Belarusian sweet black currant: description of the variety, planting and care with photos

History of variety development

Belarusian breeders were involved in breeding this blackcurrant variety. The plant was officially included in the relevant state registers in the late 70s of the last century. The culture is based on two hybrid varieties, from which Belorusskaya sweet borrowed the best properties.

After breeding this variety of currant, breeders conducted research for 10 years, according to the results of which the plant was recommended for cultivation in 10 Russian regions.

Main pros and cons

Belarusian sweet currant stands out thanks to:

self-pollination;
early fruiting;
stable yield, which increases after the first four years;
berries that are distinguished by their pleasant taste and ability to withstand long journeys;
frost and drought resistance;
resistance to a number of diseases and pests.

The main disadvantage of the crop is that the berries on one cluster ripen unevenly.

Currants, despite being drought-resistant, require regular watering. However, with excessive moisture intake, fungal diseases develop.

Biological features

Belarusian sweet currant is unpretentious in terms of care. This variety is recommended for growing on plots for beginning gardeners. It is also noteworthy in the culture that the plant is able to bear fruit when growing in shaded areas.

Description of the bush

The bushes of the Belarusian sweet currant are characterized by rapid growth. The plant forms a medium-spreading crown with shoots whose height reaches 1.2 meters. Young shoots are characterized by a matte shade, diluted with a pink-violet tip. After the first 2-3 years, ovaries form on the stems. In the eighth year, it is recommended to cut off the shoots, since fruiting decreases during this period. By the age of 15, old currants should be uprooted.

Root system, buds and flowers

When planting a plant on a site, it is necessary to take into account that the root system of young currants is located at a depth of 30 centimeters. Therefore, currants should be planted in areas without strong winds. Over time, the plant takes root to a depth of two meters.

The buds of the Belarusian sweet currant have the following characteristics:

sizes - medium;
shape - elongated, with a sharp tip;
type - growth, flowering, “dormant” (the first to form new shoots);
color - light pink.

The flowers of the Belarusian sweet currant have a yellowish-green or pink tint. As the inflorescences develop, they take on the shape of a bell.

Berries and yield

Currants bloom gradually, which is why the berries, which weigh up to three grams, ripen unevenly. The length of the fetal brush does not exceed seven centimeters. The berries have a sweet and sour taste, which is formed by sugars and ascorbic acid. Up to 9 fruits are formed on one brush.

The yield of the crop depends on age. One bush 3-5 years old can produce up to three kilograms of berries. Over time, this figure increases to six kilograms.

Area of application of fruits

Belarusian sweet currant is a universal variety that is used to treat various diseases or prepare drinks (juices, compotes, medicinal teas), preserves, jam or pies. The fruits of the crop are dense, due to which the berries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, and in the freezer for several months, without losing their original properties.

The benefits of blackcurrant berries

The average sugar content in 100 g of this berry is 7.3 g. It is not constant and varies depending on the variety. The record holders have a sugar content exceeding 10 g per 100 g of product. Despite the name, according to this indicator, the Belarusian sweet black currant is in the middle and does not reach the leaders in sweetness. But its benefits are no less.

The amount of vitamin C is much higher than that of the vast majority of fruits and berries. Moreover, it is present not only in berries, but also in all parts of the plant: buds, leaves and twigs. In Belarusian sweet currants, the ascorbic acid content reaches 239 mg for every 100 g of berries, which is a very good indicator; in many other varieties it is much lower.

It is enough to eat just 20 delicious berries to get your daily requirement of vitamin C.
There are other vitamins in this variety of currants, but their quantity is small.
It has a very good content of pectin substances - almost one and a half percent. Their role in the human body is difficult to overestimate. By cleansing the intestines, they strengthen the human immune system and rid the body of all harmful substances.
A large amount of anthocyanins, which give the berries a dark color, allows them to be considered an excellent preventive and therapeutic agent for viral diseases. Anthocyanins improve human vision and are cancer protectors.
Tannins, which cause the peculiar spicy taste of berries, help improve the functioning of the upset intestines.
Essential oils, of which there are so many in various parts of the plant, give them a unique aroma and have pronounced anti-inflammatory properties. The phytoncides they contain also act.

Important! Currants are one of the few berries that can be stored in a cool place until the next harvest if they are rubbed raw with sugar.

Surveys and reviews from gardeners indicate that Belarusian sweet is one of the most common cultivated varieties of blackcurrant. To understand why it is preferred, let’s look at the varietal characteristics and make a detailed description; a photo of the variety is given below.

Characteristics of the variety

After the appearance of the Belarusian sweet currant variety, they tried to grow it in various territories. Today the plant grows in 45 Russian regions. This range is explained by the characteristics of currants.

Resistance to low temperatures and drought

If you cover the roots in the fall, the Belarusian sweet currant variety tolerates even severe frosts well. However, in cases where the air temperature drops sharply during flowering, the plant does not produce a harvest. In addition, the crop can survive for several days without watering.

Susceptibility to diseases and pests

More often, Belarusian sweet currants suffer from powdery mildew and other fungal pathologies. It is also possible for aphids to appear on the leaves. Less commonly, the plant is affected by the bud mite.

Diseases and pests

Black currant variety Belorusskaya sweet is popular due to its resistance to common diseases. The consequence of this is a reduced number of fungicide applications and minimal risk of loss of the entire plant or plantation.

Aphids are common. Ways to fight:

spraying with garlic infusion;
treatment with a solution of laundry soap;
treatment with vodka from a spray bottle;
watering the branches with milk and iodine;
chemical and biological insecticides (Aktara, Fitoverm, Kinmiks, Actofid, Iskra).

Prevention:

Garlic infusion with wood ash at the root.
Watering with hot water in winter removes possible aphid eggs.
Plant nearby plants that repel parasites (basil, garlic, mint, dill, yarrow, marigolds).

The use of chemicals is permissible only before the berries appear.

Averagely found:

powdery mildew;
anthracnose;
leaf spot.

Ways to fight:

treatment with fungicides HOM, Skor;
spraying with iron sulfate (before leaves appear);
treatment with a mixture of urea and copper sulfate.

Prevention:

Twice a year, water the bushes with copper sulfate or another fungicidal agent.
Water the branches and soil with boiling water from a watering can at low temperature.

Kidney mites are rare. Ways to fight:

treating the bush with garlic infusion;
biological tick repellent (Aktofit, Fitoverm);
chemical pesticides (Sulfarid, Kinmiks, Nissoran, Nitrafen, etc.);
radical pruning of affected bushes.

Prevention:

Disinfect seedlings and cuttings with warm water and Fitoverm.
Plant garlic nearby.

All infected branches and leaves must be burned, pruners and other tools are then treated with solvent or alcohol.

Landing rules

The productivity of the plant and the ability of currants to withstand the negative influence of the external environment depend on compliance with the rules and conditions of planting. Before the start of the season, it is recommended to select a suitable location on the site and prepare the seedlings.

Recommended disembarkation times

Gardeners recommend planting currants in September or October. In this case, it is necessary to immediately determine the place of growth. The culture does not like repeated transplantation and may die.

Choosing the optimal location

The optimal place for planting the Belorusskaya sweet currant variety is considered to be an area with loamy soils. Due to the large root system, it is not recommended to germinate the crop in areas where groundwater lies less than one meter from the surface. The plant should be planted in open areas, near fruit trees, whose foliage will protect the berries from the scorching sun in summer. It is advisable that the growing area be sheltered from strong winds.

Preparation of beds and planting material

For planting in private gardens, it is recommended to take 1-2 year old seedlings without visible signs of damage or signs of disease. The length of the roots should be 15-20 centimeters, and the shoots - 30-40 centimeters.

A day before planting, it is necessary to soak the seedlings in Kornevin’s solution, and an hour before soaking them in a mash of red clay. In the place where currants will grow, the soil must be mixed with humus, 100-200 grams of superphosphate and 500 milliliters of wood ash (half a liter jar).

Landing algorithm

Due to active growth and large crowns, it is recommended to plant bushes at a distance of 1.5 meters. There must be at least 2 meters between rows. Planting of crops is carried out according to the following algorithm:

In a suitable area on the site, holes are dug with a width and depth of 50 centimeters.
A 10-centimeter drainage layer and fertilizer made from compost and wood ash are placed at the bottom of the hole.
The seedlings are placed in the prepared hole so that the root collar deepens 5 centimeters.
The seedlings are tilted at 45 degrees relative to the ground and covered with soil.

Description of the currant variety “Belarusian sweet”

Black currant “Belarusian sweet” description. This is a direct relative of the gooseberry, a deciduous, bushy plant. In nature, it prefers mixed forests, river valleys and ravine slopes. Grows alone or in communities.

Actually, these same habits are characteristic of the “Belorusskaya Sweet” variety:

loves light, but does not shy away from partial shade;
prefers fertile, drained soils, but also grows well on loams;
is afraid of temperature changes during the flowering phase and does not tolerate waterlogging.

In the shade, the plant may stop bearing fruit, and in the vicinity of the sedge it will pick up goblet rust.

The bush is classified as vigorous (up to 1.2 m) in height, and medium-spreading (up to 1.2 m) in terms of shoot spread.
It has a round shape, forming a powerful bush structure with straight shoots.
Every year it grows from the base with new root shoots, which after a year begin to branch, and after 3 years - to bear fruit.
They form the skeleton of the bush, which after 8 years loses its former productivity. Woody shoots are cut out over time, and the old plant, which has reached 15 years, is replaced with a new one.
The root system is located superficially in a 30-centimeter layer of soil, but an adult plant can produce powerful roots deep (up to 2 m). Therefore, it is important to take into account the depth of groundwater when planting.
Currant shoots are represented by 4 types (mixed, fruit, bouquet, ringed).
They also differ in color: some of them are anthocyanoic in color - in the range of rich red - violet, which depends on the acidic environment. Medium in thickness - gray, slightly pubescent. Each new shoot has 3 growth zones and only 2 (upper) fruiting zones.
Buds are presented by functionality: dormant, growth and flowering. In different parts of the shoot, the buds vary in color, size and shape. Growth buds give rise to basal shoots, while flower buds give rise to fruits. Dormant - waiting in the wings, in case of extreme conditions for the plant.
The leaves are light green (smaller and lighter towards the ends of the branches) and have a 3-lobed structure with a powerful middle lobe. The surface of the leaf blade is matte, wrinkled, the edge is wavy with teeth. The petiole is red-violet, long.
Flowers are self-fertile, which depends on the ratio of the size of the stamens and style. The color is faded yellowish-green, the flowers are small, bell-shaped, with 5 oval petals, collected in a brush, which can simultaneously have open flowers and buds. Flowering does not occur simultaneously, but sequentially: from the base to the end of the brush.
The brush formed during the flowering process acquires a size of up to 7 cm (for 3-6 berries) during the appearance of the ovary. The ripening of berries occurs in the same way as flowering, sequentially. The brushes are loose, hanging, sometimes combined into clusters.
The berry is round in shape, fragrant, not calibrated, in different stages of growth changes color from green to brown and dark purple;
the skin is shiny, dense and contains coloring substances from the group of flavonoids; Each berry weighs 1.6 grams. up to 37 seeds. The high content of vitamin C gives the fruits a rich sweet and sour taste. Over-ripening of fruits leads to their shedding.
The yield of the variety is up to 5 kg per bush or 12t/ha (in industrial production).
Productivity tends to increase over 4-5 years with subsequent stabilization (up to 12 years). The highest productivity of the bush is observed at 6-8 years of life. Even unfavorable conditions during the flowering phase do not affect the yield.

As was said, this currant has a good taste, which makes it possible to make good jam from it, for example, in combination with summer varieties of apples: Yellow Sugar, Korobovka, Krasnaya Gorka, Papirovka, Dachny.

The non-simultaneous ripening of berries in the cluster leads to different sizes of fruits, which affects the presentation. The variety is slightly vulnerable to spore lesions.

The main advantages of the Belarusian variety of black currant:

early entry into the fruiting period (in the 2nd year of the seedling’s life);
ability to self-pollinate with efficiency up to 72%;
abundant annual fruiting;
early ripening (by mid-July);
excellent consumer quality of berries;
versatility of use;
winter hardiness;
resistance to bacterial diseases and tick damage;
successful propagation by cuttings.

To increase the yield and obtain large berries, the effect of cross-pollination is used, for which black currants are planted in groups of different varietal forms.

Nuances of crop care

Currants require gardeners to regularly water and weed the soil around the bushes. If necessary, the plant is treated for pests.

Frequency of watering

After the snow melts, the bushes are watered as needed, as the soil dries. It is important to avoid waterlogging of the soil. 2 weeks before harvesting, it is necessary to stop watering. Due to the abundance of moisture, the berries crack.

How and what to feed?

During flowering, nitrogen fertilizers are applied under the bush before watering. When the berries begin to ripen, complex feeding is applied. And after harvesting, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied. Plant development is promoted by foliar organic feeding.

Trimming

During the warm season, it is recommended to remove painful and withered shoots from the bushes. In the second year after planting, you need to form a support around the plant on which the branches will rest. With the onset of autumn, the shoots are shortened by 2-3 centimeters from above .

After planting, the plant must be pruned regularly. In the second year after planting, all shoots are removed, with the exception of the four strongest ones. Over the next two years, gardeners leave 3-6 large zero shoots. After 6 years, it is recommended to cut off woody shoots.

Mulching and loosening beds

To ensure a normal flow of oxygen to the roots, gardeners recommend loosening the soil after each watering. Under the bush, it is necessary to apply and periodically update mulch from dry grass or pine needles from the beginning of the season.

Preventative treatment

In order to prevent infection, each spring currant bushes are treated with hot water containing potassium permanganate crystals. Also suitable for these purposes are drugs that fight infectious diseases. Wood ash and garlic infusion, applied at the root, help prevent the appearance of aphids.

Do I need to cover it for the winter?

Shortly before the onset of frost, it is recommended to cover the root system with compost or humus.

How to propagate a bush?

The Belarusian sweet currant variety reproduces:

By cuttings. In spring, you need to cut off several branches and place the shoots in a container of water. When the first roots appear, the seedlings are sent to a permanent place in the garden bed.
By layering. During the warm season, it is necessary to press the branch to the ground. After rooting, such a seedling is cut off from the main bush and transplanted to a new location.

In rare cases, gardeners propagate currants by seeds. This option is labor-intensive and requires special skills and patience.

Agricultural technology plants

To get a good harvest of this round-fruited plant, it is necessary to properly care for it.

Currant propagation

The traditional method of reproduction is division. To do this, the bush is dug up and divided into parts. If it is planted in a new place, a new plant will form.

Advice. More often, the plant propagates using lignified cuttings. They are harvested from the mother bush by cutting off annual shoots. They are planted in spring or autumn.

The soil

Small slopes and non-wetlands are suitable for currants. Gives good yields on loamy soils. They must drain well and retain water. Groundwater should be at a depth of about 1, or even better, 1.5 m.

Wet soil is not suitable for currants. It will not grow next to sedge: this plant is a source of goblet rust.

The harvest depends on the soil

The soil needs to be prepared before planting: add manure to the hole and sprinkle it with soil. If there is no manure, then peat with mineral fertilizers is used.

Planting, watering and fertilizing

During planting, you should calculate the amount of water so that there is a bucket of water per bush. Subsequently, watering occurs during the berry filling period as needed, depending on weather conditions. To properly moisten a soil layer 40 cm deep, up to three buckets of water are needed.

During flowering, fertilizing with nitrogen types of fertilizers is necessary, while filling the berries - with universal fertilizers, and after picking the berries - with potassium and phosphorus.

Important! The bushes must also be treated against pests, despite the fact that this large-fruited variety is resistant to diseases. Pest control products will not harm the environment, but will help the plant.

Growing technologies

To obtain a large harvest and large-sized berries, it is advisable to practice intensive growing technology. To do this, the bushes are planted half a meter apart in the row. Leave one and a half meters between each row. The bushes are kept small through intensive pruning. With this technology you can have a large number of medium-sized berries.

Note! To get large berries, bushes should be planted rarely. Leave up to 2 meters of free space between plants. In this case, the plant will not get sick often, and caring for it will be much easier.

Care instructions

In order for the Belarusian sweet currant variety to bear fruit, it is necessary to properly care for the plant:

You should choose the right place to plant the plant. It should be protected from strong winds and well lit. Swamps should not form in it. The soil acidity index should not be higher than pH 7;
It is better to plant currants before October 15th. Transfers should be avoided;
It is necessary to create conditions for any type of pollination;
The buds need to be able to grow. To do this, the bush is initially planted at an angle of 45º;
After winter, it is recommended to do spring pruning;
Regular watering of the plant should be observed, at the rate of up to 10 liters per bush;
Before watering, you need to loosen the soil. Weeding also needs to be done;
Currants need to be sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate, 2 times during the season;
When preparing the bush for the winter, you should remove all dried leaves and tie it closer to the roots;
The distance between bushes must be maintained at least one and a half meters. This is due to the fact that the plant grows intensively and each bush needs enough space.

Note! In the middle of winter in frosty weather, agronomists recommend watering the bush and the ground underneath it with boiling water. This will increase the weight of each berry and will be a good hardening.

A good harvest is impossible without thinning and renewing the stems. For better branching, branches should be shortened. From the sixth year of life, old shoots need to be replaced by complete pruning.