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There are many blackcurrant species, but one of the most popular among gardeners is the Veloy variety. It was bred by breeders E. V. Volodina, S. P. Khominskaya and N. N. Khabarova in the nineties of the last century and has passed the reliable test of time. True connoisseurs of this garden culture do not lose interest in the cultivation of Velaya currants today. This variety has one more name - Leningradsky Sweet, because it was created at the Pavlovsk Experimental Station named after Vavilov by crossing two species: the Leningrad giant and Ojebin.
Immediately after the tests, the Veloy blackcurrant variety was included in the State Register with a recommendation for growing it in the Northern, North-Western and Central regions of the country.
General characteristics of the variety
If we talk about the characteristic varietal qualities, then the following can be distinguished:
- refers to mid-late frost-resistant varieties;
- it has remarkable taste, self-fertility and high yield;
- not afraid of powdery mildew, kidney mites, resistant to fungal diseases.
To grow a good harvest of this variety of currants, you need to know its positive and negative qualities. Considering that Veloy currant grows in the central and north-western regions of the Russian Federation, when planting and further growing, you need to know all the rules and features of caring for a crop in a given area.
Description of the Veloy currant variety
Bushes
Mature mature currant bushes are no higher than average growth, branches are upright, not very spreading. Young shoots have a thickened shape with thick, delicate villi, uneven color, pinkish. Adult branches retain a weak edge, but the color changes from beige-gray at the base to light brown towards the crown. The buds are ovoid, pink or light purple in color. The leaves are five-lobed in shape, each of which has its own length: the central one is the longest, the four middle ones are wider and shorter. The leaf surface is rough, slightly convex, dark green in color.
Appearance
Flowers
During the flowering of the Veloy currant, inflorescences are formed on the tassels, on which up to eight fruits are tied. The flowers are small, shaped like an inverted bell with white petals. They adhere firmly to strong tassels of different lengths.
Berries
During the ripening period, the fruits of Leningrad sweet currant acquire a black glossy color. On each cluster, berries can be from 1.6 to 3.5 grams. With their gustatory properties they confirm the name given to them “sweet”, because each currant contains up to 9.9% of various sugars. And with her aroma, she conquered all lovers of this culture.
Buds
Growing features
Pre-planting works
In order to plant and successfully breed this type of currant on a personal plot, it is necessary to purchase high-quality seedlings. It's not cheap, but worth it. Indeed, the quality of the material largely depends on how quickly the selected variety will take root. For successful cultivation, it is important to choose the right planting site and soil. It is not difficult to plant or plant it, the main thing is to adhere to all the rules for growing the type of black currant Veloy.
For the Leningrad Sweet to live up to its name, it must grow in an area well-lit by the sun.
The Veloy blackcurrant variety requires a soil with a low alkaline reaction, so loams are more suitable for it. For a good development of the root system of the culture, the planting pit should be large, at least 40 centimeters in depth and 50 in a circle. Before planting a seedling, it is necessary to properly prepare all soil and planting material, as well as:
- Dig a hole;
- Put drainage at the bottom, you can use pieces of trees for it;
- Mix the earth with wood ash and humus, fill the hole with them by a third;
- Cover with water and let the soil settle for seven days.
Planting seedlings
Immediately before planting, the seedling must be soaked for 24 hours in a growth stimulator (if not, you can replace it with a solution of 1 spoonful of honey in a bucket of water). This will help the plant to avoid stress and adapt less painfully to new conditions.
Watering when planting
Put fathoms in the prepared hole at an angle of 45 degrees, spreading the roots, and cover with earth. By the way, if the roots are longer than 25 centimeters, they must be cut off. Then fill the hole with water, wait for the complete distribution of water, add soil again and add water again. After the first watering, the seedling rises slightly so that the root collar is visible. Do not perform this action again. For a longer preservation of moisture in the hole from above, the earth must be sprinkled with mulch (sawdust or peat).
In order for the seedling to start quickly, the bush must be cut off. For this, 3-4 buds are left, and the stem should be no more than 25 centimeters.
Plant care
The process of caring for the Leningradskaya Sweet variety has no special requirements. Everything is traditional: timely watering, feeding, pruning bushes and harvesting. But for all the seeming simplicity, there are still small nuances.
First of all, like all varieties of currants, this variety does not like waterlogging and especially stagnant water.
Secondly, currants love to "eat", especially during the growth and ripening of fruits. From environmentally useful dressings that do not contain minerals, mullein and nettle infusion are suitable for her.
Thirdly, after watering, you need to wait until the moisture is completely absorbed and carefully, without damaging the roots, loosen the ground under the bushes. This way you can get rid of weeds, and give the roots "breathe".
Fourth, carry out annual pruning of old and extra branches. And in the spring, leave 4-5 branches in general in order to increase the yield of the crop.
Diseases and pests
Although it is believed that this variety of black currant is resistant to various diseases, if it grows in an area with infected plants, it may also be susceptible to disease. To prevent this, it is necessary to take preventive measures, that is, harden the bushes. The easiest and most affordable way is to treat the seedlings in early spring with boiling water with manganese diluted in it. There are a variety of disease and insect pest control chemicals that can be purchased at specialty stores. But their choice must be approached with caution so as not to harm the plant.
Red spots on the leaves
The most annoying pest for Veloy currants is aphid. To get rid of it, you can use an infusion of 1 glass of wood ash and 3 liters of boiling water. After the solution is infused for a day, they need to spray the bushes.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The positive qualities of Veloy make up a long list:
- The berries of Leningrad Sweet (or Velaya) are truly very aromatic and sweet, which makes them stand out from the representatives of their class. Dessert taste - 5 points;
- High yield - up to 3-4 kilograms per bush can be harvested per season;
- High resistance to frost;
- Not afraid of powdery mildew and mites;
- The Veloy variety is self-fertile, which means that there is no need to set up a bee entrance for pollination during the flowering period;
- The berries are quite large - up to 3.5 grams;
- Currant fruits are a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients.
In a word, it is impossible to overestimate the merits of this variety of currants.
But the berry has one drawback, which creates certain difficulties in harvesting. The berries in the clusters ripen at different times. Therefore, when harvested, overripe fruits can burst.
Beneficial features
The dessert variety of Veloy currant is considered by right to be the most beneficial for human health. After all, it contains 9 elements from the periodic table, including sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron and others, as well as carbohydrates and dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, thiamine and riboflavin.
How many delicious and healthy dishes can be prepared from this wonderful berry! A five-minute jam in which the vitamin content is kept to the maximum. For those with a sweet tooth, you can make jam, jam, preserves, compote from currant berries. In the old days, the berries were dried and dried. This is an interesting option for preserving vitamins in currants, because they will not experience heat treatment, which leads to the destruction of many nutrients in berries.
And how many uses have found currants in folk medicine! Due to the large amount of ascorbic acid in the berry, colds and viral-respiratory diseases are perfectly treated.
In addition, currants normalize metabolic processes in the human body.
These useful qualities can be equally attributed to any varietal currant. And especially for Veloy currants, because it can be used even for stomach diseases, since it contains much less acid than in other species.
