Topic: Red Currants and Rasberries

[caseylee]

I have just bought two trees from wilko, and I would liek some advice on planting them.  They have been bought for my allotment to go close to the back fence.  Should I leave them in pots or put them straight in the ground.  And will the fruit this year or should I wait for the next year.  I ahve never grown fruit before, but I am doing the whole allotment as veg and then come fruit bushes surrounding it.

[Jon Munday]

Have a look out our website http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/handbook.php
This is the fruit growers handbook section and you should be able to find all the information you need to grow fruit successfully
Good luck
Jon

[the_snail]

Personally I would plant it in the ground as it would be happier in the ground. Do not plant it to close to a fence as the fence will take away a lot of the moisture. This also applies to walls etc. It would be a good Idea also to train it as a cordon or espalier.

More information on espalier frut training can be found here.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=how+to+espalier+fruit+trees&meta=

The_snail

[jennym]

If you have bought redcurrants and raspberries, IMHO they aren't suitable for training as espaliers. I'd put them into the soil now rather than in pots. Don't put your fruit too close to your fence, as they may get too dry there

The redcurrants are unlikely to fruit this year, they may fruit next year depending on size, but you will need to put a net over them to stop the birds eating them!

The raspberries might fruit this year if they are "autumn" fruiting types (which could fruit anytime from late July through to November). If they are "summer" types, they won't fruit this year but will fruit next year.