Currants

amo · Postby **amo** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:09 pm

How many currants should I grow if I want a decent amount as I love making jellies.

Actually I got 1 blackcurrant, i white and 4 redcurrants. They gave me nothing this year, too young.

But I got room for a few more but can't work out how many and which one.

Any idea? How many do you grow and how much do you harvest?

Thank you

amo

Postby **Chantal** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:12 pm

I harvested 28lb of blackcurrants from 5 mature bushes this year. Does that help?

amo · Postby **amo** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:17 pm

Yes Chantal, that's the quantity I am looking for.

one more thing please how old do they need to be to be mature?

Long term anyway it is cheaper to buy plants than the fruits.

Thank you

amo

Allan · Postby **Allan** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:13 am

Most currants root readily fom cuttings such as you have when you prune them. An easy way to build up stock if time is on your side. You should cut blackcurrants hard back anyway when you plant, so don't waste those cuttings.
Allan

Postby **Chantal** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:49 am

My bushes are at least 5 years old but as I understand it they should be pruned to emulate 3 year old (mature) bushes for the best fruit. Is that right? There's an article on currant pruning in the November KG I recall.

Allan · Postby **Allan** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:57 am

Follow the simple rule. Cut one third away each year aas soon after picking as you can manage it, oldest first. This promotes replacement wood.Some people cut out the fruiting wood so as to pick the fruit in comfort. Blackcurrants are gross feeders e.g. FYM etc. or a balanced granular feed in spring.
Allan

madasafish · Postby **madasafish** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:39 pm

I'm afraid I mistreat our current bushes:
never feed them
prune every 2-3 years or when I can be bothered.
shade them with other shrubs.
use no fungicides/insecticides
don't bother to net them
take cuttings anytime.
cram them close together

Despite that we get about 2-3kgs of fruit per bush...

Postby **Tigger** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:44 pm

Hmmnnn ..... I cut them into cup shaped bushes and get good yields from them. I transplant cuttings in the hope of making new plants - at least 80% success.

Lots of top dressing of manure.

Not much else......

sally wright · Postby **sally wright** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:55 am

Dear All,
I tend to go for the back friendly method of pruning. Curious? Simple, cut off anything that is below about a foot and take over to the chair and sit in comfort to pull off the berries. The oldest wood seems to sag the furthest so it works pretty well.
Regards Sally Wright.

richard p · Postby **richard p** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:19 pm

i cut the stinging nettles out before picking and prune if i get round to it during the winter, we were getting 2 to 3 2 litre ice cream tubs per bush this year.

amo · Postby **amo** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:05 pm

Anyone growing the red or white?
and by the way what do you do against caterpillar?
mines were attack this year with my gooseberries and I did not have any fruits.

Thank you
amo

Wellie · Postby **Wellie** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:57 pm

Amo, I bought a 'White Versailles' plant last year.
'ooh, goodie' I thought, can't wait to pick these little darlings for dessert....
Yes, you've guessed correctly: it was wrongly labelled, and it's a REDcurrant, and exactly which variety I know not.
I was rather cross actually.
I'd still like the White one. Anyone got any cuttings going begging ?!

Currants

Currants

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