Blackcurrant Slastena is a berry for gourmets and connoisseurs of excellent taste.

Description of the variety

This mid-early, all-purpose variety boasts a high dry matter, sugar, and ascorbic acid content. It is suitable for jam production, drying, freezing, and eating raw. The medium-sized, pinkish flowers are borne on open, light green sepals. The clusters are dense, with 5-7 berries, and a short petiole. The medium-sized, dark green, grayish leaf is five-lobed, with fine, sharp teeth, funnel-shaped, and drooping margins.

This currant variety has a semi-spreading, compact bush. Green shoots are shiny, straight, and not drooping, with reddish markings. Woody shoots are straight, grayish-brown, and slightly shiny. The bush is medium-sized, with a diameter of 1.0–1.5 m.

The Slastena blackcurrant is one of the sweetest varieties, very tasty, and considered a dessert fruit. The berry has a thin, delicate skin. Its greenish-brown flesh, with a medium number of seeds, is sweet and aromatic. This variety produces large-fruited berries, which can reach the size of cherries. The average berry weight is 4.0 grams.

Growing tips

Blackcurrants grow well in both full sun and partial shade. They thrive near houses and other structures. They prefer well-drained soil with a very slightly alkaline reaction. Ideally, the groundwater level should be 1.5 meters below the soil surface. The bush thrives in temperatures ranging from 17 to -23 degrees Celsius. If temperatures remain above this range for a long time, growth slows. This crop is winter-hardy and suitable for cultivation throughout Ukraine and Russia, with the exception of the northernmost regions of Russia, where temperatures drop below -25 degrees Celsius for several months.

The best time to plant Slastena blackcurrant bushes is October. Blackcurrants have a branched, fibrous root system that grows at a depth of 20–40 cm.

To ensure the best planting experience, fill a pre-prepared hole measuring 40 x 40 x 40 cm with a well-mixed mixture of 7 kg of rotted manure, 7 kg of garden soil, 200 g of ash, and 200 g of superphosphate. Place the bush in the prepared spot, deepening it by 5-6 cm. This allows for the active growth of new roots and shoots. After planting, compact the soil, water thoroughly, and mulch. Prune all above-ground shoots, leaving 2-3 buds above the soil surface.

If the bush is well fertilized at planting, it should not be fed again until three years later. Sweetsweet is resistant to powdery mildew, but preventative measures are necessary for other fungal diseases. This variety is also susceptible to bud mites, and special attention should be paid to controlling them. To do this, prune branches with swollen buds in early spring and burn them. After flowering, treat the bush with a 1% aqueous suspension of colloidal sulfur.

Productivity

The Slastena currant is self-fertile, so it produces well even without pollinators. However, planting several blackcurrant varieties nearby will improve the quality of the berries and increase the yield. This variety produces consistent yields of 3-4 kg per bush, which typically bears fruit for 12-15 years. The peak yield occurs in the sixth year.

Sweet and very aromatic, blackcurrant berries are loved by both children and adults. They are rich in vitamin C and promote good health, no matter how they are consumed. Besides the berries, blackcurrant leaves and twigs are also used. Teas brewed from them are delicious and rich in nutrients.

Harvesting and storing berries

Slastena is a universal variety in terms of storing the harvested crop. The harvest is collected, washed, and dried. Since the berries are sweet, you don't need to add as much sugar when making jam as you would for sour varieties. If you can store them in the refrigerator, you can puree the aromatic berries with sugar without cooking them, which will preserve their full vitamin content. Freezing also preserves the vitamins perfectly. Another ancient method of preserving berries—drying—is also worth remembering. This way, you can preserve berries without sugar or refrigeration.

Video: "Beneficial Properties of Black Currants"

This video will tell you about the beneficial and amazing properties of black currant.