Transplanting currants: when to transplant to a new place

It is not always possible to correctly think over the landscape of the summer cottage from the very beginning. Over time, it grows overgrown with buildings, flower beds, paths and benches. And if nothing can be done with fruit trees, then berry bushes, for example, a currant transplant, can be moved to a new, more convenient place for them and for you. Just keep in mind that this will be a huge stress for the plant, and if you do not take into account the vegetation process and the annual cycle of the plant, then the shrub will then hurt for a long time, and may even die. But if you prepare and do everything right and at the right time, then after a while the transplanted currant will delight you with the harvest.

Currant transplant: which season to choose?

Currant bushes have a short dormant period and the growing season begins quite early. Therefore, in choosing the right time for transplanting to a new place, you need to build on this and on the climate of your area. If your winters are frosty and long, then it is better to replant the currants in the spring, since in the fall it may not have enough time for rooting and adaptation in a new place, then the plant will definitely die. In the spring, you need to catch the moment when the earth completely thaws, the average daily temperature will stay above 0, but the sap flow in the plant has not yet begun and the buds will not swell. If it is at this time that the currants are transplanted, then the bush will quickly adapt and begin to grow. But in the middle lane and southern regions with milder winters, it is better to transplant shrubs in the autumn, but at the same time take into account the weather forecast - the plant will need at least three weeks for rooting and there should be no frosts at this time. Many more gardeners prefer to transplant currants in the fall, since at this time the plant has much more nutrients that will help restore the roots damaged during transplantation. To be more precise, experts recommend acting from September 10 to 15, at this time the absorbed roots grow most actively in currants, which increases the chances of early survival in a new place.

Currant transplant: stages

Any currant transplant begins with the selection and preparation of a new place. As you know, there are several types of currants: red, white, black and green. Red and white are quite thermophilic, they should be located in a sunny place where moisture will not stagnate. But black and green-fruited are less capricious, light partial shade is acceptable for them. And of course, any currant will not grow and bear fruit abundantly in lowlands and ravines, where there is high humidity, as this provokes the development of fungal infections and decay of the root system. If we talk about favorable predecessors, then currants will grow well after cereal siderates, thanks to which the soil gets rid of weeds (rye and oats), as well as after corn, beans, beets or potatoes.

After you have finally decided on the place, dig deeply into the soil, in parallel applying fertilizers: well-rotted compost (10 kg), double superphosphate and potassium salt (10 and 7 g, respectively). All figures are based on 1 square meter of soil. We will proceed from the fact that we are planning an autumn transplant of currants and all this work must be done in the spring.Then, at the end of summer, dig up the soil again and make a depression for planting a shrub (in order to transplant the plant in spring, do all this preparatory work in the fall). The size of the depression (pit) depends entirely on the size of the bush, but as a rule, a hole with a diameter of about 60 cm and a depth of no more than 50 cm is sufficient.For varieties that are distinguished by high growth, a depth of about 70 cm is required.If you transplant several plants, then the distance between they should be at least one and a half meters. Then the pit must be filled by a third with the nutrient mixture that you prepare from the garden soil (you can use the top layer left over from digging the hole), well-rotted manure or compost (10 kilograms), 0.4 kg of ash, 0.3 kg of superphosphate.

If you are replanting white or red currants, then the hole must be made deeper and drainage must be laid from fragments of brick, gravel or expanded clay. Then the pit should be well shed with water, it will take about 15-20 liters, after which processes will begin in the nutrient substrate that will create a comfortable environment for the subsequent adaptation of the currants. You need to prepare not only the place, but also the bush itself. About three weeks before the intended transplant, pruning should be done, leaving only the most important shoots. During the rooting period, all the forces of the plant will be thrown into this process, pruning is carried out precisely so that the currants spend less energy on feeding the aerial part of the plant. The main shoots can be cut by a third, as in the upper part there are weak buds, which produce rather small berries, so that pruning will not cause much damage to the crop. On the eve of transplanting, the height of the bush after pruning is usually about half a meter. Also remove all old (more than five years old) and damaged branches, our task is to "lighten" the bush as much as possible, but at the same time act without fanaticism. And remember that pruning is also stressful for the plant, it will take time to heal the wounds, so the recommended interval between these two actions is at least three weeks. So, you have prepared a bush, prepared a place, you can start transplanting.

To make it more convenient to act, fasten the currant branches together, this will save them from possible injury. Step back 35-40 cm from the base of the bush and dig a ditch of the same depth in a circle. Then carefully pull the currants at the base, when removing, it may be necessary to cut some roots with a shovel. Place the bush on a film, tarp or in a garden wheelbarrow and carefully examine the roots - remove pests, if any, as well as obviously unhealthy areas of the root system. Prepare a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and dip the currant roots into it for 15-20 minutes, this is a necessary disinfection procedure. If, when examining the roots, you did not find any damage, then disinfection is not required. Pour about one and a half buckets of water into the prepared hole, wait until it is completely absorbed, and lower the roots of the plant, carefully spreading them over the surface of the nutrient mixture. When covering the roots with earth, make sure that the roots do not bend up, and also that "air pockets" do not form (sometimes shake the bush a little), which can later cause rotting of the roots. After the roots are completely covered, tamp the soil surface and form a shallow groove around the trunk circle of the shrub. Slowly pour 20 liters of water into it in a circle, take your time, letting the water be completely absorbed. This slow watering allows the water to fully moisturize the roots and improve their contact with the ground. After that, cover the trunk circle to prevent moisture evaporation. In addition, in winter, mulch will provide additional protection to the roots and protect them from frost. You can use humus, peat or turf soil as mulch.

Plant care in the subsequent period

But the work around the transplanted bush does not end there, in the "postoperative" period he will need appropriate care. There is no need to feed in the first year, since you applied enough fertilizer during transplantation. The land in the area of ​​the near-trunk circle must be constantly loosened. This is necessary in order to increase air access to the roots, as well as to maintain the required moisture level. At the base of the bush, you need to loosen no deeper than five centimeters, and as you move away, you can increase the depth to 15 centimeters. If there is not enough rain, then in the first couple of weeks it is necessary to water the transplanted plant so that the soil is moistened to the depth of the pit. After two weeks, water as the soil dries. If a lump of earth in your hand crumbles into small pieces, then the earth must be watered. On this basis, not only freshly transplanted, but also any other shrubs are watered. When preparing a shrub for wintering, proceed in the same way as before transplanting. Remove all plant debris (fallen leaves, weeds, broken branches, etc.) from the tree trunk circle. Mulch the soil with straw or peat, and the layer of your chosen mulch should be 15-18 cm high. Spray the currants with any fungicide to destroy harmful insects that are nesting under the bark for the winter. Gather the branches together and tie them up, then cover the shrub with spruce branches. After more or less enough snow falls out - shovel the snow to the bush. Even if visually it seems that the plant has tolerated transplantation well, it is still weakened at first and, therefore, more susceptible to various diseases and attractive to harmful insects. Therefore, in the first year after transplantation, pay increased attention to currants, carry out preventive treatments with folk remedies or purchased drugs.