Description of the blackcurrant variety Exotic, planting and care

The large-fruited, early-ripening Exotic currant has replaced the old, gradually degenerating varieties. The hybrid crop is loved by Russian gardeners for its attractive varietal properties - large fruit, early ripening, resistance to fungal diseases.

History of the variety

The black currant variety Exotica is a domestic product of cross-pollination of the Golubka variety with pollen from the Ershistaya and Orloviya varieties, bred in 2001. Employees of the Siberian Research Institute and the All-Russian Research Institute for Breeding Fruit Crops took part in the creation of hybrid currants.

The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Central regions.

Description and characteristics

Currant Exotica is a berry bush with large leathery leaves dotted with small wrinkles. The edges of the leaf blade are serrated. The plant blooms in mid-May with large white flowers, the fruits ripen by mid-July.

Bush

Bushes of the Exotic variety are upright, medium dense. Currants of this variety, with proper care, reach the height of human growth. This year's shoots are light green. The old ones are lignified, powerful, and do not bend under the load of the harvest. Mature branches are gray, yellowish at the tops.

Berries

Exotic fruits contain a high concentration of vitamin C. They ripen on a cluster similar to a grape.

The color of the thin-skinned berries is shiny black, spherical in shape. The weight of one piece is 3–5 g, the quantity on the brush reaches 10. The taste of the fleshy pulp is piquant, sweet and sour, refreshing, with a pleasant aroma.

Features of culture

When breeding large-fruited Exotics, scientists took care to consolidate the useful varietal characteristics that were appreciated by Russian gardeners.

Susceptibility to diseases and pests

In the central regions of Russia, the greatest damage to currants is caused by powdery mildew and bud mite, because of which gardeners began to destroy old bushes and cultivate new varieties. Exotica is a modern variety with immunity against fungal diseases and mites.

Currant Exotica is resistant to septoria or white spot, columnar rust.

In early spring and after harvesting the fruits, the bushes are treated with Bordeaux mixture, preventing anthracnose, against which there is no immunity. Dangerous insects include currant glass beetles, gooseberry moths, and aphids.

Drought and frost resistance

Currant Exotica is not resistant to drought. For normal development, the plant requires moderate moisture. Excess water negatively affects the harvest, the crop is affected by fungal diseases, and the fruits become covered with mold. Frost resistance (down to -26C) allows the crop to be planted in the central regions of Russia and Siberia.

Early ripening and productivity

The fruiting period ends in the first half of July. Of the early blackcurrant varieties, the Exotica variety is the largest-fruited.

With proper care, an average of 3.5 kg is collected from one bush. The disadvantage of the variety is a reduction in yield due to the negative impact of late frosts at the beginning of flowering of the crop.

Transportability and use of currants

Out of a possible 5 points for assessing transportability, Exotic currants deserved 3.8. The decrease in the maximum indicator was influenced by the thin skin of the fruits, leading to cracking during berry picking.

If its integrity is intact, the harvest can be stored for 10 days fresh and up to six months frozen.

The juiciness and pleasant sweet and sour taste of the fruit are widely used in the preparation of jam, jam, juice, and tinctures. Ground currants are used to make fillings for baked goods and prepare sauces.

Vitamins and a complex of minerals in the culture are completely preserved until cooking. Therefore, fresh fruits bring great benefits. The body's daily need for vitamin C is met by eating 10–20 berries.

Landing technology

For successful blackcurrant growing season, gardeners are advised to follow the advice on choosing seedlings, location, timing and planting methods. Agrotechnical measures carried out according to the rules are the key to obtaining a full harvest.

Best timing

It is better to plant Exotics in the fall. In the spring it is difficult to decide on the timing. If you are late, the plant will die. This is explained by the fact that the variety quickly begins to vegetate, leaving the seedling no time to adapt and take root. If planting material is purchased in the spring, then choose the time when the ground thaws by 20 cm.

In autumn, the dates are extended in time depending on the climatic conditions of the region. In southern areas - until mid-October, in northern areas - August, early September.

Preparing the site and location

With a lack of sunlight, the Exotic variety stretches its shoots upward, the branches weaken, the berries become smaller, and the taste changes for the worse. Currants need a sunny place, protected from the winds.

The location of neighboring plants is no closer than 1 meter. In this case, the crop has enough nutrients and there is no shading.

Flat areas are suitable, low-lying areas are contraindicated. Due to stagnation of moisture or groundwater lying above one and a half meters from the surface, currant bushes become sick. The best option is a western gentle slope.

Selection of seedlings

Planting material is purchased from nurseries and trusted gardening associations. Zoned two-year-old seedlings without visible flaws or dried parts of the bark take root better and adapt to climatic conditions.

Pay attention to the development, length (at least 20 cm), lignification of the root system.

Disembarkation algorithm

To prevent soil subsidence, a hole with a diameter of half a meter and a depth of 40 cm is prepared in advance 14-20 days before planting.The fertile layer of soil is diluted with a bucket of organic matter (manure, humus), 200 g of superphosphate and ash are added. If there are several plants, maintain a distance of 1-1.3 meters between them.

Planting technology:

• pour a bucket of water into the prepared hole;
• the seedling is held at an angle of 45 degrees, deepening the root collar by 10 cm;
• when digging, make sure that the roots do not stick up, but are distributed evenly in the hole;
• cover with earth, lightly compact the top;
• I mulch the circle around the trunk.

In order for the bush to develop correctly, three buds are left under and above the soil surface. Excess branches are removed with pruning shears.

For greater yields, other simultaneously flowering currant varieties are planted next to the exotic ones.

We organize care

The development of bushes, size, taste and quantity of fruits depend on proper care.

Irrigation and fertilizing

Water Exotic currants in dry, clear weather once a week, being careful not to splash the foliage and stems. The bush needs two buckets of water at a time. The variety is especially demanding when it comes to irrigation before budding and filling of berries.

Keeping a plant in one place for a long time depletes the substrate. The crop needs fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and organic matter from early spring to autumn.

Before the buds open, urea is applied under the bushes to promote vegetation. After two weeks, a second feeding is carried out with organic matter rich in nitrogen - infusions of mullein, bird droppings. If preparing fertilizing and manure per bucket of water requires 2 kg, then bird droppings require 1 kg.

From mid-summer and autumn, currants are fertilized with mineral complexes with a predominance of phosphorus, potassium or superphosphate and potassium sulfate.After leaf fall, closer to the cold weather, compost or manure is added under Exotica, which helps the bush to safely overwinter.

Bush formation

Pruning Exotic currant bushes stimulates branching of basal shoots and the regrowth of young branches on old skeletal ones. Thickening and damage to the plant by diseases and pests are prevented.

The first pruning is performed immediately after planting. The shoots are shortened, leaving 3–4 buds. In the second year, they get rid of diseased, thickening shoots. Starting from the third year, old, non-fruit-bearing branches are cut out under the base, leaving 4 powerful basal shoots.

It is mandatory to get rid of disease-damaged and broken branches. If the growth of basal shoots is weak, two skeletal branches are removed, which continue to bear fruit poorly.

Old branches differ from young ones in the darker color of the bark and the smaller size of the buds at the tops. A properly formed adult bush includes 10–15 skeletal branches formed in different years. Each year there are 3-4 branches.

Preparing for winter

Preparatory activities include:

• sanitary pruning of diseased, deformed branches;
• shallow digging of the circle around the trunk;
• abundant watering;
• mulching the ground with sawdust, bark, hay.

In the southern and central regions of Russia, covering material is not used for wintering currants. In the northern regions, branches are wrapped with rope, and the crop is insulated with cardboard and agrofibre. A snowdrift is raked into the base of the bush.

Reviews from gardeners about the Exotic variety

In general, judging by the reviews, gardeners rate Exotic black currant highly, but they also note some disadvantages.

Pavel Nikolaevich, 60 years old:

“I planted several currant bushes of different varieties on the plot at the same time.After 3 years I realized that the Exotic variety is the best. The berries are large, uniform, and ripen in early July. The only negative is that they quickly crumble if you don’t collect them in time.”

Anna, 35 years old:

“I didn’t like Exotica. I agree that the fruits are large and early ripening. But, for my taste, they are downright sour.”

Maria, 42 years old:

“The most delicious jam comes from Exotic currants, which I have been growing for 5 years. The variety is resistant to powdery mildew and undemanding to care. The main thing is to cut out old infertile branches every fall, feed and water them on time. I noticed one drawback - the separation was not dry enough. When harvesting, the thin skin of some berries is damaged.”