The blackcurrant bushes need pruning just after they have fruited for best results,you prune the old fruiting branches out to let the new ones develop which will then produce the fruit for next year.You always want the branches to come from has near to the base of the plant,in fact it doesn't matter if they come from soil level or just below the soil,I was alway told to prune in the first year down to around 6" from the ground to encourage the bush to produce a better frame work. Regards Peter
Thanks to you all for replies so far and sorry for taking a while to get back to you.
Ok well here are the resized photos of the fruit bushes/plants. I'm sure my pots are too small, many people who haven't seen these bushes tell me they don't think you can grow fruit bushes on a small balcony....I managed to get a few blackcurrants this year though and a few raspberries but no goosberries.
I've taken close-ups of the tiny new shoots. Are these next year's fruits?? And what do I do with the very prickly gooseberry bush please?
Gooseberry Blackcurrant are these blackcurrant shoots for 2017?
Sarah, Had another look and the square red pots only need to be topped up with fresh compost, fill them to within an inch from the top and leave to over winter. The round pots want to be the next size up at least and topped with new fresh compost, most of the leaves will drop and fresh ones grow next year. The gooseberry leave for now and re-pot in Spring then cut out any weak sprigs in the centre leaving the centre more open, all the work will start in spring. Over winter and water very occasionally never let them dry out but not wet either, stick your finger in the soil if it comes up muddy too wet comes up clean too dry you soon learn to right way. I would advise wrapping the pots in Bubble wrap and tying to give the pots some protection from icy winds, the plants are tough and can stand some frost, sea spray if you are near to the beach can cause problems but some plastic sheet would stop that. Nothing much appears wrong in those photo's, it is Autumn, plants go to sleep, drop leaves look a bit dead but come spring come back to life. You will get fruit and it will be worth it for the taste so never give up and come back here for any further questions we are always happy to help.
Sarah, Looking at your balcony as it overlooks the road there is a grill, tie a sheet of plastic to the grill just to stop a direct sea breeze or freezing wind from harming the bare stems of the plants. Not pretty I know so take it down once the weather starts to warm up. The bubble wrap idea around the pots I use for outdoor pots to stop any water in the pot freezing and cracking the pot, the plants are quite hardy the pots are not. I have seen Balcony's that were veritable gardens so you can grow most things on them, experiment and see what will grow, all us gardeners do that as we all have different conditions soil and weather. I am in the NE near the sea, our weather comes off the North Sea with the coastal front quite often above us, that can be good in morning sea mists bring water where as inland it gets dry, on the other hand we get a cooler clime so plant accordingly. A long learning process Sarah but keep at it you can work wonders with your tiny micro climate.
Posts
Hi Sarah.
The blackcurrant bushes need pruning just after they have fruited for best results,you prune the old fruiting branches out to let the new ones develop which will then produce the fruit for next year.You always want the branches to come from has near to the base of the plant,in fact it doesn't matter if they come from soil level or just below the soil,I was alway told to prune in the first year down to around 6" from the ground to encourage the bush to produce a better frame work. Regards Peter
Thanks to you all for replies so far and sorry for taking a while to get back to you.
Ok well here are the resized photos of the fruit bushes/plants. I'm sure my pots are too small, many people who haven't seen these bushes tell me they don't think you can grow fruit bushes on a small balcony....I managed to get a few blackcurrants this year though and a few raspberries but no goosberries.
I've taken close-ups of the tiny new shoots. Are these next year's fruits?? And what do I do with the very prickly gooseberry bush please?
Gooseberry Blackcurrant are these blackcurrant shoots for 2017?
Raspberry next year's raspberries?
more blackcurrant
Raspberries definitely need bigger pots.
Thanks, advice much appreciated
Sarah, Had another look and the square red pots only need to be topped up with fresh compost, fill them to within an inch from the top and leave to over winter. The round pots want to be the next size up at least and topped with new fresh compost, most of the leaves will drop and fresh ones grow next year. The gooseberry leave for now and re-pot in Spring then cut out any weak sprigs in the centre leaving the centre more open, all the work will start in spring. Over winter and water very occasionally never let them dry out but not wet either, stick your finger in the soil if it comes up muddy too wet comes up clean too dry you soon learn to right way. I would advise wrapping the pots in Bubble wrap and tying to give the pots some protection from icy winds, the plants are tough and can stand some frost, sea spray if you are near to the beach can cause problems but some plastic sheet would stop that. Nothing much appears wrong in those photo's, it is Autumn, plants go to sleep, drop leaves look a bit dead but come spring come back to life. You will get fruit and it will be worth it for the taste so never give up and come back here for any further questions we are always happy to help.
Frank.
Last edited: 09 October 2016 10:52:12
Great advice again, thank you, but do I put the plastic OVER THE PLANTS or just around the pots??
Sarah, Looking at your balcony as it overlooks the road there is a grill, tie a sheet of plastic to the grill just to stop a direct sea breeze or freezing wind from harming the bare stems of the plants. Not pretty I know so take it down once the weather starts to warm up. The bubble wrap idea around the pots I use for outdoor pots to stop any water in the pot freezing and cracking the pot, the plants are quite hardy the pots are not. I have seen Balcony's that were veritable gardens so you can grow most things on them, experiment and see what will grow, all us gardeners do that as we all have different conditions soil and weather. I am in the NE near the sea, our weather comes off the North Sea with the coastal front quite often above us, that can be good in morning sea mists bring water where as inland it gets dry, on the other hand we get a cooler clime so plant accordingly. A long learning process Sarah but keep at it you can work wonders with your tiny micro climate.
Frank.
Thank you, will do as you suggest