Reproduction of currant cuttings in spring
It is quite easy to propagate blackcurrant: just cut the branches, put them in water – and after a while you will have a ready-made seedling. Most often summer residents do this in the summer. But few people know that blackcurrants can be propagated by cuttings in the spring. And even better at this time

In order to propagate blackcurrant in the spring, you need to take into account several features. Cuttings can be cut from January to March, but it is better to do this during the thaw. Otherwise, if you bring them from frost to warmth, they will be stressed. In general, the optimal time for currant cuttings is March-April, before the buds swell (1).

Cutting cuttings

For reproduction, it is advisable to take one-year-old lignified shoots: they take root best. It is easy to distinguish them, they are the lightest. You need to cut them off near the ground. Only healthy shoots are suitable for propagation. To “calculate” them, just look at the slice. If the core is black – the escape of the patient. If the cut is completely green, you can take it.

It is advisable to take cuttings for propagation from the bottom of the shoots. The top is not good: the seedlings from it are weak. The shoots are cut into cuttings 18–20 cm long (2), and the optimal thickness is 6–9 mm (3).

Rooting of cuttings

The rooting container should be opaque (roots form worse in the light). And shallow. If there is too much water, there is a lack of oxygen in the lower part of the container and the cuttings may rot. It is useful to add honey to the water (0,5 teaspoon per 1 liter of water): it enhances the formation of roots.

The cuttings in the container must be placed in such a way that they are immersed in water by a third. So that they are constantly at the same level, it is better to stick them into the foam. To do this, you need to cut a circle with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the vessel, make a small hole in the middle and insert the handle into it. Gradually, the water from the container will evaporate, but the foam will begin to sink with the level, so that the cutting will always be immersed to the same depth.

When the roots appear, the foam must be broken, and the rooted twig can be planted. By the way, it is better not to change the water during evaporation, but to add it.

The container with the cuttings should be placed on the brightest window, and under it put a piece of foam or a dense fabric folded in several layers. This is important because window sills are often cold, and roots form very slowly in cold water. And in other cases, the cuttings may even rot.

Planting rooted cuttings

Well, then it remains only to wait – the roots on winter cuttings usually appear in 25 – 30 days. As soon as they grow a little (up to about 5 cm), the branches should be transplanted into pots with a volume of about 1 liter. At the bottom of each, there must be drainage – expanded clay or pieces of foam with a layer of 2 cm – so that when watering, the water does not stagnate. It is useful to put pots with seedlings in a box, and fill the space between them with wet sawdust – they will help maintain a favorable microclimate around young plants.

Cutting Care

In the process of growing green shoots, it is important to ensure that they do not stretch out, are strong and stocky. To do this, they need to provide illumination, or create cooler conditions (about 15 ° C). If flowers appear on the branches, they must be cut off – otherwise the plants will spend a lot of effort on them and good planting material will not work.

Once a week, it is useful to feed the cuttings, preferably with mullein infusion (1 part fertilizer per 10 liters of water). Or any liquid bio-fertilizer – they are sold in bottled garden centers.

If you do everything right, by the end of May you will have excellent currant seedlings – they can be planted in the garden immediately in a permanent place.

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Popular questions and answers

We talked about currant cuttings with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

Is it possible to plant cuttings for rooting immediately in the garden?

It is possible, however, this is risky – rooting cuttings need a lot of moisture, they will need to be watered often, and this is problematic for weekend summer residents. But if you live in the country – it’s worth a try, this method is less troublesome.

For planting cuttings for rooting, choose a shady place.

Is it possible to cut currants in summer?

In summer, currants are propagated by green cuttings. Rooting methods are the same as for propagation by lignified cuttings, but this method is more troublesome, because the leaves evaporate a lot of moisture and success can only be achieved in a greenhouse.

In addition, green cuttings need to be watered very, very often, and this is problematic for weekend summer residents.

Do I need to feed the cuttings planted in the garden?

Immediately after planting, the cuttings do not need to be fed – they need time to take root in a new place. Top dressing can be done after 2 weeks – pour with a solution of urea (2 tablespoons of a boat per 10 liters of water).

Do I need to prune cuttings planted in the garden?

In autumn, rooted cuttings planted in the garden should be cut short – 10 – 15 cm should remain. After such pruning, next year the bushes will branch well.

Sources of

  1. Lavrik P.I., Rybitsky N.A., Gavrilov I.S. Gardener’s desk book // L.: Lenizdat, 1972 – 568 p.
  2. Romanov V.V., Ganichkina O.A., Akimov A.A., Uvarov E.V. In the garden and in the garden // Yaroslavl, Upper Volga book publishing house, 1989 – 288 p.
  3. Egorov V.I., Nazaryan E.A. Handbook of gardening // M.: Profizdat Publishing House, 1957 – 264 p.

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