Cultivation Techniques for Blackcurrant
Blackcurrant, whose scientific name is Ribes nigrum, is also known as black gooseberry, black bean fruit, and purple plum. It is a small shrub, and its fruit is a small black berry when ripe. It can be eaten and can also be processed into juice and jam. It has extremely high nutritional value, is rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and a variety of trace elements beneficial to the human body, and can also help prevent gout, anemia, edema, arthritis, rheumatism, and other conditions. So do you know how to grow it? Let's take a look together.
1. Site selection and land preparation
Blackcurrant can grow in a fixed location for more than 20 years, so a good planting site should be chosen according to its growth characteristics so that it grows and develops well and can continuously produce berries. A area with sufficient sunlight, flat terrain, deep soil, close to a water source, and convenient drainage and irrigation should be selected. If it is a mountainous area, a site with a certain slope can be chosen, which can avoid frost pockets, and the slope must not exceed 10 degrees. After clearing weeds and residual plant debris from the planting site, apply base fertilizer in combination with plowing, then harrow finely and level the land, and wait for planting.
2. Propagation methods
When planting blackcurrant, two methods, cuttings and layering, can be used for propagation. After autumn, cut healthy growing branches from the mother plant, cut them into 20-25 cm cuttings, and store them in a cool place. When the temperature rises in spring, the cuttings can be trimmed to a length of 10-15 cm for cutting. Generally, they will take root after about half a month. As long as management is proper, they can become seedlings for field planting by autumn. For layering propagation, in spring, score or peel the branches that grew last year and press them around the plant, burying them about 5 cm deep. After the root system grows, earth up the soil to expand the rooting range, and in autumn they can be separated from the mother plant for field planting.
3. Field planting
The field planting time can be chosen in autumn or spring. In autumn, it is from October to before the ground freezes, and in spring it is around April. During field planting, the planting density should be reasonably controlled according to the characteristics of the variety and the planting method. Generally, for larger plants that need cold protection, a row spacing of 2×1.5 m is suitable, while for smaller varieties that do not need cold protection, a row spacing of 2×1.25 m is suitable. The row spacing can also be increased or decreased according to actual conditions. The planting depth is generally 6-8 cm, adjusted appropriately according to the height of the terrain. Before planting, cut the seedlings first, leaving about 8-12 cm of stem base, and ensure there are 3-4 buds to help form lateral buds. Then apply base fertilizer in the planting hole, backfill half of it, straighten the cut seedlings and plant them well. When covering with soil, lift the seedlings gently several times so that the root system is closely connected with the soil, then cover with soil and firm it, and water thoroughly.
4. Field management
Field management after planting is closely related to yield, so it is especially important. It is mainly done in terms of fertilizer, soil, and water. For fertilization, it is best to use decomposed farmyard manure together with nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer to achieve physiological balance among the elements. Water is indispensable for crop growth. In order to meet the needs of blackcurrant growth, its water requirements must be met, and the soil must always be kept moist. During the rainy season, drainage should be done in time. In addition to water and fertilizer management, the orchard soil should also be kept loose to meet the plant's soil requirements. Cultivate and weed once regularly to promote root growth and speed up normal growth and fruiting of the aboveground parts of the plant.
The above is an introduction to blackcurrant cultivation techniques. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more about cultivation knowledge, please stay tuned to us.