What to do now....
sarahsunshine471
Posts: 13
Hi,
I am in a terrible mess. I bought the plants below and planted them in pots on my seafront balcony. (I dont have a garden). I've never planted fruit bushes before and all I got from my blackcurrant bush was 4 blackcurrants, no gooseberries at all, six raspberries on one bush and none on the other. Is this normal for a first year?
I would be grateful for advice please on what to do with these pathetic-looking bushes now. A lot of the leaves have died and I can't leave them like this but I've read not to cut them down just yet. Do I keep them watered? What are the little green shoots visible on the branches? Is it next yearr's fruit?
I'm sorry to appear so ignorant of fruit bush care but I've never done this before and to be quite honest I was very proud to see the fruit appear, even if very small in number! 
Thank you,
Sarah
PS: My photos won't upload - I have tried six times. I know how to do this so maybe a fault with the site???
Posts
Hi Sarah, reduce the size of the photos. I reduce mine to 30%. Then start from the camera icon.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thank you for that. I deliberately took photos of them in their pots to illustrate my problem but for some reason they wont upload. I will keep trying.
Yes they are outside all winter but they wont get much rain as it's a covered balcony. The plants are very tall anmd straggly compared to the pots they are in. That's why I need to upload the photos. Is there anyone on this forum to ask why this is happening?
Thanks anyway,
Sarah
Oh?? Thank you for that, I will try tomorrow. Here's hoping....
This is just a test before uploading the rest of my fruit bush photos -- I will resize them all, send them and wait for advice!!
Hi Sarah, I'm new to growing soft fruit too (I only have a couple of raspberry plants which are growing in open ground), but I think your pot looks very small.
I asked nicely at my local supermarket if they had any of the black flower buckets going spare (when they were re-stocking the display) and the young lady gladly gave me 6. With holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, they are a good size pot for free
. I use mine for tomatoes in the greenhouse.
If you are able to post the photo's of your other plants, the experienced growers will be able to advise you better
.
Sarah, that plant looks OK to me apart from the pot now being a bit small. Get a size larger pot and some fresh compost to plant with and then read Verdun's advice and come back to us in Spring. The plants will rest during the winter months and do nothing though a drop of water now and then, do not soak them just damp, will help. I was a bit worried about salt spray although you appear to have trellis and protection the good thing being bugs do not like salt spray. Pot the plants on keep an eye on them and stop worrying, come back in Spring and we will help you sort them out.
Frank.
Thank you Frank. I will upload other photos tomorrow. (By the way do I let them grow so dead-looking and straggly or should I prune them?)
Thank you,
Sarah
Sarah Do not prune them, repot them water them now and then and leave them until Spring. Remove dead leaves which as the nights get cold will be all of them then let the plant sleep over winter. Once those little leaf buds start up again as the weather warms you will be able to see if all is well. Repot then wait and see. The mystery of gardening, what has survived the winter? Not everything does I am afraid to say.
Frank.
You're welcome Sarah. Won't bother bumping again