Blackcurrant Vigorous

The name of the blackcurrant variety Vigorous will tell everyone about their own. For some, this will be a characteristic of an unforgettable size, for someone, after tasting its berries, an association with taste will arise, but in any case, it’s impossible to just pass by this currant variety. He literally attracts both the size of his berries, and their abundance on the bushes, and their equal size, however, subject to proper care and pruning.

You can find a full description of the Vigorous blackcurrant variety with photos and reviews of those who grew it later in this article. Both the advantages and disadvantages of Vigorous currant will not be ignored, so that you can finally decide whether this variety is suitable for your site or not.

History of occurrence

The blackcurrant variety Vigorous received a ticket to life in the department of mountain gardening of the Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after. Lisavenka, located in Barnaul. The author is the breeder of this variety Zabelina L.N. took a hybrid obtained from crossing varieties of currant Brebthorp and Dikovinka and, in turn, crossed it with currant Lyubimitsa Altai.

All this happened in the difficult 90s of the last century, and only in 2000 was the black currant Vigorous included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Our Country. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the conditions of the Volga-Vyatka and West Siberian regions, but due to its attractive characteristics, it quickly won the hearts of gardeners throughout Our Country and is actively grown even in the northern part of Belarus and Ukraine.

Variety description

Currant bushes of the Vigorous variety are characterized by restrained growth.

They reach only 1,5 meters in height.

Young growing shoots are of medium thickness, although they can grow quite thick. The color of the bark is standard green, in some places a slight anthocyanin blush appears. The swelling is weak.

Lignified adult shoots of currant differ from young ones mainly in the color of the bark – from light to dark brown.

Kidneys of medium size, apical, rejected, collected in groups of 1-3 in each node. Their shape is ovoid with a pointed apex. Color – bright red, pubescence – weak.

The leaves have a standard five-lobed shape, shiny, leathery, dark green, slightly wrinkled and blistered. There is no pubescence on the leaves, the veins are deeply depressed. The main veins are dark pink. The teeth are wide, have an average length, bent. Cream dots are clearly visible on them. Petioles of leaves are medium in length and thickness, pink in color, have a slight pubescence.

The flowers are medium in size, painted in pale pink. The brushes are elongated so that they accommodate from 6 to 12 loosely closed berries.

The stalks are thick, long, pubescent, hold the clusters of berries well on the bushes.

Blackcurrant Vigorous refers to late-ripening varieties in terms of ripening time. Its berries begin to ripen only by the end of July, and in some regions even in August. Fruiting occurs in a fairly short time, which is especially beneficial for farmers for industrial cultivation.

The variety shows good resistance both to frosty winters (it can endure without shelter up to -30 ° C, and with good snow cover – up to -40 ° C), and to extreme heat and drought, which makes it suitable for cultivation in many regions.

The rapidity of this currant also deserves attention – already in the first year after planting it can bring a crop, but the branches of the 2nd and 3rd years of fruiting are the most abundant in terms of the number of fruits.

The yield of the currant variety Vigorous deserves admiration – up to 5-6 kg of berries can be harvested from one bush. When grown on an industrial scale, this figure varies between 6 to 12 tons of berries per hectare and depends on agricultural practices, planting density and plant age.

Currant variety Vigorous is also characterized by good resistance to powdery mildew and bud mites. True, susceptibility to anthracnose is only about 3 points.

Characteristics of berries

Blackcurrant berries of the Vigorous variety break all records in terms of size and are considered almost the largest, if we consider as a comparison the varieties of domestic selection.

• The shape of the berries is round, sometimes slightly oblong, as if plum-shaped.
• The size of the berry reaches 2 cm in length and 1,5 cm in width. Many confuse the berries of this currant with grapes or cherries.
• The weight of one berry can reach up to 8 g, the average weight is 5-7 grams. Usually the berries are well aligned in size and weight.

  

• The pulp is fleshy, the skin is thin, but strong. The berries contain a significant amount of fairly large seeds.
• The color of the fruit is black, without an intensely pronounced gloss.
• After separation, the berries do not expire with juice, and after picking with brushes, they may not crumble for a long time.
• Currant berries of this variety have an amazing aroma and sweet and sour taste. According to tasters, taste qualities are estimated at 4,3 points. Many consider the taste of Vigorous berries to be frankly sour, but if it is possible to let them hang on the bushes after ripening, do it. And you will be able to appreciate their taste.
• Berries contain: sugars – 9%, ascorbic acid – 96 mg / 100g, dry soluble substances – 8-11%, titratable acidity – 3,7%.
• The use of berries is universal. It is best to freeze them for the winter or grind them with sugar to preserve all the vitamins. But they will also look luxurious in various compotes, jellies, preserves, jams, etc.

  

• The transportability of berries is low. It is better to transport them only for short distances.

Advantages and disadvantages

The variety compares favorably with its advantages, but it also has disadvantages. What will tip the scales is up to you.

Among the advantages it should be noted:

• The gigantic size of the berries is one of the largest among all blackcurrant varieties.
• High yield – however, requires good care and regular pruning.
• Good winter hardiness and excellent tolerance to dry and hot growing conditions.
• Precocity – gives decent yields in the first years after the rooting of seedlings.
• It often differs in rather early ripening terms – it begins to ripen already at the end of June.
• Resistance to diseases that many currant varieties suffer from – powdery mildew and bud mites.

The disadvantages also cannot be ignored:

• Many complain about the sour taste of berries. You can’t call them completely sour, but, of course, there are currant varieties that taste sweeter.
• It is distinguished by the rapid aging of the bushes, already by 3-4 years the growth may decrease and the yield will fall, therefore constant and regular pruning and careful shaping are necessary.
• Low resistance to anthracnose – of course, in humid climatic conditions this can be a serious drawback, since prevention will be required throughout the spring and the first half of summer.
• According to some reviews, there is also an uneven ripening of berries in the hands and a low one-dimensionality of berries with very large sizes. But these shortcomings can also be the result of care errors.

Reviews of gardeners

The reviews of those who grew Vigorous currants on their plots are very diverse, apparently, a lot still depends on the climatic conditions of growth and the peculiarities of caring for it.

Conclusion

Blackcurrant Vigorous can impress anyone with the size of its berries, and both yield and disease resistance can be attractive to gardeners. But in order to enjoy all these characteristics in full, you need to make at least some effort.