All about planting currants in autumn and spring. When is the best time to plant?

Currant is one of the most typical representatives of garden plants in our latitudes. Without this shrub, strewn with resinous black berries, it is difficult to imagine a summer cottage. But despite its great prevalence, not everyone knows how to achieve a bountiful harvest from this seemingly “ordinary” garden crop. Today in the video I reveal all the secrets and subtleties of autumn currant planting. And rest assured: if you follow these simple rules of planting and care, in the future the currant branches will be bursting with an abundance of berries.

How to plant currants correctly in the fall?

Optimal time for planting currant seedlings

Currants can be planted in spring, summer and autumn. But it is better to choose the autumn period. Before the onset of winter, the plant will have time to take root and get used to its new location. In the spring, the rooted and strengthened seedling will immediately begin to grow. Planting times will vary for different regions. Therefore, when choosing the time to plant currants, take into account the characteristics of your climate. Both early and late planting will have negative consequences:

Early boarding . If you hurry and plant a seedling ahead of time, it will grow. Active vegetation will lead to the fact that the young plant simply does not have time to prepare for winter. The very first frost will be a difficult test for him, which he is unlikely to survive.

Late boarding . It is also undesirable to delay the landing. The young bush will not have enough time for normal rooting. The result will be the same as with too early planting - the seedling will freeze in winter.

The best time for planting is 2-3 weeks before the soil freezes. This period is enough for the plant to take root and adapt, but at the same time it will not have time to grow much.

Read our detailed article: Health shrubs - healing currants

How to prune currants in autumn

The first pruning is carried out after planting. Then, thickening and weak stems are removed every spring. An adult bush should have 15-20 skeletal branches of different ages.

Currant pruning in autumn is carried out only in warm regions. In cold climates, this operation is postponed until spring, combined with the removal of frozen branches. The bushes are not covered for the winter - they are not afraid of frost and quickly recover after freezing.

Now you know how to plant currants in the fall, when and how to plant this popular shrub, which annually produces a harvest of tasty and healthy berries. Share the names of your favorite varieties in the comments and be sure to indicate in which climate zone you live

Choosing a currant seedling

The success of currant cultivation largely depends on the quality of planting material. When choosing a seedling, always pay attention to the condition of the root system. If it is strong, well developed and branched, then the plant will quickly take root in a new place. When planting in the fall, it is advisable to choose a seedling with a closed root system.

Reference! A closed root system means that the roots of the plant are in an earthen coma, which, in turn, is located in a container. Simply put, seedlings with a closed root system are those that are sold in pots. When transplanted, such plants practically do not suffer. After all, they are moved from the tray immediately to the planting hole, along with the soil in which they grew. In this case, the root system is not damaged, and the bush takes root in a short time.

Choosing a currant seedling

Pros and cons of spring planting

The advantages of planting currants in the ground in the spring:

• after the snow melts, the soil is saturated with melt water, which the seedling urgently needs for successful rooting;
• Before the onset of cold weather, the bushes have time to get stronger and can withstand wintering more easily;
• in the summer, the plant actively produces shoots that begin to bear fruit the following year;
• on heavy, dense soils, spring planting of seedlings is preferable.

The main disadvantage of planting currants in the spring is the need to act quickly. The period when weather conditions allow, but the seedling’s buds have not yet opened, is quite short. Planting too early threatens the death of the shrub from returning cold weather, while planting late threatens difficulties with rooting .

Plants planted in spring require careful care: adherence to a watering schedule, regular weeding and loosening of the soil. In the summer, young currant bushes are attacked by all kinds of pests; if left untreated, insects can destroy fragile plants.

Allocating a place for landing

The deadlines have been determined, the seedling has been selected, now you need to find the most suitable place for planting. The site must meet several criteria:

Good lighting . Shading negatively affects the yield. Berries without sun become tasteless, small, and their number decreases. Although for black currants, light partial shade is the best choice. But the red and white varieties should be located only in sunny areas.

Wind protection . Currants do not like winds and drafts. Therefore, plant bushes near the fence or along garden paths.

No moisture stagnation . Lowlands, waterlogged soils, and places with stagnant moisture are contraindicated for currants. Also not recommended are areas where groundwater lies too close - above 1.5 m to the surface of the earth.

As for the soil, it should be light, fertile, loose, air- and moisture-permeable. The soil is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.5-6.5. Red and white varieties prefer a neutral acidity level with a pH of 6.5-7. Currants grow well in light, loamy soil, as well as in sandy loam and light soil. The shrub will show poor results if planted in an area with heavy, clayey soils or, conversely, too light, with a predominance of sand.

Preparation and purchase of planting material

For better pollination and abundant harvests of berries, it is worth planting several bushes of different varieties on the site.

It is better to purchase ready-made seedlings in nurseries or specialized stores. You need to choose young plants that are not affected by pests and diseases. If the root system is open, then it must be carefully examined. It should have a length of at least 15-20 cm, be strong, branched, with fibrous roots.

The above-ground part of one-year-old seedlings consists of a pair of shoots about 40 cm long; two-year-old seedlings have at least three shoots

Many gardeners prepare planting material themselves, propagating varieties already growing on the site using vegetative methods:

• layering;
• cuttings;
• dividing the bush.

Preparation of cuttings and propagation by layering is carried out in the spring, but transplantation to a permanent place, as well as the division of mother bushes, is carried out in the autumn months. For any method, the planting rules are general.

Reproduction by layering

Layers can be vertical, horizontal, arcuate. The most widespread method of propagation is horizontal layering.

In the spring, when leaf buds open, before flowering begins, the bush is inspected, strong one- or two- to three-year-old shoots with good growth are selected, and bent to the surface of the earth. Draw grooves 10 cm deep, into which the bent branches are placed, secured with wire hooks and covered with soil.

During the season, roots form in several places on the stem and new growth appears above them.

New shoots that have reached a height of 10-12 cm are spudded. If it's dry, water it. After 2 weeks, re-hilling is carried out.

In autumn, bent branches are cut off from the mother bush and carefully divided according to the number of formed bushes, which are planted in prepared holes.

Propagation by woody and green cuttings

Lignified cuttings for autumn planting are harvested in the spring. Select developed branches with a thickness of at least 6 mm. They are divided into parts 15-20 cm long. The upper cut is made above the kidney, straight; lower - under the kidney, oblique. To accelerate root formation, the lower part should be kept in a solution of stimulants, for example, “Heteroauxin”, “Kornevin” or “Kornerosta”.

The cuttings are rooted in a separate ridge, where they are grown until autumn transplantation. Plant at an angle, leaving 1-2 buds on top. The soil around is shed and mulched with humus or peat.

By the end of summer, strong bushes grow and are transplanted to the planned location.

Green cuttings are annual growth. Such planting material begins to be harvested in June and is grown under film cover (greenhouses, greenhouses), since for its survival it is important to maintain high humidity and temperature (+25 ℃ during the day, +16 ℃ at night). The apical parts of the shoots are better suited for this method of propagation. They are cut into lengths of 8-12 cm, leaving 3-4 leaves. The cuts are made in a straight line. The solution is kept for 24 hours in Heteroauxin solution. Plant in rows, strictly straight, to a depth of 2.5 cm.

The cuttings must be cared for carefully. If it’s hot, they need to be sprayed with a spray bottle up to 4 times a day, ventilated, and fed with nitrogen fertilizers.

The following year, the rooted cuttings are grown in a special bed, and by autumn they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

This method is practiced when it is necessary to move the bush to another place. A year before transplanting, the entire above-ground part is cut short. In the fall, they dig it up and divide it into parts, each of which should have 2-3 branches with roots. At the same time, they get rid of too old, damaged, unnecessary shoots.

How much space does a currant bush require?

When planting, be sure to leave the required distance between the bushes. If it is white or red currant, then leave about 1 m between plants for compactly growing varieties and 1.5 m for spreading varieties. Black currants need to be planted even further apart - approximately 2 m between seedlings. The choice of how much space to leave between plantings is influenced by several factors:

Plant variety . Currants can be low-, medium- or strong-growing. Depending on this, the distance between the bushes will be slightly larger or smaller. Harvest volume. The more room a bush has to grow, the higher its yield.

Land area . The placement of bushes largely depends on the number of acres. Of course, if the plot is small, then the bushes will have to be planted at the minimum possible distance from each other.

Purpose of cultivation . Sometimes currants serve not only as a fruit-bearing berry crop, but also as a hedge. In this case, the planting should be more dense.

When planting seedlings, be sure to retreat the distance necessary for normal growth of the bush: from the fence - 1 m or more, from a building or building - 1.5-2 m, from other shrubs and trees in the garden - at least three to four meters.

Pests and diseases of black currant

As a result of mistakes made during planting or care, plants can be affected by the following diseases:

The most dangerous pests for berry crops are:

Planting a currant seedling

Now that the optimal planting location has been chosen, you can begin planting the seedling. The step-by-step landing process looks like this:

1. Dig a hole for the seedling. The recess for planting should be 2 times larger than the root system of the plant or pot in which it is located. Throw the top layer away when digging a hole.
2. Cover the bottom of the hole with earth. For this, take soil from the top fertile layer, which was deposited in a separate pile. It is the most nutritious and will “feed” the roots. The layer of fertile soil should be about 15 cm.
3. Apply fertilizer. Add superphosphate - 40 g or 2.5 tbsp. spoons, wood ash - 250 g, dolomite flour - 1 cup or 100 g. You can also fill the planting hole with compost or humus in the amount of 1/2 bucket of each ingredient or 1 bucket of any one of them.
4. Mix the filling of the pit. Use a shovel to thoroughly mix all the added ingredients. You can add a little more garden soil on top so that the roots of the plant do not get burned by the applied fertilizers.
5. Water the hole. Water the planting hole well. The volume of water is 1 bucket per 1 planting hole. Wait until the moisture drains through the soil and the soil settles a little
6. Plant a seedling. When planting in late autumn, use the transshipment method. It consists of simply moving the seedling from the pot to the hole. The earthen lump cannot be destroyed in this case. Cover the bush with soil, periodically compacting the soil. This way the roots will better adhere to the soil and take root faster.
7. Form a watering circle. Near the trunk of the bush, make a roller of soil in the form of a circle. It will prevent the irrational spilling of moisture, and it will flow purposefully to the root system.
8. Water the seedling. Dilute the soil well in the tree trunk circle. This will take about 2-3 buckets of water.
9. Now the planted bush needs to be trimmed. This will help the plant to evenly distribute forces between the above-ground and underground parts of the bush, and will also be the beginning of the formation of the bush. Cut all branches of the seedling at the same level - 2-4 buds away from the root. The length of the branches after pruning should not exceed 10-15 cm. This is the first stage of pruning, which will help the bush keep its shape.

Prepare the hole before planting currants

Plant a seedling

Trim the planted bush
. Important! Place the plant in the hole at an angle of 45°. Bury the root collar up to 10 cm underground. This is necessary so that the root system fully develops and new shoots grow at the correct distance from each other. If you place the seedling vertically and plant it in this position, the shoots will grow from one point. But if the goal is to form a standard bush, then in this case the plant is planted vertically. In this case, one of the strongest shoots is left, and the root collar is located at ground level.

Further, as it grows, the bush will need to continue to be formed. For example, one of the stages is pinching the tops by 1/3 of the growth. This is done to ensure that the branches are aligned in growth. Also, once every 5 years the bush needs to be rejuvenated - cut off shoots that are more than 5 years old. Old branches practically do not produce crops, so they are removed to make room for young shoots.

Landing time in the middle zone, in the Urals, Siberia, Moscow region and southern regions

The climatic characteristics of each region determine the timing of planting currants.

In what month can you plant in the fall?

On average, throughout the country in autumn, currants are planted in September. But this is a fairly generalized time interval. It all depends on the climatic characteristics of a particular region and current weather conditions.

It is necessary to prepare the area for the future bush in advance. The place should be sunny and sufficiently humidified.

A few weeks before planting, the area is dug up, humus and mineral fertilizers (potassium sulfate and superphosphate) are applied..

This is done in advance so that the earth settles. It is advisable to do such preliminary preparation of the site in the fall, even if the plants will be planted in the spring.

After the currants have shed their leaves, you can proceed directly to planting.

The root system of black currants adapts within 16 – 20 days, red and white – 25 days . You need to focus on these dates so that after completing the planting work, you still have a month left before the first frost.

If winter is expected early, it is better to plan spring planting.

Don't know how much distance to leave between bushes? Then you should read the material at the link. We tell you where it is better to plant in a separate article.

Benefits of the autumn months

The main advantages of autumn planting:

• Rapid rooting of cuttings and seedlings
• Reduced activity of pests and pathogens
• Good ground adaptation
• Early spring development.

Plants planted in autumn begin to grow quickly in spring and do not require watering.

All nutrients will go to the blossoming buds, since the root system has already managed to adapt.

But autumn planting comes with certain risks. The main thing that gardeners worry about is that the seedlings and cuttings survive the winter safely. Here it is important to decide on the timing and take care of the covering material.

If you had to plant in the spring

The timing of planting activities is dictated by the weather. Autumn will be warm and the dates will shift by a week .

If you delay planting or replanting, cold weather will set in and young seedlings may freeze.

Planting too early is also dangerous; plants can produce new shoots, which not only cannot withstand the winter cold, but also weaken the main bush.

In spring, planting activities are carried out after the snow melts. The earth should warm up enough.

Favorable daytime air temperature for planting is 7-10 degrees. At night it should not fall below zero.

You need to have time to root the seedlings before the buds open.

Sprouts with opened buds will strive to grow. This will slow down the development of the root system and the plant will weaken.

The main problem with spring planting is that currants begin to grow too early, and the soil is not yet ready.

Expert opinion

Ulanin Konstantin Grigorievich

Agronomist, work experience in the specialty - 12 years

When planting in spring, it is necessary to correctly determine the location for the bush. Ideally, good lighting and protection from drafts are desirable. The area should be sufficiently moist. It would also be good to ensure soil drainage. Currant roots are susceptible to fungal diseases; if over-watered, they can rot. It is necessary to ensure that the root system does not come into contact with groundwater.

Careful handling of roots is very important. We must try not to damage them.

It is good to plant the plant in a hole prepared in the fall with already settled soil . First you need to flood the hole with water. Also water the already planted bush abundantly. The bush is pruned so that the rhizomes develop well and side shoots grow.

If you follow planting technology and plant care rules, you can soon get a good harvest of berries.

Caring for seedlings after planting

In order for the seedling to quickly adapt to a new place and take root in a short time, after planting it is necessary to pay attention to it.

The first thing to do is mulch the tree trunk circle. Mulch reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil surface and protects the roots from freezing in winter. You can take different materials for these purposes - peat, humus, needle bed, compost, sawdust. The thickness of the mulch layer should be about 10 cm.

The second , no less important, point is shelter for the winter. Planting is done quite late in the fall. Therefore, just in case, you need to protect the young plant from unfavorable external factors. Install arches over the bush, and cover it with agricultural material or wrap it with spruce branches on top. But do not forget to remove the shelter in early spring, before the buds awaken. The shrub needs such protection for the winter only in the first year after planting. In the future, the currants will winter quietly even without shelter, since they are highly frost-resistant.

Care

In the first days after planting, currant seedlings require attention. The soil in the watering circle is constantly kept moist until rooting. In case of possible frosts, plants are covered with agrofibre at night. On hot days, the bushes are shaded during the midday hours, protecting them from direct rays of the sun.

Features of caring for currant seedlings planted in the ground in spring:

1. Watering . The roots of the shrubs are located close to the soil surface, the plants are sensitive to lack of moisture. During the growing season, watering is carried out 1-2 times a week. In windy and dry weather, the amount of liquid applied is increased.
2. Loosening and weeding . The root zone is loosened to a depth of 6-8 cm after each rain or watering to remove obstacles to the flow of oxygen to the roots. Weeds are pulled out as they appear. Weeds choke seedlings, deprive them of nutrients, and serve as carriers of diseases.
3. Trimming . Carried out immediately after landing. All shoots are shortened, leaving 2-4 of the strongest buds on each branch.
4. Prevention of fungal diseases . In May and early June, the bushes are treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. The event is held in cloudy weather, in the morning or evening.
5. Pest protection . During the summer, seedlings are sprayed several times with folk remedies with a repellent effect (infusions of tobacco, garlic, onion peels). Currants are regularly inspected; if harmful insects are detected, insecticides are used.
6. Pinching buds . It is carried out in the first summer season after planting. All the forces of the bush should be directed to the development of roots and shoot formation.

The first wintering is the most critical period for young plants. The seedlings are earthed up and water-replenishing watering is carried out. Before frost, the shoots are bent to the ground and covered with agrofibre.

With proper planting of currant bushes and proper care, abundant fruiting of the crop is guaranteed for ten years or more. After reading the tips and recommendations proposed in the article, any novice gardener will be able to plant a currant seedling in the ground in the spring.

Planting methods

There are several ways to plant currants . Which one to choose is a matter of taste. Some produce more harvest, but require more care.

Classical

Using the traditional method, the bushes are planted at an angle of 45-60 degrees. Make sure that the root collar is buried ten centimeters.

By the way, if you use the classic planting option in autumn, then do not forget to trim the stems, leaving 3 to 4 buds on each branch... ✍

Fan

With this growing option, the branches will be attached to shortened trellises. The bushes are planted vertically, as with the traditional method. The soil around is compacted and the stems are cut in half.

Trellis

When using this method, on the day of planting, all root buds and shoots are removed. Plant vertically, deepening the root collar to the same depth.

Planting process

There is a rule that holes for planting currants in the fall are prepared in the spring, and for spring - in the fall. But in any case, you need to prepare the pits at least two weeks in advance.

Preparing the site

Dig a hole to a depth of 40 cm, and it should be 50-60 cm wide. All roots are removed. The soil is watered so that it settles faster.

How to fertilize

Fertilizers for planting currants in the fall are applied in advance. One pit will require approximately 3-4 kg of manure. Instead of manure, you can use humus or compost. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers will also come in handy.

Important! During planting, all fertilizers must be mixed with the soil to prevent direct contact with the roots... ✍

When planting, the roots need to be carefully straightened. After sprinkling the soil, the seedling needs to be shaken several times. After the hole is two-thirds full, water the soil. One bush will need about 5 liters of warm water. Then the hole is filled to the top, and the earth around is lightly compacted. At a distance of 30-40 cm, arrange an earthen roller.

Mulching with humus, peat or well-rotted compost is useful.