Other Currants
All currants, including redcurrants, blackcurrants and whitecurrants are
delicious fruits and you can grow them with ease in your own garden.
Packed full of Vitamin C and other vitamins currants are great used in
jams, desserts or eaten straight from the bush. The fruit bushes also
look great in the garden and can easily be grown in amongst other plants
or in containers. The currant
collections are true value for money and will produce a great array of
colored currants.
How to grow
Currant bushes require little training and some annual pruning. By
following a few simple rules you are sure to succeed in growing currants
and they will go on to produce fruit for years to come. There are a wide
range of
books available which will
ensure that pruning is straight forward and hassle free.
Position
Currants can be grown in full sun and partial shade. Plant your bushes
in an area that is sheltered from frost and cold winds as late frosts
early on in the season can cause flower drop and reduce the amount of
fruit produced. You may wish to consider planting a hedge or installing
some screening to protect plants
and help to increase the overall crop.
Soil
It is very important when growing currants to prepare the soil
correctly in advance of planting. Like most fruit currants require a
fertile and, more importantly, moist soil in order to produce plump and
succulent fruit. To ensure that you can provide the correct conditions
for your fruit bushes incorporate plenty of well-rotted garden compost
or multi-purpose compost in to the planting
hole to maximize water retention. This is then translated in to fruit
and the small amount of effort when planting will pay off over the
coming years.
Care
Once planted your currant bushes
will require regular watering and feeding with a well balanced fertilizer. Protection from plant
pests may be necessary as birds and small mammals will often eat
developing and ripe fruits. You should consider constructing plant netting or a fruit cage to prevent any damage and
ensure that you can take full advantage of the harvest.
Harvesting
Currants
are ready to harvest when they have reached the color that they are
named after. If you intend to store your fruit for a period of time
harvest on a dry day as this will ensure that they store for a longer
period of time as wet fruit may succumb to mold when stored.
Alternatively you can freeze your currants.
Top Tip
As
moisture is important to plants it is essential that water is not lost
from the surrounding soil on hot days and throughout summer months.
Mulch around your plants to conserve water and keep roots cool.
