Black currant Leningrad giant

The black currant Leningrad giant was zoned in 1974 in the Non-Chernozem zone of the Russian Federation. Most recently, it was taken out of the State Register, but, nevertheless, it can be found in the household plots of Russians.

Black currant Leningrad giant: variety description

Black currant Leningrad giant: photo of the variety

The Leningrad giant black currant variety was bred by scientists-breeders of St. Petersburg E.I. Glebova and A.I. Potashova by pollination of "Stakhanovka Altai" - "Exhibition"And" Non-shattering ". The Leningrad giant should be considered the 70s of the last century as the date for the black currant breeding. The size of the berries of this variety is fully consistent with the name - at that time they were very large. Compared to modern varieties, the fruits of the "Leningrad giant" can be called average.

Tall currant bushes of the Leningradsky Giant variety have erect shoots. With large yields, the bush can become sprawling.

The color of thick, fluffy one-year-old shoots is green. The branches of more mature bushes are grayish-beige with plump egg-shaped buds, located 6-8 pieces per branch. Buds - pink-purple, slightly deviating from the branch. For these interesting features, the Leningradsky Giant variety is often distinguished.

Black currant of the variety in question - with large, light green leaves. The tops are with yellow-green leaves. The leaf plate is matte, bubbly-wrinkled with dark but noticeable veins. Leaflets are five-lobed, with a wider and longer middle lobe and sharp tips. The lateral parts of the leaves have a triangular shape, while the lower part is asymmetrical.

Berries of this variety are formed on clusters of different sizes. One brush can have 6-13 flowers, and later - berries. In terms of fruit set, the variety has an average rating, that is, it is partially self-pollinated. Accordingly, with pollinators, the yield will be much higher.

The fruits are round with a black, thin, shiny skin, the weight of one berry can reach two grams. The fruit has a juicy, tender pulp and a well-pronounced currant aroma and dessert taste. The berry does not crumble and comes off perfectly.

Currant The Leningrad giant has excellent taste and useful properties. In it:

• dry matter - up to 24%;
• sugar - up to 13%;
• free acids - up to 255 mg / 100 g of fruits.

Black currant Leningrad giant: characteristic of the variety

Black currant Leningrad giant: photo of the variety

Blackcurrant variety The Leningrad giant is now less and less common in the household plots of Russians, as more modern varieties are preferred to it. But some indicators of the “old” variety are much ahead of the “young” one.

• About the advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Pros:

• early maturation;
• non-shedding of fruits;
• high frost resistance, respectively, the possibility of growing in a harsh climate;
• good yield (3-3.5 kg / 1 bush);
• industrial scale of cultivation makes it possible to achieve yields of up to 20 tons / 1 ha;
• great taste;
• well transported;
• ripening of the crop occurs at the same time, which allows the use of mechanical harvesting of fruits;
• terry is absent.

Minuses:

As mentioned above, the Leningrad giant black currant variety was created in the 70s of the XX century, in this regard, then the breeders did not possess the methods of our time. Hence the disadvantages of culture.

• a variety with 50% self-fertility, therefore, the presence of other pollinating varieties is required;
• with high yields, there is a danger of broken branches due to fragility;
• sensitivity in the spring to negative temperatures;
• flowers that have survived spring frosts do not give ovaries;
• susceptibility to powdery mildew attack;
• average yield when compared with current varieties;
• - rather complex care is required with regular preventive treatments.

All these difficulties do not stop true connoisseurs of the variety in question. Currant variety The Leningrad giant continues to take its rightful place in the household plots of Russian gardeners.

Black currant Leningrad giant: planting

Black currant Leningrad giant: photo of the variety

The black currant variety Leningrad Giant has a high soil demand. The landing site must be absolutely sunny and calm. It is good to plant currant bushes near a fence or wall, which will provide natural protection to the plants.

Saplings are planted in the spring, before sap flow. Also planted in the fall, before frosty days; then the currants will be able to harden.

It should be remembered that currants grown in the shade are low in sugar and high in acid.

• About the preparation of seats

Demanding soil - the main distinguishing feature of the "Leningrad giant" from other varieties of currants. Excellent yield can only be achieved on nutritious soil rich in organic fertilizers. On poor podzolic soils and chernozems, on strongly alkaline soils, the considered variety grows poorly.

It is worth emphasizing that any variety of currants should not be planted in a swampy area, since excess moisture has a negative effect on the root system.

For autumn plantings, pits are prepared in half a month. Approximate pit size: 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 m.

In the case of spring planting of currants, they begin to prepare pits in the fall.

What is the preparation?

First, a drainage layer is prepared from small stones. The earth from the dug hole is mixed with compost or humus (6-8 kg) and superphosphate (2 tablespoons) and the hole is filled.

About breeding methods

Common methods of propagation of the black currant variety Leningrad giant - with the help of cuttings, layering and dividing the bushes. Young shoots of black currant have the ability to build up the root system.

• Propagation by cuttings... Choose a strong shoot, cut it obliquely from both sides, leaving buds (4-5 pcs.) On each cuttings. Such cuttings can be planted directly into the soil or placed first in a glass of water. Some gardeners have an interesting way of growing currant cuttings in potatoes. That is, they make a hole in the potato where the stalk is placed. In this form, they are planted in open ground.
• Reproduction by layering. First, choose a strong branch. Tilting it and pressing it with a staple, sprinkle it with soil. In the summer, they observe, preventing the soil from drying out. By September, we can confidently talk about a formed good root system. Such seedlings are already ready for planting in their permanent places.
• Reproduction by dividing the bush... This is one of the most common breeding methods for black currants. They take the most overgrown bush and, digging it, divide it into several parts. Each delenka must have a well-developed root system.

Planting stages

• Each seedling should be inspected first. The seedlings must have lively and flexible branches. Culling of a seedling is carried out in case of detection of signs of disease or harmful insects.Such planting material will not bring any harvest over time, but will become a source of infectious diseases for other crops.
• The holes are dug about a meter apart, the distance between the rows is 1.5-2 meters. Compliance with the specified footage will allow you to conveniently care for the bushes of the Leningrad giant.
• As in the classic case of planting any currant, a small hill is built in the center of the hole, where the seedling is installed. A feature when planting any currant seedlings is the location of the young plant at an angle of 45-60 °. This guarantees the best survival rate.
• The roots must be carefully spread, spread over the entire hole and sprinkled with nutritious soil.
• The soil should be tamped a little and watered well. It should be ensured that moisture penetrates to the roots. In this case, the air remaining after compaction of the soil will be squeezed out by water, and the roots will easily adhere to the soil.

Black currant Leningrad giant: care

Black currant Leningrad giant: photo of the variety

The black currant variety Leningrad giant is not self-pollinating; therefore, it needs pollinating neighbors. Caring for this variety, as a standard, consists of watering, loosening, removing weeds, fertilizing, preventive (or therapeutic) treatments for diseases and harmful insects.

Watering in the absence of precipitation should be weekly. For one bush, 2-3 buckets of water are enough.

Along with watering, fertilizing is carried out (2 times during the growing season). At the beginning of the ripening of the berries, the leaves of the bushes of the Leningrad giant are sprayed with any micronutrient fertilizer. In early spring, fertilize with liquid nitrogen dressings under the roots.

As mentioned above, this variety is sensitive to spring frosts in the spring. Even at minus 2 degrees, the flowers may suffer and not give ovaries.

From dangerous spring frosts, black currant bushes protect the Leningrad giant as follows:

• produce abundant watering of the bushes not only at the root, but also from above throughout the entire volume of the bush (after the water freezes at night, the ice coat will "wrap" the brushes with flowers and ovaries and will maintain zero degrees, saving the plant);
• they cover the bushes with materials that maintain a positive temperature.

From the reviews it became known that from a large number of berries, the currant branches of the Leningrad giant can break. For this reason, in the spring, they must be tied to supports. Pegs (4 pieces / 1 piece) are suitable for this. Putting them at the same distance from each other, around the circumference of the bush, they are tied with a rope with stuffing rails.

Diseases and pests

Powdery mildew poses the greatest danger to the Leningrad giant black currant variety. It will not help in the fight against it using folk methods, therefore, chemical preparations are used for this purpose.

The first treatment with the preparations "Hom", "Ordan" and others is carried out in early spring, before bud break. The next spraying is done in a couple of weeks, and so several times. The processing is finished 20 days before the expected collection of berries.

In the event of a powdery mildew attack, they resort to fungicides for treatment. For this purpose, you can use Colloidal Sulfur (Tiovit Jet); Vektru, Topaz, Raek. They process the affected bushes twice with alternating means. Processing is stopped 3 weeks before harvest.

Black currant Leningrad giant: gardeners reviews about the variety

• Margarita Semyonovna, 66 years old, Novgorod region: “I have a lot of experience in gardening. Currant The Leningrad giant has been with me for a long time. About once every 15 years, I transplant it to a new place. I will not trade this variety for anything! These tasty and fragrant berries, I get up to 5 kilos from a bush, this wonderful variety still needs to be looked for among modern varieties. I make jam, jams from them, cook compotes, freeze several packages in the winter. I recommend this variety to everyone. "
• Anastasia Sergeevna, 41 years old, Kaluga region: “I got the black currant the Leningrad giant from my mother. Bushes with a good yield - more than 4 kg of berries from 1 bush. They often write that the variety is capricious, but I disagree with that. Arriving at my dacha no more than once a week, you can imagine how much time I can devote to it. Rather - the opposite! What can you do? Water, feed 4 times during the summer with organic fertilizer. Most often, I use wood ash, mullein, nettle infusion as organic matter. "