A plant support for currants is an essential garden tool. It makes it easier to care for the berry bush, and the fruits are less susceptible to attacks by insect pests or diseases. The fencing is made from improvised or special materials. This article details how to tidy up currant bushes in your garden and what ideas exist for creating a support yourself.
Table of contents
Why Supports for Currants Are Needed
A support is needed for the correct formation of the bush. Thanks to the support, the plant takes up less space on the plot, and it is easier for gardeners to harvest. The shrub is more well-groomed; the branches do not droop down or sag under the weight of the ripe fruit.
It also makes it easier for gardeners to work with the soil: watering, fertilizing, loosening, and mulching. In winter, protective material is attached to the fences to protect the shrub from gusty winds and frost.
If currants grow without supports, the branches lie on the ground, causing the fruits to come into contact with the soil, which can lead to diseases. If the soil is wet, the berries can become covered with a coating, mold, or rot. When caring for the shrub, you have to lift the shoots with one hand — this is inconvenient.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Supports are functional: they are safe for the plant, simplify harvesting and care, and promote ventilation of the root system. They are stable, lightweight, and easy to install. If the garden plot is designed in a certain style, the supports can serve as a decorative element.
Supports harm the plant only if the structure is too tight and hinders the development of the currant. Supports installed with technical violations, such as being unstable or too high, are also dangerous for currants.
How to Make Supports Yourself
Gardeners make supports for currants from wooden stakes, PVC pipes, branches, or metal. To do this, they prepare tools and take measurements.
From Wooden Stakes
Wood is a reliable, eco-friendly, and practical material, and besides, every household has some spare boards.
The above-ground part of such a structure should be at least 50 cm. To ensure the support can withstand winds, it is buried to a depth of 40 cm. To make a support from wooden stakes, besides boards, you will need screws, a screwdriver, and a hammer.
Manufacturing instructions:
- Mark 70-80 cm on a board or beam.
- Cut 4 supports.
- Drive them into the ground around the currant bush in a square shape.
- Cut 4 thin boards from the beam.
- Attach them to the supports using screws.
From Branches
Supports made from branches are the simplest design. For manufacturing, you need a narrow plank, 4 branches 75 cm long, screws, a screwdriver, and a hammer. Gardeners drive the branches into the ground around the perimeter of the shrub, then secure planks to them with screws on the stakes. This process takes no more than an hour. However, branch supports are not durable and last no more than one season.
Note! From branches, you can make a two-legged structure. Such a support looks like a bracket and supports only one part of the berry shrub.
From PVC Pipes
PVC pipes are more expensive compared to wooden stakes and branches, but such structures last a long time and are functional. The pipes consist of two layers of polyvinyl chloride, between which an aluminum tube is placed. The supports do not break in the wind and hold any protective material. The outer layer of PVC pipes is not afraid of rain and snow and is resistant to rotting.
To make a support, you need a fiberglass pipe 4 m long, a wire 5 mm in diameter, a hammer, and a knife.
Manufacturing process:
- Cut the PVC pipe to get 4 supports, each 75 cm long.
- Make through holes in each.
- Place the supports around the currant.
- Thread the wire through the holes.
- Use construction adhesive to fix the parts.
From Metal
Metal fences are the most reliable and durable. They are not afraid of any weather conditions. Metal can support plants of any size and weight and is protected from corrosion.
The disadvantage is the complexity of manufacturing and heavy weight. To create the structure, you will need a metal tube and wire, as well as a hammer, an angle grinder, and pliers.
What to do:
- Cut 4 supports 75 cm long from the tube.
- Make one through hole in each.
- Drive the supports into the ground around the perimeter of the plant.
- Thread metal wire through the holes and tighten it securely.
- To protect from moisture, seal the holes with plugs.
- Coat the support with protective paint — it will prevent corrosion.
From Metal Rod
A metal rod is a thin bar. To make a support, it is bent in half around the tree to form an arc.
The rod is placed in the ground to a depth of 50 cm, and the bar should support the currant branches. The design is durable and easy to manufacture.
From Lawn Lights
To create an original support, non-working lawn lights are used. They are disassembled, the top part of the lampshade is removed, and they are installed around the perimeter of the bush. If the lights are too short, branches or wooden stakes are tied to them.
A cord or wire is attached to each support, on which the currant branches are laid. The advantage of this support is that lawn lights easily drive into the ground thanks to their sharp base.
Selection and Purchase of Ready-Made Bush Holders
When choosing a ready-made bush holder, pay attention to the shape, size, and color. For young and compact bushes, round supports on 2-3 legs are suitable; for adult and branched plants — square ones with 4 supports. Wooden supports attract with their low price, but they last only 1-2 years. The service life of metal ones is about 5 years, as after that they corrode, lose their appearance and functionality.
Plastic supports have no such limitations — they are lightweight, affordable, and durable.
For berry shrubs, it is better to buy collapsible bush holders than solid ones. In the first case, it is easier to select the size and shape for a specific bush. Moreover, the plant is constantly changing — it is impossible to predict what it will be like in 2-3 years. When purchasing, make sure there are no cracks or scratches on the supports.
How to Secure Currants with Supports Yourself
Proper tying of currants protects the plant from diseases and insect pests and makes it easier to care for the shrub throughout the growing season. Tied fruits are better illuminated by sunlight and grow larger and more appetizing.
Currants are tied in the third year after planting. At this time, the plant height reaches 1.5 m, and the first harvest forms on the shoots. There is no point in tying the shrub earlier.
Necessary Materials and Tools
Plastic clips or clamps are convenient to use. They are sold in any garden store and look like clothes pegs. They are inexpensive, take up little space, and are suitable for repeated use. However, they can only be used for attaching currants to thin supports.
For large and thick supports, special tie straps are used. They have fastening elements. With their help, the strap is easily tightened on structures of any diameter. These can be thin metal tubes or massive wooden stakes. Garden straps are used for many years.
Possible Schemes
In addition to tying the currant bush to a single frame, gardeners use schemes for tying to trellises, a pipe support, or a triangle:
- A row of metal or wooden stakes 80 cm high is driven in near the currant. A wire or rope is stretched between them, and the currant branches are tied to it. Tying to trellises is relevant for those who grow 5 or more bushes in a row on their plot.
- To tie currants to pipes, 2, 3, or 4 pipes are installed around the perimeter of the bush. This design is very similar to tying to a single frame.
- An equilateral triangle is built from 3 stakes around the currant. The plant is tied to each side using clips or straps. The triangle is an original tying method and looks unusual, especially if multi-colored stakes are used instead of plain ones.
Tips from Experienced Gardeners
To properly fence currants and buy the right stands, experienced gardeners recommend first paying attention to the material. Be sure to consider the size and age of the shrub. If there are several plants, buy a special structure that makes it easy to tie 2 or more bushes.
Install the support at a depth of 50 cm to ensure it is stable. If the fencing is metal, regularly check it for corrosion; if it is wooden, check for mold and signs of rot. If such signs are found, replace the fencing with new ones.
Mistakes to Avoid
A common mistake is using strips of natural or synthetic fabric for support. They overtighten and break the shoots, so it is better to use special clips or straps.
Also, novice gardeners think that currants need to be tied 1-2 times. But this is not the case: the plant is constantly developing, which means it needs to be tied regularly, as the shoots grow.
Note! Do not tie the branches too tightly. This causes the branches to dry out and lose the entire harvest. It is impossible to restore such shoots.
Conclusion
Fences for currants are made from polypropylene, wood, fiberglass, branches, and metal. Wood is an affordable and easy-to-process option but cannot boast reliability and durability. Metal is expensive but will last on the plot for at least 5 years. Plastic combines an acceptable price, lightness, long service life, and ease of assembly.
To understand how to tie and fence currants, pay attention to the size of the bush. Special garden clips or straps are used for tying.