Description and characteristics of red currant variety Rovada, planting and care

Red currants are gaining popularity among gardeners. Its berries have a pleasant taste and many beneficial properties. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, breeders have developed various varieties of red currants. One of the most popular varieties of red currants is the Rovada variety, bred in Holland. This variety is distinguished by characteristics that are in many ways superior to other varieties.

Description and characteristics of Rowada currants

When describing the currant variety Rowada, it is worth highlighting the yield. One bush produces, on average, ten kilograms of fruit. Rowada is a large plant compared to other varieties. The bushes reach a height of one meter, the brushes are up to 20 centimeters long. The berries are bright red in color and have a sweet and sour taste. The plant can withstand winter frosts.

The main pros and cons of the variety

The advantages of the Rowada variety are high yield, as well as the taste and beneficial qualities of the berries. However, currants are not without their drawbacks. The variety has a tendency to thicken, so the bushes must be carefully shaped.

Rowada does not fully reveal its qualities in regions with a continental climate, as it does not tolerate summer heat well. In addition, red currant cuttings do not root better than black varieties.

Features of growing crops

It is better to plant currants in late summer, early autumn, although many gardeners plant seedlings in early spring.

Where is the best place to plant?

Currants should be planted in places well lit by the sun. It is better to choose a place for planting behind the house so that the plant is reliably protected from strong winds.

Selection of planting material

For planting in the soil, annual growths should be selected. Shoots of the second year of life are not suitable. To make a cutting, you need to cut the lower bud at its base at an angle of 45 degrees. Then you need to measure 20 centimeters up and make a second cut a couple of centimeters above the last bud. In this way you can get several cuttings from one branch.

How to plant currants?

Before planting, you should get rid of broken roots. Soak the currant roots in water for a couple of hours. Choose a suitable place for planting and plant the currants in rows, at a distance of one and a half meters from each other. After planting, the bushes should be watered abundantly. Cover the soil around the plants with a ten-centimeter layer of sawdust.

Nuances of care

Rowada is unpretentious in terms of care, however, to obtain a healthy harvest, it is necessary to provide the currant with sufficient watering, fertilizing and regularly prune the plant to avoid thickening.

Feeding and watering

Rowada, as a profusely fruiting plant, needs regular watering and fertilizing.

This variety of red currant is characterized by spreading roots that require watering. It is recommended to carry out root watering, or watering by sprinkling. Regularly shower powerful bushes with plenty of leaves and berries. It is best to water the plant in the evening.

Monitor the condition of the soil; it should not turn green or rot. To prevent the soil from drying out, after watering it should be mulched near the roots. To provide the roots with access to oxygen, the soil should be loosened.

In early spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers, such as saltpeter, must be added to the soil. During the flowering period, the plant needs minerals, so you need to feed it with mineral complex fertilizers. In autumn, humus should be added to the root soil.

Pruning rules

Rowada is characterized by a tendency to thicken, so it needs to be thinned. At the beginning of the bush's development, it is recommended to leave two shoots, and when the bush has formed - four. After three years of age, the bushes need to be thinned out regularly, as second-order shoots begin to grow intensively.From the fourth year, old growth is removed. It is optimal to carry out the procedure in early spring and late autumn.

Sheltering crops for the winter

Despite the fact that Rowada is a frost-resistant variety, the plant should not be exposed to too much hypothermia. In regions where winter temperatures can drop below 35 degrees, the plant needs to be provided with shelter that will not only insulate it from the cold, but also press the branches to the ground to protect it from gusts of wind.

For these purposes, it is necessary to make trenches ten centimeters deep, lower branches into them and sprinkle with loose soil. You can also gently press the branches to the ground using bricks or pieces of wood. Metal cannot be used for this. After fixing, the bushes need to be covered with insulation with mineral wool. Do not wrap the branches with airtight materials, as the plant needs access to oxygen.

At the beginning of the spring thaw, it is necessary to free the plants from their shelters so that the stems awaken without delay and produce a full harvest.

Diseases and pests

The greatest danger to Rowada are fungal diseases, as well as pests such as aphids and currant glass.

Septoria (aka white spot)

Septoria blight is a parasitic fungal disease that causes spots on leaves that gradually enlarge and cause leaf drop. Nitrafen solution helps to prevent the disease. Before flowering, the bushes should be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. Also, for prevention, it is necessary to promptly remove plant debris around the trunk.

Anthracnose

The most dangerous disease for this variety. A fungus that causes leaf loss and rotting of berries.Just as in the case of septoria, to prevent anthracnose, it is necessary to get rid of plant debris in a timely manner and spray the plants with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Currant glass

Currant glassworm is a pest caterpillar that settles for the winter in last year's currant shoots. In the process of their life activity, they eat the buds of the plant and damage the shoots, as a result of which the plant withers. Branches affected by the caterpillar should be immediately pruned and burned. Two weeks after the currant blossoms, spray it with Karbofos solution to prevent the appearance of glass.

Redcurrant gall aphid

Green colored insect pests feeding on currant leaves. They are most active at the beginning of the summer season. To combat aphids, treating bushes with Nitrafen solution helps. Shoots heavily affected by aphids must be disposed of in a timely manner. Treatment with Karbofos solution helps in the fight. Plants should be treated before flowering or after harvesting.

Plant propagation

Currants are propagated by green or woody cuttings, layering and division. Summer time is suitable for propagation by green cuttings. An annual shoot is cut from a bush, divided into several cuttings and planted in the ground.

For propagation by wood cuttings, you need to select old shoots. This method should be used at the end of the summer season. Woody cuttings root less well than green cuttings, so they require a greenhouse.

Layering is the most optimal way to propagate currants. The branches of a young bush need to be cut at a distance of 10 centimeters from the base. In autumn, new shoots need to be separated and planted.

Reproduction by division is used when there is not enough planting material. To do this, a well-developed bush is divided into several parts.

Harvest and storage

Harvesting red currants should be done after the bush has fully matured. It is better to use small containers for collecting so that the berries do not wrinkle under their own weight. Berries should be picked on cool, dry days, as berries picked after rain have a worse shelf life. You can store dried berries in the refrigerator in plastic bags.

Currants can retain their taste for a long time, but their beneficial properties begin to fade after just a couple of months of storage.