Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary. Black currants are prized for their distinctive flavor in juice, jam, jelly, pies, and other desserts. Currants are perennial bush fruits belonging to the genus Ribes

Currants are perennial bush fruits belonging to the genus Ribes. Their relatively small plant size, ease of culture, and distinctive, attractive fruit make them well suited for home gardens.

Black currants are prized for their distinctive flavor in juice, jam, jelly, pies, and other desserts. They're also rich in Vitamin C. Red currants are used mainly for jelly or wine. White currants are not as popular as black or red currants.

Soils Currants tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, but they perform best in a well-drained loam soil with organic matter content greater than 1%. You can improve heavy clay and sandy soils by adding organic matter.

The average life span of currants is 10 to 15 years. So it's important to choose and prepare your site carefully. Eliminate all perennial weeds the year before you plant. Currants respond well to additions of organic matter, which improves aeration and drainage and increases water-holding capacity. You can also use compost, leaves, chopped hay or straw, peat moss, sawdust, etc. Take care to use only materials that are free of insects and weed seeds. Currants grow best in a slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5 to 7.0). Test the soil pH the year before you plant and adjust it if necessary. If the pH is below 5.5, add lime as recommended by the soil test.

Planting Red currants are generally self-fertile, and you need only one cultivar for fruit production. However, they will produce larger fruit if you plant more than one cultivar and have cross-pollination. Some black currants are self-sterile and require a second cultivar for fruit production.

Plant healthy 1-to 2-year-old plants in early spring. Purchase bare-root or container-grown stock from a reputable nursery. Plant bare-root plants before they break dormancy (begin growth in the spring).

Space red currants 3 to 4 feet apart in rows. Black currants are more vigorous; space them 4 to 5 feet apart. Rows can be as close as 7 feet, but 8 to 10 feet allows for better air circulation in vigorous planting. Set plants about 2 inches deeper than they were growing in the nursery row or container. Firm the soil well to remove air pockets and water thoroughly after planting. At planting, prune all branches to a length of 4 to 6 inches. This stimulates new growth.

Strip off flower buds or blossoms that appear the year the plants are set, so that no crop is produced. Be patient! It's important that plants grow well the first year--flower and fruit production reduce shoot and root growth. Control weeds by shallow hoeing or cultivation. Mulching around the plants with sawdust or decomposed leaves is recommended: It conserves moisture, helps control weeds, and keeps the plant's roots cool.  

  A uniform and adequate water supply is needed from bloom time until the end of harvest. If rain doesn't provide this water, you need to irrigate. Be sure to water plants during prolonged dry spells, after harvest until late August or early September.

Harvesting The year after planting, you can harvest a light crop. By the third or fourth year, plants usually bear full crops. The berries on a currant bush ripen over a 2-week period. Once a berry ripens, however, it can usually be left on the bush a week or more without dropping or becoming overripe. Some people harvest the berries when they've reached full size, but before they're fully ripe. They prefer these slightly immature berries for jams and pies. Other people prefer fully mature or ripe berries--certainly, these are better if you eat them fresh!

Diseases Powdery mildew is the most common. Blackcurrants are especially susceptible to this fungus disease, characterized by a white powdery growth on young leaves and tips of new shoots in summer.

Culinary uses In the UK, blackcurrant cordial is often mixed with cider to make a drink called Cider & Black available at pubs. Adding a small amount of blackcurrant juice to Guinness is preferred by some to heighten the taste of the popular beer. In Russia, blackcurrant leaves are often used for flavoring tea.

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