Gooseberry / Blackcurrant .. Recommendations please

[WillieBee]

I've just been to take a look at my local garden centre, as I am keen to add some fruit bushes to my 2 week old allotment

Gooseberries .. The varieties they have are Invicta, Careless & Whinhams Industry.

I think i would fancy just eating these straight from the bush, rather than trying to make a pudding .. I'm no fool

Which would be best, or are there other better varieties ?

Blackcurrants Ben Nevis and Baldwin are the only varieties

Are these OK, or artre there better ?

If it matters I am in Tyne & Wera, so we can get frosts any time up until the end ofMmay

[Scarlet]

Usually the red varieties of gooseberry are often the sweetest. I've several gooseberry varieties. Invocation gives a great crop but I would only cook with that one. Out of the ones you've listed I would go Whinhams - but I haven't tried the Careless.
This is worth a read. Often if you order online you get a better choice of varieties.

https://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/articl...-gooseberries/

I have half a dozen different black currants - some produce earlier than others. Maybe given your location just pick one that ripens mid season? I think Ben Nevis might be an early variety?

[Scarlet]

Sorry, Ben Nevis is a mid/late season. So might be a good option for you. Definitely worth reading up on which ones will flower after your frost.

https://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/category/blackcurrants/

[Brack]

I'm just outside Durham, so if anything I'd expect you might get a bit less late frost as you're bang on the coast.
In terms of blackcurrants, I have ben sarek, Ben Lomond and titania (had decent fruit off all of them last year).
Redcurrants I planted a jonker van tets and two cuttings I nicked off bushes in the community garden last year (which I just stuck in the ground and they're growing leaves just now, so 2 free bushes). I've just bought a Rolan and shoved it in the ground yesterday. No fruit yet, but seem to be growing fine.
Gooseberries I have a hinnomaki red, planted last year, no fruit yet.
There's also a jostaberry I planted 2.5 years ago which hasn't bothered to fruit yet but is growing pretty strongly now. I've heard they often do nothing for the first few years then produce 5kg on one plant when they get going.

Personally I'd be heading to Lidl. 2 for £3 on bareroot redcurrant (Rolan), blackcurrant (titania) and gooseberry (hinnomaki red). At that price they're basically disposable, but currants don't die easily in my experience. Once they're established you might grab a couple of the Ben varieties of blackcurrants in from more reputable/pricey places. Multiple varieties makes it more likely that in the event of a late frost or disease outbreak some of them will survive.

I find gardenfocused is a useful site for reviews/info on varieties.

[WillieBee]

Personally I'd be heading to Lidl. 2 for £3 on bareroot redcurrant (Rolan), blackcurrant (titania) and gooseberry (hinnomaki red). At that price they're basically disposable, but currants don't die easily in my experience.

Many thanks for the reply .. will pop to Lidl this evdening and see what I can get

Just one snag ... my allotment isn't ready yet for fruit.

Should I put any bare root plants in pots, then maybe leave them there for a few months, then plant them out later

or

heel them in, maybe for a week or so then plant

thanks !

[Brack]

Disclaimer: I don't really know what I'm doing.

I'd shove them in pots. To my mind heeling things in is just to stop bare roots drying out whilst they're still dormant, but I've got leaves coming out on all my currants (jostaberry and redcurrant seem to be going fastest), and I'd think shoving them in a pot buys you as long as you need whilst the plant can grow roots and break dormancy, then just dig a pot sized hole and plop it in the ground when ready.

I picked up a blackcurrant for my sister on saturday and shoved it in a pot as it looked to be close to leafing out. She'll be round in the next few weeks and can just take it as it is.

I might well be doing it all wrong though.

[weetabixface]

Should I put any bare root plants in pots, then maybe leave them there for a few months, then plant them out later

or

heel them in, maybe for a week or so then plant

thanks !

I have managed to do either of these approaches in the past with success

W

[It never rains..it pours]

RHS trial maybe worth a read

https://apps.rhs.org.uk/planttrials/...02009-2012.pdf