resistance to anthracnose and terry.

At one time, the dove was the result of the first attempts to develop cultivated currants, and its characteristics for that time were not bad. Since then, many varieties have been created with better performance than Golubka. Therefore, at present, this variety is considered obsolete, and it is gradually going out of circulation. One of the more modern and promising varieties is the Dove Seedling currant. The benefits of blackcurrant Seedling Dove are higher yields and better disease resistance.

Harvest and storage

Harvest dates are determined taking into account a number of factors - planting dates, growing season conditions, duration of ripening and flowering, degree of maturity, subsequent purpose of the product. To correctly determine the ripeness of the berries and, accordingly, the timing of their harvest, look at the outer color of the peel. The simultaneity of achieving ripeness, crumbling, taste, and other indicators is also important.

The dove does not tend to overripe; moreover, it is normally stored on the bushes and does not fall off.

In sunny, warm weather, the fruits are immediately removed to the shade or basement or refrigerator. It is better not to harvest the crop after watering or rain - it must be clean and dry so that the keeping quality is not affected.

It is most convenient to place the berries in a tray in a thin layer so that they do not wrinkle. Boxes, bodies, tetra-packs of milk are suitable. Currants cannot sit for a long time, so if the harvest is too abundant, put it into processing.

Planting a Bush Seedling Doves

The root of planting material, which should bear good fruit, with woodiness and without visible damage. The seedling should have several skeletal roots 18-20 cm long. The ground part in the form of a pair of branches 35 cm long. Damage, dryness - are shortened, and the plant itself is buried 7-9 cm above the root. These depressions help in the formation of root buds, which facilitate the germination of the future multi-stemmed bush.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of agricultural technology for Vologda currants in this material.

When planting is completed, the bush is watered abundantly and mulch is introduced into the soil: humus or a small layer of clean sand. During this period, the first and main pruning of buds on each seedling is carried out for germination. Shoots should have no more than five buds, the rest is removed.

Before the hole is filled, half a bucket of water will be poured into it, the same amount will be added to the planting area and the peat container will be filled. The soil under the berry is loosened by approximately 7-8 cm at the neck and 11-12 cm from removal. This way, moisture will be better protected.

This information will help you understand what a hybrid of currants and gooseberries looks like.

Deadlines

The middle zone of the population can begin planting in the fall or spring; in the south of the country these actions are carried out later, in the north – earlier. During cold weather, the soil near young plants settles and becomes compacted so that the plant can grow more actively and take root.

If container plants are used, there will be no restrictions regarding the planting period.

Selection of seedlings

Young bushes are purchased from experienced gardeners or from nurseries that professionally grow fruit and berry crops. It is necessary to pay attention to the following points:

1. The seedling has a healthy-looking root with no significant disease or onset of rotting.
2. The shoot of the planting material has a light green tint, bends well and is moistened when cut longitudinally.
3. If you knead a kidney, it should be moistened and not crumble.

Often, a completely different variety is offered under one variety, due to the lack of knowledge of the beginner. Therefore, it is recommended to engage in independent breeding (reproduction) of plants.

Preparing the landing site

The soil on which the crop will grow must have increased fertility, a slightly alkaline reaction, and light loams will not be superfluous. The plant is planted in a lighted area with slight darkening. This guarantees sweeter fruit.

Soil preparation is carried out as follows:

1. The area is dug up and fertilized.
2. The distance between seedlings is maintained.
3. The planting hole is 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter.
4. Half a bucket of water is poured into the hole, after planting the same amount of liquid is poured, and the soil is covered with peat, humus and manure.

The soil

The black currant variety loves light, but direct sunlight causes burns. The planting site should be in partial shade so that excessive light does not lead to the death of the crop. The land for planting should be light and fertile, groundwater should not be close to each other, normal acidity levels, and satisfactory drainage properties.

We recommend planting plants along buildings or fences. Looks good as a hedge.

Distance between bushes

The bushes must be grown at a certain distance. The gap should not be less than 1.3 m. The same distance must be maintained when planting the Beloved variety. If the plants are closely adjacent to each other, fruiting will accelerate, but germination time will decrease. This currant variety is shade-tolerant and moisture-loving, but in complete darkness and marshy soil it will not take root well. The best option would be protection from direct sunlight, good lighting, and sufficient moisture in low-lying areas. Light and fertile loam will help with germination. In heavy and acidic soils, the taste of the fruit becomes worse.