Topic: Whitecurrant flowers

[jennym]

Maybe this should be in Gallery, but just had to show the pic somewhere. Whitecurrant always strikes me as having such a beautiful, fragile, delicate look at this time of year - and of course scrumptious later  :)

[flossie]

they look beautiful, have often thought of growing them... what do they taste like? What do you use them for?

[Niamh]

My whiteflower busher are newly in this year and are also flowering. Should I think long term and remove the flowers so the 1 year old bushes don't fruit this year, build up strength so that I will have better crops in later years? Or does it not really make much of a difference?

Greed may yet overrule good sense, so any help with this dilemma appreciated.


Niamh

[Hot_Potato]

Jen....what an exquisite photo - just adore those colours

[Jill]

Definitely deserving of a place in the Gallery!  Lovely!

[Squashmad]

they look beautiful, have often thought of growing them... what do they taste like? What do you use them for?

They taste like Redcurrants and can be used in any recipe you would use Redcurrants in - I tend to mix the two together.  I remember seeing a recipe for a whitecurrant jelly in Country Living years ago - which had a few alpine strawberries or redcurrants suspended in the top of the jar and looked gorgeous --- I'll try to find it again.

[flossie]

Sounds good to me. 
I may try some next year.
Like the sound of the jelly - would make a lovely picture too

[jennym]

Niamh - Don't think removing the flowers will make a lot of difference long term, I didn't do that and mine's been ok.
Squashmad - I don't think they taste like redcurrants! but maybe the varieties differ, mine is Blanka and isn't really sharp.
As for jams and jellies - whitecurrants set well, so are easy to use. But, they do have a lot of pips - here is a pic of Whitecurrant & Gooseberry jam, the pips are all from the whitecurrant, you could consider it a high fibre jam I suppose  ;D

[flowerlady]

Think the photo is gorgeous jennym, there is a plot opposite mine with six white currant bushes, and he never picks them :o   Birds don't like them either - no colour!!

When is the best time to take cuttings?   Do they strike well?

Maybe if I ever gete to see this man I shall ask for a bush!!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Take cuttings in September-October, stick them in, and they should grow. Layering is also a possibility; if they're old neglected bushes it might be worth ferreting about to see if a branch has rooted itself anywhere.

[Niamh]

Jennym,

thanks, will leave them alone, hopefully will be asking you for a recipe for that gorgeous looking jam! I only have red gooseberries though, would they be ok instead of the normal green?

Niamh

[Curryandchips]

I agree on the photo, the jam looks extremely delicious, with crusty bread, thickly buttered ...  :D

Home made jams take me straight back to my very early childhood, where my aunt had an orchard and blackberries all the way down the lane ...

[Tora]

I agree the jam looks really nice! :P Never had currant jam.

My red current bush bought from lidl this spring has a truss of flowers.
May I ask a question? Am I going to get more trusses this season or all flowers from one plant appear at the same time? ???

[jennym]

Niamh - red gooseberries would be just as good!
Tora - yes the flowers are produced all at once, so its unlikely you'll see any more on your redcurrant this year - to be honest, its pretty good going to get flowers on such a young plant anway!
Flowerlady - I've found cuttings of whitecurrant ok - not as easy as redcurrant though. Try taking some cuttings from near the tips now too, and also hardwood cuttings in autumn as Robert suggests.

[moonbells]

Tora: that's likely to be the lot for this year.

Don't worry. I got about half a dozen fruits 2 years ago off my new Jonkheer van Tets.

Last year it was *covered* and this year it's got tons of flowers on again.



Just for goodness sake remember NET THEM COMPLETELY or the pigeons will eat the lot as soon as they start to go red!!!

moonbells

[Tora]

Thanks jenny and moonbells :) I was actually surprised to see the flowers so soon.
Looking forward to have many fruits like the pic! ;D