Sugar red currant was bred by Russian breeders. Its bushes give a large harvest, have many clusters and large sweet and sour berries. You can just eat them, or you can make jams, compotes or currant casseroles with cottage cheese from them. Sugar variety is widespread in our regions, as it is easy to grow.
red currant grade "Sugar"
currant variety "Sugar" has excellent taste
currant bushes "Sugar" are an invariable decoration of any garden
Description of Red Currant Sugar
Medium-sized, straight-formed bush. The size of the shoots is 1-1.5 m. The berries are bright red, the average weight is 0.7-1 g. The skin is shiny, the pulp is tasty and aromatic.
The variety gives a rich harvest, some gardeners collect 4 kg of berries per year. This currant is best suited for use unprocessed; it also makes excellent jelly, preserves, compotes and other preparations.
In addition to its pleasant taste, the Sugar variety has an excellent appearance. A flowering bush is a decoration of a garden plot, and large red clusters of berries attract attention with their brightness.
Such a bush is placed along the perimeter of the site or along the paths. The main thing is to make sure that it does not grow too much.
This variety is unpretentious, not afraid of cold weather and not too difficult to care for. It is grown in different climatic zones: in Ukraine, Belarus, central and southern Russia, in the Urals.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The list of advantages of the Sugar variety is extensive. In addition to unpretentiousness, the following advantages are noted:
- high yield;
- unusual sweetness of berries;
- cold resistance, the variety copes well with temperature changes;
- berries ripen early, they are harvested from late June to September;
- the variety is easy to care for;
- the life of the bush is up to 25 years;
- well suited for any kind of workpiece;
- pest resistance.
The variety has almost no drawbacks, except that the berries are not too large and the level of self-pollination is low. For the sake of a rich harvest, you will have to plant other varieties of currants nearby.
See below for an overview of the Sugar red currant variety:
Before boarding
The variety takes root well in almost any conditions. To keep its lifespan long, and the harvest rich and tasty, adhere to the basic planting rules.
Choose a place
For currants, moderately moist, sandy loam or loamy soil is suitable. If the groundwater comes too close to the surface, the bush will quickly become lethargic, frail, and more susceptible to disease.
If the soil is heavy, clayey or acidic, plant it on a small earthen mound.
For proper development, plants use a specific planting scheme. The form of the variety is compact, the bush does not take up much space, a distance of 1.2-1.4 m between seedlings will be enough.
Choose time
The Sugar variety is unpretentious and resistant to cold weather, therefore it is planted not only in temperate regions, but also in the north. In areas of temperate latitude, planting is carried out in September, and in the south - in October, before the onset of severe frosts.
If you plan to plant currants in the spring, do so in March, at the beginning or end of the month, depending on the climate.
If you are interested in how to properly care for currants in the spring, then this article is here.
Select planting material
For seedlings, choose strong, healthy seedlings about 30-40 cm long. Pay attention to the roots, they must be flexible and resilient. If the roots break easily, it means that they are of low quality or were stored incorrectly.
The roots should be branched, have at least 3 buds on each root, if there are only 1-2 of them, such a seedling is definitely not worth taking.
The shoots should be free of stains, rot, pests or diseases so that the infection does not spread throughout the garden.
Saplings without leaves or with spots on them are not suitable, they could be affected by a fungus.
Treat the soil
Select your pickup location in advance. Dig holes 40 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter. Put fertilizer on the bottom - peat, manure, or other organic product. After that, leave the soil for a week or two to settle.
Water the soil well after planting. Continue 2 times every day. Wet soil is slightly subtle. Mulch using sawdust or pine needles.
Correct planting of red currant Sugar
Everything is prepared, now let's talk about the planting process itself. When planting currants, follow these tips:
- The hole for the seedling should not be very deep, 35-40 cm is enough. If you are planting several bushes at once, make a trench for them.
- Leave the hole for a week to let the ground sink.
- Place fertilizers at the bottom of the hole, such as compost or rotted manure.
- Water the hole abundantly and place the prepared seedling in it at a 45-degree angle. Sprinkle earth on the bush, placing the root collar at a depth of 5 cm.
- Press down on the soil and make a hole.
- Water the bush well. Use at least 3 liters of water for this.
- After planting, cut off the shoots by about a third. A good increase will go next year.
This variety grows even in the absence of care. To get a good harvest, it's worth a little work, follow the basic rules for growing currants. Let's talk about them further.
The nuances of care
Sugar currant is easy to care for, so it is suitable for a novice gardener.
For a caring owner Sugar currant brings from 4 to 15 kg of berries per year. So what can you do to achieve such great results?
We recommend reading an article on how to care for currant bushes in the fall.
Trim
Like any plant, the currant grows strongly, so every year it is pruned, giving it the correct shape (it is written about autumn pruning here). An adult bush consists of 15-20 large strong branches, for this you need to leave 2-3 shoots annually in the spring, and remove everything else.
Water
This variety loves water, so don't rely on natural rainfall. Water the bushes regularly to keep them bearing fruit.
When the berries are forming, watering the plant is doubly important. Pour water directly under the bush, on the roots, without touching the currant trunk itself.
In drought, the berries quickly crumble. In summer, during a period of extreme heat, at least 5 buckets of water should go to 1 currant bush every 10 days.
Fertilize
A young, healthy plant does not need constant fertilization. But in the early years, to accelerate the growth and formation of a good bush, a nitroammofoska solution is used.
For one bush, you will need 1 box of the drug for 10 liters of water. In addition, it does not hurt to add nitrogen fertilizer to the soil, such as urea or saltpeter, at the rate of 10 g of the product per 1 sq. m.
How and what to fertilize currants in the autumn, you will learn from this article.
Loosen and mulch
Soil maintenance is important for a good harvest as the condition of the soil affects the health of the plant. Loosening and mulching are carried out to retain moisture in the soil and saturate it with oxygen.
This should be done annually: the first time - in early spring, then - throughout the season, at least once every 2 months. Loosen the soil well with a rake and other tools.
Cover for the winter
If you grow the variety in regions with a temperate climate, do not worry about closing the bush for the winter - Sugar currants are very resistant to frost and temperature changes.
In colder areas, the plant is prepared for wintering. To do this, each branch of the bush, after pruning, is added dropwise or covered with agrofibre.
When sheltering, polyethylene cannot be used - it does not allow air to pass through.
Disease and pest control methods
Red currants are more resistant to diseases and parasites than black currants. Sugar red currant is a leader in this regard, since it is practically not susceptible to diseases or pests.
Still, there is something to be afraid of - anthracnose. Anthracnose is a fungal disease that is common in humid regions. Fungal spores are easily transferred from plant to plant by wind and insects. Weakened or damaged bushes easily become infected.
The depressed spots interfere with the normal movement of food in the plant. As a result, at high humidity, the branches rot and break, and during drought, they quickly wither and crack.
If you ignore anthracnose, a whole bush will soon die.
At the first signs of damage to currants, remove the affected parts of the bush, treat with a fungicide. For spraying, select a product from the list:
- Oxyhom;
- Yamato;
- Cuproxat;
- Copper oxychloride.
Do prophylaxis to prevent anthracnose. The tips are as follows:
- Before planting a new plant, treat it with a 1% solution of copper sulfate. The seedling should be in the solution for a few minutes. Then rinse it and lower it into the ground.
- Adult plants are processed until the budding period; a solution of vitriol or Nitrofen is also suitable for this.
- One of the reasons for the appearance of anthracnose is the lack of potassium and phosphorus in the soil, so feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.
- Also, fallen leaves under the bush can be the cause of the disease - remove them in time.
The Sugar variety is resistant to insects and parasites; it does not really need insecticidal treatment. But for the sake of confidence that pests do not attack currant bushes, you can use the following tips:
- Spray the currant bush with tobacco or wormwood infusion, this will protect it from spider mites.
- A mustard solution will save you from currant bud moth.
- Loosening the soil, as well as wood ash and ground pepper, help in the fight against currant glass.
Cultivation of currant Sugar
This currant variety is bred in the same way as other varieties, although there are some peculiarities.
Cultivation with green cuttings is carried out in early spring, but with wood cuttings this currant is cultivated worse. Also, the bush is propagated using layering, horizontal and vertical, shoots are taken exclusively from young bushes.
The most effective breeding method is considered to be multiplication by combined cuttings. Cuttings need to be prepared from late May to early June. Take those branches that have remained from last year, and have small green shoots.
The shoot must always be with a small piece of wood, 3-4 cm in length. Plant the shoots by immersing the woody part in the soil a few centimeters.
Water twice a day. After 2 weeks, the plant will take root well and grow.
Yield
The Sugar variety produces at least 4 kg of berries per year, but there are ways to improve this figure.
A good harvest of red currants gives the first 6-8 years. The maximum number of fruits is at 3-4 years of age.
Branches that stop producing berries must be removed so that new branches receive as much nutrients as possible. Fertilize the soil so that the bush gets enough potassium and phosphorus, they are important for the normal growth and fruiting of currants.
In one place, the bush bears fruit for up to 20 years, after this period the soil is depleted, then the currants are replaced with other crops.
Collect ripe currants carefully so as not to mash. Pick in the morning, cool and dry weather.
Fruits of the Sugar variety are very sweet, good for consumption unprocessed. There are also many recipes for jelly, jam, compotes, pies, they are especially good for this variety of currants.
Tips for increasing yields
Responsibly approach the planting site of currants. She does not like even the minimal presence of chlorine, salts, soap products in the soil. For this reason, it is not planted at a close distance from buildings, waste heaps, street washstands.
Currant bushes should be well lit and protected from strong winds. Make the distance between the bushes no less than 1.2-1.5 m.
Planting too densely will lead to the fact that the currants will be lethargic, neglected, and the number of berries will noticeably decrease due to lack of nutrients.
For feeding, organic fertilizers are used - humus, tinctures of various plants, compost, ash. Food waste compost is not suitable as fertilizer.
Avoid crop-ruining mistakes:
- wrong place for the berry;
- wrong cropping;
- too deep loosening of the soil - the roots of the bushes are located close to the surface, if they are damaged, the bush weakens and begins to hurt.
Variety reviews
Natalia, 34 years old, housewife, Chelyabinsk.I always plant currants and prune them a little after the third bud. And if you prune the bush in the fall, about two years from planting, it will be much denser, and the yield is greater.
Olga, 57 years old, summer resident, Moscow region.Sugar currant is really quite sweet, but strong acid is also felt in it. Much stronger than, say, in the Versailles White or Gazelle. I cannot attribute this variety to my favorites, although it brings a good harvest.
Nikolay, 47 years old, amateur gardener, Moscow.I have been successfully growing Sugar for a long time. As a tip, it can be noted that loosening does not have to be done after every rain or watering, but only twice a year: in the spring - after waking up, and in the fall - after the final harvest.
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Add your review
Responsible attitude to planting and cultivation of red currants Sugar will help to achieve high yields. The variety is great for beginner gardeners or those who have little time on the site. In addition, the Sugar variety pleases with a delicious harvest for many years.