Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi want to add some blackcurrants to my fruit beds, what varieties do you suggest and how to plant/grow/site.
Thank you x

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When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author Unknown

My favourite, for size of fruit and for flavour, is Ben Sarek. There are lots of Bens - Ben Conan is another. I've never given them any particular special treatment - bang em in and give them some manure if you can get it. If you get one plant, they come easily from cuttings.

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Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

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Thank you. Miffyx

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When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author Unknown

Ben Sarek for me as well. Fantastic crops of good sized fruit. Don't plant them too shallow. If anything put them a bit deeper than you think they should go, ie. a couple of inches deeper than the old soil line. They do like plenty of organic matter around them so bung plenty of well rotted muck in the hole.

I grow both Ben Sarek and Ben Connan. Last year I planted Ebony, and from my first few berries, I think that it is better than the other two as it is not so bitter.

Hi Miffy

Ben Sarek and Ben Connan are both very good varieties - they are tried and tested and have been around for a while now. Big Ben however is a new variety and has superior flavour. The fruits are very large and sweet and can be eaten fresh. Its also resistant to mildew. I haven't tasted Ebony but I understand that it is also sweet.

As Solway Cropper says, plant them a bit deeper than the old soil line - on shallow soils it is best to plant at an angle of 45 degrees. Also, immediately after planting prune back to within two buds or 1 inch of ground level. This might seem like a shame but you need to do this in order to get a good framework.

Claire Higgins
PomonaFruits.co.uk
Garden Fruit Specialists

I have four different types of blackcurrant but I think it was Ben Sarek that really performed for me.
So much so that it's the only one I've taken cuttings from!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

I have Ben Lomond and Ben Connan growing, as they where the only ones my local garden centre stocked. Both have quite a sharp flavour.

I have been looking for Big Ben as I understand they are very large and sweet to taste?

Thank you for all your advice will let you know what i decide to get and how i get on.

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When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author Unknown