Currant Leningrad giant

Currant is a tasty and healthy berry. The bushes of the culture do not require much and daily care, and the yield is always at its best. The Leningrad giant variety is familiar to many gardeners. He has many positive qualities.

Currant Leningrad giant was bred in the St. Petersburg GAU. The authors-breeders were E. I. Glebova and A. I. Potashova. The Stakhanovka Altai variety and the pollen mixture of the Vystavochnaya and Nesypayaschaya varieties were chosen for the parental pair. The currant was developed in the 70s of the last century, and at that time the yield and large-fruited were at their best. The manufacturer indicates that the crop belongs to universal varieties.

The Leningrad giant currant bushes are tall, the shoots grow upright. They are dark green in the first year, later the shade darkens. As soon as the shoots begin to form buds, they become lignified and thick, greyish-beige in color. Buds are formed on stems in groups of 6-8. They are pink-purple, slightly deviated from the main shoot. During the fruiting season, the crown becomes medium spreading.

The leaves of the currant are large, light green in color, the top is yellowish-green. The number of blades on the plate is equal to five, the middle one is the longest and widest. And also she has the most sharpened edge. The sides of the leaf take the shape of a triangle, and the lowest blade is located obliquely. The leaves are matte, vesiculate-wrinkled. The nerve is dark and well noticeable.

Peduncles are large, pale red in color. According to the manufacturer, the set is good and no additional pollinators are required. But still, some gardeners note that the culture periodically needs additional pollinators.

Brushes are short and long, each of them has from 6 to 13 flowers.

The berries are large, round in shape. The skin color is black, slightly glossy and shiny. The average weight of fruits is from 1.2 to 2.2 g. The skin is thin, but it can color everything black or purple. The peel on the fruit rarely bursts, even when completely overripe. But such berries are easier to choke during heat or mechanical processing. The pulp is juicy, firm and tender.

The fruits can be eaten fresh and processed into preserves, juice, jams or purees. And also many gardeners freeze berries for the winter. The fruits tolerate freezing very well and do not lose their shape after thawing.

The harvested crop is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 15 days.

There is a sweet and sour dessert taste. The currant aroma is present not only in the berries, but also in the leaves. Dry matter in berries is on average 20%. Sugar content from 7.1 to 12.7% for acidity in 2.4 -3.5%

In terms of ripening, the culture belongs to medium varieties. Fruiting will fall in the second decade of July. The berries ripen almost simultaneously. The first to ripen are those on which more sunlight falls.Those that were hidden by branches and leaves ripen rather slowly. Therefore, harvesting can be extended.

Many people point out that harvesting directly depends on the proper care of the currants. From one bush, from 3 to 4.5 kg of berries are collected. 20 tons are removed from 1 hectare. Indicators may vary due to weather conditions, the maturity of the bush and the location on the site.

The manufacturer claims that the Leningrad giant currant is self-fertile. But in fact, self-pollination occurs only by 50%. Therefore, it is recommended to plant pollinators with the same period of flowering of buds for higher yields.

Many gardeners recommend planting shrubs along a fence or along any other natural defenses. You can build a special fence or frame, beyond which the bush will not grow and creep along the ground. In this case, the place should be illuminated from all sides by the sun.

The soil is preferable slightly acidic or neutral, as well as well fertilized. Groundwater should be at a level of 2-3 m from the ground. It is best to do a small drainage system in the pits, as the currant roots go down and to the side. The plant loves moisture, but in moderation. In very damp soil, the roots will start to rot.

It is best for planting in early spring (before the moment the juice moves) or early autumn, so that the bush can take root in the ground until the first frost.

Before planting in the ground, each seedling is examined. The roots should be healthy and the stems not very bending and brittle. If swelling is seen on the branches, then this signals that an insect pest is hibernating under the bark.

The landing pattern is very simple. A hole with a minimum size of 50x50 cm is dug under the seedling. It all depends on the number of stems and the size of the root system. All the land that has been dug is cultivated by mixing with useful minerals (compost or humus). Drainage is poured at the bottom of the hole, then a small layer of earth, and a seedling is lowered onto it. It is better to fill it up at a slight angle, so the plant will take root faster. The main thing is that the roots are not too confused. If possible, it is best to straighten them. After that, the earth around the trunk is pressed and tamped, and then spilled with warm water.

Proper maintenance guarantees a good and stable harvest. This is especially true for perennial plants. Agricultural technology does not cause any difficulties. The most important thing is its correct observance.

• Watering is done 2-3 times a week. On average, one bush has 10 liters of water. In severe drought, the number of procedures does not increase (it also remains 2-3 times), but watering is carried out both in the morning and in the evening. It is especially important to add water at the time of bud formation and ripening of berries, namely: from July to August. Moisture deficiency affects the loss of harvest not only this year, but also subsequent ones.

• The variety is highly winter-hardy, so you should not worry about adult bushes. In the early years, young seedlings are covered with agrofibre. Especially in snowless winters.If there is no snow, then it is best to cover the ground around the trunk with mulch, and cover the trunk itself with spruce branches.

• Proper pruning and crown shaping will help increase yield and berry size. Molding is carried out most often in the spring, when the buds have not yet blossomed. The oldest branches, aged from 5 years, are removed near the soil itself, and the place of the cut is covered with garden pitch. Shoots that grow too close to the ground are removed, even if there are berries on them. Most often, it is these branches that are attacked by slugs or snails. And the leaves are too exposed to moisture, and they can easily become infected with the fungus.

• Annual preventive spraying is carried out, in particular, against powdery mildew.