How can you feed currants in autumn, spring and summer for a better harvest?

Those summer residents on whose plots shrubs grow sometimes do not understand what their plants are missing. They think about the question of what experienced gardeners feed currants with, what to add and how to do it correctly. There are many nuances, but figuring them out won’t be difficult.

How to understand that plants do not have enough fertilizers

Experienced summer residents understand this problem simply by looking at the appearance of the plants. When there is a shortage of elements, crops develop signs by which they determine what exactly black, red and other types of currants lack.

Signs of missing elements:

• The leaves begin to shrink and lose color, becoming paler. The plant practically does not bloom, growth is inhibited. The foliage turns yellow early and turns red and orange. These signs indicate a lack of nitrogen.
• The foliage takes on a bronze tint and becomes dull. The petioles and veins become reddish. The bushes do not bloom or bear fruit. The leaves fall early. Phosphorus needs to be added.
• The green mass turns pale, acquiring a purple tint. The edges of the leaves curl and droop down and begin to dry out. There is deformation and curling on the leaves. Currants lack potassium.
• The ovary and leaves begin to fall off. The tops of the shoots die and dry out. The root system inhibits development, new shoots are not formed, old ones become thicker. Plants need calcium.
• Leaves turn yellow and become discolored. The yield decreases, the leaves die. Iron needs to be added.

When growing currants, the gardener must carefully monitor the appearance of the plants. Signs of deformation that appear on the bushes do not always mean disease. Sometimes plants signal a lack of nutrients.

Fertilizer application methods

It takes some summer residents several years to find the best method. Even an experienced gardener makes mistakes when growing. At a certain period, a different method of applying fertilizers is used.

Foliar

The plant absorbs nutrients faster through the foliage. For such feeding, complex mineral fertilizers are used. They are dissolved in water and sprayed on currant bushes.

You should not treat plants only by foliar treatment; you should alternate them with root fertilizers.

Summer residents mix several drugs and spray the bushes with them for prevention. This preventative treatment helps avoid nutritional deficiencies.

Root

Watering with fertilizers at the roots is most common. Gardeners water currants with diluted preparations, use folk remedies and organic matter. In addition, dry substances are placed under the roots, which also serve as top dressing.

An important condition for feeding is strict adherence to the instructions and dosage. Otherwise, the plant dies from excess nutrients or stops bearing fruit.

What time to fertilize bushes

Each feeding has its own deadline. It is necessary not to miss the favorable period for applying fertilizers.

In spring time

Summer residents advise alternating methods of fertilizing. After the snow melts in the spring, the soil is moist, so dry fertilizers are used. A fertilizer with a high nitrogen content is required.

Nitroammofoska, calculation for 1 bush:

• depending on size 10-15 g for black currants;
• also 7-10 g for red currants.

Dry fertilizing with urea:

• plants from 2 to 4 years 50 g;
• older - 25 g, no longer recommended.

Currants at the age of 4 years practically do not need nitrogen. The growth of the bush is completed, so the consumption of the substance decreases.

Nitrogen is contained in wood ash; its application under each bush will replace urea and other chemicals.

On a green leaf

Long growing season of the plant.At this time, different fertilizers are applied, always alternating them. In July, during flowering, it is advisable to limit foliar feeding, since bees are harmed by some substances that they collect along with pollen.

The plant spends a lot of energy on the formation of the ovary; if there is a lack of useful elements, the berries may be small, tasteless or bitter. In summer, currants are fed with potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are not excluded, only the dosage during the fruiting period is reduced.

At this time, plants need organic matter; they are fed by the root method. Prepare the infusion:

• 10 liters of water;
• 1 liter mullein.

Mix well and water the bushes, one bucket is enough for 1 m².

During the ripening period, summer residents recommend stopping feeding. They are renewed after harvest.

In August, some gardeners begin to feed currants in winter so that the plants receive the nutrients they need for wintering earlier. Minerals, folk remedies or organics are used.

Before wintering plants

Fertilizing is carried out in the fall. After fruiting, the currants are weakened and need to be replenished with nutrients. Plants require phosphorus and potassium.

Before wintering, add 2 buckets of compost under each bush. Granules of the drug HB-101 are used as dry feeding. Its purpose is to stimulate growth and strengthen the immune system.

Autumn feeding is carried out with the following composition:

• 40 g ammophos;
• 100 g ash;
• 10 liters of water.

Stir thoroughly and apply under each bush. Young bushes need 2 liters; older bushes need 5 liters of nutrient mixture to feed them.

Any fertilizing is carried out on moist soil, otherwise the minerals can burn the root system and the bush will die. After processing, the soil is loosened and covered with a layer of mulch.

Nuances of fertilizing different types of currants

Each type of currant has its own characteristics. The culture is the same, but there are still slight differences. To have a good harvest of berries, it is necessary to feed the plants properly.

Blackcurrant bushes are fertilized less intensively. This is due to the fact that plants have a poorly developing root system; it slowly absorbs nutrients from the soil. Therefore, if the bush grows in one place for more than 6 years, feeding is stopped or reduced to a minimum.

Red and white currants develop much faster, their root system is formed at depth. Therefore, for efficiency, root feeding is carried out using a ditch around the plants. This way they achieve greater efficiency.

Feeding golden currants is a difficult process. It is very demanding on the composition of the soil. Therefore, dosed regular application of complex fertilizers is required.

Complex fertilizer products

To make the work of gardeners easier, manufacturers produce mixed plant fertilizers. Main elements included:

• nitrogen;
• potassium;
• phosphorus.

But a summer resident should be careful when purchasing complex fertilizer. They are divided into spring and autumn. The difference is in the amount of nitrogen: a lot for spring, less for summer and autumn.

Phosphorus

Currants need these fertilizers during flowering, ovary formation, fruiting and the formation of fruit buds for the next year.

The most commonly used drug is superphosphate. In the fall, place 1 tbsp under each bush. spoon of the substance.Fertilize dry in rainy weather or liquid in dry weather.

If desired, potassium is added to the phosphate, which is also needed by plants.

Organic

A special part of feeding is organic. Use all available auxiliary means. They are applied mainly in the spring. But summer residents spread compost or horse manure in the currant roots as insulation for the roots. This is done after the ground freezes.

This protects the roots from freezing, and in the spring, after the snow melts along with the moisture, nutrients enter the soil.

Rotted manure

Apply to the soil, fertilizing the soil near the plants. Approximate quantity 1-2 buckets per bush. Then cover with a layer of mulch, protecting it from drying out.

Bird droppings

It is applied under the bush for digging in dry form. 1 kg per 1 plant. The fertilizer is thoroughly mixed with the soil, since direct contact can cause burns to the root system. Planting depth is 15-25 cm. Some gardeners make liquid fertilizer by diluting chicken manure in a ratio of 1:15.

Compost and humus

These fertilizers do not contain nitrogen, so they are used during summer fertilization of plants. They are often used as a layer of mulch, spread under the bush in a layer of 1 cm.

Urea

It is applied in the spring and incorporated into the soil in wet weather. Or diluted with water when dry.

Potato peelings for currants

The starch contained in potato peelings is used to feed currants. To do this, take water, a bucket of potato peelings, bring to a boil and let stand until it cools completely.

Then the currant bushes are watered with the resulting mixture. Approximately 3 liters per plant.

The second option for preparing the infusion.Take a 1:1 ratio of water and cleaning, fill it with warm water and let it stand for 30-45 days. The resulting fertilizer is filtered and diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. Water 1 bush with 1 bucket.

Folk remedies for fertilizing currants

Connoisseurs of healthy vegetables and fruits strive to do without the use of chemicals on the site. But currants need minerals. Without them there will be no harvest, the plants even die.

Use ordinary starch as a top dressing. 200 g pour 5 liters of water, bring to a boil. Dilute the resulting mixture in a bucket of water and pour over the bushes with currants. Use 2 liters of liquid per plant.

Bread crusts are used as top dressing. Fill with water in a 1:1 ratio and let stand for 2 weeks. Then dilute with water at a rate of 1:10 and water the bushes.

Nitrogen fertilizers

They are purchased at the store, using organic matter or wood ash. Used as top dressing in spring. In summer, it is advisable to use in smaller quantities so that the plants form ovaries, rather than leaves and shoots.

Fertilizing currants with mineral fertilizers

Complex fertilizing with mineral compounds is used in spring and autumn. Only the percentage of substances is slightly different. It is important not to overdo it, since an excess of any substance will lead to improper development and even death of plants.

Feeding currants with ash

The effect of using wood ash is great, since it contains both nitrogen and potassium. Wood ash is a folk fertilizer.

The first time ash is added to the soil is during planting. Then apply every year before flowering. The following rate is calculated:

• for 1 blackcurrant bush, 150 g of the substance is enough;
• for all other varieties the maximum quantity is 200 g.

Use wood ash as a dry fertilizer or dilute it with water and water the bushes at the root.

Fertilizing is an important process in growing currant varieties. It is important to take into account the norm, without being guided by the principle: the more, the better.