Growing currants on an industrial scale. Business plan: Growing and selling currant berries

Everyone knows about useful properties oh currants, and often people buy this berry not only to eat fresh, but also to make jams or jams for the winter. Also, currants are great for freezing and do not lose their beneficial properties during such storage. This is its undoubted plus and the opportunity for entrepreneurs to sell this berry in the off season at a higher price.

In addition to the fact that currants have useful medicinal properties, it perfectly tolerates winter frosts, which gives great confidence in building a business. Also, the process of caring for the bushes of this berry can be significantly automated using special equipment for weeding and harvesting. small financial investments and good business profitability are the main arguments for entrepreneurs who consider currants as a business.

Cultivation and care

Currant seedlings are planted in the autumn, after preparing the soil for them. Usually manure or any other organic fertilizers are added to the soil. After planting the seedlings, they are watered. In the spring, potash fertilizers (approximately 60 kg per 1 ha of area) and nitrogen fertilizers (60 kg per 1 ha of area) are added to the soil. If you are planting sprouts in sandy or clay soil, be sure to add mineral fertilizers. The most suitable soil acidity for currants is 6 - 6.5 pH.

Since currant is a bush, when planting, a certain distance between plants must be observed in order to obtain large fruits and it was convenient to process the planting area using various techniques. So, this planting pattern is usually as follows: in rows, bushes are planted at a distance of 1.5 m from each other, and the row spacing is about 2 meters in length.

Also, when the currant grows, you need to put support pegs and tie it up. This will protect the bush from damage by strong winds or rain.

Irrigation must be provided on an ongoing basis, so immediately when drawing up a business plan, lay down the costs of organizing drip irrigation, which will cost an entrepreneur from $650 - $800 per 1 hectare.

Also, keep in mind that the currant root system is almost horizontal, so when caring for it, it is important to remember this and not damage it with equipment or simply removing weeds between rows.

Now let's say a few words about pruning and shaping fruit bushes. In the spring, currants are usually pruned. Fertile branches are usually not touched, except that they remove the length by 2-3 buds, but additional young branches or damaged branches are cut off completely. This provides good growth fruit and high yield. On average, one branch bears fruit for about 4 years, after which it must be replaced with a new, one-year-old branch, and in the fifth year the old branch should be completely cut off. This will help keep the bush in good shape and at the same time its productivity will always be on top.

When choosing seedlings for planting, first of all look at the root system, if it is weak, then you should not take such a seedling, it is better to look for something else.

Currant varieties

For a productive and profitable blackcurrant growing business, you first need to decide on the varieties that are popular among businessmen. We will give a small list of currant varieties that you should pay attention to. They are both early and later. You need to plant different varieties in order to secure the risks of your business and provide yourself with a stable income.

Early varieties

"Curity". Harvest ripens in early July. The weight of the berry is about 2 grams, it has a sweet and sour taste. This variety is resistant to frost, but at the same time requires constant watering of the soil, as it does not tolerate drought.

"Selechenskaya". The variety is resistant to both frost and drought. Gives large yields of berries, about 4 - 5 kg per bush. The bush is vigorous, does not require a garter system, has a berry weight of 5 grams.

"Exotic". Currant resistant to diseases and pests. It has a large berry size of about 5 grams, it is well stored in the refrigerator and has high palatability.

Medium varieties

These include the following types of currants: "Perun", "Black Pearl", "Green Haze", "Fidelity". For example, the variety "Fidelity" ripens closer to the middle, the end of July. About 2.5 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. The fruits themselves are round, tasty and the weight of one berry is about 3 - 5 grams.

Late varieties

These types of currants are great for sale for conservation or wholesale for buyers of this berry. Here are the main types of them: "Vigorous", "Mermaid", "Kipiana", "Venus".

For example, the Yadrena variety ripens late, but has a large berry size, the weight of which reaches 8 grams. On average, about 3.5 kg of berries are harvested from a bush of this variety per season. It is resistant to diseases and frost and is one of the most popular varieties among businessmen.

Or the variety "Kipiana". It has good taste qualities of berries, and up to 5 kg of berries are harvested from one bush. Also, the species is resistant to pests and diseases. Considering the cultivation of currants as a business, you need to focus on both early and late varieties. You will be able to make a profit throughout the season, and if, for example, one of the varieties does not bear fruit, your business will be supported by another.

Profitability

It is worth saying that you can see the full potential of the blackcurrant business already in the third year of growing this berry. So, on average, the cost of 1 kg of currant berries is about $0.5. A farmer who has been doing this for 3 years and more collects about 7-8 tons of berries from 1 hectare. The wholesale price for currants is on average about $2. It is not difficult to calculate that if you spend $3,500, you will be able to earn about $14,000. Taking away hired labor, payment for transport and landing services, you can get about $ 7 - $ 8 thousand net per season. Agree, the currant sales business is quite profitable, and it makes sense to do it. If you are just starting, then a varietal currant seedling will cost you $1, but at the same time you will get a bush that will produce about 3.5 - 4 kg of berries, and at the end of the season you can already earn $7 - $8 from one bush.

Sale of currant leaves

In addition to selling blackcurrant berries, you can also make money on leaves. Many pharmaceutical companies buy currant leaves to make medicinal teas. It is to them that you can hand over leaves and receive another additional source of income.

You can collect currant leaves in dry, warm weather, and you need to dry them in the shade. You can find out how much they pay per kilogram of such products from local buyers.

Sale of currant seedlings

Another option for earning money for an entrepreneur working in this area.

Seedlings are prepared as follows. In the spring, one-year-old sprouts are cut so that there are 3 buds on the branch. The cut length is usually about 20 cm. The bottom of the seedling is cut at an angle of 45 degrees, and the top is cut horizontally. Then they are placed in water in a warm place. After they take root 0.5 - 1 cm long, you can transplant them into small pots in the ground and take them to the market for sale a few days later.

Why shouldn't a businessman who grows currants for sale make money on seedlings? The answer is obvious - you need to do this and constantly increase the profit from the sale of cuttings.

Conclusions. Currant business is a profitable area Agriculture, which implies low costs, and its potential opens up only in the third year of operation.

Are you into currants? Give your advice to the readers of our site.

Before talking about a blackcurrant business project, let's look at all its advantages relative to other berries:

The plant has a number of medicinal and dietary characteristics;
Fruits, like other types of berries, are quite an early ripening product;
A special advantage of berries over the rest is its winter hardiness;
Good quality berries - they tolerate freezing quite well, while maintaining their taste, as well as all useful vitamins and properties.

And this is only a small part of all that it is beneficial for, and if we consider the facts that blackcurrant harvesting can be carried out mechanically, with the help of only 1 person, then the cultivation of blackcurrant berries will become like an easy business, and will not require large investments.

Business Attractiveness

Let us also recall that it does not lose its properties when frozen, which, in turn, will allow it to be stored for a long time, and sold at double the price in the winter. Moreover, the cultivation of berries as good business you can start, even if you are the owner of only 5 acres.

However, although this is possible, it will be a little more difficult to deal with sales. Therefore, with such volumes, it will most likely be retail sales or own production of all kinds of jams and preserves. But there are many videos about their preparation, so we will not stop here.

Numbers

Note for reference that from one hectare, provided that the bushes are at least 3 years old, you can collect 8 tons of blackcurrant berries. If you suddenly want to calculate the net profit, then know that the cost per 1 ton of this raw material is about $400. If we consider this business further in numbers, then you should be aware of the minimum purchase price, which last year was $ 2 per kilo, or if you translate into tons, then $ 2000 will come out.

Now let's do the arithmetic:

(2000$-400$)×8=12 800$

Tempting, isn't it? Now, knowing the net profit, we will find out what the investment should be in order to start a business. On average, they ask for $ 1 for a blackcurrant seedling on the market. Knowing that about 4 kg of berries come out of one bush, it is easy to calculate the number of bushes per hectare, as well as the purchase price for the entire hectare in order to start your business.

As you can see, quite a few. And if in three years, while the bush is growing, you study all the algorithms for growing products, watch the video and learn more not only about the pros, but also negative sides of this business plan, then there is a high probability that you can have a super-profitable small business if you wish!

An important factor that can affect your business is what kind of cultivation technology you use to achieve the result. Therefore, the plan for caring for blackcurrants follows.

Proper Care

Like other agricultural products, the amount of blackcurrant obtained directly depends on the land on which it grows and on what your processing plan is. Therefore, it deserves special attention.
As many video materials say, soil pH is desirable around 6-6.5. These are soils with low acidity. However, even with average values, it will also grow, though not so well. If the soil has high acidity, then lime must also be applied along with fertilizers.

The subtleties of a big harvest

If you are seriously thinking about running a business plan in this direction, then be sure to do an agrochemical analysis of your soil. Although this service is expensive ($40), in the future you will receive a full scope of fertilizer work based on these data. In terms of care, she is somewhat similar to an apple tree. On average, for a bag of fertilizer weighing 25 kg, $ 100 will be asked.

If you want to get a large crop of blackcurrants already at the beginning of summer, then it is recommended to plant seedlings in the fall. This is done so that the roots can take root before frost, and she survived the winter quite well.

An important factor is also the distance between the seedlings. A very large one will lead to a loss of usable area, while a very small one will prevent the seedlings from developing normally and will lead to the fact that the blackcurrant berries will be quite small. The ideal distance is 1.5-2 meters.

Such a planting plan is necessary so that the number of berries is minimal, the berries are large, and, therefore, the harvest is faster. It is also recommended to plant bushes of different varieties mixed, which will contribute to successful pollination. It is imperative to plant seedlings with a support bar. Also, do not forget that this is a moisture-loving plant, and therefore you should not allow the soil to dry out.

However, although she loves moisture, she critically does not tolerate floods. Therefore, you should also take care of drip irrigation. Although this is the most expensive of all types of irrigation, it is nevertheless the most effective. Such an irrigation plan will cost about $700 per hectare. Follow these conditions and you are guaranteed to have high yields, a large number of money and successful business!

With the industrial scale of the production of currant berries, when there is an expansion of areas and an increase in gross yields, the economic evaluation of the cultivation of this crop is of great importance. One of the main indicators of the economic efficiency of berry production is profit and profitability. In addition, for a more complete analysis and an objective assessment of the efficiency of commercial production, it is advisable to use such important indicators as yield, cost, actual selling price, etc.

The main changes in the indicators of economic efficiency of the production of currant berries largely depend on the level of productivity. Quite a few factors influence the increase in yield, for example, agrotechnical ones (varietal composition, quality of planting material, plant density, level of agricultural technology, rational systems of fertilization and protective measures against pests, diseases and weeds, irrigation, etc.).

In addition, economic factors are also important, the observance of which contributes to a more complete application of the entire complex of agrotechnical requirements. The most significant impact on the economic efficiency of the production of currant berries is provided by specialization, concentration, intensification, placement, organization of labor and production, and other factors.

Modern industrial berry growing involves the use of the achievements of science and practice of advanced farms. In this regard, the introduction of progressive methods of agricultural technology, increasing the culture of currant cultivation will greatly contribute to increasing productivity, reducing costs per unit of production, and reducing its cost. IN modern conditions horticultural farms are more interested not in individual agrotechnical measures, but in their complex, the industrial technology of currant cultivation as a whole.

In the economic assessment of the industrial technology of currant cultivation, T. I. Shevyakova recommends using a system of indicators, of which the most important are: crop yield per unit area, in q; monetary and material costs per 1 centner of berries and per 1 ha, in rubles; labor productivity; labor costs per 1 q of berries and per 1 ha, in man-hours; the cost of 1 centner of products, in rubles; the amount of profit in rubles. per 1 hectare of fruit-bearing plantation, per 1 centner of berries, per 1 man-hour; level of profitability of berry production, in%.

As the experience of advanced farms has shown, modern industrial technology for growing currants requires significant financial and material costs. The highest amount of expenses for pre-planting work and planting currants is the cost of planting material, since the laying of a commercial plantation is planned to be carried out with high-quality planting material of the 1st reproduction, which has a rather high wholesale price. A significant share of the costs falls on the cost of organic and mineral fertilizers, wages, etc.

Otherwise, the cost structure for caring for young plantations is formed. Here is the greatest specific gravity is wages, since part of the work to care for young berry growers still has to be done manually. In addition, the costs of pesticides and herbicides are quite high, since a significant amount of drugs is consumed in a relatively short period.

The modern industrial technology of berry cultivation provides for an average yield level for 6-8 years of operation for black currant not lower than 40-50 centners per 1 ha and for red currant - 60-80 centners per 1 ha. When calculating the costs and analyzing the actual costs of operating currant plantations for a given yield, the main share of the costs is wages and depreciation. Despite the fact that many works on currant plantations are mechanized, the production of berries requires a significant amount of labor. At the same time, the costs are especially high in production areas, where the main share falls on pruning and harvesting.

An analysis of the work of a number of large horticultural state farms, where there are industrial plantations of currants, shows that economic efficiency production of berries varies greatly and depends on the yield, the total cost of growing products in monetary terms and the selling price.

Thus, at the state farm "Runovsky" (Moscow region), even with a relatively low yield of 15-20 centners per 1 ha, the level of profitability reached 62-66% - And with a very low yield in 1980 due to spring frosts currant production was unprofitable. At the same time, it is clearly seen that with a decrease in yield to 5-10 centners per 1 ha, the cost of 1 centner of berries increases sharply. Obviously, in order to achieve cost recovery for the production of currant berries and a sufficiently high profitability, a yield level on an industrial scale of at least 30-35 centners per 1 ha is required.

To grow red and black currants, you need to have start-up capital and understand this business area. If you have never encountered planting and caring for this crop, then at first it will be difficult and the chances of “burning out” are high. To prevent this, consider all the information about growing rules in advance, look for the first customers and register a business. Such actions will help you get the first profit in the near future.

The financial side of the issue

If we consider the financial side of the issue, then the production of currants can bring considerable income. The average cost of seedlings is 200-300 rubles. Since few people are engaged in such a field, the demand for berries is high, and the supply is low.

All these factors help, even with a low yield, to make a profit every year.

When drawing up a financial business plan, consider the following indicators:

calculation of the starting amount of money that you are ready to invest in the production of currants;
volumes of current expenses;
price formation (how profitable the sphere is);
calculate the income that you would like to receive in a certain season;
business profitability;
How long will it take for you to recoup your initial investment?

Did you know?In Rus', currants were used to make mash.

Investments and payback

At first, the gardener should not skimp on investments. At the beginning of the journey, you will have to pay about 300 thousand rubles. First of all, high-quality seedlings are selected. Buy them in nurseries to be sure of the quality of planting material: in such establishments, all products are stored in special rooms where plants are not affected by frost or disease.

You should also invest in fertilizers, because without high-quality top dressing, high yields cannot be achieved.

If you are going to grow a small number of bushes (up to 20 pieces), then you can do it on your own. In cases where plants occupy a large area, special equipment and workers will be required. This also applies to investments.

Based on the feedback from farmers, the first payback comes 4 years after planting. In order not to increase the return on investment, choose high-quality high-yielding varieties of red and black currants, which are characterized early dates fruiting.

Expected profit

The amount of expected profit should be calculated based on what you are going to sell. It is believed that berries are more expensive than seedlings. For example, 4-5 thousand bushes can be grown on 1 weave.

If you sell them and take into account that you are just entering a large market, then the cost of one of them is about 70 rubles. . In this case, you can earn 280-350 thousand rubles

With berries, the situation is a little more complicated, since it is more difficult to sell large volumes of fruits. But the profit from such a business is higher.

If we take into account that 3–5 kg of berries are harvested from 1 bush, then 16–20 tons are obtained from 1 weave. Selling 1 kg for 80 rubles. (which is 1.5-2 times cheaper than the market value), you can make a profit of 1.2-1.6 million rubles.

Yield from 1 ha

red and black currant can produce a good harvest if the right variety is selected. On average, 4 kg of berries are harvested from each bush.

Sales features

The main problem that farmers often face is finding channels to market their products. For the first few years, you can sell goods to relatives and friends. Just be prepared for the fact that you will have to make discounts for loved ones.

After some time, the number of customers will increase. On the one hand, you will be looking for new customers, and on the other hand, relatives and friends will advertise your products.

You can also offer your services to such establishments:

Restaurants and cafes.
Wholesale bases.
Supermarkets and small retail outlets.
Sanatoriums.

In such establishments, the need for fresh berries for desserts is constantly felt. And it is better to sell bushes through wholesale bases. Just analyze a few companies to choose suitable option(according to the volume of purchases and price).

Video: Alexey Travin's berry business. 100 ha of berry crops

Equipment and workers

To process a large area of the site, worry about buying auxiliary equipment and hiring workers. The most optimal set is a harvester and 2-3 operators who will manage it.

During the selection of auxiliary equipment, it is taken into account that it must have the following characteristics:

productivity level - 0.3 ha/hour;
cleaning quality - 95–97%;
contamination level - no more than 4%;
hydraulic type control.

Since such harvesters are not self-propelled, you will have to additionally buy or rent a tractor with a power of at least 25 kW.

The average cost of a combine is 20,000 euros. If you do not have that kind of money right away, you can rent equipment from friends or special companies.

Varieties of currants for cultivation

It is necessary to approach the choice of varieties for cultivation carefully.

The most popular industrial crops with early ripening dates include:

- high-yielding variety of black currant. Up to 30 kg per season are harvested from the bush.
- large-fruited red currant. During the season, 15 kg of berries ripen on each plant.
- a self-fertile variety of blackcurrant, which yields about 10 kg per bush.
Centaur- large-fruited variety. Up to 17 kg of berries are harvested from a bush. The weight of each is 2–3 g.
- currant resistant to diseases and pests. Every year, 8 kg of fruits are harvested from each plant.
Vasilisa the Beautiful- a variety that is not affected by frost, powdery mildew and anthracnose.
- a variety that can grow in the shade, survives frost and drought well. Yields are 10 kg per bush.

Growing process

To make a profit, the gardener must adhere to all the rules for growing a plant. First you need to choose the best place for planting and buy high-quality seedlings. In the process of growing, do not forget about care: the quality of the crop and the life expectancy of each bush depend on it.

Buying seedlings

When buying a seedling, consider the following parameters:

plant height should be 70–90 cm;
age - 1-2 years. Such seedlings have high resistance to diseases and frosts;
developed root system;
absence of cracks and spots, which can be signs of diseases and pests.

Site preparation

Black and needs a prepared planting site, so remove all weeds and foreign objects from the soil in advance. If you are going to plant shrubs on clay or sand, then apply organic fertilizers (humus or peat) while digging the site.

For 1 m², 10–15 kg of the substance is used. Heavy lands (loams or black earth) are diluted with sand (20 kg per 1 m²). This is necessary in order to nutrients, moisture and oxygen penetrated better into the lower layers of the soil.

If you decide to turn currant cultivation into a business, first examine the acidity of the soil: it should be in the range of 4–5 units. In case of a high mark, apply nitrogen fertilizers (5 kg per 1 m²). If the acidity of the soil is low, then lime is used (3 kg per 1 m²).

Landing Rules

The optimal time for planting currants is the end of September. This is justified by the fact that the plant will have time to take root in the soil before the onset. Thanks to such planting dates, the first ovaries on the shrubs will already appear.

Landing technology is as follows:

Digging holes. Their depth should be 50-60 cm, and width - 70 cm.
A seedling is installed and its root system is distributed over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe planting pit.
Sprinkle the roots with 300 g of ammonium nitrate.
Fill the hole with soil.
Water each bush with 20 liters of water.
The trunk circle is mulched with straw, coniferous sawdust or peat.

The planting pattern should be such that the bushes do not shade each other, so keep a distance of 1.5 m between plants in a row, and 2–3 m between rows. To protect the bushes from wind and rain, install wooden supports next to each of them and tie with cloth.

Subtleties of care

It is necessary to take care of the black one carefully so that the culture produces a large harvest every year.

First of all, adjust the quality and quantity of dressings:

At the end of March, the plant is fed with potash (40 kg per 1 ha) or nitrogen (50 kg per 1 ha) fertilizers.
In early or mid-June, a solution of wood ash is added (300 g per 5 liters of water) to normalize the acidity of the soil and increase the taste of the berries (the acid rate retains sweetness in the fruits).
In September, immediately after harvesting, water the bushes with superphosphate (500 g per 10 liters of water). For each bush use 4-5 liters.

Quality care is not complete without: currants are irrigated no more than 1 time per month. To do this, pour 20 liters of water under the root of one plant. After 2-3 days, when the moisture is absorbed, loosen the top layer of the earth. Deepen garden tools by 6-8 cm to remove the formed crust, but not disturb the structure of the roots.

Fig.1. Currant pruning: a - one-year-old seedling; b - biennial bush; c, d - shortening of shoots. Fig.2. Currant bush before anti-aging pruning (a), after it (b) and pruning of a neglected bush (c).

All treatments against diseases and pests are carried out once a month. It is best to carry out procedures in cloudy weather so that the sun's rays and chemicals do not provoke burns on the bushes.

Profitability

The first results and potential of the formed business appear 3-4 years after the start. If you grow currants during this time, then the profit will increase annually. If at the beginning of your journey you spent about 4 thousand dollars on development (land, seedlings, inventory), then for 3 years after planting the bushes, your income will be more than 15 thousand dollars.

From the amount received, you will need to pay wages workers, deduct the cost of renting equipment (if you do not have your own) and Additional materials(chemical preparations for the treatment of bushes, fertilizers, etc.).

As a result, the net profit will be 5-7 thousand dollars for 1 season. Growing currants as a business is a very profitable business. If you properly care for the bushes and the plot, then each plant at the end of the season will bring 7-10 dollars.

Legal side

To grow currants for profit, register a business.

To do this, you can go in several ways:

Non-profit gardening partnership- consists in obtaining a certificate stating that you are the owner of the summer cottage where the products are grown. You can sell goods to large suppliers at wholesale prices.
Individual entrepreneur- thanks to such registration you will be able to practice on your own legal matters business (hiring workers, organizing sales, finding buyers). It takes a lot of effort to get this shape. First of all, you need to get a certificate for the products.
Limited Liability Company- this method is suitable if you want to attract partners (co-founders or creditors) in the future.

Required documents

To apply for a business permit at the tax office, prepare the following documents:

registration in the unified register of the country, which can be done online;
a copy of the passport and identification code;
a statement that you accept the terms of the single tax;
a book that records income;
application made in the name of the head of the tax organization.

After the submission of all documents, in 3-5 days you will be issued a tax payer certificate. The details of the account to which you will transfer money will be indicated there.

It is quite possible to grow currants and get a good profit for it, just first collect the necessary documents, register a business and prepare a starting amount of money. The first 2 years will be difficult, as the bushes bear fruit mainly 3 years after planting. After this time, subject to all the conditions for growing and doing business, you will receive the first profit and understand that you have made the right choice.

Twenty years ago, everyone wanted to have a small, but their own piece of land that could fill the table with organic vegetables, berries, fruits, and also become a place for family work and recreation. Thanks to the acquaintance with life on summer cottages, some of the city dwellers have gradually turned into summer residents-businessmen and earn decent money on their hundred square meters.

What kind of crops for sale are not grown by gardeners and gardeners! So Irina and her husband from Ukraine decided to grow blackcurrant five years ago. Today Irina is visiting the magazine Reconomica, she will tell you what successes they have achieved, and also give valuable advice for the cultivation of this useful berry.

My name is Irina, I am 56 years old. I live in Ukraine, in the small town of Zhovti Vody.

A few years ago, my husband and I bought a vegetable garden on the outskirts of the city and decided to grow blackcurrants for sale. Of course, this business began to bring us profit not immediately, but only after three years, that is how long it took for the plantation to grow and begin to bear fruit. In this article, we will share our achievements, blackcurrant growing experience and some of our mistakes so that you can avoid them.

We noticed that every summer black currants are sold in the market of our city, they are very expensive, they buy them well and quickly take them apart.

This berry is in great demand, due to the content of many vitamins in it, it strengthens the immune system, has an anti-inflammatory effect. Jam is made from it, frozen, mixed with sugar (in the proportion: 1 part currant - 2 parts sugar) and stored in the refrigerator. The leaves of this culture are used in tea, which is taken for colds, and is also added when canning cucumbers.

This berry is in great demand due to the content of many vitamins in it.

So we thought, why not plant currants in the country for sale? It was calculated that if you plant 80 bushes on 2 acres of a garden (3-7 kg of berries are harvested from one bush), then you can earn $ 570 per season.

Planting and propagation of currants

planting material

By that time, several bushes of the Oryol Serenade variety were already growing in our garden - this is a medium-late currant with a good yield. We decided to leave it, propagated by dividing the bushes, and buy new varieties.

The nursery chose mid-season currant varieties that are resistant to frost and drought: Tiben, Titania, Sofievskaya. The berries ripen in mid-July, which is convenient for sale, by that time strawberries are already running out, and people are waiting for raspberries and currants to appear.

We did not manage to plant 2 acres of currants at once, in one year. The seedlings at the market were expensive, and we could not buy the required 80 pieces at a time. Then we decided to divide the existing bushes and plant our planting material. Thus, we got 10 bushes, we bought the remaining 10 seedlings in the nursery.

In the future, we began to grow our own planting material by diverting branches. At each bush, in the second year of life, we dug up 4 branches, and two years later we got 80 bushes.

We did not manage to plant 2 acres of currants at once, in one year.

Planting seedlings

Planting was carried out in the second half of October, when the leaves fell from the trees. The landing site was chosen open, well lit by the sun.
The earth was freed from weeds and dug up on the bayonet of a shovel. Then, holes were prepared, 30 cm wide, 30 cm deep, 50 cm long. The seedlings were planned to be laid at an angle of 45% during planting. The distance between the pits was 1.20 m, between the rows 1.5 m.
Fertilizer was added to each hole: wood ash 100 g, superphosphate 2 tbsp. spoons, 1 kg of compost. All this was mixed with the ground and laid out before planting in prepared grooves, then 3 liters of water were poured into each hole.
Old currant bushes were divided with a shovel into several small bushes. For planting selected material with a good root system and young roots. It turned out 10 pieces of planting material.
The seedlings were placed in pits at an angle of 45%, covered with earth, lightly rammed. From above, 3 liters of water were poured under each bush, and when it was absorbed, they sprinkled it with a small layer of earth to retain moisture.
When the entire plantation was planted, we started mulching the ground, for this we used sawdust, sunflower seed husks mixed with dry soil.
At the end of planting, the seedlings were pruned, leaving 2-3 buds above the ground.

Planting was carried out in the second half of October, when the leaves fell from the trees.

plantation care

Pest and disease control

We noticed that blackcurrant is very susceptible to all sorts of diseases, for prevention we decided to use all kinds of means.

In early spring, in March - early April, the young planting was scalded with boiling water. To do this, they lit a fire in the country, boiled water and poured water from the kettle directly onto the branches.
In April, we started processing the planting with 1% Bordeaux mixture against fungal diseases.

How to prepare Bordeaux mixture:

0.5 l of boiling water was added to 100 g of copper sulfate and mixed thoroughly.
Lime was extinguished separately, for this it was poured cold water and left her to "play".
An hour later, lime was mixed with vitriol, filtered through gauze and the plants were immediately sprayed.

For pest control, we used the drug "Topaz". They worked the plantation in the evening, choosing calm weather so that the wind would not carry the chemicals. The procedure was carried out before bud break.

Summer worries

Throughout the summer, work did not stop, it was necessary to carry out a number of activities:

Make sure that there are no weeds, weed in time, trying not to damage the roots of plants, since the root system of the bush is located close to the surface.
If necessary, add mulch, spreading it around the plants, under the root and between the rows, using dried grass, hay, straw. It is imperative to do such work in order to preserve moisture, since currants do not like the soil to dry out.
We watered twice a week in hot weather, and once a week when there was no strong heat, well flooding each plant.
The first year after planting, fertilizers were not applied, because they fertilized well immediately. In the future, fertilized every year.

Currant fertilizer

In the spring, currants should be fertilized with organic fertilizers, we used: compost, humus, wood ash.

In spring, currants should be fertilized with organic fertilizers.

Fertilized before digging or before watering, so that the fertilizer immediately hits the ground.
Under one bush, 1 kg of compost or humus and a glass of wood ash were added, scattering around the bush, or diluted in a bucket of water and poured under the root.
Often used potato peelings, burying them around the plants.
You can use a simple organic fertilizer: soak the grass that was uprooted in the garden in a barrel of water, let it “play” well for a week. Dilute in a liter jar in a bucket of water and water each bush 4-5 liters. The fertilizer has a strong smell. All the neighbors thought we brought manure.

Plants are very depleted during the fruiting period and they must also be fed.

After picking berries, we used potassium-phosphorus fertilizers: superphosphate, potassium sulfate, urea, ash. We mixed them in a bucket, took 1 kg of each, then scattered a handful under a bush, filling it well with water. Sometimes we used a different method: we dissolved a handful of mixed fertilizers in a bucket of water and watered under each bush.

Need to know! Fertilizers are applied only after watering, first you need to water the plants, and then fertilize!

Pruning bushes

When we bought the garden, there were old blackcurrant bushes, it was clear that they had not been cut for a long time. Currant was good variety She still continued to bear fruit.

The currant was a good variety, it still continued to bear fruit.

After the crop was harvested, we carried out sanitary pruning: we removed all dry, diseased and broken branches. Later, we transplanted these bushes to a new place by dividing the bushes themselves. The problem of old bushes has been solved.

For the first two years, no pruning was carried out, only broken, diseased, damaged branches were removed. Bushes were formed, leaving 6 strong shoots each, weak zero shoots that grow from the root were removed.
In the third and fourth years, we left another 5-6 shoots, continuing to remove the sick and damaged ones. Thus, we have formed a bush with 12 branches.
In the fifth and sixth year, all the old branches were removed, leaving only the young ones. Such pruning increased the yield of bushes.
We immediately burned all the cut branches.

Pruning was done in autumn. They cut out young thin shoots, which still die in winter, transverse branches that interfere with each other, cutting them off at the very base. The tops of the branches were cut off only when they were damaged by anthracnose, glass or aphids.

Preparing bushes for winter:

In order for the shrubs to overwinter well, in the month of October we watered them well.
If the winter is very cold, the bushes were covered with burlap or film.
The ground around was mulched with humus, straw, hay, leaves.

Our business

The plantation began to generate income in the third year, when the bushes gained growth and strength. In the fourth year, we collected 5 kg of berries from each bush. We had our own customers, the goods were sold quickly.

In addition to berries, we began to trade in seedlings, growing them by diverting branches. Young lateral shoots were dug in in autumn or early spring, watering them abundantly throughout the summer.

New ideas with a compost pit

In order for the currant crop to be good, we needed a lot of fertilizer. To solve this problem, we made a compost pit in the garden.

Throughout the year, food waste, tops of plants, leaves were put into it, each time pouring layers of earth. The compost lay for two years, all this time we watered the pit, dug up the contents in it several times. In the summer they covered the pit with a film.

5 years later

Every summer, the currant crop brought us $570 in income.

5 years have passed, looking back, we can conclude:

If we started a blackcurrant growing business now, we would immediately plant all 80 bushes, then we would make a profit faster. There was no need to spare money for seedlings.
It is more profitable to plant a plantation larger in size. It will be easier to care for, spray, trim, mulch, water. Income will increase significantly!