I live in Ohio. I have never had any bug or disease problems pro blems with my currants or gooseberries. I only have to deal with rabbits eating my gooseberries.
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Am still picking currants - wet & cold spring like no other this year has held all fruits behind typical harvest dates - but might as well make a report.
All but Orphan (nameless bonus plant from Raintree) have afternoon shade. All but Orphan have at least one cane bend over from borer action. As Lucy Whitman says, it “lodges,” meaning it will fall over from narrow canes. I tie the lot to the chain link fence until autumn. Don’t know its actual name, but it is tallest of my Bc & always has large berries tucked deep in the bush.
Belaruskaya was the worst: grew too slowly & all the canes fell over at only 6-12 inches tall. I tore it out.
Ben Sarek had the worst aphid pressure, many times more than any other, so that has been gone years ago.
Ben More still impresses, although its berries range from quite respectable to minute.
Westwick never looks fully ripe. The fruit stays shiny & a piece of the strig clings to many of the berries. Juicier than the others, but Laxton’s Giant may prove better than this next year.
Black September seems to be in a poor situation. I’ll try planting a cutting of it somewhere else to see if it is worth keeping.
Risager was planted very late last year, barely surviving my tardiness. It should have some fruit next year.
Laxton’s Giant came through the same tardy start in better shape last year & had a few samples this season. Big, mild & juicy; this shows great promise.
Right now I have a half gallon canning jar infusing cordial from previous years. I put all black currants in the freezer unless I make something just after picking. I also twist all the woody calyxes off each berry before making jam or cordial. It takes time but the end result is worth it to me. (My wife sometimes helps, bless her, although she doesn’t like Bc at all.) At breakfast sometimes I will put a tablespoon of currants over granola, along with plain yogurt. Excellent vitamin supplement.
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Tiben are my biggest producer and are vigorous with 0 bug/ fungus issues. the 2nd year after planting cuttings it got W.P.B.R on it. i stripped the infected lower leaves and sprayed the bushes a few times with immunox and they stayed clean. been doing that 2xs from leaf out to full leaf and 5 yrs later they have stayed clean. got selenchenskaya 2 in 3rd leaf is also very productive with some berries near quarter size. also my earliest currant. i eat both ripe off the bush.
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Currants from Honeyberry USA turned out fine. (As did the honeyberries except Honeybee).
Titania has not fruited yet, but looks very healthy @steveb4…
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must be the heat. honey bee is as vigorous as aurora here.
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titania is a parent of tiben. should be very productive. id think the earliest fruiting currants would do best in your region as they avoid producing in the hottest part of the summer.
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I MEANT TO SAY “Tiben” has not fruited but looks healthy. I’ve had Titania for 4 or so years and one or two strigs is about all it does so far, plus I’m not fond of the flavor.
Others I’ve had a fruit to sample include Ben More (sold the plants to a customer), Ben Sarek, Black September, Pink Champagne and Rovada (plus some I have eaten over time and didn’t know the cultivar name).
I’ve got several currants that have not yet fruited…I’ll know more in a year or three.
I like the flavor on bela, a little sweeter, good fresh IMO when ripe. Im probably going to plant a lot more Ben Hope next spring because it is erect and has good fruit load and quality. Not as good for fresh eating but works fine in everything else. My ben sarek produces nice sized berries but the branches tend to lay down which is a PITA, not sure if its worth bothering with. Id be interested in swapping a variety I have for tiben and Im also looking for ben connan, I was supposed to have ordered one but it turned out to be a red currant, must have gotten mixed up at the nursery.
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The Ben More meets your description of Ben Hope…upright, 4’ or a bit more, partially self fertile, all ripen at one picking, commercial variety. I don’t really have enough yet to swap …possibly Black September or Titania, my other varietes if I make any cuttings I’ll be rooting them for myself this winter.
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i have a bunch of cuttings i grew out that are in 4in. pots right now. i can wash out the soil and trim it down to send to you after dormancy or next spring if you like. where did you get bela? never heard of it. got selenchenskaya 2 in 3 rd leaf i could spare some cuttings of. its my earliest fruiting b. currant. very big berry and very productive. i eat both it and tiben dead ripe off the bush. very tasty.
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Pretty sure I got it from HBUSA, its been a few years now…
I can send you some hardwood cuttings if you want. Selen sounds interesting also…
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Got some fine plants from Honeyberry USA. One died for some reason, others doing fine.
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Thanks for sharing an explanation on this, I couldn’t find out what she meant with a general internet search.
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My usual black currant curd recipe.
https://www.blackcurrant-iba.com/blackcurrant-curd/?print=pdf
Out of ideas?
https://www.blackcurrant-iba.com/best-berry-for-life/blackcurrant-recipe/
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Thanks for the links. Im a big fan of black currants, planting more every year!
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this reminded me we were supposed to do a swap. remind me mid oct. and ill take some cuttings to send to you.
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that black currant curd sounds really good! got plenty of b.c and eggs from the chics.
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Yes we grow both as well. I make curd every year and my children want it shipped to them. I do from time to time but mostly say it’s bait to get them home.
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Learning something new. First time heard black currant curd. Googled what is the fruit curd, Very interesting. I think I am going to give it a try. Would you like to share your receipt?
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Awesome! It just so happens I have a little over 500g of black currants I was about to freeze. I’ll give it a try.
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