Currant Bushes

[Emagggie]

Please can anyone advise how soon should I net my currants. I notice they have teeny fruits on and I would hate to lose them! Not grown them before, so I'm a bit clueless. I'm guessing the birds wont be interested until they are alot bigger and ripening, am I right?

[Emagggie]

[manicscousers]

usually when they're getting ripe, maggie  :)

[PurpleHeather]

You can put the net over them when ever you have time, after all, there is no need to get to them until you are ready to pick them which is usually the day after the birds have eaten them.

[Emagggie]

Thanks Mal,
;D ;D ;D @ PurpleHeather.

[organicartist]

no-one on our site nets currants & most don't bother netting raspberries, yet get very little bird damage. Strawberries seem more popular with the birds, so those do get netted by most.

[kangqiujie]

You got fruit coming already? Wow, I'll have to go check mine!

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can't get currants on my site without netting; the pigeons have them. i've never bothered as my family won't eat them, but maybe I should try again.

[Plot69]

i've never bothered as my family won't eat them,

I don't bother with mine, ALL my family eat them, usually before they get in the car to come home.

[Robert_Brenchley]

My daughter will look suspiciously at something. 'Is that currants? I will not eat it!' And that's the end of it.

[manicscousers]

smoothies, milk shakes, fruit puree on ice cream ?  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'll try, but I'm not promising! I've got rid of a lot of my currant bushes, but I've got three thriving ones left, and I don't want to root them out.

[davholla]

What type of currant are we talking about white/black or red ?

[Emagggie]

Black-at least I think they are all black-the bushes were left by a departing plotter and given to me by his mate ;D
The fruits are pinhead tiny, but there nontheless.

[twinkletoes]

If the bushes are netted when the fruits are tiny - does that mean that they don't need to be polinated by bees?  Sorry to be so dim! ::) ;D
PS - does that go for gooseberries too?  ::)  ::)
Twinkletoes

[davholla]

If the bushes are netted when the fruits are tiny - does that mean that they don't need to be polinated by bees?  Sorry to be so dim! ::) ;D
PS - does that go for gooseberries too?  ::)  ::)
Twinkletoes

Pollination - for all fruits - is before they form fruit at the flower stage.

[twinkletoes]

.....yep - confirmed as dim!   ;D ;D ;D
twinkletoes

[PurpleHeather]

OHHHHHHHH

It is back to the birds and bees again!

Birds are bigger than bees. The net mesh needs to be small enough for bees but too big for birds.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You only need the insects at the flowering stage, when the birds aren't going to bother it. Put the netting on later. Alternatively, if you're using a permanent cage, don't use too small a mesh.

[bupster]

We have blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries and don't bother netting any of them. (All inherited). The redcurrants in particular are so prolific that they fruit for about four months - there were still some on the bush in November. Both were sweet enough to eat in great handfuls straight from the bush, though the blackcurrants improved with the addition of gin! if they're very precious, net them, but maybe ask about if there's a bird problem before you bother.