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black currants
Nancy Brankin
Posts: 11
I had an abundance of black currants last year This there isn't a sign of any fruit.The bush is healthy beautiful green foliage no sign of any disease and alas no sign of any forthcoming fruit. What has happened?
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Posts
Don't suppose you pruned it did you?
Yes I did last autumn following step by step instructions.The bush is now a perfect shape and airy.Was that my downfall Dave?
It fruits on older wood. You should get a good crop next year. Only take out thick congested branches right to the base. Leave one and two year old wood to bear fruit. I prune out old wood after I pick the fruit.
As long as you only pruned out the old wood it should have been fine. We did get some late frosts here - what about where you are? Did you have any frost when the bushes were flowering?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I'm in West Sussex My bush is in my allotment.I broke my leg 8 weeks ago so haven't seen it every day till recently. There have been some light frosts here but nothing drastic my home garden hasn't suffered .My cogardener told me she never saw any signs of flowering.There are gooseberries close by and they are covered in fruit.
Aaaargh! Hope you're leg's much better now. What a horrid thing to happen, especially in the spring!!!
Hmmm, sounds as if your blackcurrant has taken a year off - it may have been frost damage - I guess the allotment is more exposed than your garden? Do you know the variety? The ones with the prefix 'Ben' are more frost resistant than some others.
I think I'd give it some Fish Blood & Bone now (according to pack) water and a mulch of manure, and repeat in the autumn.
Next spring keep an eye on the weather forecast and if there's a frost forecast at flowering time I'd drape the bushes with some fleece - that's what I did with my gooseberries this year and it worked.
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I inherited the bush with the plot so have no idea of the variety.You suggestions seem pretty sound so I will give it a try and hope for better things next time.Thanks to everyone who has replied.
I meant to say, a feed of potash in the late autumn may remind it that it's supposed to make flowers and fruit the following year, and some chicken manure pellets in the early spring will help to wake the bush up
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.