Blackcurrant Little Prince
Content:
Black currant is a fruit shrub that is distinguished by fruits that contain a large amount of nutrients. Thanks to this, every gardener tries to grow black currants in his area. Currently, there are a large number of black currant varieties. They differ in various characteristics, including ripening times. Blackcurrant The Little Prince belongs to the early varieties that yield the harvest already at the beginning of the harvest season.
Blackcurrant Little Prince: variety description
Black currant Little Prince: photo of the variety
Externally, the Little Prince blackcurrant variety has a similar appearance to other blackcurrant varieties. It is distinguished only by its ability to quickly adapt to various weather conditions, as well as unpretentiousness to care.
The Little Prince currant can be grown even in those regions that are characterized by severe winters, since the plants are frost-resistant. The minus temperature that the plant can withstand can even be minus 25, provided there is a small amount of snow. In addition to frost resistance, the plant is quite resistant to drought, which is typical for the southern regions.
Variety history
Blackcurrant The Little Prince is a very popular berry shrub, because the fruit contains a large amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other substances beneficial to the human body. Therefore, breeders and other scientists pay great attention to the development of new varieties of black currant.
A great contribution to the development of this industry was made by scientists working at the Institute named after I.V. Michurin. They own a very wide variety of species and varieties of black currant. The variety discussed in this article was also bred at this institute and immediately began to be actively cultivated among gardeners.
The hybrid was obtained by crossing two varieties. This is Black Pearl and Ojebien. Already in 2004, the plant was officially registered.
Blackcurrant Little Prince: features
Blackcurrant The Little Prince belongs to the medium-sized, since the bushes do not grow more than one and a half meters in height and have a compact crown. Adult branches are lignified and have a fairly large diameter, as well as a straight or arc shape. The leaf plates have five lobes. The central lobe is higher than the lateral lobes. The color of the leaves is bright saturated green. The leaves are serrated along the edges.
Fruits of the Little Prince currant variety are black in color and pulp with a lot of juice. The skin of the berries is glossy. Each berry weighs approximately one and a half or two grams. Since the berries are very sweet, experts rate the palatability of the fruit at 4.6 points. The Little Prince contains a large amount of nutrients, including a large amount of vitamin C, as well as other vitamins, micro and macro elements. To maintain health, a person needs to eat a small handful of black currant berries a day.
The Little Prince currant has a very positive effect on the state of blood vessels, as well as on the functioning of human brain structures. The substances that make up the berries prevent the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes and oncology.You can not eat black currant berries only for those people who have some diseases, such as an ulcer, hepatitis or increased blood clotting.
In addition, as described above, the plant of this variety is distinguished by early ripening of fruits, therefore, it is the leader among fruit shrubs. The tree begins to bear fruit one year after planting. The crop is harvested at the beginning of summer. In order for the bush to grow well, multiply and bear fruit, simple rules of care should be followed. With properly organized care, more than 4 kg of fruit can be harvested from one bush.
Blackcurrant Little Prince: planting varieties
Before you grow the Little Prince currant variety on your site, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of planting and care.
The optimal time for planting will be the autumn period, approximately mid-autumn. Since it is during this period that the plant completes sap flow and enters the dormant stage. Also, during the winter time, the earth will be sufficiently compacted, the plant will take root, and in the spring it will begin to grow with renewed vigor.
The optimal landing site will be open, sunny, or light partial shade. If you plant currants in the shade, the plant will grow poorly. The shrub needs to be watered regularly, but do not overmoisten the soil. It is also better to choose a place where underground waters run deep. If you have acidic soil on your site, then lime or dolomite flour should be added to it during planting.
If you are planting several seedlings, you should keep the distance between them at least a meter, as well as retreat the distance from other trees that grow on your site. The place must be cleared of weeds, stones and other debris, dig up and dig a planting hole. The size of the planting pit should be 40 cm in all directions. It is necessary to add soil to the pit, mixed with fertilizers, which include compost, superphosphate and wood ash.
A seedling is placed in the pit. It should consist of at least 3 shoots and sufficiently developed roots. After planting, it is necessary to water the plant with water, cover it with the remaining soil and water it again. The area around the shrub should be covered with mulch.
Blackcurrant Little Prince: care
As described above, the Little Prince blackcurrant is resistant to dry, hot summers. However, you need to water it regularly so that the fruits are sweet and large. You should be guided by the weather conditions. The water must reach a depth of at least 30 cm in order to wet the entire root system. After the currants are planted, the plant should be watered about twice every 7 days, at the rate of one bucket per bush. This irrigation regime will be optimal within a month. Then you can change the watering mode downward. However, it is necessary to be guided by the amount of precipitation. If there is very little rainfall, then it is also necessary to often water the bush, at the rate of two buckets of water per currant bush. For better moisture retention in the soil, it is necessary to constantly maintain a sufficiently thick layer of mulch, which is perfect for peat, sawdust or other material.
The Little Prince currant is very responsive for feeding, so periodically you need to fertilize the plant. Fertilization begins in the spring. At this time, nitrogen-containing preparations are introduced. For example, you can feed the currants with a urea solution; in the fall, you need to add solutions of bird droppings or manure. Alternatively, you can use compost. In addition, mineral preparations are used as fertilizer: superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
Throughout the summer, the bushes are still fed with ready-made complex mineral preparations, with which the crown is treated. This is usually done during the period of leaf blooming, during the period of fruit setting and during their ripening. In addition, you should feed the currants after the harvest is harvested.Some people make their own fertilizers. Here it is necessary to dilute boric acid, copper sulfate and potassium permanganate in a bucket of water.
Diseases and pests
The positive qualities of the black currant variety Little Prince include the plant's high immunity to various diseases, including spot and powdery mildew. The plant can be affected by other ailments, as well as insect pests, to which the plant has low immunity, can attack it.
In order to increase the defenses of the shrub, it is necessary to properly care for it. If the plant is still sick, then you should use special preparations against diseases and insects, which can be easily purchased in specialized stores. Well-proven Fitosporin, Topaz and Bordeaux mixture.
Of the insects, ticks and moths most often attack the plant. To combat them, drugs such as Confidor or Aktara are very effective.
In addition, one should not forget about preventive measures and process the plant after the winter period, during the period of flower formation. A nitrafen solution can be used here. In addition, in the autumn, the shrub should be treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur.
Shrub formation
Black currant Little Prince: photo of the variety
Like any plant, the Little Prince currant must be cut off. Pruning is usually done in the spring and before winter. In the spring, before the start of sap flow, frozen, dried and damaged branches should be cut out.
In the autumn, you should cut out old stems that are more than 5 years old, since the largest and sweetest fruits are formed on three, four and five-year-old shoots. You should also cut off affected, dead branches or weak and thin shoots, as they will still freeze in the winter. Thus, after the autumn pruning, the bush becomes one third smaller. All cuts should be treated with garden varnish.
An adult currant bush The Little Prince should consist of 13-14 shoots of different ages.
Preparing for the winter period
In the autumn, the Little Prince blackcurrant variety should be prepared for winter. To do this, after the autumn pruning, weed the plant, remove all leaves and fallen fruits and burn them. Then the soil under the currants is dug up, and the necessary fertilizers are also applied. Do not forget about treating shrubs against diseases and insects.
If your region is characterized by very low subzero temperatures, then it is better to insulate the shrub additionally. It is necessary to jump as close to the ground as possible and cover it with spruce branches. You can use special agrofibre. In winter, it is best to cover the bush with snow, then the plant will survive frosts down to minus 50 degrees.
Harvesting
Fruits of the black currant variety Little Prince ripen not at the same time, but within a week. At the same time, ripe fruits can crumble, so they must be collected immediately. It is best to do this in dry weather, for greater keeping quality of the berries. Fruit should be stored in low, wide baskets or boxes with pre-drilled holes for air circulation.
Currant berries The Little Prince should be picked carefully. If you picked currant fruits in the rain, and the berries are wet, then you should first dry them by spreading them out on paper. You can freeze, dry the berries or make jam and other preparations from them.
If you are going to transport the fruits over a long distance, then you need to pick them not quite ripe. In this case, you can extend their shelf life by about a week.
In addition, the Little Prince currant berries are kept in the refrigerator. Here they will be stored for 3 weeks. Despite the fact that the fruits are heat-treated, the amount of vitamins in them does not change.
Blackcurrant Little Prince: reviews of gardeners
Black currant Little Prince: photo of the variety
- Maxim Vasilievich, Chelyabinsk region: “For me, the Little Prince blackcurrant is probably the best variety to grow. I have been growing for 15 years and this variety has never upset me. The undoubted advantages of currants, the Little Prince, include the stability of fruiting, high external and taste qualities of fruits, berries are able to retain their useful properties even after conservation. Also currant Little Prince has good resistance to frost and drought. The self-fertility of the bush is undoubtedly another positive quality of the plant. "
- Ekaterina Semyonovna: “Blackcurrant The Little Prince has been growing on my garden plot recently, but has already managed to please me with a large number of delicious berries. I really like that the Little Prince currant fruits have a dense peel, which makes them very convenient to pick. I also noticed that in the absence of timely watering, the berries become smaller in size. "
Conclusion
Blackcurrant Little Prince is an excellent option for cultivation, both on a personal plot and on an industrial scale.
The plant has a large number of advantages, is unpretentious, easily adapts to various climatic conditions, has high external and taste qualities of fruits.