Currants

[Stonewaller]

I have a large patch of bramble and blackthorn in my garden which I'm clearing very slowly because the whole area is a mass of roots. I'm hoping to grow currants in this area eventually, is it OK to clear a patch of roots and then plant a currant bush and then move on and clear another section and plant another currant?

Once the first currant is in, I'll then keep an eye on the ground round it and hoe/pull up anything that shouldn't be there - ie any of the brambles or blackthorn should they try and come up, and repeat this for the entire area. Will this work? It just seems rather a waste to leave such a big area doing nothing for a year, plus bare earth will encourage the cats and I really don't want that.

[Two_Sheds]

is it OK to clear a patch of roots and then plant a currant bush and then move on and clear another section and plant another currant?

Yes, that's exactly right

I'll then keep an eye on the ground ... and hoe/pull up anything that shouldn't be there

That's the way

bare earth will encourage the cats

and weeds, and erosion, and all sorts. Nature doesn't believe in bare earth (except for deserts).

[boundtothesoil]

I agree with two_sheds.
You could also put down circles of some kind of mulch or weed-suppressant fleece type thing immediately round the newly planted currants. Iv'e noticed that the roots of blackcurrants can be very shallow, making hoeing in their vicinity sometimes a risky business.

[Two_Sheds]

...making hoeing in their vicinity sometimes a risky business.

I don't hoe.

I use a mulch around my currants: either a living one (limnanthes) or layers of newspaper, weighed down with soil

[Stonewaller]

OK, thanks. I'm worried because the areas that haven't yet been cleared will presumably contain the same type and size of root that I removed from the cleared area - some of them are 3" across. If I leave them in are they going to gradually restablish a network of roots under the currants in the cleared area, even if I hoe out any shoots/mulch the surface? And will they compete with the currants for food, because they're obviously much stronger, having been there for years. I hope to clear the whole lot eventually but it really takes a long time because they are so many of them and they all interweave. I spent 2 hours this morning hacking away at them and got precisely nowhere - cleared about 1 sqft!

I have some weed suppressing fleece which a neighbour gave me so I can cut circles of that to go round the currants. I don't think at the moment that I'd want to use a living mulch just in case the blackthorn and brambles get back in and start causing problems. There is also a bit of ivy, can I leave that in/allow it to grow back as ground cover provided I keep it well away from the currants or is it detrimental to grow it near edibles?

[rustylady]

I spent 2 hours this morning hacking away at them and got precisely nowhere - cleared about 1 sqft!

There is also a bit of ivy, can I leave that in/allow it to grow back as ground cover provided I keep it well away from the currants or is it detrimental to grow it near edibles?

First of all, can I say that if you were hacking for 2 hours you are using the wrong tools? You need either heavy duty secateurs or loppers and systematically cut your brambles and blackthorn to ground level. Clear the topgrowth away for burning or other disposal. This will give you better access to the ground and you can then start on the roots.

If I were you I would try to clear the ivy too, because it grows like bu@@ery.

[Stonewaller]

First of all, can I say that if you were hacking for 2 hours you are using the wrong tools? You need either heavy duty secateurs or loppers and systematically cut your brambles and blackthorn to ground level. Clear the topgrowth away for burning or other disposal. This will give you better access to the ground and you can then start on the roots.

If I were you I would try to clear the ivy too, because it grows like bu@@ery.

It's cleared to ground level over the entire area now. It was the roots I was cutting at, using loppers and a short folding saw. They really do interweave all over the entire area, a long runners going from one blackthorn stump to another and then the ivy and brambles growing inbetween and doing the same thing.

[rustylady]

It's cleared to ground level over the entire area now. It was the roots I was cutting at, using loppers and a short folding saw. They really do interweave all over the entire area, a long runners going from one blackthorn stump to another and then the ivy and brambles growing inbetween and doing the same thing.

You really need something to lever the roots out of the ground a bit so you can cut them properly. NOT your best garden fork though.

[SarzWix]

I haven't anything to add to the advice, I just wanted to say that sounds like an absolute nightmare to deal with, and I'm well impressed that you're keeping at it! Go you!

[yummersetter]

Do you have a mattock or a pickaxe? And a strong back?

[WPG]

Can I ask a quick currant-related question. I planted 6 blackcurrant (and 4 blueberry) bushes last autumn, and they're now all just starting to get buds.

The forecast is for -3 here this weekend. Do I need to cover the bushes with bubblewrap or something, or will the buds be OK in those temperatures?

[veggiechicken]

I'm no expert but since you sound desperate - I've never covered any of my fruit bushes.
With luck someone who knows what they're talking about will be along soon

[Bigmallly]

WPG - If you are going to cover your fruit bushes, use fleece not bubblewrap, fleece will protect them plus allow air to circulate. I found if you get condensation on the inside of the bubblewrap & it is touching the plants, the fist sign of sun will scorch the leaves.

[WPG]

OK, thanks for the advice veggiechicken and Bigmally, much appreciated.

[Stonewaller]

I've cleared enough space to plant one each of White Versailles whitecurrant, Ben Lomond black currant and Redstart and jonkheer van tets redcurrants. It's looking good, so far nothing seems to have come up, I've left it bare earth at the moment because it's clayey and I'm hoping the frost will break it down a bit so it's a bit easier to deal with if/when something does sprout.

I also have a Baldwin currant which I got from Blackmores as a special offer. Unfortunately I left it wrapped up too long and in the relative warmth of the back room and the dark of the packaging it has sprouted leaves. It's way ahead of my outdoor ones, what should I do with it? Will it kill it to plant it out, or will it be OK planted out and fleeced day and night while the wind chill is subzero? I'll then take the fleece off during the day, put it on at night and gradually take it off at night too.