Can you recommend a blackcurrant variety?

[amandaandherveg]

Can anyone recommend a variety of blackcurrant they've had success with in terms of size, yield and taste? Would like to add some more fruit bushes this year and your suggestions would be most welcome.

[OverWyreGrower]

I've just picked 1.5kg off my Ben Connan blackcurrant... it's from Ken Muir (bought online) and has been nice and low maintenance but high yield. All I do is trim it back once a year and that's it.

[amandaandherveg]

Thanks for the OWG - I've heard that variety being mentioned a couple of times in the past. Off to have a wee Google.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I can echo the sentiments about Ben Connan. Super big tasty berries. Hold on the bush for a long time and very easy to pick. I bought three bushes and rooted 3 cuttings from the prunings when I planted them but simply cannot use all the fruit the 6 bushes now produce. Cannot bring myself to cull any of the bushes though. Would be a real shame when they crop so well.

[amandaandherveg]

....cannot use all the fruit the 6 bushes now produce.

Oh AP, I'm jealous now How many would you suggest to get started?

[sewer rat]

Another Ben Connan fan here - I think you will find it hard to beat.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Amanda, depends on how much room you have but they need at least 5ft between bushes and between the rows.

Should have said, when you plant your bushes, it is recommended that the shoots be cut back to 9" and the cuttings are very easily rooted. In a spare piece of ground, stick in your spade and wiggle it about a bit (hokey cokey fuit bush propogation) to create a slit in the ground, then just push in the cutting and leave it till next spring time. Some people say fill the slit with sand but i find I don't need to.

[Flummery]

The best I ever grew was Ben Sarek. Fantastically big fruits, tasty, high yield. I don't live there any more though!

[OverWyreGrower]

I bought three bushes and rooted 3 cuttings from the prunings when I planted them but simply cannot use all the fruit the 6 bushes now produce.

So when I prune it back, I can root a cutting? Could I stick it in a pot and grow it on a bit there?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Yes to the can I root a cutting bit. No reason why you can't root a cutting in a pot except you will need to be very careful with the watering regime. You can't allow it to dry out yet you don't want it to be too wet.

[realfood]

I harvested my ripe Ebony and Ben Connan blackcurrants today and was able to make a taste comparison of them.
Ebony is much sweeter and not so acid as Ben Connan. I let others on the plot make comparison of them as well, and all much preferred Ebony.