Yesterday was another busy day both outside (harvesting) and making jam! Marc
Lovely harvest!
I got to taste ripe ‘Rovada’ red currants yesterday…first time. Like 'em.
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my perfection and johkeer von teets are just starting to color up. be the 1st time i taste them. nice haul Marc!
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Yayyyy now that is fabulous. Did you leave the seeds in?
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Yum! If I ever get to harvest a third of that quantity, I’ll be happy. My Rondam bush is on its first year bearing, and I got a good handful, but no more. How many bushes to you have?
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Jay hit me up next spring. i can give you all kinds of cuttings. ive learned people dont even know what a Ribes is here.
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Bonsoir madame Gibson:
Yes, I do keep the seeds in for its contains no cyanure and are laxative. Marc
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Hi Jay:
What you see on the table is for 3 bushes only… I still have 4 more bushes to unload in about 2/3 weeks because they are from another variety. It pisses me up but I will leave some for the robins because red currants are not big sellers around here. It’s a pity because red currants are quite tasty especially when cooked.
The black currants are also getting ready, a question of 4/5 days. The raspberries will follow the next week after the black currants and my 6 romeos sour cherries are going great. Marc
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Last year I was gifted a Rovada that was in the weirdest of shapes. It was in its original pot and it looks like the previous owner just kept pruning the new growth. Well Currants need to rejuvenate themselves by growing new shoots and this one was looking gnarly with stunted leaf growth. I put it in the ground last year. This year it sent new shoots with lots of vigor. I should be able to cut all the old branches after it goes dormant.
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just about every currant or gooseberries ive ever grown does that the 1st year. the 1st years growth is always whimpy, sprawling eveywhere. the next year always has more errect growth except my perfection red currant which at year 3 decided to just lay down in all directions. not sure what happened with it. healthly otherwise.
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Nicely done. What method do you use for harvesting your currants?
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Just remember, when you order gooseberries or currants, don’t bother with a bunch of any one kind. You can just put 6 to 8 inch twigs upright buried in the ground about 2/3 of the way in late fall. The next spring you will have new bushes. That simple. So instead, order a variety so you can try out several kinds.
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I have more red currants than just about anything else. Most are Red Lake and progeny Jonkeer and another well known one variety (whose name currantly escapes me)
I’ve got M.S. (black) and a couple whites too. A couple Crandalls as well as non-fruiting C. aurealas.
My biggest problem is that Red Lake seems to drop its fruit before I can pick… They don’t seem to like heavy precipitation when ripening.
How are they as a compote? Are they good mixed into chicken salad? (I have 4 pounds of it in the fridge for this weekend). Do currants make good raisins?
Do mulberries and currants make a good jam?
Scott
I have a fairly good size pixwell. with a lot of the branches and thus fruit laying on the ground. What would be a more upright variety?
I don’t know that there is a variety any more upright than Pixwell gooseberry.
I’ve not tried everything…so maybe one does exist that stays upright when heavy with fruit.
I’ve not gotten acquainted with one that stands up under heavy crop.
Mine doesn’t put that heavy a crop and it bends to the ground pretty much from the word go.
I probably should prune it heavy and leave just the upright branches.
i pruned my Jeanne gooseberry this spring and the new canes still droop to the ground. im going to circle it with some chic wire to keep it off the ground.
I have a hinnomaki red that seems to have pretty sturdy branches. Haven’t seen them loaded with berries yet though since it’s only two years old.
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Yeah, I have been planning on doing something like this. If I were planting it again i would put it on its own 2x2 raised bed.
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I’ve had a few situations where the seeds get stuck in my teeth or gums so unfortunately I remove the seeds.
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