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Currant Ilyinka is a variety obtained by the breeder Ilyin. Represented by red and black currants. Both varieties produce very large and tasty berries that have received good to excellent tasting scores. The culture is characterized by high productivity and a long period of fruiting (up to 15 years).
History of breeding
Ilyinka consists of two series – red and black currants. Received by breeder Ilyin V.S. on the basis of the South Ural Research Institute. He took the Dutch variety Ionker van Tets as a basis and carried out several pollinations with different species.
The application for admission was submitted in 2003, since 2004 the variety has entered state trials. In 2017, the Ilyinka currant is included in the register of breeding achievements. It has good winter hardiness, so it can be grown even in regions with extreme climates.
Description of the currant variety Ilyinka with a photo
In the description of the variety, special attention should be paid to the appearance, height of the bushes, shape, size and taste of the berries. The main parameters of the red and black varieties are presented below.
Red
Redcurrant Ilyinka is represented by a medium-sized bush with a rather dense, medium-spreading crown. Shoots are thick, hairless, straight, light green. The buds are small, light brown, matte, oval-shaped, have a sharp apex, located singly along the entire shoot, deviating slightly from it. The trace of the petiole is narrow, rounded.
The leaves of the red currant Ilyinka are five-lobed, medium and large in size, the color is dark green, the surface glistens in sunlight. Leathery, wrinkled plates are slightly concave along the median veins. The blades themselves are pointed. The middle part exceeds the lateral ones, has additional protrusions, is elongated, often with a bent top. The angle between the median veins of the lateral lobes can be straight or sharp. In this case, the side elements are widely spaced from each other.
The basal lobes of redcurrant Ilyinka leaves are not so well developed. At the base of the leaf, a notch of medium depth is noticeable, the shape is rounded. The teeth along the edges are uneven, they are small and large, “claws” are clearly expressed.
The berries are large, juicy and very sweet.
The flowers of the red currant Ilyinka are small, saucer-shaped, pink in color, have a noticeable roller. Sepals cherry-brown or light brownish, in contact with each other. The brushes are small, up to 6 cm, hanging down, quite dense. The axes are thin, green, without pubescence, ribbed, curved. Petioles are short.
The berries of the red currant Ilyinka are quite large, on average, the mass reaches from 0,8 to 1,6 g, they are one-dimensional, have a rounded shape. The color is dark red, saturated. Each fruit contains several seeds. Cups closed, rounded. The stalks are of medium thickness, green, short.
The taste of Ilyinka redcurrant berries is very pleasant, with a balance of sour and sweet. At the tasting received the highest rating – 5 points. Berries of universal purpose, they can be used fresh (stored in the refrigerator for several days), for jam, fruit drink, jam and other preparations.
The red currant variety Ilyinka has a good yield – each adult bush brings from 3,4 to 5,0 kg. With industrial cultivation, the indicator is 13,6 t/ha, the maximum recorded is 20,0 t/ha.
Winter hardiness is very high – the Ilyinka variety is specially bred for cultivation in Western Siberia. The culture is self-fertile, therefore it does not need pollinators. Differs in good immunity to powdery mildew, anthracnose, sawflies. However, diseases cannot be completely ruled out – it is necessary to carry out preventive treatments and inspect the bushes.
Black
Blackcurrant Ilyinka is represented by a bush of medium height up to 1,5 m. The crown is sprawling, dense, pyramidal in shape. The shoots are strong and thickened, strong enough, so they do not need support. The leaves are of medium density, the plate is palmate, the teeth are rounded. Leaf shades range from bright green to duller. Flowers and berries are formed on fruit racemes 4-6 cm long.
Ilyinka blackcurrant berries are large, reach 4-5 g. The skin is smooth, elastic, pure black. The pulp is fragrant and juicy, tasting score 4,4 out of 5 points. Fruits are transportable and keeping, they can be transported over long distances.
Berries are large, marketable, transportable
The yield is quite high – up to 5,5 kg can be harvested from each adult bush. In terms of ripening, Ilyinka belongs to early varieties: berries are formed from late June to mid-July. At the same time, the first fruits ripen in the second year, and a full-fledged crop can be harvested from the third season. The total duration of fruiting is up to 15 years.
Advantages and disadvantages
Ilyinka is a new variety of currant, which many summer residents have already managed to like. The crop is productive, has excellent winter hardiness and immunity, can be grown even in the climatic conditions of Siberia. Gives berries of very pleasant taste with juicy and fragrant pulp.
Currant Ilyinka can be grown for yourself and for sale
Pros:
- large fruits;
- very pleasant taste;
- good immunity;
- high yield;
- the variety is self-fertile – pollinators are not needed;
- excellent winter hardiness;
- strong shoots – support is not required;
- can be grown in Siberia.
Cons:
- the bush gives quite a lot of shoots;
- needs regular feeding;
- if care is violated, the fruits become noticeably smaller.
How to plant
Currant Ilyinka belongs to early large-fruited varieties, so it is better to plant it in autumn – from the beginning to the end of September, and when grown in the middle lane, the Volga region – until mid-October. At the same time, spring planting is also allowed, but then the time is greatly reduced: it is necessary to be in time before mid-April.
Seedlings are bought in nurseries, from suppliers with good reviews and many years of experience. The soil for planting Ilyinka currants begins to be prepared in a few months. First you need to choose a suitable place – it should be sunny, spacious enough, dry, without stagnant water (not in a lowland).
The site is cleaned, dug up and compost is applied in a bucket per square meter or a complex mineral fertilizer of 50 g per the same area. When planting Ilyinka currants, they act like this:
- Several holes are marked with a depth and a diameter of 70 cm at intervals of at least 1,5 m. It is best to orient them along the fence to avoid blowing through the bushes with through winds.
- Small stones are laid at the bottom for drainage up to 10 cm high.
- Root the seedling in the center at an angle of 45 degrees and sprinkle with fertile soil.
- Then they tamp and, if necessary, top up the soil so that the root collar is deepened by 7-8 cm.
- Watered with pre-settled water.
- Cut off all shoots, leaving three buds on each.
- After a few days, they mulch for the winter – in Siberian conditions, the layer height should be at least 15 cm.
Features of care
Currant Ilyinka is unpretentious, grows well even on infertile soils. But in order for the harvest to be plentiful, and the fruits themselves to be large, it is necessary to ensure normal care:
- Watering young seedlings is given weekly, adult bushes – twice a month.
- Fertilizers are applied regularly. In early April, Ilyinka currants need to be fed with ammonium nitrate or urea, and during flowering, give superphosphate and potassium salt. It will not be superfluous to water monthly with infusion of mullein 1:10 or bird droppings 1:20.
- The soil is periodically loosened, weeds are removed. To keep them as small as possible, lay mulch.
- In early spring, before sap flow in the tissues, pruning is done, old and frozen branches are removed. At the same time, fungicide treatment is carried out to prevent fungal diseases.
To get a good harvest, fertilizer should be applied every month.
Conclusion
Currant Ilyinka is a high-yielding crop with excellent winter hardiness and tasty berries. It is intended for cultivation in Western Siberia, but can also be cultivated in the regions of Central Our Country. The variety is unpretentious, but for stable fruiting it is recommended to water and feed regularly.
Reviews of gardeners about currant Ilyinka
