When currants ripen: how and when to collect red and black currants, photo, harvest time

Signs of ripe currant berries

The ripeness of currant fruits is determined by a number of signs:

Color of berries;
The color of the branches on which the berries ripen;
Taste qualities of fruits;
Separating a berry from the branch on which it grows.

The ripeness of red currants is determined by the bright red color of the peel, and the ripeness of black currants by the dark purple, almost black color of the berries.

The ripening period for white-fruited varieties is July. The maturity of the fruit is determined by the color of the branch on which the berries grow. It should be brown, the fruits should be easy to separate from it. Ripe fruits should be sweet.

At the end of the flowering period of the bush, it needs forty-five days to bear fruit.

How to tell if the berries are ripe

To determine the ripeness of the fruit, you need to be completely guided by the berry itself. It is not difficult to determine its ripeness.

Main features:

fruits increase in size and weight due to the accumulation of sugars;
the berry tastes sweet;
the fruits acquire a rich color;
the fruit branch turns light brown;
The berries are easily separated from the stalk.

In addition, full ripening is indicated by the shedding of fruits from the bushes. But there is no need to reach this point if the goal is to collect a generous harvest and keep it intact.

Early varieties

When will the currants ripen? According to the ripening period, currants are divided into three types: early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening. Early varieties are planted in regions with colder climates, as early varieties are resistant to cold and severe frosts.

The first berries of early-ripening varieties appear in early July, and under favorable climatic conditions, the first harvest can be harvested in mid-June.

Mid-season varieties are:

"Nestor Kozin", the bush reaches up to half a meter in height. The berries are sweet, weighing about four grams. Frost-resistant plant, bears fruit abundantly;
"Exotica", a small shrub, has sweet and sour fruits with a thick peel, weighing about three grams. In one season you can collect up to two kilograms of berries;
"Dachnitsa", a low-growing bush with sweet large fruits. The plant is resistant to pests;
“Perun”, aromatic sweet berries of small size, of which about two kilograms can be collected per season. This variety is susceptible to diseases due to weak immunity;
"Maria Kyiv", the most suitable variety for preservation. The fruits have a sweet and sour taste, weighing up to four grams. Fruits well all season. Has strong immunity.

Useful tips

Tip #1

When the harvest is harvested and processed, it is necessary to return to the currant bushes. Sanitary pruning is carried out using sharp pruning shears. Sick, damaged and old thick branches are pruned (they are brown and covered with plaque). Next season they will no longer produce a harvest. Cut out excess root growth inside the bush so that it does not thicken the crown. Powerful annual branches that will bear fruit are pruned by 5-8 cm.

Tip #2

At this time, the currants begin to lay fruit buds. She needs moisture and feeding. For black currants you should pour 3-4 buckets of water, and for other types - 1-2. Use separated water. Room temperature.

You can feed the bush with both mineral fertilizers and organic matter. Phosphorus-potassium supplements are effective. Wood ash with a high content of phosphorus and potassium demonstrates a good effect. If the bush looks depressed, anti-stress treatment with growth stimulants may be required.

Mid-season varieties

Mid-season blackcurrant varieties ripen in July. Their ripening period is from 20 to 30 days. The berries of these varieties are sweeter and tastier than those of early ripening varieties.

These varieties include:

"Nuclear", a shrub with large sweet berries, producing a rich harvest. The variety is suitable for regions with a temperate continental climate;
"Dubrovsky", a small bush, produces fruits weighing about three grams. From one bush you can collect about three kilograms per season. The variety is resistant to cold. Excellent for preservation;
"Venus", a variety with fairly large fruits, weighing up to six grams, and high yield. One bush produces about five kilograms of berries per season. Tolerates temperature changes well;
“Crane”, a shrub with small, about two grams, but very sweet berries. During the season it is possible to collect up to four kilograms of fruit from one bush. More suitable for fresh consumption than for preservation;
"Dobrynya", a frost-resistant variety with large fruits. During the season, you can collect about three kilograms of berries from a bush.

Late varieties

When do late blackcurrant varieties ripen? Late varieties of currant bushes can only be harvested in mid-August, so these berries are more suitable for winter harvesting.

It is worth noting that currant bushes are very susceptible to pests and diseases, so bushes of these varieties require careful care.

Thanks to the dense peel, the fruits of these varieties tolerate transportation well. Late varieties include:

"Lazy person". Frost-resistant shrubs with fruits up to three grams, produce up to two and a half kilograms of berries per season. The variety is resistant to diseases and pests;
"Arcadia" produces a rich harvest of berries, up to three kilograms per season. The fruits weigh about five grams;
"Late Alatai". The bush produces sweet small berries weighing up to one and a half grams. Has stable immunity to diseases and pests;
"Volgograd", high-yielding variety. It is possible to collect up to six kilograms per season from one bush; it is resistant to temperature changes;
"Baghira", a frost-resistant shrub produces large berries with a sweet and sour taste.

Currant harvest time

When are currants harvested? In different regions of our country, currants are harvested at different times; in addition, the harvest depends on the variety of currant bush. Black currants are collected:

In the Siberian regions in August, this is due to an unfavorable climate for berries.
In the Volga and Central regions, the berries ripen in mid-July; if the summer is warm, then the first harvest can be harvested at the end of June.
In the southern regions, the currant harvest is the first to be harvested, at the end of June. The red and white currants in the north are harvested in early August.
In the Central regions and the Volga region, red currants are harvested from mid-June to mid-July, white currants - in early July.
In the Southern regions, the harvest of red berries begins in June and can continue until July, white berries - in early or mid-June, depending on the variety. Red currants ripen two weeks earlier than black currants.

Factors influencing ripening time

It is impossible to know the exact date when currants ripen. The harvest may shift in one direction or another.

What factors influence maturation:

region of growth;
age of the bushes;
sun exposure of the area;
soil type;
temperature during the flowering period;
proper watering and fertilization.

Currants are an unpretentious plant and generally bear fruit according to their timing.

An easy way to harvest currants

Harvesting currants is very difficult due to the small size of the fruit. You can pick berries together with twigs, it will be easier. Harvesting should be done early in the morning or in the evening after sunset.

To make the picking process easier, you can spread a blanket or piece of cloth under the bush and collect it so that the berries fall onto the spread cloth. Then pour the collected fruits into a bucket or other container prepared for collecting currants.

Only ripe berries should be collected, since unripe fruits have not accumulated enough nutrients. It is best to harvest currants on a sunny day; if harvested in rainy weather, it will not be stored for long.

Preparation for long-term storage

After picking, blackcurrants need to be quickly eaten or processed. Ripe berries retain their presentation for no more than 5 days in the refrigerator or about a day in a warm place . During long-term storage, the fruits become moldy, begin to ferment and become unsuitable for further use.

Before harvesting, currants are separated from leaves, crushed fruits and other debris. This is usually done by hand, but if there are a lot of berries, simple methods are used.

The currants are carefully poured from the bucket into a wide dish (basin, deep bowl), poured with cold water and stirred slightly. Small debris floats to the surface. The liquid is drained. Then the berries are collected from the brushes by hand and separated from the stalks.

You can remove the fruit quickly and easily using a fork . To do this, the bunch is pulled between the teeth, and the currants fall off. This method is suitable if the berry is not too ripe. You should act carefully so as not to crush the fruits and turn the entire harvest into jelly.

Note! The stalks remaining on the berries do not change the taste of the preparation and do not affect the duration of storage.

There is another way to separate fruits from litter . A cutting or ribbed washing board is installed in the tray at an angle of 60-70°. The collected currants are poured in parts onto an inclined surface. The berries are rolled into a tray, and the trash remains on the board. It is swept away before each new portion of berries.

Before cooking, be sure to carefully wash the currants with cold water .