Currant Arcadia Black: description, complete guide to growing
Content:
The article presents the currant Arkady Black: description of the variety, history, characteristics, detailed instructions for planting, care, cultivation, protection.
Currant Arcadia Black: variety description
Currant Arcadia Black
In the garden of almost every self-respecting gardener, you can easily find black currants. This plant has become incredibly popular lately, and of course, for good reason.
In addition to the fact that currant berries are distinguished by excellent taste, they are also especially useful for our body. In addition, the bushes of this berry also have decorative value, and therefore they can easily decorate your garden.
Well, since this plant is widespread, it could not but acquire a huge number of varieties, it is rather difficult to choose among which the variety that suits you.
Therefore, we decided to help you with this and chose one of the best varieties of currants that exist at the moment - the Arcadia Black currant. In this article, we will describe all its features, and also tell you how to properly care for this plant.
Currant Arcadia Black: the history of the variety
Currant Arcadia: photo of the variety
Arcadia currant belongs to the group of late-ripening black currant varieties, which are bred for the most part at the Rudnitsky Zonal Research Institute of Agriculture. More than a dozen of these varieties were created within its walls, but they are not of interest to us at the moment.
The mother plants, with the help of which it was possible to bring out the currants of Arkady Black, were the currants of Slasten and Gratsia, which in tandem gave the hybrid amazing qualities.
The authorship belongs to a small group of scientists working at the specified university, and the breeder G.N. Kosolapova led the study.
By the way, this variety is quite young: it was zoned only in 2007, however, even in such a short time by the standards of the life of the plant, the currant Arkady Black was able to acquire very wide popularity and distribution.
Initially, this currant was created for growing in places with a standard temperate climate, which can be observed mainly in the middle zone of our country. However, due to its exceptional cold resistance, it is possible to grow it even in very cold places. However, of course, within reasonable limits.
Currant variety Arcadia Black: botanical description
Currant varieties Arcadia Black: photo
Arcadia currant belongs to the family of deciduous shrubs with edible fruits. Well, the whole genus of currants belongs to the gooseberry family.
As for the berries of the Arcadia currant, they are very rich in various vitamins, but their main component is vitamin C, which is incredibly important for our body (especially in cold seasons). By the way, there is even more of this vitamin in currant berries than in some fruits usually associated with it.
However, vitamin C is not the only thing that the berries of this plant are rich in. Also in them you can observe a rather high content of vitamins A and E, which also play an important role in our life. Well, and, of course, we must not forget about the whole group of B vitamins, which, albeit in smaller quantities, can also be contained in the berries of this variety.
We must not forget about the large amount of minerals contained in the fruits of the currant Arkady Black and many other chemicals that are especially important for the proper functioning of our bodies with you.
Simply put, Arcadia currants are incredibly useful to eat not only raw, but also cooked. Currant jam or compote prepared using this berry can greatly stimulate your immunity, and therefore, you may not recover instantly thanks to currants, but you can definitely alleviate the disease, as well as shorten its duration.
In fact, if we now began to list absolutely all the beneficial substances that are contained in these berries, then it would last for a really long time. However, this does not mean that currants are a cure for all diseases that can save you in any situation. This is not at all the case, and you should not give up medicine in favor of these black berries.
Nevertheless, they will definitely help your body not only fight all kinds of infections, but also keep you in good shape, since some chemical compounds that make up the pulp of the berries of the Arcadia Black currant significantly slow down the aging process, and also contribute to better absorption of vitamins, which has a good effect on overall well-being.
However, berries are not the only part of the currant that has medicinal properties. For example, its leaves can also serve you very well. They help your kidneys especially well. Decoctions and infusions made from currant leaves regulate their work, and also cleanse the body of toxins, which significantly relieves pressure from the kidneys themselves.
Also, the use of such infusions accelerates the healing of wounds, bruises and other physical damage that can cause serious discomfort in everyday life.
Well, of course, there are some prophylactic properties, mainly driving away bacteria and protecting you from various bacterial diseases.
However, no matter how good the infusions, compotes, jams, juices and so on, it is much better to use the products of the currant Arkady Black in its raw form, since during the thermal treatment through which the berries pass when preparing almost any dish, a very great honor of vitamins is lost. microelements and minerals, and that is why we do not advise you to spend all the currants growing in the garden for harvesting.
You should also warn that, although these berries are incredibly useful, and this is an indisputable fact, many sellers attribute completely miraculous properties to them, which are not characteristic of even the most modern medicines, which, of course, you should not believe.
Characteristics of the currant bush Arcadia
If you want to grow Arcadia currants in your garden, then you definitely need to know everything about its own characteristics. Only when the currant cannot prepare any unexpected surprises for you, you will be completely sure that its cultivation will not be a problem for you.
The bush of the Arcadia currant variety has a completely standard - medium size, but its crown is quite small, although the definition of compact is much better suited.
The bush itself (together with the crown) of the Arcadia currant rarely exceeds a meter in height, but with proper care this figure can increase by twenty percent.
Most of the branches that bear fruit are skeletal, and they grow almost vertically, only slightly deviating from the main stem. All of them are covered with brownish bark, which may lose its color a little and become paler with age.
At the same time, this bark has significant irregularities and folds, which cannot be said about very young shoots, the bark of which is smooth and fresh, and also painted in the brightest shade.
The leaves of this plant are rather large in size, and they consist of five or three segments. The color of these leaves is dark green, but can vary in brightness depending on where the plant is grown.
By the way, the whole bush exudes a subtle, but very pleasant aroma. This is also the work of the leaves, since on their back side there are a huge number of micropores, which constantly emit aromatic oils.
This aroma is especially noticeable if you come closer to the bush, since even at a distance of a meter it begins to dissipate. Nevertheless, with a large thickening of your garden with currant bushes Arcadia Black, you can feel the characteristic aroma of the plant almost everywhere, which will add even more pleasure to your work.
Having talked about the appearance of black currants Arcadia, one cannot but recall that they have a large number of distinctive physiological features. These include, for example, the exceptional frost resistance and drought resistance of this bush.
Of course, in Siberia, Arcadia's currant will feel very uncomfortable, but, nevertheless, temperatures up to twenty-five degrees below zero are not a hindrance for him.
As for drought resistance, it is also developed at the highest level in the Arcadia black currant, since without water the Arcadia Black currant can hold out for a very long time. However, this does not mean that it should be thirsty: this way you will only worsen your harvest, and significantly. However, good drought tolerance, while not saving you from crop failure without regular moisture, will help you maintain the bush, which is especially important in hot years.
Important! Such good resistance to bad weather in Arcadia currants is observed only when it is well cared for, and it also has enough sunlight. Otherwise, the immunity of the currant, as well as its ability to withstand extreme conditions, will be greatly weakened.
Fruiting currants Arcadia
It still starts with flowering, which occurs in May or April - the date can vary greatly depending on the weather or climatic features of the area.
The flowers that form in the currant of Arcadia Black are not at all large, and also do not have characteristic decorative qualities. However, when there are many of them, they can still add some variety to the appearance of your garden, and therefore even carry some kind of decorative value.
These flowers are collected in inflorescences, in which you can count a fairly large number of buds, and the shade of their petals can vary from bright to rather pale pink.
By the way, which is a huge advantage of the Arcadia Black currant, it is a completely self-pollinated variety, and therefore you can grow it completely without pollinators. Nevertheless, if you want to get not only a stable, but also a bountiful harvest, we would not advise you to do this, since only in conditions of high-quality pollination you can get the maximum of this plant.
Absolutely any varieties are suitable as pollinators, which, however, have the same flowering periods as Arcadia Black currants. Otherwise, pollination simply will not occur, and therefore we strongly recommend that you choose varieties wisely and thoroughly study their growing seasons.
As for the yield in general, it is incredibly good for the currant of Arkady Black. From one plant, you can get two and a half kilograms, which is an excellent result for a berry plant. Well, if you want to grow a whole garden, for example, in forty bushes, then you can easily get a whole centner of berries per year. Well, if you take care of high-quality and regular feeding of the plant, then, we are sure, it will be possible to grow even more.
Fruit ripening occurs at the end of July or at the beginning of August, which, as you remember, completely depends on the weather conditions and climatic characteristics of the region. It would seem that it ripens quite early, but Arcadia currants are not in vain ranked among late currants, because for this culture such periods are really not impressive, given that some varieties ripen at the beginning of summer.
Currant Arcadia Black: description of fruits, their characteristics
Speaking about the characteristics of the berries of this variety, first of all, I would like to touch on the numerical values. In shape, they are almost ideal spheres, and their mass reaches approximately three to four grams. However, this number can be very different for plants of different ages.
Of course, the black currant of Arcadia is painted in a black shade, and in the light you can see a bluish-silver glare on them. As already mentioned, the berries are not only very tasty, but also very healthy, and even their glossy skin does not interfere with consumption.
The berries are located in the same way as the inflorescences on a flowering bush: tassels. The berry comes off the bush practically without any problems. However, sometimes the stalk turns out to be too strong, but in this case, we advise you to roll the berry: this way it will definitely come off without shaking the nearby branches. In addition, when plucking, you are unlikely to damage the berry itself, and therefore, during storage, the crop arrives safe and sound.
As for the taste of the berries of the Arcadia Black currant variety, you will probably not have enough just the words "tasty" or "sweet", and therefore we offer you an assessment of professional tasters.
Of course, everyone's tastes are different, but in these berries, the palette of sour and sweet tastes seems to be mixed just perfectly, and therefore the average score tends to four and a half, which is an excellent result.
To summarize: the pros and cons
Of course, like any other plant, this currant has its drawbacks. However, fortunately, they are not so critical as to overshadow its undeniable advantages:
- First of all, one cannot fail to note the very tasty and, most importantly, healthy berries, which make this variety so popular and widespread.
- You can also note the plant's resistance to external factors.
- The yield of currants is also at a height and, in addition, it pleases with its constancy.
- Well, and finally, it can be noted that the plant is completely unpretentious to the place of its cultivation, of course, within reasonable limits, and therefore it can be grown practically throughout Russia.
As for the shortcomings of Arcadia's currants, they, as already mentioned, are insignificant. If you believe the reviews of gardeners, then the biggest disadvantage that they notice is the tendency of the branches to bend under the weight of the berries. However, this is easily solved with props.
Currant Arcadia Black: planting varieties
As you probably know, planting is one of the most important stages in the life of absolutely every plant, since it is it, according to the statements of professional gardeners, that makes up almost fifty percent of the success of the future plant. Moreover, this is not an exaggeration at all.
First of all, you, of course, will have to take care of preparing the ground for planting, since the currants will have to live in it for many years to come.At the same time, it should be understood that, of course, it is impossible to do everything the day before direct planting, since the soil must be thoroughly stuffed with fertilizers and get rid of everything unnecessary, which, of course, will take a lot of time.
At the very beginning, care should be taken to remove weeds from the site, as well as, if any, insect dwellings and larger pests. Especially dangerous are those parasites that sit underground and wait for the right moment when they can attack the plant and destroy it from the inside.
When removing weeds, by the way, you need to be especially careful, since in those places where nothing has ever grown, they can have very voluminous rhizomes, which makes their removal a problematic task. By leaving a large part of the root in the ground, you guarantee the return of the weed in the near future, when the plant is already in the ground and it will be much more difficult to remove the parasitic plant.
In order to minimize the risks of weeds returning to a minimum, it will be necessary to dig up the soil quite deeply, and this must be done until root particles cease to come across in the ground.
What is equally important for preparing a good pit is monitoring the acidity of the soil. Although it is not a fundamental factor for the Arcadia Black currant, it can still strongly affect the formation of fruits.
In order to assess the acidity of the soil, you will need to use a special device, and if it is too high, you will have to use wood ash, which will help you significantly reduce the pH level.
Also, all kinds of fertilizers and feeding will be very useful, which will allow the currants to get used to new growing conditions much faster and start active growth, which, moreover, will be stimulated by drugs.
It is best to use both biological and mineral fertilizers, as they work wonderfully together, giving the plant everything that is vital for it. Manure is suitable as biological fertilizers, and complexes of mineral fertilizers can be found without any difficulty in any store.
By the way, fertilizers exist in a different, somewhat unusual form. They are called green fertilizers and work on a rather interesting principle: a year before planting the currant itself or any other plant that interests you, the pre-selected planting site is filled with mustard, clover, or legumes - small annuals.
After they have faded and died, their remains will be an excellent food for the black currant bush.
Terms and conditions of boarding
In fact, the question of when it is better to clamp the plants, and this applies not only to black currants, has not faded among gardeners for a long time. Some are committed to exclusively spring planting, and some prefer autumn planting, and each side makes some pretty strong arguments in their favor. What should a beginner do.
In principle, both options are suitable: it is quite possible to plant both in spring and autumn, however, with a late planting, you should understand that planting a plant will be associated with certain risks, because the onset of sudden cold weather is much more likely than in spring.
Nevertheless, if you are confident in your abilities, as well as in the weather for the coming weeks, then the autumn planting may well suit you. It is most often held in October - at the very beginning.
As for spring, the schedule here is much more flexible, because planting, although it depends entirely on the weather, does not make you rush. In principle, all the time that remains after the snow melts and the end of the cold weather is at your disposal. The main thing is to be in time before the beginning of the phase of active flow of juices.
The best, of course, is March, but in April the planting will be quite successful. The main thing is that the weather permits.
There are some other important conditions that must be met when planting, but the main one is keeping the kidneys at rest. If the leaves have begun to bloom or have already blossomed, then planting such a shrub is undesirable, because in this case adaptation will be greatly delayed due to the fact that the plants will give a large amount of their energy to support the growth of the leaves. This is not a big problem for spring, but in the fall it can turn into a real disaster, since the plant will constantly get sick and, possibly, simply die.
Pick-up location
In fact, the soil itself does not play an overly important role in planting this plant, and therefore, in almost any garden, Arcadia Black currants can easily take root. However, if you want to make your shrub as efficient as possible, you will need to do some good soil preparation.
It should be clayey or loamy, since it is on these soils that the plants show the best efficiency. It is also advisable to take care of not too high acidity, which will not exceed six pH. We told you above how to get rid of acidity in your area.
For the rest, you do not have to worry about the quality and condition of the soil, since the plant is not at all demanding. The main thing, like for any other culture, is that it be fertile. However, limestone in the soil can become a problem, since the currant of Arcadia Chernaya does not tolerate it at all, and therefore we would advise you to get rid of it.
If we move away from the issue of soil, then there are still some factors that affect the choice of the optimal planting site. The first of these factors is, of course, the sun, since it is it that decides how successful a particular bush will be. And with insufficient solar energy, it will be extremely difficult to grow.
Nevertheless, if all the sunny areas in your garden are already occupied by more promising plants, you may well be able to give the currants a place in partial shade. There she, of course, will be a little less effective, but still she will not complain about the lack of sunlight.
An equally important factor that can greatly affect the location of the plant on your site is protection from winds, which can especially harm the currants in winter, significantly weakening its immunity and making it extremely unstable to disease. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you provide protection from through winds in the form of a fence or planting bushes next to the wall of a house or barn. In addition, such an arrangement will help you kill two birds with one stone, as you will automatically protect the plants from recurrent spring frosts.
Currant Arcadia Black: a description of the selection of seedlings
Of course, all of the above is incredibly important when planting a seedling, however, more importantly, you first need to choose the seedling itself, which you will shelter in your garden. The fact is that, in addition to the huge number of fakes that can be found in the markets, you can also find heavily damaged specimens that, even with a strong desire, cannot take root in your garden.
When buying, you should, first of all, pay attention to the prestige of the seller, and it is better to purchase planting material entirely directly from the manufacturer.
If you are convinced that you are not being sold an ordinary wild game instead of a varietal bush, then you should take a good look at the seedling itself. The main thing that you must pay attention to is its root system, since it is she who is responsible for how well the plant will take in your soil.
It should consist of at least three or four large processes with branched systems of smaller roots.However, it is worth paying attention to the upper part: it should contain at least three shoots, which will be covered with a smooth gray bark. It is very important to make sure that there is no physical damage to them, as this will greatly prevent the plant from growing normally.
However, even buying a good seedling is not everything. You must also prepare it for the planting procedure, and this is done by removing all non-viable parts and processing the cut points. You can also soak the roots, but this is not necessary.
Planting process
One of the most interesting tricks that professional gardeners use when planting currants is to lower the plant by five to ten centimeters. After a while, in place of the root collar, which is under the ground level, new roots are formed, which will allow the plants to be very well fixed.
However, before that, it is necessary to pour a small hill at the bottom of the hole, on which it will be possible to plant the root system of the plant in such a way that all the roots look to the carved sides.
After this is done, it will be possible to start filling the hole with the fertilized soil that you prepared earlier. In this case, it is necessary to tamp it so that air bubbles do not form in the soil, since otherwise rotting may begin, which will lead to the death of the young plant.
It is also advisable to compact the soil near the trunk circle of currants, as well as water it well with slightly heated water. After that, a small formative pruning is carried out, which is needed in order for the crown of the bush to grow correctly.
Only two or three buds should be left on the entire bush, since in the near future it will need to develop its root system, and not branches at all.
It is also very important to consider the distance between plants if you are going to plant an entire currant garden. In order for the bushes not to interfere with each other's growth, at least a meter should be left between them, while rows for more comfortable harvesting are recommended to be planted at a distance of two meters.
What care does Arcadia Black currant require?
In fact, caring for Arcadia's black currant is not such a difficult task. Otherwise, this plant would not be so common among not only professional, but also non-professional gardeners.
The main thing that you will need to do in order for your shrub to be effective and grow properly is to follow the instructions that will be given below. Everything, from agricultural techniques to the time of the procedures, matters, but if you remember when and, most importantly, how to carry them out, then you will not face any problems.
First of all, I would like to talk about such an important procedure as mulching. It consists in the fact that the near-stem circle of the plant is completely covered with organic material, such as straw, humus or sawdust, or better - all of this at once.
In this way, the grower receives a huge number of benefits, such as less rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, protection of the plant from the cold in winter, as well as preventing the spread of weeds and some parasites, which include snails and slugs.
In addition, all these effects are even more important directly for the currant, since this plant prefers to live in a humid environment, and can also be damaged by excessively cold winters.
Therefore, despite the fact that many sources do not call mulching a mandatory procedure, we believe that it is absolutely necessary if you want to take care of the plant with great comfort.
As for the timing, it is advisable to mulch the plant constantly: with each watering, at least half of the mulch should be replaced so that it remains sufficiently effective.Of course, this does not apply only to winter, when one layer, and quite thick, lies throughout the season.
Soil care
This paragraph should be read, first of all, for those who are not going to carry out mulching for their currants, since in this case you will have to pay special attention to the care of the soil, since a large number of problems will arise with it.
One of the main procedures, which you should never forget about, is weeding, which prevents unwanted infestations by various parasites, and also does not allow the development of whole colonies of weeds.
It is best to carry out weeding by hand, as this is the only way to fully control the process. To do this, you can use hoes and other tools that every gardener will definitely find.
What kind of feeding should the currant Arkady Black receive
Absolutely all professional gardeners resort to the use of fertilizers, since without them it is very difficult to grow a truly effective plant that will yield more than average fruit.
Therefore, even if you are a beginner, and fertilizers seem to you an unnecessary addition to the care of currants, we advise you to use them, and at the same time strictly adhere to the timing of feeding.
By the way, they can be completely different and not only artificial. Fertilizers also include manure and compost, which are completely organic. However, one should not forget about mineral fertilizers either, since only they can fully provide plants with all those trace elements that they need for active and rapid development.
However, when feeding currants, you should also adhere to some rules, since not all fertilizers are suitable for the whole plant. For example, currant Arkady Black does not tolerate chlorides at all, and therefore you should avoid those preparations that contain them in their composition.
However, you are unlikely to have to bother so much when choosing a mineral complex, since there are mixtures created specifically for the family of plants we are discussing, and they perfectly mix exactly those components that the currant needs, as well as its closest relatives.
However, we also do not advise you to stick to only one fertilizer that you will constantly use for absolutely all currant bushes in your garden. Instead, we would recommend alternating fertilizing, namely, organic and mineral, as this way you can provide the plant with the greatest number of nutrients.
Most often, only three dressings are carried out in one growing season, however, in fact, many gardeners in this regard adhere to their own preferences, and therefore the dates and even the amount of fertilizers can vary greatly.
However, we would advise you to stick to three treatments per growing season, while remembering to alternate between them. However, if you notice that this amount is not enough for your plants or, on the contrary, it is too much for them, you can always adjust your feeding schedule.
Watering
As already mentioned, currants are a rather moisture-loving culture, and therefore they will have to be watered quite a lot and quite abundantly. The water that you will water the plant with is best taken from nature, collecting it during the rain, since it is in the rainwater that contains a large amount of substances that the plant may need during growth.
In order to determine when to water the next time, you should carefully monitor the condition of the soil, as it is the best indicator of whether the bush needs moisture or not.By the way, some devices can help you with this, which determine the moisture content in the soil and make watering more timely.
However, you should not forget that when using mulch, the number of procedures is significantly reduced, since excessive evaporation of liquid from the soil is prevented.
Pruning
This procedure is one of the most difficult and complex not only for beginners, but also for some professional gardeners. Many people do not consider pruning at all as a necessity, however, believe me, it plays a very important role in the growth of your plant.
As you already know, the very first pruning of currant branches is done immediately after you plant a bush. Moreover, this pruning is quite cardinal. However, in the next few years, it is not recommended to do such powerful pruning. The maximum that you should cut off is small unnecessary branches, while skeletal structures should be left for a while.
However, this is as far as the formative clippings are concerned. You should understand that they are divided into two completely different types, which involve the removal of completely different parts of the bush. Along with the formative pruning, which are carried out at the very beginning of spring - when the cold months just end, sanitary inspections are also carried out, which take place at the very end of the growing season of the plant - in the fall. Their essence is to remove damaged or too old branches, which you should do at the end of absolutely every year. Otherwise, you may be overtaken by a sudden and completely unwanted infection that will put the plant's life on the line.
Full-fledged formative pruning, which also includes rejuvenating the plant, should be carried out even when the currants begin to actively and regularly bear fruit. At the same time, they will be held every year, exactly like sanitary trimmings.
In order to understand which branches should be cut off, and which ones can still serve your bush, you should understand the very principle of fruiting of this bush, and it bears fruit for the most part only on one-year and two-year branches, and therefore all those branches that are older than three years , you can safely cut it off, because they will only be a burden for the bush.
However, why are three-year-old branches not removed, if normal fruiting is maintained only on one-year and two-year-olds. The fact is that without three-year-old shoots, the plant will not be able to grow normally, since it simply will have too few branches on which the leaves would grow, supplying the currant with energy.
As for the technique of the procedure, you must understand that it includes deliberately damaging the plant, and therefore, if you want it to remain intact after pruning, you must minimize this damage.
It is best to use a powerful and well-pointed pruner that will leave exceptionally even cuts for the plant to heal with ease. You will also need a garden var, a preparation that you can lubricate the cut sites so that no infection gets into them during healing.
By the way, if the pruning has not been carried out for quite some time, then this is not so scary. You can carry out general pruning at any time, during which you will devote a large number of branches that over-thicken the bush, and therefore you should not worry about this.
Preparing for winter
As you already know, the Arcadia Black currant is a variety that is well protected from the cold, and therefore frosty winters are not so terrible for it. However, this does not mean at all that you can leave the bush without any fear without any protection in the harsh winter. It can end very badly, and therefore protection from the cold is absolutely necessary.
However, this does not apply to the southern regions, and therefore, if you live in a warm part of our country, you may not be afraid of frostbite: it will not overtake your plants.
However, in general, winters with temperatures dropping below thirty degrees below zero are not uncommon in our country, and therefore the plants must be mulched, and sometimes other protective measures must be used.
Important!
Many gardeners mistakenly believe that especially abundant watering for the winter is a great way to protect the plant from frost, but this is not at all the case. The fact is that in reality, excessively abundant watering can only make everything worse, because with a really high moisture content in the soil, the soil liquefies and does not provide access to oxygen, which significantly reduces the survival rate of currants.
Instead of such extreme and apparently useless measures, it is better to resort to such a procedure as wrapping the trunk in dense agrofibre, which will not allow the trunk to freeze. We must not forget about the already mentioned mulching. However, there is one caveat with him.
The fact is that mulch is a natural heat insulator, and their properties do not allow the soil not only to lose heat, but also to receive heat, and therefore, after a long winter, all mulch must be immediately removed, since otherwise the earth will warm up for a very long time.
How the currant of Arcadia Black reproduces
In fact, there are a huge number of ways in which this plant can be propagated, however, not all of them are effective and, therefore, in demand. In fact, only two are quite simple to implement, and also, of course, effective, and therefore we will consider them.
Cutting method
This breeding method is suitable for almost all plants, and, of course, currants are no exception. By the way, this is the best option for her, since the layering method is a little less used and recommended in professional circles.
The procedure is carried out most often in the fall. In order for the future young currant to be strong and healthy, it will, of course, need a strong and healthy stalk, which will not be difficult to find on your bush. Its length should be approximately twenty centimeters. Moreover, it is advisable to choose several cuttings at once, so that after the winter you have more chances of a successful implementation of the procedure.
In order for the cuttings to survive until spring, they should be stored in a dry and cool place. Even a refrigerator will work, but you must make sure it is not too cold for the plant.
At the same time, it would be best to put the cuttings in containers with sand, as it will provide them with increased safety and security. However, the sand, unlike the room itself where you keep the cuttings, should be regularly moistened.
After the cuttings survive the winter, it's time to plant them in the ground and wait for the results. They are planted so deep that only the uppermost bud is visible on the surface, while all the rest will be hidden in the ground.
Layering method
Despite the fact that this method is rarely chosen by professional gardeners, it is an excellent option for beginners due to its relative simplicity.
In order to carry out such reproduction, you will need to select a young shoot that grows close enough to the ground. It is he who is called layering.
After you make your choice, you will need to tilt the cut to the ground, making sure that it is not damaged. After that, the shoot is lowered into a not very deep groove, dug a couple of days before the start of the procedure, and is fixed in it by filling the groove with soil.
You can also use additional fixation, which will prevent incidents during the procedure. It is done with a thick wire, bent in the form of a hairpin, with which you "pin" the shoot to the ground.
By the way, if you want the operation to go even faster and more productively, then you should cut the bark of the selected shoot just before diving into the ditch, and also add growth stimulants to the soil with which you will fill it, thanks to which the cuttings can most quickly and effectively form your own root system.
By the way, all this action is carried out in the spring, since the layering will take time to properly take root before the onset of cold weather. Throughout the season, you must care for the buried shoot almost like a separate plant: it must be watered regularly, allowing the root system to grow and grow stronger.
In the fall, there comes a moment X, when you check if the root system is strong and extensive enough. In the th case, if everything goes according to plan, and the root system has grown enough, you can safely cut off the stem of the layering from the mother plant, which will make it a new full-fledged currant bush. At the same time, a transplant is carried out so that the mother plant does not interfere with the growth of the layering.
If the root system is still too small and, obviously, cannot survive the winter without bad consequences, it would be better to separate the plant next fall.
Diseases and pests
Unfortunately, it should be admitted that Arkady Black currant does not have outstanding immunity, and therefore protection from all kinds of diseases, insects and parasites is simply necessary for it.
However, all gardeners know that the best protection against diseases is their prevention, since by allowing only the appearance of symptoms, you are already putting your bush at great risk.
Nevertheless, if it was not possible to save yourself from the disease by the method of prevention, and it threatens not only your harvest, but also the life of the plant, then you should act immediately.
Fortunately, there are not so many diseases and pests that can cause really serious damage to your currants, and therefore you can easily recognize them "by sight".
Aphid
This insect is not only the most common parasite for the Arkady Black currant, but also, perhaps, the most common garden pest in principle, since it is almost impossible to get rid of it completely - once and for all.
The consequences of the presence of this parasite on your plant are not difficult to notice: you will immediately begin to see twisted and distorted leaves, on which clearly painful holes and spots are also observed.
In addition, one can understand about the presence of aphids by the sticky coating that is found on damaged leaves and is the waste products of the insect.
Most often, aphids affect those leaves that are located at the very tops of the shoots, and therefore, when examining a bush, you should first of all pay attention to these leaves.
If you want to find the heroes of the occasion themselves, then you will have to try hard, since they are amazing to play hide and seek and very often arrange their shelters on the backs of the leaves.
In addition, in length, these small green parasites do not exceed five millimeters, and therefore, if they do not gather in a large colony, then it will even be quite problematic to notice.
In order to drive the pest away from your bush, you should first use the very first weapon in your arsenal: soap solution. It is absolutely safe for the bush and can scare off a small colony of insects.
However, if the threat hanging over your plant is much more serious, then you should resort to more drastic measures and more effective drugs. Also, an unscheduled pruning will be a good way to get rid of the scourge, within which all attacked shoots will be removed. In doing so, they must be burned so that there is no risk of the parasite returning.
Preparations made from garlic or onions, which are natural poisons for these insects, can also help.However, if the attack is too massive, then the only thing that can help you is chemical insecticides, with which you will have to process the bush a couple of times in order to irrevocably drive away insects.
There are a huge number of them, and therefore it is difficult to provide any general instructions. The main thing is to follow the rules written on the packaging with the drug, and then no problems should arise.
Spider mite
This pest is also a frequent guest in any garden, as well as a huge problem for any gardener. And if your plant has been attacked by this parasite, then action should be taken immediately.
The presence of an insect is indicated, first of all, by faded leaves, as well as the appearance of barely noticeable white dots on their surface. It is very important to notice these points in time, since later they will begin to turn yellow, and this is direct evidence that the mites are beginning to kill the plant. Leaves with yellowed spots soon fall off.
By the way, these ticks are called spiderwebs for a reason. This name was given to them because, as they stay on the plant, they build quite impressive systems of small, almost transparent cobwebs on it. All this leads to poor fruiting, and sometimes to a complete lack of yield.
As for the insects themselves, they are already five times smaller than aphids, and therefore it is almost impossible to accidentally find them on your plant - they are so small. And if the adults at least differ in a bright red color, which helps to somehow see them against a green background, then the young growth is translucent, and it is simply not possible to detect it.
Based on all of the above, it is best to simply prevent your plant from becoming infected with this parasite, because it is sometimes much worse than aphids. However, if a tick is already threatening your crop, then every effort should be made to get rid of it.
Traditional methods rarely help in such situations, and therefore, in order not to waste precious time trying to drive away ticks with garlic, we advise you to immediately treat the bush with an insecticide. Again, you should carefully read the instructions on the packaging so as not to make it worse.
Rust
This, as you understand, is no longer a parasite, but a disease that is caused by small organisms that you never see, but with which your garden is simply teeming, and these organisms are fungi.
They affect plants much more strongly than people, because the temperature, as well as other conditions of our body, simply do not allow them to survive in us. Plants, however, cannot boast of this, and that is why most of their diseases are fungal.
The main symptom that will indicate the onset of the disease will be small reddish-rusty dots that will cover the leaf plates of black currant. They appear, by the way, on the upper part of the sheet plate, and therefore their detection will not be a difficult task.
The spread of the disease occurs with the help of the wind, since it is through it in wet weather that the spores of the fungus spread and infect other plants. That is why in no case should you delay treatment, because all fungal diseases are very contagious, and in the worst case, they can destroy your entire currant garden.
In order to prevent all this, you will need to use approximately the same drugs that we advised you to kill insects. However, obviously, they will target fungi, and they will not be called insecticides, but fungicides.
However, in no case should you start treatment immediately. This is especially true when the plant goes through the flowering stage. The fact is that currant flowers, and all other fruit plants, are very sensitive to these chemicals, and therefore untimely spraying can lead to a complete loss of yield.
After the flowering ends, it will be possible to carry out processing, and after two days of harvesting - another one, which consolidates the effect of the previous one.
Anthracnose
This disease is characteristic, for the most part, for currants, and it manifests itself by the appearance on the leaves, first of dark green, and later - bright burgundy spots, which will also be accompanied by strong swelling.
Over time, such tumors will cover the entire surface of the leaf, as a result of which it will fall off, which can greatly affect the fruiting of the plant. In addition, exactly the same spots appear on the petioles, leading to exactly the same consequences.
With reduced photosynthesis, by the way, which accompanies a sharp fall of almost all foliage as a result of an illness, the plant becomes extremely defenseless, depleted and, in fact, useless until next season. In addition, it can be very dangerous for currants, since under such circumstances it will be incredibly difficult for them to survive the winter without critical consequences.
And, worst of all, it is extremely difficult to escape from the disease, if the infection has already occurred, if, of course, it is not impossible. Perhaps this ailment can be cured only at very early stages by treatment with fungicides, as well as by cutting off all infected parts.
Powdery mildew
Well, the crown of our list will be one of the most common fungal diseases among all fruit plants - powdery mildew. This ailment manifests itself through the appearance of a large number of small white spots on the leaves of a plant, similar to something like frost or a full-fledged white bloom.
White color, of course, does not seem too dangerous at first, but over time, the disease completely captures the leaf, and the harmless white dew turns brown, completely absorbing the leaf plate.
Most often, the disease manifests itself due to high humidity, which follows heavy rains or prolonged fogs. Also, the disease can appear with excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers, and therefore top dressing always needs to know when to stop.
In the case of this disease, there is even no question of removing or not removing all infected parts: they all must be immediately cut off and, preferably, burned.
Also, of course, processing of the entire bush is required. Copper preparations work best against this infection. However, you can also use fungicides that are already well known to you, which will cope equally well with the disinfection of currants. If the disease caught you at the most inopportune moment - during the growth of the leaves, then you need to spray even more intensively - at least in three weeks and until you are completely sure that the disease is gone.
Harvesting and storage
The collection of currant berries Arcadia Black usually begins in July. However, you should rely not only on the timing of the fees, but also on your observations, since only in this way can you find the most appropriate moment.
Then, when you harvest, almost all berries should have a dark black color, symbolizing full ripeness. However, the majority is not all: some berries by this time will only change their color, but they can also be harvested, since they will mature in storage.
It is advisable to pluck the currants from the bush along with long peduncles, and only then pluck each individual berry from them.
By the way, if you have a desire, you can even carry out the harvest in several stages, leaving the least ripe berries to ripen directly on the bush. However, when harvested in this way, there is a high probability that some berries will remain on the branches for too long and simply overripe, making them unusable.
As for storage, it is not too long.The berries withstand their taste qualities only for five to ten days, and therefore, if you are going to implement them, then we do not advise you to delay with this.
By the way, even such short periods are achieved exclusively at certain temperatures: from five to ten degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the berries will deteriorate much faster.
Conclusion
Currant is a truly amazing plant, and it is definitely not in vain that it takes its place of honor in almost every garden in our country. The beneficial qualities of its berries, as well as the incredibly simple rules for growing, in fact, can even make this shrub your favorite. The main thing is to give him a chance.
We hope this article was as informative as possible, and we also hope that it is the Arcadia Black currant variety that will become your choice, because it is not just considered one of the best in its family.
Don't forget to follow the instructions, experiment and grow the wonderful Arcadia currant berries! Well, all we have to do is wish you good luck.
Currant Arcadia Black: video about the variety
