Topic: Can I move my redcurrant?

[vegandog]

Hello,
I am a newbie and really pleased to have found this site. ;D
I have a redcurrant that I planted at the end of the garden last year. I wasn't sure what it was until it grew some fruit. It's in a bit of a shady location against a wall and I would like to relocate it to my new allotment.
Will it survive being dug up and when should I attempt this? I have recently pruned it back after watching Gardeners World this week.

[Digeroo]

Welcome Vegandog.  Welcome to A4A.  No experience of moving red currants, though mine have leaves on now so would think that it is a bit late.  Hopefully someone else will be along soon.

Stick some of the prunings into the ground they might root.  

[saddad]

If it's only been there a year it will probably survive being moved again. Personally I'd leave it for this season, take a couple of cuttings at the end of the season, as insurance, and move it to the lottie once it was dormant in early Winter..  :)

[busy_lizzie]

Hi, I have never had any problems moving redcurrants. They seem very happy to be transplanted and we have done ours several times with success. In fact a few years ago we used some old redcurrant twigs to mark out a bed only to find out that most of them had started to sprout.  :) busy_lizzie 

[OllieC]

Reds put up with quite a bit of shade - I have 4 against an East facing fence. As mentioned, I'd take a few cuttings & start a few new ones off, or get a different variety & increase the length of cropping season.

Do you know the variety? Because Rovada is miles ahead of the others in terms of yield & quality.

[kt.]

My red, white and black currants have been growing in pots since last Feb and I will be putting them in a permanent location this next week or so.  Hopefully this wont make a difference as the roots won't really be disturbed.

[Obelixx]

It's best to move any shrub or tree in the dormant period between leaf drop in autum and the start of sap rising in late Jan or mid Feb depending on where you are.   The same period applies to evergreens.

I would leave yours where they are and move them to the allotment in autumn.   

Redcurrants require shade from hot afternoon sun and plenty of moisture to keep them in full leaf and produce fruits.  There's some excellent cultivation advice here - http://www.twowests.co.uk/weblog/archives/2006/07/growing_redcurr.html

[Morris]

I don't fuss much with my currants (or gooseberries). I never water, just prune, mulch, and net.   Maybe I could get a maximum crop with more care, but we have plenty of fruit from a couple of bushes of each.

Possibly because they fruit early in the summer when there usually has still been a reasonable amount of rain?

I agree to leave the bush where it is - you certainly won't get so much fruit this year if you move it now - and take cuttings if you want more.

[vegandog]

Thanks for all the great advice. I'm not sure what variety it is - it had been thrown out with with some old stock from a garden centre..I popped the stem with a bit of root on into a pot and it thrived. I also saved two rose bushes that had been chucked.
Last year I panted it in the ground. I think I'll leave it there and take some cuttings, I hadn't thought of that -thanks guys.   ;D

Last year I had two redcurrants! Something to do with the woodpigeons I think!

[Morris]

Ah yes, pigeons, bane of my life  >:(  Blackbirds are a terror for fruit as well.

One year I didn't get around to netting in time and I had no fruit at all.  Every last one scoffed.