Page 27 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2022

but ensure that it is tied into the cane or post. In future years you can develop a simple routine. Each summer at the end of June/ early July prune the current season’s growth back to 4 to 5 leaves. Do not prune the leader until it has reached the required height and from then onwards summer prune the leader back to 4 to 5 leaves. Each winter in the dormant season prune all the previously summer pruned side shoots to about 25mm (1 inch) to a bud. Prune the leader back to a bud leaving just 150mm (6 inches) of new growth. Once the leader has reached the required height it is also pruned to leave just one bud of the previous summer’s growth. This helps keep the cordon at the required height for a good number of years. Plant cordons around 300mm (1 foot) apart.
There are several outstanding red, white, and pink currants to grow -
BLACK CURRANTS
Ben Connan (AGM) which produces a compact bush and therefore suitable for small gardens
Ben Hope which is resistant to the blackcurrant gall mite and although it crops extremely well it is a vigorous plant and is not ideal for growing in small spaces
Ben Sarek is probably the most compact cultivar of blackcurrant and is ideal
for growing in smaller gardens where
a reasonable frost resistance will be achieved. The flavour of the fruits is somewhat acidic so a reasonable amount of sugar will be required when cooking
Big Ben (AGM) is a relatively recent introduction, and it is highly regarded in terms of good eating quality and cropping potential. It is these factors which has
led to a recent award of an AGM to this blackcurrant
Ebony has a very good flavour and unusual in that unlike the traditional blackcurrants which are too stringent to eat raw, this cultivar has a very good flavour and is suitable for eating fresh
PINKCURRANTS
Gloire de Sablon is a very old French pinkcurrant cultivar which is worth growing for its superb flavour alone. Fairly long strigs of medium size fruits are produced
in mid-July and the scent of the fruits is unbelievable. Well worth a try
REDCURRANTS
Jonkheer Van Tets (AGM) has been around for quite some time but is still a very reliable early fruiting redcurrant which produces good size fruits on long strigs in early July
Red Lake (AGM) produces heavy crops of large, sweet and juicy dark red berries on long strigs from late July
Redstart is a relatively new redcurrant which is starting to become quite popular. This redcurrant fruits very well as produces long strigs of bright shiny fruits in late July/ early August which are very attractive indeed
Rovada (AGM) is one of the very best redcurrants. This is a later than usual ripening redcurrant - usually late July/early August when it has had the benefit of warm sunny weather. The fruits are very large and borne on long strigs and they look so good that this is one of the most popular varieties for exhibition purposes
Stanza (AGM) is a mid-season redcurrant which produces large deep red fruit of superb quality and flavour on very long strigs. This variety is a good choice for both exhibitors and for growing in colder parts of the country as it is late flowering
WHITECURRANTS
Blanka (AGM) is probably the highest yielding whitecurrant to date and produces very large crops of large, sweet, almost translucent berries on long strigs from late July through to August
White Grape (AGM) is an excellent whitecurrant which produces heavy crops of pale, sweet berries that are ripe in mid- summer
White Versailles is well worth growing as it produces long strigs of large, sweet pale- yellow fruits. Fruiting starts in early July and will produce fruit over a fair period Growing black, red, pink and whitecurrants is easy and if you can find space for them in the garden they will flourish and provide you with an abundance of fruit each year. So why not have a go?
Simply Vegetables 27