Characteristics and description of Nara currant variety, planting and care

Gardeners grow Nara black currants on their plots for various purposes: to have fresh vitamins at home at the beginning of summer, to stock up on them for future use. Some summer residents plant berries to replenish the family budget. This is no accident: the crop is productive, the price is high at the beginning of the season, sales are 100%. It is grown on an industrial scale and in small quantities.

History of creation

Currants were cultivated back in the 10th century. It was cultivated by the monks of Kievan Rus. The early ripening Nara currant was created much later - by the domestic breeder A.I. Astakhov. The Nara blackcurrant variety was described and officially recognized in the 90s. The culture grows well in the middle zone, cold regions, and does not tolerate dry areas.

Description and characteristics of Nara currant

Nara currant grows as a bush. The plant grows up to 1.5 meters and is compact. The leaves are large and convex. Renewal shoots differ from skeletal branches in a light green hue. Young branches are curved.

Currant blossoms with pale red inflorescences. There are 6-10 flowers on the brush. The berries are round in shape and black in color. The pulp is green, aromatic, with a sweet and sour taste. The weight of the berry is 2-3 grams. Taste rating: 4.3 points.

Fruiting is early, the berries ripen at the same time, in early June. The yield from one bush is 8-10 kilograms. On an industrial scale, 10 tons of berries are harvested from one hectare.

Main positive and negative aspects

Nara currant has proven itself to have positive properties:

1. Resistance to fungal diseases and pests.
2. Tolerates frosts.
3. High yield compared to other varieties.
4. Early ripening.
5. High content of vitamin C – 179 milligrams per 100 grams of product.
6. Harmonious ripening of berries.
7. Does not require pollination.

Flaws:

1. Does not tolerate the climate of the southern regions well.
2. Early flowering. Subject to frost.

Minimal disadvantages do not eliminate all the benefits of Nara currants.

Specifics of cultivation

You should prepare for planting currants in advance. Select a site and improve the soil structure. Currants respond well to organic matter. The plot is planted with white mustard.Before green manure is plowed into the soil, gaupsin and trichodermin are added. Mustard enriches the soil with organic matter, prevents diseases and pest attacks.

Landing site requirements

Choose a light area for currants. Shading the crop will lead to a decrease in yield, a change in taste, and a decrease in berry size. Currants do not tolerate cold winds. The groundwater level is at least 1-1.5 meters.

Choose loose, fertile soil. Loam is an ideal option for currants. Lime is added to acidic soil, and river sand is added to clayey soil.

Soil preparation

Seedlings are planted in autumn and early spring. The soil is prepared a month before autumn planting. Clear the area of ​​debris and weeds. Humus is added to the ground - 3.5 kilograms per square meter. Add 25 grams of potassium sulfate, 120 grams of superphosphate. Along with fertilizers, they dig up the area on the bayonet of a shovel.

For spring planting, preparations are carried out in the fall.

Choosing a landing method

Bushes are planted in beds and holes. The first planting method is suitable for waterlogged soil. The height of the bed is raised by 25 centimeters, the width is 75. The second value changes with the growth of the bush - up to 1.5 meters. The holes are dug according to a pattern of 50x50 centimeters, with a depth of 40. The distance between the bushes is 1.5 meters, the rows are 1-1.2.

Landing

When preparing a planting site, the fertile soil is laid in one direction, the lower poor layer in the other. Mix the fertile layer with fertilizers: humus - 2 buckets, superphosphate - 70 grams, wood ash - 3 liters. Nutrient soil is sent to the bottom of the hole and sprinkled with a fertile layer on top. After 3 weeks they plant:

1. Install the bush at an angle of 45 degrees.
2. Pour out 5 liters of water.
3. Sprinkle the root system with a fertile layer.
4. The root collar is buried 6 centimeters.
5. Water generously again.
6. The branches are cut so that 2-4 buds remain on each shoot.
7. Mulch with peat and humus.

The roots are inspected before planting. Rotten roots are cut off, dry roots are cut to living tissue.

Caring for the Nara currant variety

Growing currants does not require special care. The crop is watered on time, loosened, weeds are removed, fed, and a bush is formed.

Watering rules

The currant root system is close to the surface. Therefore, drying out the soil is undesirable for the plant. Regular watering is resumed 3 days after planting. To retain moisture, the soil is mulched with straw.

Top dressing

Currants respond positively to mineral and organic fertilizers. From organic matter, humus and mullein solution are used. Root and foliar feedings are beneficial for the plant.

In spring, the plant needs nitrogen fertilizers to increase green mass. Humus, compost or complex fertilizers are placed in the tree trunk circle. Before flowering, during the ovary period, currants are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Shrub pruning

At the age of 4-5 years, the bush has 15-20 skeletal branches. Branches of different ages (from one to four) should be present at the same time. Therefore, formation begins from the moment the seedling is planted and continues annually.

1. Year of planting - pruning shoots to 2-4 buds on each.
2. Next year. The bush is freed from small growth, weak, underdeveloped shoots. Four strong renewal shoots are left. They will become skeletal branches in the future.
3. In the second year, the main branches are left, the rest are removed.
4. In the third and fourth years, renewal shoots are added to form skeletal branches.
5. Old branches last 4 years. Then they are cut out and updated with zero shoots. As a result, the bush always contains branches of different ages.

Protection from diseases and pests

Diseases and tick attacks are prevented by preventative spraying of bushes. In early spring, before the buds open, Bordeaux mixture, Neoron, Mavrik, Arollo are used. If the temperature is below 20 degrees Celsius, cover the currants with polyethylene after spraying.

The second treatment is carried out after a decade. Repeat spraying before flowering. At the moment of ovaries, the above-ground part is sprayed with a solution of karbofos. Opponents of chemicals use infusions of onion, garlic peels, and wormwood.

Breeding methods

Currants are propagated in the simplest way - layering. Choose a strong shoot and dig it into the ground so that the top is on the surface. Over the course of a season, a root system is formed. In the fall, the cuttings are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Adult specimens are also propagated by dividing the bush. Dig up the bush and divide it into several parts. Each plot must have a root system and have several shoots. The cut areas are treated with wood ash.

The third method of propagation is by cuttings. In summer, annual shoots are cut off, 20 centimeters long and the thickness of a pencil. Dip into sand or soil for rooting. In the fall they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Cleaning and storage rules

Nara currants ripen together. Collection is carried out in dry weather, when the dew has subsided. They pick the berries by the handful. They are sorted and prepared for storage.

The berry is stored for 2 weeks at an air temperature of 12 degrees, humidity - 40-60%.Deviation from the norm in one direction or another leads to rot or dryness of the fruit.

If favorable conditions are created, the shelf life can be increased to 20 days. Distribute the dry berries into boxes and send them to a room with a temperature of 0 or minus 1 degree. In plastic bags, without access to oxygen, the period is extended to 1 month. Currants are also stored in the freezer, dry, canned.