Black currant variety Black Pearl: yield, taste

Currant Black Pearl: a brief excursion into history

The authors of the variety are T. S. Zvyagina, K. D. Sergeeva. The place where the variety was bred is VNIIS named after. Michurina I.V. How did you get the variety? We crossed 2 varieties of currants: “Minai Shmyrev” and “Bredtorp”.

“Black Pearl” was included in the State. Register in 1992. It began to be grown in the Central Black Earth Region, the Urals, the North Caucasus, the Middle Volga region, and Siberia.

Diseases and pests

In wet years, the bush may suffer from fungal diseases . Powdery mildew appears on leaves and shoots as grayish pubescent areas. Anthracnose - reddish swollen spots and drying of foliage.

Treatment consists of removing all affected foliage and shoots from the bush, and urgently treating the crown with a 1% Bordeaux mixture solution, Skor, Topaz, Fundazol.

Prevention of fungal diseases includes several stages:

• timely removal of damaged and diseased branches from the crown;
• removal of weeds and old mulch;
• treating pruning tools with alcohol, closing wounds with garden varnish;
• compliance with the feeding schedule;
• treatment of currants in early spring with Bordeaux mixture 3%.

The black pearl is not affected by the bud mite, but may suffer from aphid and glassworm infestations. Aphids are washed off the leaves and shoots with soapy water (100 g per 10 liters of water), and the bushes are irrigated with Aktara and Inta Vir.

Antonem, Kinmiks, Karbofos are used against glass butterflies, spraying currants in April. Insecticides can be used only before flowering and after harvesting. At the height of fruiting, it is allowed to use only folk and biological remedies (Iskra bio, Biotlin, Fitoverm).

Currant Black Pearl: variety description

Currant Black pearl photo

Black currant of the Black Pearl variety is similar in its descriptive characteristics to gooseberries. Currant Black pearl is a golden variety of currant. How are gooseberries and our variety similar? Branches and leaves are inclined downwards. According to reviews from experienced breeders, it can be noted that currant berries are similar to blueberries.

Bush

The bushes reach a height of 1-1.3 meters. It has spreading properties. Young shoots are bright green and have a curved appearance. Over time, they become lignified, the color turns gray with a yellow tint. The buds are elongated, pink in color, and grow on short stems. The flowers are goblet-shaped and have red sepals. Each brush contains 6-8 fruits, located on strong cuttings. The leaves are bright green. The leaf blade has sharp angles and has 5 lobes. The sheet is smooth and matte to the touch, the edges are slightly curved. The teeth are large, like a saw, their ends are white. The bushes themselves have few leaves.

Fruit

Ripens in an average time. Fruit weight - 1.2-1.5 g. Large berries can be 3 g. Berries are in the shape of a circle, of the same size. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour. Tasting score – 4.2/5 points. The color of the berries is black, shiny, similar to a pearl, hence the name. The pulp with large seeds is covered with a dense skin. What valuable substances are contained in the fruits: 133.3 mg of vitamin C, 1.6% pectin, 3.6% organic acids, 9% sugars, 18% dry elements. When the berries are fully ripe, they are able to hang on the stalks and not fall off for a long time. The place where the currants are picked remains dry, which makes the fruit easy to transport. Cuttings contribute to mechanization when harvesting currants.

Care and harvesting

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Black Pearl currants are distinguished by large, beautiful berries. To collect them in abundance, it is important to take timely measures to care for the bushes.

Currant harvest photo

• Watering should not be frequent, but plentiful. About 2 buckets of water are poured under the bush at a time. Water once a week, not more often.
• Loosening the soil is necessary so that oxygen penetrates the soil, to the roots. This is done with a not very sharp hoe so as not to damage the roots!
• Mulching is necessary so that the bushes can be watered less often and to increase the nutritional value of the soil. Some gardeners do without mulching, so this is not a necessary care item.
• Weeds are removed as they grow. It is advisable to immediately pull them up by the roots, collect them and take them out of the area, and when they dry out, burn them.
• Fertilizing with superphosphates, potassium chloride and nitrogen substances, as well as organic fertilizers is carried out from the third year after planting. In the spring, add urea or other nitrogenous substances according to the instructions. And in the fall, it won’t hurt to add phosphorus and potassium to the soil before digging – you can replace it with simple humus.
• Treatment for pests and diseases is carried out as the problem appears. But if you don’t want to get acquainted with all possible crop diseases, you can carry out preventive treatments with complex insecticides and fungicides 2 times a year.
• Pruning is done in late autumn. In the spring, after the frosts have passed, it doesn’t hurt to inspect the bush for frozen branches that should be removed. Every year you need to cut off branches older than 3 years to rejuvenate the bush and prolong its fruiting.

After harvesting, you need to start processing or selling it. Black Pearl currants last well, but not for very long - after all, these are currants, not apples. It is consumed fresh for health purposes. The harvest can be frozen - in winter, delicious compotes, smoothies, and pies are prepared from the berries. High quality jams, jams, compotes and even juices are obtained from this variety, but only with the addition of sugar or other, sweeter berries (cherries, strawberries, grapes).

Variety characteristics

During breeding work on the variety, a variety was born that is highly valued by gardeners and gardeners. “Black Pearl” inherited the best quality characteristics of its ancestors.

The yield indicator is high and stable. After the plants have been planted in the ground, 1-2 years pass and the variety begins to bear fruit. If you plant plants in the autumn season, then in the summer season you can already see the first harvest. Although it is small (1.5-2 kg), it is already there. Until this moment, naturally, the seedlings must endure wintering and undergo rooting in order to burst into spring flowering with renewed vigor. It takes place in May days. Fruit ripening occurs in the second summer month.

The most productive year of currant life is 5-6. You can collect 5 kg of fruits/bush. The average is 3-4 kg/bush. But there may be more.

Currants are grown in one area for no more than 12-15 years.

Advantages

• Resistant to frost, its “survivability” is observed at temperatures ranging up to -35 degrees.
• It is immune to anthracnose and indifferent to kidney mites.
• It is tolerant of negative weather conditions, such as temperature changes, dry periods.
• It bears fruit for 2-3 years of life, the yield is regular.
• The fruits remain in their original form after they have been transported or frozen.
• Why are currants so hardened and resistant to winter? Because they bred her in Siberia, and this explains everything.

Minuses

Not resistant to powdery mildew. Doesn't smell as bright as I would like. It has a sour taste, which is not for everyone. In general, “Black Pearl” is outdated, because a great variety of varieties have already been bred, which have been improved each time for the better. But you shouldn’t give up on the variety; it is still popular among summer residents due to its many advantageous characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the Black Pearl hybrid:

• winter hardiness - bushes do not freeze at temperatures down to -35°C;
• resistance to anthracnose and kidney mite attacks;
• resistance to sudden changes in air temperature;
• drought resistance;
• precociousness;
• consistently high yield;
• possibility of transportation and freezing.

Flaws:

• predisposition to powdery mildew;
• weak aroma;
• the taste has more acidity than sweetness;
• the hybrid is considered somewhat outdated, since breeders have already developed many varieties and hybrids with better characteristics.

How can you use the fruits?

Can be eaten fresh. Can be recycled. After you process the berries, they will still be rich in valuable elements.

It is good to use currants in cooking: filling in baked goods, dessert dishes. Jelly, marmalades, preserves, marshmallows, and jams are made from currants, because currants are a storehouse of pectin substances. Also, tinctures and wine are made from the fruits.

Currant leaves are used in canning vegetables; they add richness to their taste and act as a “protection” against spoilage. A tea is brewed from the leaves, which reduces fever and is effective against inflammation. To cure childhood diathesis, tea compresses are made.

Attention! Blackcurrant is prohibited for people whose blood is prone to blood clots. Because currants contain vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting.

Reproduction methods

Currants can be propagated by woody cuttings. Harvesting planting material can be combined with spring pruning. Select well-ripened, one-year-old, woody shoots with a diameter of 10 mm with several strong buds.

They are cut into cuttings 15 cm long. There should be 3 buds on each cutting. A separate place is allocated for them on the site; they are planted at an angle of 45° at a distance of 30 cm from each other.

The soil is carefully mulched with compost and a temporary shelter is built over the plantings. It can be removed after the first sheets appear. Watering and mulching are carried out throughout the season. Next spring, ready-made seedlings can be planted in the prepared area.

The second method is dividing the bush. It can be used during the period of changing the place for currants. A ten-year-old plant is dug up, then divided and planted in a new place.

Did you know? 30 blackcurrant berries contain the daily requirement of vitamin C needed by an adult.

Currant Black Pearl: when to plant and where

If you follow agrotechnical rules when planting and properly care for the seedlings, the plants will be healthy and strong, producing a regular generous harvest.

When to plant.

You can plant currants throughout the growing season. If you plant in the autumn season, then the optimal time is the last days of September or the beginning of October. To root the bushes until frosty days arrive, temperature conditions must be at least +10 degrees. Thus, in the second month of summer you can see the first fruits. In the spring season, you need to plant currants until the buds swell. The bush will grow and strengthen for 1 year. Fruiting usually begins in the second year of the plant's life. The harvest from 1 bush is 2 kg of fruit. When purchasing bushes in a nursery, store, or market, inspect them - the roots should be healthy, not frail, there should be 4 buds from the main part of the shoot.

Where to plant plants and how to prepare the place

A place for comfortable living must meet these criteria. An open space, well lit, plenty of sun, without strong gusts of wind. The variety does not like to be in the shade and huddle in close quarters; for these reasons, the branches need a lot of space for free growth. The soil should be saturated with useful substances, loosened, slightly acidic. Seedlings like slightly moist soil. It is forbidden to plant in places where moisture stagnates and in dry areas. The berries will be sour and small if the bushes are planted in a shaded place if they suffer from a lack of moisture.

60 days before planting the plants at the planting site, it is necessary to remove weeds and roots. It is necessary to dig the soil 50 cm deep in order to loosen it and allow moisture and air to pass through. If the soil is depleted of nutrients, this means that you need to add humus or compost fertilizer (a bucket at a time). You can add potassium and superphosphates. If you plant in the spring, then all procedures are carried out in the autumn.

Landing Features

Black currant Black Pearl is planted in the fall - September-October or in the spring, before budding. The variety is propagated by layering, green and woody cuttings. Seedlings must be healthy, strong, not lethargic. For propagation, you can take a cutting, a young or old bush. Before planting, the plant is kept for 2-3 days in water diluted with growth stimulants. And then the root system can be dipped in a clay mixture for additional protection.

Planting currants photo

For planting, a hole up to 50 cm deep is dug. The distance between the bushes is about 1.5-1.8 meters, because Black Pearl currants are spreading. A bucket of humus (for 2 buckets of soil) and up to 30 g of superphosphate are mixed into simple garden soil. The seedlings are immersed in a hole, deepening the neck by 5 cm, and covered with this fertile soil.

Mulch holds water in the soil and also prevents nutrients like nitrogen from leaching away. But, in addition, weeds are less likely to grow under bushes with mulch.

After planting, the soil is watered with warm water and mulched with humus. The shoots are pruned so that there are no more than 2 buds on each branch above ground level.

Planting rules

If the roots of the plant are a bit dry, they need to be soaked for 2 hours so that they are saturated with water. A drug can be added to the water to stimulate growth in order to strengthen the currant roots.

Work plan for planting

Dig a hole at the planting site. Depth – 0.5 m, width – 0.5 m. If, when you dug up the soil, you did not fertilize it, you need to add fertilizer and mix it with the soil. Fertilizers can include humus, sand, compost fertilizer, and potassium mixtures. Then water the hole to keep the soil moist.

We straighten the root system, plant the plant in the hole, slightly tilt it 45 degrees from the soil. Cover the seedling with soil and shake the roots so that there are no empty spaces. To form new shoots and roots, the root collar should be lowered into the soil 5-7 cm below the surface. Compact the soil around the circumference of the plant, then water with settled water (1 bucket). Trim the tops of the shoots by 10-15 cm, leaving 5-6 green buds.

Place peat, branches, and grass on the surface of the soil. Before unexpected cold snaps, the seedling is covered with dry soil and mulched. The “Black Pearl” variety is planted at temperature conditions not lower than 8 degrees. In this case, the currants will take root successfully and will have a good winter. The interval when planting bushes between each other is 1.5-2 m, because the plants differ in the spreading of their branches.

Botanical description

External features of culture:

• the root system of plants does not have a main stem, the bulk of the root shoots are located at a depth of 0–60 cm, but this does not prevent standard loosening procedures from being carried out, since they are restored very quickly;
• the bush is not tall, up to 1.3 m in height, spreading;
• young shoots are flexible and greenish, old shoots are woody and yellowish-brown;
• the foliage of the bushes is weak;
• leaf blades are five-lobed, acute-angled, painted bright green;
• flower clusters are formed in the leaf axils of two-year-old shoots and consist of 5–8 bell-shaped flowers with double perianths;
• The berries are black, shiny, even slightly golden, tightly held on the petioles.

Agricultural technology

The shrub will delight you with its fruits regularly if you follow some agrotechnical practices. When plants bloom and bear fruit, they need good watering; 2-3 buckets should be poured under the roots. When preparing the bush for winter, water it with a good amount of water.

When weeds appear near the bush, they must be removed immediately. Removing weeds can be done at the same time as loosening the soil so that it is saturated with oxygen. Just be careful not to damage the roots.

If fertilizing was applied to the soil at the time of planting, it is recommended to feed the bushes after 3-4 years. In the spring season they are fed with urea, in the autumn – with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.

From time to time the bushes need pruning. The first time the bushes are pruned is when they are planted - 5-6 buds are left on the shoots. Next time, you can trim off broken, diseased and unnecessary branches located at the roots; make new branches short. Shoots over three years old are pruned annually. The formation of the bush is completed at 4-5 years. It must contain branches of different ages.

Advice: there will be no need to loosen, weed, or fertilize the soil with organic matter if the soil around the circumference of the bush is mulched with humus.

Growing technology

Black pearl currants are unpretentious, however, when growing it, it is recommended to adhere to a number of agrotechnical rules and take into account the characteristics of the crop. This affects the yield and resistance of the plant to adverse factors. Growing conditions are the same for all regions, except that in areas with harsh winters the bushes must be covered.

Landing dates

Blackcurrant bushes are planted throughout the growing season. In autumn - late September - early October. The plant will have time to take root and gain strength before the first frost arrives. The optimal temperature for autumn planting is +10 °C.

In spring, the shrub is planted until the buds swell. The first year will be spent growing and strengthening the plant. The first berries are harvested a year after planting. The average yield is 2 kg of berries per bush.

Advice. When purchasing seedlings, pay attention to the root system. It should be healthy, with no signs of damage. The shoot must have at least four green buds.

Optimal conditions

The most suitable place for planting black currants is a sunny and open area, protected from gusty winds. The culture does not like crowding, so the bushes need to be planted at a distance of at least 1.5 m from each other. The soil should be loose and nutritious, with a slightly acidic pH=6-6.5 units. The site must be located on a hill.

Reference. Currants growing in the shade receive insufficient nutrition. The berries are small and sour.

2-3 months before planting, the area is cleared of weeds and roots, the soil is plowed to a depth of half a meter and loosened. If necessary, add 1 liter of compost or humus per bush. Also, some gardeners recommend applying superphosphate and potash fertilizers. When planting in spring, all work is carried out in the fall.

Landing rules

Before planting, the roots of the seedling are inspected; if they are dry, they are immersed in clean water at room temperature for 3-4 hours. You can add a root formation stimulator to the water.

In the prepared area, dig a hole 50 cm deep and wide. At this stage, you can add fertilizer (if you did not have time to do so during the preparatory work) and mix it with the soil. Too dense, clogged soil will help loosen coarse sand. The hole is watered and the seedling is lowered into it at a slightly inclined angle. The angle between the stem and the soil is 45°. The hole is covered with earth, the roots are slightly shaken so that the soil is evenly distributed. The root collar is left 5-7 cm above the ground surface. The soil around the tree trunk is compacted and watered with clean water - 10 liters per bush. The distance between bushes is 1.5-2 m.

The shoots are cut 10-15 cm from the ground level, and make sure that 5-6 green buds remain on each.

Peat, branches, hay or sawdust are laid out on top of the ground. Mulch will reduce the frequency of weeding and retain moisture.

Further care

Hybrid Black Pearl will bear fruit consistently with proper care:

1. During the flowering and fruiting period, the crop is provided with abundant watering. 20-30 liters of water are poured under each bush. It is especially important to carry out moisture-recharging watering before wintering.
2. Weeds are removed promptly. Weeding is carried out after each watering in order to provide additional air flow to the roots.
3. After planting, the first fertilizing is done after 3-4 years, provided that the remaining amount of nutrients was added before that. In the spring, the soil is fertilized with urea, and in the fall with phosphorus and potassium.
4. The first pruning is done during planting; 5-6 buds are left on the shoots. Next, damaged, diseased and frozen branches are cut off, and young growth is shortened. Shoots older than 3 years are pruned annually. In the 4-5th year, the formation of the bush is completed and care is taken to ensure that branches of different ages remain on it.

Reference. Mulching the soil with humus eliminates the need for weeding, loosening and fertilizing with organic matter.

Possible problems, diseases, pests

Black Pearl currants are prone to powdery mildew. Young bushes are especially affected. Branches, leaves and shoots are covered with a white coating, which then turns brown. As the disease progresses, the foliage falls off and the bush becomes crooked. Without treatment, the plant dies.

To combat powdery mildew, use a simple but reliable remedy - copper sulfate. The bushes are treated before flowering or after harvesting the fruits. Infusions of mullein and hay dust are effective. The mixture is diluted with water 1:3. Leave for three days and add the same amount of water again. The infusion is filtered and the bushes are irrigated with a spray bottle. The treatment is repeated after 2 weeks and in the second ten days of June.

Black pearl berries become the target of attacks by insect pests, but if the rules of care are not followed, spider mites, sawflies or aphids . To destroy pests, use “Fitoferm”, “Aktelik” or “Dichlorvos”.

Wintering

For the winter, the bushes are covered with burlap, spruce branches or spunbond. In regions with harsh weather conditions, snow is thrown over the covering material.

Pollinator varieties

The Black Pearl variety is self-pollinating, so it does not require additional pollination.

Currant Black Pearl: Diseases and harmful insects

Black currants of the Black Pearl variety can be affected by powdery mildew. This is a fungus that attacks young seedlings. Symptoms: a white coating, which later turns into brown, covers the shoots, leaves, fruiting branches; Shedding of greenery and curvature of the plant occur. If you don’t start fighting in a timely manner, the bush will simply die.

How to fight this fungal infection. Copper sulfate will help here. The bushes are treated before they bloom or when the fruits are harvested. Organic fertilizers include mullein or a solution of hay rot. The fertilizer is diluted with water 1:3. Keep the infusion for 3 days and add water, 1:3. The solution must be filtered and the bushes sprayed with a spray bottle. Repeat the procedure - after 15 days and on the 15th of the first summer month.

The fruits of our variety are little susceptible to attacks by harmful insects. But if you care for the bush incorrectly, uninvited guests may come to it: spider mites, aphids, sawflies. The preparations “Fitoferm” and “Dichlorvos” will help you say goodbye to them. If the currants are strong and well-groomed, then you have nothing to be afraid of; rarely will anyone run to see them. The variety is highly resistant to diseases.

Where did currants come from?

Blackcurrant was first mentioned in the writings of the Middle Ages. It grew in Asia only in wild form. People appreciated its unique aroma, but they left the properties of the berries and the shrub as a whole unexplored. Black currants were first introduced into Europe, particularly France and Germany, at the end of the seventeenth century. The bush immediately became popular with healers; they were able to unravel its healing properties. Infusions were created from the leaves and berries to treat hypertension, respiratory diseases and rheumatism.

Currant Black Pearl: reviews from gardeners

Natalya, 24 years old, Nizhny Novgorod : “As for me, this is a wonderful variety, which is what I focused my attention on. He pleased with his frost resistance; he does not need special care. The fruits are sweet, this is a significant aspect; I don’t like sour currants. I bake cakes, I constantly add currants to the filling, this is my trick. And people like it."

Vladimir, 54 years old, Sterlitamak : “I bought 2 bushes of this variety, for some reason I was guided by the name. I don’t regret anything, because currants live up to the name. The fruits are large, like black beads. The bushes do not require special care and produce a rich harvest, despite the weather.”

Tatyana, 36 years old, Saratov : “This is my favorite variety of currant, time-tested. When the berries are ripe, they remain on the bush for a long time and do not fall off. Over time they resemble raisins. The berries are not that big, but they are sweet and tasty.”

Currant Black Pearl is an obsolete variety, because a great many new and more developed varieties have been bred. But among summer residents, the variety is still valued and grown, since the plant is proven.

Reviews from summer residents

Reviews about Black Pearl currants are positive. Despite the fact that the variety is considered obsolete, the hybrid is popular among gardeners:

Ivan, Liski: “I planted Black Pearls in the country 5 years ago. In the second year I was already harvesting. The berries are selected, large, all of the same size. The skin is dense, the flesh is a little sour, it’s not for everyone, but our family likes it. We prepare cold jam and freeze it for the winter.”

Lyudmila, Ivanovo: “We grow several varieties of currants in the garden, but the Black Pearl has taken root the best. For 7 years now, it has been pleasing us with a bountiful harvest and ease of care. In rainy summers, it suffers from powdery mildew, but I quickly deal with it with the help of copper sulfate, and I also additionally spray the bushes in the spring for prevention.”

Vasily, Belgorod: “Black currant is our favorite berry. The year before last I purchased several bushes of the Black Pearl hybrid to try and was not disappointed. In the first year I collected a small harvest, only 1 kg per bush, but the berries were all large. The taste is sweet and sour, the pulp is juicy, the skin is rather dense, but thanks to this, currants can be transported over long distances.”

Advantages and disadvantages

The undoubted positive qualities of the Black Pearl are:

• high winter hardiness;
• good ability to acclimatize;
• precociousness;
• self-fertility;
• large size and good taste of fruits;
• suitability for mechanized harvesting;
• good transportability of the crop;
• stable fruiting.

The disadvantages include:

• average resistance to powdery mildew,
• early aging of the bush,
• average yield.

Reviews from gardeners

Practicing gardeners confirm the description of the variety by breeders, paying tribute to its high winter hardiness and unpretentiousness. Regarding the taste of the berries, opinions are unanimous - a distinct sourish taste spoils the impression and discourages the desire to eat fruits from the bush . Reviews can be found here and here.