While some summer residents admire the lush caps of lilacs and currants, others wonder why their bushes resemble brooms.
The secret is not in expensive fertilizers or magic preparations, but in proper care in early spring.
Start with an inspection: remove covers from roses and hydrangeas as soon as daytime temperatures are consistently above +5 degrees Celsius.
But don’t rush to completely bare the bushes – leave a layer of mulch to protect the roots from night frosts.
Pruning is an art that determines future flowering.
For example, branches older than 5 years are cut out from currants and gooseberries (they almost do not bear fruit), and all shoots that have already produced fruit are removed from raspberries.
For ornamental bushes (spirea, hydrangea) the rule is simple: those that bloom on the current year's shoots are cut back heavily, and those on last year's shoots are cut back only slightly.
The tool must be sharp to avoid leaving jagged cuts. And never prune in rainy weather - this is a direct path to infections.
Feeding the bushes in spring is the key to bright colors and juicy berries. Sprinkle a handful of bone meal around each bush and dig it into the soil - phosphorus will strengthen the roots and speed up flowering.
And after two weeks, water the plants with an infusion of banana peels: pour 3-4 peels with a liter of boiling water, leave for 48 hours, strain and dilute in 10 liters of water.
Potassium from the peel will make the flowers larger and the berries sweeter.
The fight against diseases begins before they appear. Spray the bushes with a soda solution (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) before the leaves bloom - this will prevent powdery mildew.
And if you notice swollen buds on the shoots (a sign of currant bud mite), carefully cut them off and burn them.
To attract beneficial insects that will destroy aphids, plant marigolds or calendula near the bushes - their smell acts as a natural repellent.
Author: Igor Zur