Poorly Blackcurrant

[Alison]

I've got a number of fruit bushes which were put in at the lottie in the past 18 months and most are looking pretty good and well established already however the blackcurrant is a right state and looks like it might be dying. There are very few leaves and little sign of other growth. No sign of any bugs etc and the white currant which is next to it is in really good health. Any ideas what might be the problem and what I could do to bring it round?

[Two_Sheds]

One of mine had lots of bare branches this year. The remaining branches have leaves & fruit like normal, and the other 4 bushes are fine.
Weird

[Alison]

May just give it a good mulch and feed and see how it goes - can I blame the strange weather this year rather than myself?

[piskieinboots]

...can I blame the strange weather this year rather than myself?

I reckon we'll all be doing that at least until next Summer

[Snadger]

I personally would dig it up and bin it! Check the roots haven't been attacked by something while its out the ground?

Life's to short to be cajoling sick blackcurrants, far better to start again with another, preferably from a proven cropper!

You can buy decent blackcurrants in poundshop so why bother wasting space with something that may never come to anything.

PS I have about a dozen cuttings in the lottie from a good blackcurrant that this year has currants the size of marbles! You're welcome to one of these in the autumn if you're desperate!

[Alison]

Thanks Snadger, I know what you're saying about starting with fresh but I like to nurture whenever I can and hate to give up on living things so will try to bring it round. Will see how it goes over next year and then maybe wish I'd taken your advice . To be honest it was a replacement bush up the lottie with the plan to get it productive before I dug up the rather large, established bush at home so I can easily leave the home one for another year or two while I make up my mind.

[Snadger]

Thanks Snadger, I know what you're saying about starting with fresh but I like to nurture whenever I can and hate to give up on living things so will try to bring it round. Will see how it goes over next year and then maybe wish I'd taken your advice . To be honest it was a replacement bush up the lottie with the plan to get it productive before I dug up the rather large, established bush at home so I can easily leave the home one for another year or two while I make up my mind.

Take a few cuttings from the goodun......they're dead easy!

[Alison]

Take a few cuttings from the goodun......they're dead easy!

I already have, 5 or 6 in pots in the back garden as I type