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Currant is one of the popular garden shrubs. After all, its berries are not only tasty, but also have a high content of vitamins and minerals. In order for the shrub to give a good harvest annually and fully develop, it must be regularly fed. Nitrogen fertilizers are especially important at the very beginning of the growing season. And feeding currants with urea is able to fully provide the plant with the necessary components.
Top dressing with urea is possible on any type of soil
Is it possible to process currants with urea in spring
This mineral fertilizer is widely used in horticulture. Since the content of available nitrogen in it is more than 40%. The use of urea provides plants with protein compounds that enhance growth processes.
The nitrogen contained in carbamide is necessary for the full development of the shrub. After all, it is part of the chlorophylls involved in photosynthesis. Due to this, carbohydrates and other important compounds accumulate in the tissues of the shrub, which ensures the growth of green mass. As a result, fertilizing currants with urea in early spring increases yields and improves the quality of berries. Therefore, this fertilizer is not only possible, but should also be used to process shrubs.
In addition, the use of urea for blackcurrants in the spring helps to protect against wintering larvae of pests, pathogens. Since this remedy has a depressing effect on them. This ensures the full development of the shrub at the beginning of the growing season.
Pros and cons of treating currants with urea
Spraying currants with carbamide in the spring for feeding and protecting against pests has many advantages. This explains the increased popularity of the product among gardeners. But such processing also has certain disadvantages that should not be ignored.
Carbamide helps speed up the recovery of shrubs after winter
Feeding benefits:
- ensures the full development of shoots, foliage;
- increases yield;
- increases the amount of ovary;
- activates vegetative processes;
- destroys wintering pests;
- gives quick results;
- increases the resistance of the plant to adverse external factors.
Cons:
- if used incorrectly, it has the opposite effect;
- requires extra precautions;
- does not work with high humidity;
- cannot be combined with fertilizers based on calcium, lime.
When to spray currants with urea in spring
In order to properly feed the currants with urea in the spring, you need to know the optimal timing for the application of this fertilizer. Otherwise, the treatment will not only not be beneficial, but can also harm the shrub.
Experienced gardeners recommend treating blackcurrants with urea from pests in the spring before the buds swell in the green cone stage. What usually happens in March-April, depending on the climatic conditions of the region. But at the same time it is necessary that the air temperature rises to +5 ° С. At this time, it is important not to miss the moment. Since carrying out foliar feeding at a later period can lead to inhibition of shrub productivity.
In the future, fertilizer should be used during the period of leaf growth, that is, in late spring or early summer. After all, it is at this time that the shrub increases its green mass.
How much to apply urea under a currant bush
You can fertilize currants in the spring with urea in a dry way. To do this, it is necessary to scatter the granules at the base of the plant and plant them in the ground. But it should be borne in mind that such top dressing will be effective only with well-warmed soil. After all, the process of converting nitrogen into an accessible form for the plant occurs with the participation of soil microorganisms. And they are activated only at elevated temperatures.
It is recommended to apply 10-20 g of urea under each currant bush, depending on the age of the bush.
In order not to make a mistake with the dosage, it should be borne in mind that the content of carbamide is:
- in a tablespoon – 11 g;
- in a matchbox – 14 g;
- in a glass – 131 g.
How to dilute urea for watering currants
Urea fertilizer for fertilizing currants in spring can be used when watering shrubs. To do this, you must first prepare an aqueous solution based on it. It is recommended to use a plastic or glass container.
Initially, you need to dissolve 30 g of fertilizer in 1-2 liters of warm water. And then bring the volume of liquid to 10 liters and mix thoroughly. Diluted fertilizer can be used for top dressing within 12 hours, as it subsequently loses its properties.
Distilled water can be used to prepare a nutrient solution.
How to treat currants in spring with urea
Urea for currants in the spring can be used as a root and foliar top dressing, as well as a prophylactic against pests. But in order for the use of fertilizer to give the desired result, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the rules for use in each specific case.
Watering
Spring watering currants with urea should be carried out when the soil temperature is at least +14 ° C. But before carrying out top dressing, it is necessary to remove plant debris at the base of the bush and loosen the ground. But this should be done carefully so as not to damage the roots.
The fertilizer consumption rate is 30 g per 10 liters of water. Watering currants in the spring with urea is recommended in the evening.
Root top dressing should be done at the rate of 2 liters per adult bush
Spraying
To provide the shrub with nitrogen at an early stage of the growing season, urea can also be used to spray it. This allows you to quickly make up for the lack of the necessary component.
For foliar top dressing, you need to use a less concentrated solution at the rate of 20 g of carbamide per 10 liters of water. The procedure should be carried out in cloudy calm weather. In this case, it is necessary to evenly spray the shoots of the shrub at the rate of 1 liter of the finished product per hundred square meters.
The longer the film of the nutrient solution remains on the surface of the shoots, the more the currant absorbs nitrogen. Therefore, top dressing is recommended in the evening or in cloudy weather, when there is low evaporation.
Pest control
When spraying currants with urea in the spring in order to destroy pests, the proportion of fertilizer use differs from top dressing. For processing, it is necessary to dissolve 700 g of urea in 3 liters of warm water and mix thoroughly, and then bring the volume of liquid to 10 liters. To increase the effectiveness of the procedure, you can additionally add 50 g of copper sulfate.
With the resulting product, evenly spray the shoots of the shrub and the soil in the root circle. Such a spring treatment of blackcurrant with urea helps not only to destroy the larvae of pests, but also slows down bud break for seven days. This is especially true for early crop varieties that may suffer from return frosts.
Safety measures
Carbamide is a rather aggressive compound, and precautions must be taken when using it. Before preparing a urea-based solution for spraying and watering currants in the spring, you need to wear gloves, goggles and a mask. During processing, it is forbidden to drink, smoke, eat, in order to exclude the possibility of urea entering the digestive tract.
Ignoring personal safety rules when working with the product can lead to poisoning. In this case, nausea, coughing, choking, vomiting appear. If these symptoms appear, rinse your mouth thoroughly and provide fresh air. If you feel unwell, you should consult a doctor.
If, during feeding, the working fluid gets on the skin or mucous membranes, it must be immediately washed off with running water. At the end of the procedure, you should take a shower with soap and wash clothes.
Conclusion
Feeding currants with urea benefits the shrub with proper use of fertilizer. In this case, it not only provides the plant with vital components for growth, but also is a pest prevention. To do this, it is necessary to strictly observe the dosage of the drug and the timing of its use.
