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The name of the variety of black currant Vigorous will tell everyone about his own. For some, this will be a characteristic of an unforgettable size, for some, after tasting its berries, an association with taste will arise, but in any case, it will not work just like that to pass by this variety of currants. It literally attracts both by the size of its berries, and by their abundance on the bushes, and by their identical sizes, however, subject to proper care and pruning.
A full description of the Vigorous black currant variety with photos and reviews of those who grew it, you can find further in this article. Both the advantages and disadvantages of Vigorous currants will not be ignored, so that you can finally decide whether this variety is suitable for your site or not.
History of origin
Blackcurrant variety Yadrenaya got a start in life in the department of mountain horticulture of the Scientific Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after V.I. Lisavenka, located in Barnaul. The author is the breeder of this variety Zabelina L.N. took a hybrid obtained from crossing the currant varieties Brebthorp and Dikovinka and, in turn, crossed it with the Lyubimitsa Altai currant.
All this happened in the difficult 90s of the last century, and only in 2000 the black currant Yadrenaya was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Russia. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Volga-Vyatka and West Siberian regions, but due to its attractive characteristics, it quickly won the hearts of gardeners throughout Russia and is actively grown even in the northern part of Belarus and Ukraine.
Description of the variety
Currant bushes of the Yadrenaya variety are characterized by restrained growth.
They reach a height of only 1.5 meters.
Young, growing shoots are of medium thickness, although they can grow quite thick. The color of the bark is standard green, in some places a slight anthocyanin blush appears. The pubescence is weak.
Lignified adult currant shoots differ from young ones mainly in bark color - from light to dark brown.
The kidneys are medium in size, apical, deviated, collected in groups of 1-3 in each node. Their shape is ovoid with a pointed tip. The color is bright red, the pubescence is weak.
The leaves are of a standard five-lobed shape, shiny, leathery, dark green, slightly wrinkled, and bubbly. Leaf pubescence is absent, veins are deeply impressed. The main veins are dark pink. The teeth are wide, of medium length, bent. Cream dots are clearly visible on them. The leaf petioles are medium in length and thickness, pink in color, and slightly pubescent.
The flowers are medium in size, painted in a pale pink color. The brushes are elongated in such a way that they accommodate from 6 to 12 loosely closed berries.
The stalks are thick, long, pubescent, hold the clusters of berries well on the bushes.
Blackcurrant Vigorous refers to late-ripening varieties in terms of ripening time. Its berries begin to ripen only by the end of July, and in some regions even in August. Fruiting occurs in a fairly short time, which is especially beneficial for farmers for industrial cultivation.
The variety shows good resistance to both frosty winters (it can tolerate up to -30 ° C without shelter, and up to -40 ° C with good snow cover), and to extreme heat and drought, which makes it suitable for cultivation in many regions.
The early maturity of this currant also deserves attention - already in the first year after planting, it can bring a harvest, but the branches of the 2nd and 3rd years of fruiting are the most abundant in terms of the number of fruits.
The yield of the Yadrenaya currant variety deserves admiration - up to 5-6 kg of berries can be harvested from one bush. When grown on an industrial scale, this figure varies between 6 to 12 tons of berries per hectare and depends on agricultural technology, planting density and age of the plants.
Currant variety Yadrenaya is also characterized by good resistance to powdery mildew and kidney mites. However, the susceptibility to anthracnose is only about 3 points.
Characteristics of berries
The berries of the black currant variety Yadrenaya beat all records in size and are considered practically the largest, if we consider the variety of domestic breeding as a comparison.
- The shape of the berries is round, sometimes slightly oblong, as if plum-like.
- The size of the berry reaches 2 cm in length and 1.5 cm in width. Many people confuse the berries of this currant with grapes or cherries.
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The weight of one berry can be up to 8 g, the average weight is 5-7 grams. The berries are usually well aligned in size and weight.
- The pulp is fleshy, the skin is thin but strong. The berries contain a significant amount of fairly large seeds.
- Fruit color is black, without intense gloss.
- After separation, the berries do not run out of juice, and after picking with brushes, they may not crumble for a long time.
- Currant berries of this variety have an amazing aroma and sweet and sour taste. According to the tasters, taste is estimated at 4.3 points. Many people consider the taste of Yadrenaya berries to be frankly sour, but if there is an opportunity to let them hang on the bushes after ripening, do it. And you will be able to appreciate their taste.
- Berries contain: sugars - 9%, ascorbic acid - 96 mg / 100g, dry soluble substances - 8-11%, titratable acidity - 3.7%.
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The use of berries is universal. It is best to freeze them for the winter or grind them with sugar to preserve all the vitamins. But they will also look luxurious in various compotes, jellies, preserves, jams, etc.
- The transportability of the berries is low. It is better to transport them only short distances.
Advantages and disadvantages
The variety compares favorably with its advantages, but it also has disadvantages. What will outweigh the scales is up to you.
Among the advantages it should be noted:
- The giant size of the berries is one of the largest among all varieties of black currant.
- High yields - however, requires good care and regular pruning.
- Good winter hardiness and excellent tolerance to dry and hot growing conditions.
- Early maturity - gives decent yields already in the first years after the rooting of seedlings.
- It often differs in rather early ripening periods - it begins to ripen already at the end of June.
- Resistance to diseases from which many varieties of currants suffer - powdery mildew and kidney mites.
One cannot but pay attention to the shortcomings:
- Many people complain about the sour taste of the berries. You cannot call them completely sour, but, of course, there are varieties of currants that are sweeter in taste.
- It is distinguished by the rapid aging of the bushes, already by 3-4 years the growth may decrease and the yield will fall, therefore, constant and regular pruning and careful shaping are necessary.
- Low resistance to anthracnose - of course, in humid climatic conditions this can be a serious drawback, since prevention will be required throughout the spring and the first half of summer.
- According to some reviews, there is also uneven ripening of berries in clusters and a low one-dimensionality of berries at very large sizes.But these shortcomings can also be the result of mistakes in care.
Gardeners reviews
Reviews of those who grew Vigorous currants in their plots are very diverse, apparently, much still depends on the climatic conditions of growth and the characteristics of caring for it.
Conclusion
Blackcurrant Vigorous is capable of striking any size of its berries, and both yield and disease resistance can be attractive to gardeners. But to enjoy all these characteristics to the fullest, you need to make at least some effort.
