Currant Treasure

Currant is one of the most common fruit bushes. It is found in almost every garden plot. Different varieties of black currant are especially popular. The Treasure variety has a special place among them. This shrub brings a consistently good harvest, is not too whimsical, therefore it is invariably in demand.

This variety was bred by breeders of Siberia, taking into account the characteristics of this particular region. The goal of the scientists was to create a variety with good winter hardiness, early maturity and regular high-quality harvest.

Visual features of the variety:

• small neat shrub, maximum height - 1.5 m;
• the branches are medium in thickness, not particularly spreading, their color is green, the arrangement is close to each other;
• kidneys are formed in the first warm days, they resemble an egg in shape, they have a sharp end;
• the flowering phase follows, the flowers are compact, the petals are beige, the sepal is pinkish;
• flowers are collected in inflorescences like a brush, later fruits are formed in their place;
• the size of the leaves is average, there are three blades;
• petioles are short, the structure of the leaf has wrinkles, not very even, veins are obvious;
• the border of the leaf has teeth.

The advantages of the variety are as follows:

• high yield, and not particularly dependent on climatic nuances;
• large-fruited and identical berries in size, which ensures a comfortable quick picking;
• the taste of the fruit is bright, rich, the berries are universal for their intended purpose;
• tolerates low temperatures well;
• excellent immunity, excellent resistance to most diseases and pests.

But there are also disadvantages that should not be forgotten:

• this plant does not belong to centenarians, lives a maximum of up to 10 years;
• if not watered, yield decreases.

The fruits of this variety are large in size, they have an oval shape. The weight of a berry can be up to two grams or even a little more. The skin is black-blue, dark, dense type, the texture is not glossy, but closer to matte. There are quite a lot of grains inside. Fruits are stored for 2-3 days under normal conditions, in the cold the period increases to two weeks. In frozen form, berries are stored for up to six months.

The taste is sweet, but with sourness, estimated by agronomists at 4.5 points out of 5. This variety is used to make preserves, jams, marmalade, juice, wine or tincture.

The variety is early in terms of ripening, the bush begins to bear fruit from the end of July. The plant is fast-growing, and it also has an extended fruiting period.

A high-yielding variety that can yield an average of 6.3 tons per hectare. The maximum yield is 17-18 tons per hectare. Transportability is average.

Before planting this variety of currants, you must select and purchase quality material. It is necessary to carefully examine the seedling, assess the condition of the roots and shoots. As for the age of the Treasure seedling, it is optimal to purchase a two-year-old, with a root system of at least 20 cm in length. The branches should be light, of an even type. If you do not pay attention to these nuances, the plant may not take root, bear fruit poorly.

The optimal period for planting currants of this variety is autumn. It is necessary to wait for the period when the weather settles at around +10 to +15. Before frost, the bush will take root and winter well. It is very important to choose the right landing site. The advantage should be given to open, sunny areas where there is no shade. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant seedlings of this variety next to trees and other large neighbors that impoverish the soil.

The landing algorithm is as follows:

1. about a couple of months before the event, you need to prepare the soil: clean it of weeds, dig it half a meter deep;
2. it is best if the type of soil is slightly acidic and fertile (acidic soils must be healed with lime even before planting the plant);
3. clay and dense soils are lightened with sand, peat;
4. on the day of planting, the root system must be placed in a container with water, because the roots must be saturated with moisture and straighten;
5. while the plant is in the water, a hole up to half a meter deep is created;
6. soil with humus is introduced into it, ½ a bucket of water is poured;
7. the planting material is inserted into the hole at an angle, sprinkled with soil (the growth point is 6 cm from the ground);
8. immediately after the procedure, it is recommended to cut the seedling of this variety at the level of 3 buds;
9. the soil is rammed, water is poured in - 2 liters;
10. it remains to mulch the plant with sawdust, humus.

The shrub of this variety grows actively in width, therefore, the bushes are not planted to each other closer than 1 meter. The optimal row spacing is 2 m.

Experts refer to this type of currant as unpretentious. But there are a number of agrotechnical measures that, with all the standardness, are necessary for the shrub.

• Fertilizer. This procedure is needed to improve the quality and quantity of the crop. The treasure responds well to feeding with urea, especially in the spring, after the snow melts and the soil dries out. The procedure should be repeated at the turn of summer and autumn, at the end of the harvest. Complex formulations of organics and minerals also work great for the development of a shrub. You can use compost, manure, droppings, phosphorus-potassium mixtures. Four times a season it is worth carrying out liquid fertilizing with diluted droppings or manure. Fertilizing with minerals is carried out before flowering, immediately after, during the period of fruit filling, harvesting.
• Moisturizing. This variety does not tolerate drought; in dry seasons, you can not wait for the harvest if you do not moisten the shrub. Once every 7 days, it is imperative to water the currants of this variety, and in abundant quantities. Each bush needs at least 10 liters of water. If the season is not dry, not hot, 5 waterings per period will be enough. A mandatory moisturizing procedure is considered during the period of bud formation, ripening of fruits, picking berries, before frost.
• Soil agrotechnics. At the beginning and end of the season, digging the soil is carried out near the currants, the soil must be made loose. Weeding is carried out as needed, weed overgrowth must not be allowed. After each moisturizing procedure, you need to loosen the circle around the trunk. But loosening should be careful, since the root system is close. If the trunk circle is mulched, you do not have to loosen and weed the soil too often.
• Pruning. After falling leaves, you need to cut the currant bush of this variety. In the second year after planting, the branches are cut so that up to seven buds remain. A three-year-old bush is shortened by one third, and both fresh and old branches are removed. When the plant reaches the age of six, you need to cut off mature branches and form a bush according to the indicated pattern. You should know that the highest point of development of the Treasure bush falls on average at 6 years of age. It is optimal that at this time there are 10-15 high-quality shoots. Sanitary pruning is done every year, before bud formation. This removes all broken, dry and over-thickening branches.
• Prevention and Treatment. Currants of this variety have good immunity, but prevention should not be abandoned. Most diseases are spread by insects that fall on a bush of tall grass. Accordingly, weeding is the easiest way to prevent infestation. To prevent insects from hibernating on currants, it is worth pouring water over it, with a temperature of +70 degrees before the juice begins to move. You can add baking soda to the water to improve efficiency. If the plant is sick with a fungus, it is necessary to cut all diseased branches under the root and burn it.