Blackcurrants

Plants can take a year or two to become productive. Buy two year old plants. Ripen from July. The plant needs to be planted deeply to encourage new shoots. Pruning is a case of pruning out some old wood each year and encouraging new young shoots.

Possible varieties - Ben Lomond, (early July) Ben Connan, (mid July) Ebony ( early July onwards)

Approximate harvesting time in brackets.

Special Currant Offer on Currant Collection

Supplied as 2 Black Currant 'Ben Lomond', 2 Red Currant 'Rondom' and 2 White Currant 'White Pearl' - all as bare root bushes approximately 2-3 feet tall (including roots).

All are self fertile.

10% discount when ordering from this link this is automatically generated (20% discount if ordering plants or seeds for a school to claim, simply enter SCHOOLD20 on the discount code page)

White currants should be treated the same as whitecurrants -White Pearl  will fruit in late July Rondom also will fruit late July,  fruits in early July Ben Lomond

Redcurrants

Although not as well known as blackcurrants the advantage of growing redcurrants is that they are ready to harvest earlier from June onwards. The berries are not fully ripe as soon as they turn red – taste to check the ripeness. To harvest cut the strings with scissors.

Birds love them so they will need netting.

Harvest from June

Rondom, (late July) 

 Gooseberries

Choose a thornless gooseberry. Thorny varieties are vicious when harvesting.

Also try to find one that is resistant to mildew which can be a problem with gooseberries. There are red, yellow and green varieties.

Also varieties are either for dessert or cooking, dessert varieties being sweeter.

Harvest from June.

Possible varieties  which all claim to be spineless. All spineless varieties seem to be red berried. 

Pax, (June onwards red variety), Xenia (end of June red variety) Captivator (red variety)

Approximate harvesting time in brackets.

If you can put up with thorns also

Hinnonmaki Yellow(June/July - yellow variety)

Invicta(May/June - green variety but very spiny)

Hinnonmaki Red

Victoriana Nursery Gardens are a very competitive supplier - not only are their prices generally lower than their competitors but on top of this they offer 10% discount when ordering though this website this is automatically generated (20% discount if ordering plants or seeds for a school. To claim, simply enter SCHOOLD20 on the discount code page