Currant Imperial: description, planting and care

Currant Imperial – a variety of European origin, which includes two varieties: red and yellow. Due to its high winter hardiness and unpretentiousness, the crop can be grown in all regions of the country, including the Urals and Siberia. With proper care from one adult bush, you can collect 7-8 kg of medium-sized berries.

History of breeding

Currant Imperial – a variety of European selection, bred abroad. It is represented by a red and yellow variety, with the golden one being the most popular. Currant is characterized by good winter hardiness, which allows it to be grown in different regions of Our Country:

• Moscow region and the middle lane;
• southern regions;
• The Urals.

This variety of currant is not included in the register of breeding achievements. Due to its unpretentiousness, the culture has become known to many summer residents. According to their reviews, it is possible to grow Imperial currant even in Siberia and the Far East.

Description of the variety of red, yellow currant varieties Imperial

The description and characteristics of the yellow and red varieties of the Imperial currant are practically the same (with the exception of the color and partly the taste of the berries). The bushes are compact or semi-spreading, of medium vigor, 120–150 cm high. At the same time, plants of the red variety may be slightly higher than the yellow one.

The leaves are light green in color, five-lobed, medium in size. In young shoots they are leathery and large, and on older shoots they become smaller. The branches become woody with age, their surface acquires a grayish-brown hue.

The berries of the yellow currant Imperial have a sweeter taste, and in the red variety, the fruits are noticeably sour

Berries are oval in shape, small in size (weight of one is 0,6–0,8 g). The brushes are also small – 4–5 cm each. The fruits appear translucent in the light, their skin is thin, but at the same time strong, which ensures good preservation of the crop. Coloring depending on the variety: light yellow, cream, bright red.

The harvest of the yellow variety is most often consumed fresh, and the red variety is used for preparations for the winter (jam, jam, fruit drinks and others).

Features

Both varieties of Imperial currant are distinguished by good resistance to weather conditions. They withstand frost and drought, therefore they are considered universal (in terms of choosing a region for planting).

Drought resistance, winter hardiness

The description of the variety indicates that the plants are resistant even to extreme frosts (up to -40 degrees). You can grow a crop in different regions, including Siberia and the Far East.

The drought resistance of the imperial currant is also quite good. But in order to maintain a normal yield, additional watering should be organized during the dry period.

Pollination, flowering period and ripening period

Currant Imperial refers to self-pollinated varieties. She does not need bees, but to increase productivity, it will not be superfluous to plant representatives of other varieties nearby. The flowering period falls on the end of May, and the crop is harvested from the last decade of June to mid-July. Therefore, the variety is classified as medium early.

Productivity and fruiting, keeping quality of berries

The fruiting of the Imperial currant begins from the third year after planting

The maximum yield is observed from the age of five, when one bush gives 4–8 kg each (depending on care and weather conditions). The peel of the berries is quite strong, so the keeping quality is high (but only in cool conditions).

Transportability is not as good as blackcurrant. If it is not possible to maintain a low temperature during transport, the maximum delivery time to the place of sale or processing is two days.

Disease and pest resistance

The immunity of the currant Imperial is average. It is known that she often suffers from anthracnose. But under the wrong growing conditions, other infections are also possible:

• white spotting;
• powdery mildew;
• goblet rust;
• septoria.

For prevention, it is recommended every year (in early April) to carry out preventive treatment with any fungicide:

• Bordeaux liquid;
• “RAW”;
• Fundazol;
• “Score”;
• “Ordan” and others.

Of the pests, the following are of particular danger:

• kidney moth;
• sawfly;
• aphids (leaf and gall).

As a preventive measure in early spring, the bushes are treated with boiling water. In summer, insects can be dealt with using folk methods. For example, treat with an infusion of garlic cloves, onion peel, a solution of wood ash or a decoction of potato tops or marigold flowers. However, if these methods do not help, you will have to use chemical insecticides:

• “Aktara”;
• “Fufanon”:
• “Biotlin”;
• “Decis”;
• “Green Soap”

You can start harvesting giving birth only 3-5 days after the last spraying.

Advantages and disadvantages

Currant Imperial differ in high productivity. This is an unpretentious plant that can be grown in most regions.

Currant Imperial gives consistently high yields

Pros:

• good yield;
• pleasant taste of berries (especially yellow ones), their versatility;
• undemanding to care;
• immunity to certain diseases;
• winter hardiness;
• drought resistance;
• compact crown;
• normal keeping.

Cons:

• no immunity to anthracnose;
• fruits are small, prone to overripe;
• red berries are not very sweet;
• transportability is average.

Features of planting and care

It is better to plan the planting of the Imperial currant at the end of September or at the beginning of October. If the deadlines are missed, seedlings can be planted the next year (in April). For culture, a dry (not in a lowland, without groundwater) and well-lit area with fertile soil is chosen. Light, fertile loam is best suited.

If the soil is infertile, it must be dug up 1–2 months before planting and compost or humus is applied (in a bucket of 1–2 m²). On clay soils, currants do not grow well, so you first need to close up 1 kg of sand or sawdust (based on the same area).

Algorithm for planting currant Imperial standard:

1. A month before the start of the procedure, it is necessary to dig holes with a depth and diameter of 40–50 cm at intervals of 1,5 m.
2. Lay broken brick, pebbles, expanded clay on the bottom.
3. Fill with a fertile mixture – surface (turf) soil with black peat, compost and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1.
4. The day before planting, the roots should be soaked in a mixture of clay and water, where you can add a growth stimulator – “Epin” or “Kornevin”. Pre-cut the roots, leaving 10 cm each.
5. Plant in the center, bury and tamp the soil so that the root neck goes underground to a depth of 5 cm.
6. Pour with warm, settled water, mulch the trunk circle.

Imperial currant seedlings are best planted along the fence, which will protect from the wind.

Agrotechnics for growing crops is standard:

1. Watering young seedlings weekly (in a bucket), adult bushes – twice a month. In the heat, moisten the soil every week, using 2-3 buckets.
2. Top dressing from the second season. In the spring you will need urea (20 g per bush), chicken manure, mullein, after harvesting – superphosphate (40 g) and potassium salt (20 g).
3. Loosening and weeding – as needed. To grow fewer weeds, plantings are mulched with sawdust, straw, needles.
4. Pruning – every spring, broken and frostbitten branches are removed. In the first years in the fall, they begin to form a bush, thinning the crown and removing all three-year-old shoots.
5. In late autumn, the last watering is done and the seedlings are covered with agrofiber. Mature bushes can be grown without additional shelter. It is enough to lay a high layer of mulch (5–10 cm).

Conclusion

Currant Imperial is undemanding to care, as summer residents often write about in their reviews. The bushes are moderately sprawling, do not take up much space and do not need frequent pruning. They give a fairly good harvest of red and yellow berries, which are used for winter harvesting.

Reviews with photos about red, yellow currant varieties Imperial