blackcurrants help

[neil1280]

hi, got a little blackcurrant cane last year from poundland, it has lots of fruit on it now, they look ripe, nice and fat and gooy but i cut one open and its greenish inside and there are heaps of seeds, i have left them for a while to see if the inside changes but to no avail, i tasted one tonight and it was a bit rough, they also dont smell the nicest

any ideas anyone?

thanks

[realfood]

It sounds normal to me. Mine are still not ripe, but I net mine to stop the birds and leave them on the bushes to fully ripen.

[gojiberry]

Not all that keen on blackcurrants due to the hard seeds inside. Al right for jam if you sieve the pips out. I am trying the blackcurrant/gooseberry cross but don't know if they have the pips in.

Ian

[ginger ninger]

It's too early to be picking/eating blackcurrants. They need to be left on the plant until there ready to drop off on there own. When you see a few on the floor then you'll know there ripe or not far off. I make Blackcurrant jelly out of them ( no seeds) if I have enough, other then that you can add them to other soft fruits to make a nice mixed berry jelly.

[crazii_c]

ive inherited a huge old blackcurrant bush on my new plot. mine arnt ripe yet either, still taste a bit sour, however they are a lot better hidden on the plants than the redcurrants, which means the birds have left them alone while they feast on my redcurrants.

[realfood]

Gojiberry, Jostaberries have seeds in as well.

[Speed Gardener]

Remember that most varieties of blackcurrants don't really lend themselves to eating raw, they're mostly used cooked, so they are usually a bit tart. I picked 5lbs or so from one of my bushes yesterday and most of them were very ripe and a bit awkward to pick because they were so soft. They're an early variety (don't know which, I inherited it) and are about three weeks ahead of usual time, as are most of the soft fruit on my plot.

[Rhona]

I harvested our first lot of blackcurrants on Sunday and I suspect there'll be more ready by next week. I agree with Speed Gardener; they don't taste amazing raw. Last year I made blackcurrant wine and loads of jam (I prefer my jam with seeds in). The first batch this year has gone into mason jars with gin to start off some Cassis-type liquor. I'm also planning to use some of the young leaves this year.