Blackcurrant Hercules

At least one bush of black currant should grow in every garden, because this berry is incredibly useful, besides it has a very pleasant taste and strong aroma. Of course, any owner wants to grow the largest and sweetest fruits – to the envy of all neighbors. An excellent option for summer residents and farmers is Hercules blackcurrant. Someone calls this variety Hercules, but the essence of this does not change: the culture pleases with consistently high yields, a very large size of berries and excellent taste. The most important advantages of Hercules are obvious – you can find out about them from the photo, but this variety also has other, no less valuable advantages.

A description of the currant variety Hercules with photos and reviews of domestic summer residents is given in this article. Below will be listed all the strengths of the culture and talk about its shortcomings. Beginners will be able to learn about the rules of agricultural technology and learn how to plant blackcurrants and take care of them.

Characteristic of the variety

A relatively young blackcurrant variety Hercules appeared at the end of the last century. The author was an employee of the Siberian All- Research Institute L. Zabelina. Hercules is positioned as a late, large-fruited and high-yielding variety with valuable nutritional qualities.

A detailed description of the blackcurrant variety Hercules:

• the plant is tall, the bushes are erect, not sprawling;
• leafiness of shoots is average, which greatly simplifies the collection of berries;
• the thickness of young shoots is medium, they are painted green with a pink “blush”;
• old branches are lignified, light brown in color, with a slight wax coating;
• the buds of the currant are medium in size, round-ovoid, arranged singly;
• the leaves of Hercules have three lobes, they are glossy, dense, bright green, large in size;
• the edge of the sheet is finely toothed, the teeth are rounded;
• petioles of leaves are rather thick and short, have a slight pubescence;
• medium-sized flowers, beige-pink;
• brushes are long, packed tightly, each of them contains 8-12 berries;
• the fruits of Hercules are very large – the mass of each berry is from 1,6 to 3,5 grams;
• the shape of the berries is correct, round, one-dimensional;
• the peel is thin, but elastic, practically does not have a glossy sheen, with a slight coating;
• inside the fruit a small amount of light brown small seeds;
• dry currant separation, which provides Hercules with suitability for transportation and short-term storage (berries do not “drain”);
• the taste of the Hercules variety is considered dessert: strong aroma, sweet pulp with a small amount of sourness;
• self-fertile currant – about 50%, does not need pollinators (but the presence of other varieties nearby increases productivity and has a good effect on the taste of Hercules);
• the yield of the variety is excellent – more than 11 tons per hectare, about 3,5-4 kg per bush;
• the plant is winter-hardy, capable of wintering without shelter even in Siberia (frosts are tolerated by both the buds of Hercules and its flowers);
• currant has a strong immunity to fungal infections such as anthracnose and septoria;
• the variety is unpretentious to the mechanical and chemical composition of the soil – Hercules can be grown on any soil;
• there is a weak resistance of Hercules to the bud mite, therefore, preventive treatments of the bushes are required.

Advantages and disadvantages

Almost all reviews of Hercules blackcurrant are positive: everyone likes this variety without exception. Moreover, the opinion of gardeners does not depend on the climatic conditions of their residence: the culture has proven itself well in the north, and in the south, and in the center of the country.

In the fruits of Hercules, not only a pleasant taste is valued, but also the composition of this currant:

• 1,7% ascorbic acid;
• 8,7% sugar;
• 2,2% fruit acids;
• 18,4% dry solubles.

The disadvantages of the Hercules variety are insignificant, and the most important of them is the lack of resistance to the kidney mite. This problem is solved simply – by regularly spraying the shrub twice a year (in early spring and late autumn) and digging the soil around the plants.

But the blackcurrant Hercules still has many advantages:

• high and stable yield;
• excellent taste;
• large sizes of berries (Hercules is one of the largest varieties in Our Country);
• suitability of the crop for transportation and storage;
• excellent winter hardiness;
• high frost resistance of flowers in spring;
• self-fertility;
• resistance to fungal infections;
• unpretentiousness to the composition and type of soil.

Hercules currant is one of the most unpretentious among the crops of its kind. It can definitely be recommended even to novice gardeners and inexperienced gardeners. The variety has proven itself no less well in industrial plantings: the berries are technologically advanced, the crop can be harvested by automated machines and used for any purpose.

Agricultural practices

Any black currant, whether it is or foreign selection, cannot be called a problem-free culture. Growing chokeberry has its own characteristics and nuances. Quite often one can hear the complaints of farmers about the lack of survival and capriciousness of this crop.

In order for the currant bush to take root and give good yields every year, it must first be properly planted. And then – to provide competent care.

Pickup time and place

In principle, planting blackcurrants is allowed both in spring and autumn. In most regions, spring is early, and summer is quite hot. In such conditions, spring immature seedlings often disappear, die from heat and drought. That’s why Hercules is best planted in the fall: from the beginning of September to the second decade of October.

For the normal development of blackcurrant, the sun and a sufficient amount of air are necessary. Therefore, a place for landing Hercules should be chosen in an open sunny area.

Despite the unpretentiousness of the variety to the composition of the soil, it is still recommended to avoid excessive acidity of the soil. In such cases, before planting, the ground can be watered with milk of lime or other deacidification methods can be used.

It is necessary to choose the interval between adjacent bushes, taking into account the height of Hercules. This is a tall plant, and although the currant shoots are erect, not prone to lodging, the distance between the bushes should be decent. If the shadow from the overgrown shrub falls on neighboring plants, fungal infections of the currant and the spread of ticks cannot be avoided.

The planting process

Hercules late can be planted both in pits and in trenches. The depth of the pits should be 30-40 cm. Experienced gardeners recommend preparing planting pits for currants in advance – at least a couple of months before planting. This will allow the earth to compact and settle, which will have a beneficial effect on the currants planted later.

Fertilizers must be placed at the bottom of the planting pits. It can be humus, compost, horse manure, humus. Organics can be mixed with wood ash or mineral phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Pour some earth on top and start planting currants.

Many gardeners note the best survival rate of blackcurrant when planting bushes at an angle. In this case, the seedling is placed at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizon. So the roots of Hercules will grow faster, the currant will take root and grow.

Even before the roots fall asleep with earth, water is poured into the pit. Only after that they begin to compact the soil and fill the planting pit with soil. To rejuvenate the crown and direct the forces of the currant to the roots, the shoots of the shrub are cut by a third or half.

shrub pruning

There is nothing difficult in the subsequent cultivation of blackcurrant Hercules, it needs the same care as any other variety. The most important condition for high yields and a long “life” of a plant is competent pruning.

It is recommended to cut currants twice a year: in spring and autumn. Spring pruning should be done until the buds swell on the branches. In autumn, Hercules is pruned between the last harvest and the first serious frost.

The blackcurrant pruning rules are as follows:

1. All shoots are cut to the very ground or to a larger branch – no stumps should remain.
2. Those shoots that lie on the ground or are located close to its surface must be cut out. Otherwise, they can cause infection of the shrub.
3. All diseased, dry and old shoots over five years old must be removed.
4. From young shoots, only upright and largest shoots should be left, crooked and weak branches are cut out.
5. By the age of five, a currant bush should consist of three old shoots, three two-year-old and three young branches. There should not be more than 12-15 shoots on one shrub.

Write Your Review

Conclusion

Blackcurrant Hercules can be called a universal variety. This crop is successfully grown both in private farms and on a large industrial scale. The Hercules variety has a lot of advantages, but it also has a significant drawback – poor resistance to bud mites. So, it is better to plant this currant where the presence of the pest has not been previously noted.