Why did the currant "turn pale"?

AT next year it is desirable to add phosphate, organic and potash fertilizers. Of course, not all at once.

form favorable environment for the development of currants for 3 years. It is necessary to take into account the following feature: its roots lie close to the surface, in adult bushes it grows in diameter up to 1.5-2 meters. Such an area must be fed with fertilizer. Black, red and white currants are very sensitive to fertilizers containing chlorine. Therefore, potash fertilizers, where chlorine is available, are applied in large doses in the fall.

For the entire period mentioned above, it is necessary to gradually introduce 30-40 kg of manure under the bush. However, the norm may vary depending on the fertility of the soil: the poor need more, and vice versa. Mineral food is as follows: superphosphate is best used when mixed with phosphate fertilizers - bone meal, fluorine-free phosphate, etc. (approximately in this proportion: 100 g of superphosphate and 200 g of bone meal or others.). We don't do it all at once. Nitrogen - in early spring, mostly 20-25 g ammonium nitrate per 1 sq. m or 40 g of ammonium sulfate. These doses can be divided: part in the spring, the rest - in the summer for top dressing. If you bring manure in spring, then in autumn - mineral nitrogen fertilizer no longer needed.
These recommendations can be used when growing gooseberries.

Currant is unpretentious shrub, which usually does not cause much trouble. But it happens that the leaves of the currant turn yellow, when there is still no talk of autumn. What to do in this case can only be decided after the causes of yellowing have been established.

Currant leaves may turn yellow at the very beginning of summer, because gall aphids drink their juice. This is a very common pest that feeds on leaf sap. fruit crops. The gall aphid settles on the underside of the leaves, pierces the vessels with its proboscis, in this place small swellings appear, painted red or yellow. The entire leaf then turns yellow, falls prematurely. The worst thing is that 7 generations can appear in a season gall aphid, on such a scale, the pest can destroy more than one currant bush, settle on other plants. It will be impossible to do something later, you need to fight at the first sign of its appearance.

They fight aphids with insecticides, and they can only be applied before flowering or after harvesting. The rest of the time, you can only destroy the affected areas of the bush. The processing of each leaf on both sides is carried out after harvesting, and then it must be repeated in the fall, when the aphid lays its eggs. It is desirable to carry out preventive treatment bushes and the ground around them in the spring before bud break.

The spider mite is also very small, they learn about it only after the yellow leaves appear first, and then the cobwebs on the bush. If you notice it in time, you can get by with "washing" the plant clean water and hydration in the following days. It is advisable to fight it by spraying the bush with garlic, tobacco or onion infusion with the addition of laundry soap. good effect gives a spray of dandelion infusion. If such methods do not help, you need to use special acaricides or insectoacaricides.

Yellowing of leaves, death of shoots can be caused by currant glass caterpillars, which feed on juice and even gnaw on young tender shoots. The terrible thing is that this pest is not afraid of any chemicals, you can't just poison it. For prevention, you need to carefully loosen the ground around the bushes in spring and early summer, cut and destroy the affected shoots ruthlessly.

These are not the only pests that encroach on currants. Meet more kidney mites and kidney currant moth, due to the actions of which the leaves may not bloom at all. The currant borer is a bug that feeds on leaves, and it leaves its larvae to winter inside the shoots. Leaf sawflies most often settle on red and white currants, feeding on their leaves.

Video “Currant pests”

From the video you will learn about currant pests and methods of dealing with them.

External factors

Healthy strong currant bushes are less likely to be attacked by pests and disease infections. And if this happens, then they suffer much less than their weakened counterparts. But pests are not the only reason for the sudden yellowing of currant leaves. You can understand why currant leaves may turn yellow by analyzing the conditions for their growth, the quality of care.

The simplest and most easily eliminated reason is lack of moisture. dry hot weather bushes need watering, in its absence, the leaves will turn yellow, dry, and the fruits will grow small, they may even dry out before ripening.

Oddly enough, but the leaves can turn yellow even with an excess of moisture, then this will be evidence of wilting due to a lack of useful nutrients in particular nitrogen. Currant loves moisture, but it grows well on light nutrient soils, if the soil is not very fertile, then you need to feed the plants more often. For the same reason, it is advised to plant currants away from other shrubs or trees, and leave at least 1 meter between the bushes - so they will have enough land and sun.

If you plant incorrectly formed bushes, then the leaves may turn yellow, wither due to an underdeveloped root system. As a rule, a young bush should have 4 - 6 developed shoots, a strong, well-developed root system. Young roots will not be able to feed more growing shoots.

Another reason may be a bush planted at the wrong time. In order for it to take root and begin to develop well, when planting, the soil temperature must be above +18 degrees, which may not be the case in spring. early landing. That is why experienced gardeners prefer to plant currants in the fall.

This fruit bush need to be grown in a bright place, protected from the winds, in nutrient soil. Every year you need to properly cut it, make organic and mineral fertilizers, make sure that there is enough moisture, especially during the fruiting period. Then the bush will be healthy, strong.

Video “Protection from pests”

From the video you will learn how to protect currants from pests.

It is often possible to observe yellowing of the leaves on currant bushes, even before the appearance of ripe berries.

The question of what to do so that the leaves do not turn yellow and why this occurs worries many gardeners, especially beginners. Therefore, the reasons for this phenomenon and how to deal with it should be studied in more detail.

Why do currant leaves turn yellow?

Another common reason yellow leaves is the overdrying of the soil, untimely watering. To avoid this problem, it is recommended for dry climatic conditions carry out regular watering and top dressing of plants, so currants will bring a good harvest.

You should also carry out periodic loosening of the soil, top dressing, be sure to regularly weed the weeds around the plants. Almost all varieties of currants do not require special conditions growth, they are able to take root in any conditions. One of important requirements berry plants is right soil- it should be soft, loose, root system should be free to grow and develop.

Currant does not need an abundance of fertilizers, from an excess of peat, the roots can get burned, and the leaves turn yellow and fall off. It is also recommended to observe the distance between the bushes when planting. The distance between plants should be at least one meter. Otherwise, the plants will grow and develop poorly, fruiting will be weak. Currant is light-loving plant, so you should not plant it in the shade, otherwise it threatens the appearance of yellow leaves.

Pest exposure

To find out the reason why the leaves on the currant turn yellow in July, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with what pests can provoke this state of the plant:

What to do if currant leaves turn yellow

Processing of currant plantations begins in early spring, before the buds begin to bloom. The leaves of black currants can turn yellow due to a thickened planting, so it needs to be seated. Eliminate last year's foliage and those shoots that show signs of pest or disease activity.

After flowering, currants are treated with a solution of onion peel, insecticides Fitoverm, Agravertin. To prevent the occurrence of diseases, wood ash, Bordeaux liquid or mullein are used. These funds are diluted with water and sprayed with currants.

What diseases affect foliage

Among the main diseases that provoke yellowing, we can distinguish:

• Sferoteka or powdery mildew - fungal disease that affects leaves, fruits and branches. The result of this is plaque, they curl, turn yellow, dry out, and the fruits crumble;
• Anthracnose - fungal disease, it also applies to all green elements, provokes their yellowness and drying. A key sign is the appearance of brown spots, twisting and falling of foliage;
• Spotting - also refers to the fungus, last year's fallen currant particles become habitat;
• Rust - provokes yellowing and death of foliage, manifests itself as red swellings;
• Terry is a disease of viral origin, its carriers are spider mites, signs of the spread of the disease are elongation of foliage, fall or bad development fruits, inflorescences acquire a purple color and a specific terry coating.

Blackcurrant is unpretentious berry bush, but when growing it, gardeners sometimes face some problems. One of them is the yellowing of the leaves. The leaves may turn yellow gradually throughout the summer, or they may change color rapidly, and then begin to fall off.

chapter 1. Causes of yellowing currant leaves

There are many factors for yellowing foliage, and the sooner the cause is determined, the easier it will be to eliminate it.

Section 1. Pests

One of the reasons for the change in the color of the foliage is the attack of pests such as gall aphids, currant glass or spider mite. It is not difficult to identify them if you carefully examine the entire plant, because insects leave other traces.

gall aphid, or in another way - hairy aphids, feed on leaf juices, which causes their deformation. The surface of the leaf plate swells, forming tubercles, which can be either yellow or red.

Most often, young leaves on the tops of the shoots are damaged, which slows down the growth of the plant and worsens the yield in the next season. Aphids lay their eggs under the bark, and they overwinter there until the next year.

currant glass jar is dangerous in that it lays eggs inside shoots that have even the slightest cracks. Caterpillar larvae emerge from the eggs, which feed on the inside of the shoots, leaving voids in them. They move down, and spend the winter in that part of the branches, which is located closer to the ground.

The final growth of the larva is 2 cm. For the entire period of being inside the shoot, the glass larvae gnaw out its entire core, which disrupts sap flow and the process of photosynthesis. The leaves turn yellow and fall off after a while.

spider mite attacks currants most often in hot, dry weather. It can be seen if you look at the bottom of the sheet. It is strewn with very small black spider insects. At the internodes, at the junction of the leaf petiole with the shoot, a thin cobweb is noticeable.

The spider mite sucks the juice from the foliage, piercing it. External surface first covered with small yellow dots, which quickly merge and the leaf appears completely yellow. After a while, it dries up and curls up.

Section 2. Nutrient deficiency

Currant leaves can become yellow due to a lack of nutrients:

• with a lack of nitrogen, the foliage turns yellow gradually, and first the color of the veins changes, and then the tissue between them. Leaves fall only if the soil is very depleted. Confirmation that the currant lacks nitrogen is also the fact that the shoots are strongly stretched and become thin;
• with a lack of potassium, only the edge of the leaf turns yellow, and the leaf itself does not change color;
• if there is little iron in the soil, then the leaves become pale green and remain so long time. They turn yellow much later, while their turgor does not change;
• if the plant lacks magnesium, then only the lower leaves turn yellow, while the surface between the veins changes color, and the veins themselves remain green.

Section 3. soil moisture disturbance

The color of currant leaves can also change if watering is disturbed. This happens as when the soil dries out in trunk circle, as well as overmoistening. If watering is insufficient, then small roots, which are responsible for the absorption of moisture, partially die off. With constantly moist soil during the rainy season, the roots rot. At the same time, the plant does not receive a sufficient amount of trace elements, which changes its appearance.

chapter 2. What to do if currant leaves turn yellow

If the cause of the change in the color of the foliage is identified, then it will not be difficult to eliminate it. It is important to carry out all activities as soon as the first changes appear.

Section 1. Top dressing

If there is a shortage of nitrogen, its supply can be replenished with organic fertilizers- compost or rotted manure. You can replace them with urea.

If the currant does not have enough potassium, then potassium sulfate, potassium chloride or potassium magnesia are added. These fertilizers dissolve well in water, and liquid dressings are quickly absorbed.

Iron is replenished with iron sulfates or chelates. It should be remembered that iron sulfates are applied to the soil, and for foliar dressings chelates are used. This is due to the fact that in this way iron is absorbed completely.

With a lack of magnesium, currants are fertilized with potassium magnesia, magnesium sulfate or dolomite flour. A large number of magnesium is found in wood ash.

Section 2. Processing with chemicals

When applied chemicals for pest control on currants, it is important to remember that spraying with some products should be carried out 30 days before harvest or any time after all the berries are harvested.

Against gall aphids and spider mites apply:

• "Agravertin" - pests stop eating plant sap 6 hours after treatment, and their complete death occurs after 3-4 days;
• "Aktofit" - the complete death of pests occurs after 3 days. Apply at a temperature not lower than +18°C. Berries can be eaten two days after spraying;
• "Fufanon" - begins to act in a day, currants are processed 20 days before the berries ripen.

It is more difficult to deal with currant glass, because the larvae are protected by the bark of the shoots. Spraying is effective during the period when butterflies begin to fly.

They use drugs such as Karbofos, Fitoverm, Agravertin. If the moment is missed, then the shoots in which the butterflies have already managed to lay their eggs are removed. You can recognize them by damage on the bark, because females choose only damaged branches for laying eggs.

Section 3. Folk remedies to combat yellowing currant leaves

From gall aphids and spider mites, an infusion of tobacco or red pepper in pods is used. Prepare them as follows:

• 500 grams of tobacco is poured warm water(10 liters) and insist for a day. Then filter and add a little green soap;
• a concentrate is prepared from red capsicum - 1 kg of pods is poured with water (10 liters) and boiled over low heat for 1 hour. After cooling, strain and pour into small containers. For processing, add 150 grams of concentrate to a bucket of water.

To scare away the glass case, the currant bush is sprinkled with dry mustard, wood ash or tobacco dust. After rain, the procedure will have to be repeated. The soil in the trunk circle is loosened, weeds are removed and the same means are poured. In order to prevent egg laying, all damage to the bark must be covered with garden pitch.

Chapter 3 Prevention

Only when regular care currant leaves will not turn yellow either from pests or from a lack of trace elements. Preventive measures should begin in May:

• the soil in the trunk circle is carefully loosened and fertilizers are applied. In the spring, currants need complex top dressing - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium;
• all weeds growing nearby must be removed;
• damaged branches are cut and burned. If voids are visible on the cut, then the shoots are cut to solid wood;
• if the spring is dry, then regular watering is necessary at the rate of 2 buckets per 1 adult bush.

In June, you need to carefully examine the plant. If pests are noticed, then the damaged foliage is removed. In this period folk remedies, used for pest control, can be used as a preventive measure.

In July, until the crop is harvested, it is not recommended to use any means for spraying blackcurrants. They carry out such preventive measures as loosening the soil and applying complex dressings, which include phosphorus and potassium.

With proper care, such a problem as yellowing of leaves in currants is rare.

Chapter 4. Video

Let's continue our acquaintance with the leaves. In a previous article, we learned how plants behave when there is a shortage of basic nutrients. In this article, you can learn how the leaves can determine the lack of elements such as iron and magnesium. Having familiarized yourself with the main signs of a lack of one or another element, you can easily correct the situation and get crops on any soil.

Iron

We could observe the lack of such a trace element as iron more than once in our garden, this is yellowing or blanching of the upper leaves, and this is called chlorosis. Particularly susceptible to chlorosis are plants that need an acidic soil reaction, such as hydrangea, blueberries, rhododendrons, azaleas, and beloved petunias. But other plants can also be deficient in iron.

Often chlorosis occurs on calcareous soils. Iron, even if it is available in abundance in calcareous soil, cannot be absorbed by plants, because it is in a form inaccessible to them. The cause of chlorosis can also be a lack of nutrition, too dry or too wet soil, frost, various viral diseases, an excess of trace elements such as copper, zinc, manganese.

When chlorosis is just beginning to develop, the leaves of the plants acquire a yellowish tint, and the network of veins remains green. With severe chlorosis, the leaves become even lighter, become almost white, the leaf veins also lighten (not to be confused with variegated forms of plants, in which the leaves should, by definition, be yellow or white). The edges of the leaves begin to die off, the tips turn brown.

Chlorosis begins to appear first on young, and then on old leaves. Sometimes, with a lack of iron, young shoots or tree tops dry out. Chlorosis can sometimes be confused with other plant diseases, such as tomato ringspot virus.

Since most often chlorosis occurs on alkaline (calcareous) soils, it is necessary to apply fertilizers to the soil that acidify the soil, and thus iron becomes available and absorbed from the soil by plants: ammonia nitrogen - ammonium salts, nitrate nitrogen - potassium, calcium or sodium nitrate. You can acidify the soil with a weak solution of sulfuric acid (no more than 10 ml per 10 liters of water) or add to the soil colloidal sulfur. Remember to prepare such solutions only in plastic buckets.

To correct the situation, you can also use iron chelate. Such a chelate solution can be prepared even at home, for this you need boiled water, citric acid, iron sulfate.

AT three-liter jar pour cooled boiled water. Dissolve about 12 grams in this water citric acid and stir well until the acid crystals are completely dissolved, then add about 8 grams to this solution iron sulphate. The result is a light orange "rusty" liquid that can be used to feed plants.

Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency appears quite often on light sandy or sandy loamy soils. All plants with a lack of magnesium grow very weakly.

Magnesium starvation in apple trees it looks like chlorosis (lack of iron). In the same way, the leaves begin to turn yellow, while the veins and tissues of the leaf next to them remain green. Then, necrosis (dying off) begins to form from the edge of the leaf, due to which the edges of the leaf begin to bend down, as if gathered, wrinkled, the leaves become domed. Gradually, the edges of the leaves become torn. Only unlike "iron" chlorosis, magnesium starvation is observed primarily on old leaves, and not on young ones.

In stone fruit crops, a lack of magnesium causes premature yellowing of the leaves, after which they can crumble ahead of time. In pears, from a lack of magnesium, the leaves turn black. In blackcurrant, the leaves also take on a domed shape due to the fact that the edges of the leaves begin to bend down.

At garden strawberry or strawberries lack of magnesium can also be determined by the discoloration of the leaves. The leaf tissue between the veins may turn yellow, redden or turn purple, while the leaf veins remain green for a long time. With a very strong magnesium starvation, the leaves of the berries dry out prematurely.

In order to avoid magnesium starvation by plants on light soils, fertilizing with fertilizers containing magnesium should be carried out.

For example, potassium magnesia- very effective potassium magnesium fertilizer, which contains 30% potassium and 15% magnesium. The fertilizer is easily soluble in water.

Dolomite flour, which contains calcium and magnesium, so dolomite flour can be used not only for liming the soil, but also as a magnesium fertilizer, it all depends on the dose of application. If you use dolomite flour as a fertilizer, then you need to apply it in spring and autumn during the main tillage with a small dose - no more than 20-30 g per square meter. m, while for liming the soil the dose dolomite flour increases almost ten times and depends on the acidity of the soil.

Magnesium sulfate, or magnesium sulfate (magnesium content - 16%) - this fertilizer is also effective, both in root and foliar dressings.

So, we can draw a small conclusion: chlorosis (yellowing of the leaf with remaining green veins) on young leaves is caused by a lack of iron, chlorosis on old lower leaves is a lack of magnesium.